Marlene Nantell is the Director of Business Development and Community Outreach for the Southern California Minority Supplier Development Council, a non-profit organization headquartered in Downtown Los Angeles that provides minority-owned entrepreneurs opportunities to compete for large corporate contracts by providing MBE Certification, as well as professional development programs, relevant workshops and networking events. In addition to helping grow the number of Minority Businesses and Corporate members, her role is to represent the council at various diverse business events and present on the value of certification; cultivate and maintain relationships with entrepreneurs, partnering organizations and Corporate sponsors; create and develop programs and services for MBEs, specifically seeking to build capacity for large contracts; provide opportunities for entrepreneurs to partner and build their businesses through networking; serve as a liaison to the Minority Business Entrepreneur Input Committee (MBEIC), a standing committee of the SCMSDC Board of Directors, and ensure that MBE Certification is in compliance with national guidelines under the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC).
She is a Board member and Executive Secretary for the Asian Business Association of Orange County (ABAOC), on the Corporate Advisory Board for the American Indian Chamber of Commerce (AICC) and a member of the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW). She received her undergraduate degree in Communications from the University of La Verne and a Master’s degree in Social Science from Humboldt State University.
Diana Zuñiga is the Business Development Manager for Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling, a west coast bottler and distributor of Coca-Cola brands. She is responsible for developing new business, acquiring quality new outlets and transitioning of outlets to existing routing and replenishment structure. She is responsible for qualifying opportunities to ensure new placement quality, targeting small to medium size businesses by proposing appropriate brands, packages and equipment. She determines appropriate sales coverage for on-going account management. She has built relationships with key industry contacts, business owners and community leaders to support the company’s goal of community leadership.