TRENTON, N.J. — The African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ) and the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce (NJCC) are pleased to announce that Wilbur C. Milhouse III, Chairman and CEO of Milhouse Engineering & Construction, Inc., will be a featured speaker at the 2023 DEI Trailblazer Awards.
Milhouse, an award-winning entrepreneur with more than 30 years of diversified civil and structural engineering experience, has transformed his expertise into a global enterprise that has garnered national attention.
His passion for community advancement led to the co-founding of Milhouse Charities in 2012, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting academic achievements and opportunities for minorities and underrepresented youth by supporting STEM-focused initiatives.
“It is an honor to have the leader of the largest Black-owned engineering design firm in the United States speak at the DEI Trailblazer Awards ceremony,” comment John E. Harmon Sr., IOM, AACCNJ’s Founder, President, and CEO. “This is a special treat for our guests.”
This year’s DEI Trailblazer Awards event marks the second annual ceremony co-hosted by AACCNJ and NJCC. It is dedicated to recognizing companies and organizations that are making noteworthy progress in the crucial domains of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Specifically, the DEI Trailblazer Awards acknowledge outstanding achievements in six distinct categories:
- Supplier Diversity: Recognizing businesses committed to diverse contracting for goods and services.
- Access to Capital: Commending businesses supporting enhanced access to capital for historically marginalized enterprises and entrepreneurs.
- Corporate Board Diversity: Celebrating businesses with diverse board compositions that reflect underrepresented communities.
- Workforce Diversity: Honoring businesses that exhibit a strong commitment to diversifying their staff through comprehensive recruiting, hiring, and retention efforts.
- Corporate Citizenship: Recognizing businesses with a significant commitment to philanthropy and community engagement, with a focus on historically marginalized communities.
- Emerging DEI Influencer: Applauding businesses in the early stages of DEI implementation, demonstrating intentionality across the above categories.
The 2023 nominees include AmeriHealth; Bank of America; Bridge Builders Newark, LLC; CannPowerment; The Ceceilyn Miller Institute for Leadership & Diversity; Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi P.C.; Cole Schotz; Delta Dental of New Jersey; Gibbons P.C.; Hackensack Meridian Health; Johnson & Johnson; Lockerbie & Co.; Modivcare; New Jersey Institute of Technology; Phillips 66-Bayway Refinery; PSEG; Santander US; Somerset County Business Partnership; Tené Nícole Creative Agency; UnitedHealth Group; and We Are Jersey.
The DEI Trailblazer Awards ceremony promises to be an inspiring event. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to hear from Milhouse and other esteemed leaders as we celebrate the nominees and reveal the 2023 awardees. The awards reception will take place at the Olde Mill Inn in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, on Monday, November 20, 2023, 5-8 p.m. For more information about the DEI Trailblazer Awards and to register for the event, please visit: https://njchamber.com/events/dei-trailblazer-awards