Distributor United Print Group (UPIC: Unite387) was recognized by The New York & New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council on November 13 at its annual Partnership Awards Gala. Long Island City, New York-based United Print Group was named a recipient of a “Supplier of the Year Award” by the group, identifies and certifies minority business enterprises, and facilitates procurement opportunities between corporate America and council-certified minority suppliers.

The “Supplier of the Year Awards” were presented to three council-certified minority businesses that span fields from IT to promotions to printing. They have achieved revenues ranging from under $1 million to billions of dollars. The council classifies its certified minority-owned businesses by size based on annual revenue. Class I has revenues of up to $1 million; Class II, 1 million to $10 million; Class III, $10 million to $50 million, and Class IV, over $50 million. Robert Sanchez, founder of United Print Group, was the evening’s Class II Award winner.

“We want to grow minority businesses from Class I to Class II and Class II to Class III and Class III to Class IV,” says Terrence Clark, president and CEO of the council. “In 2015, 53 percent of minority businesses certified by the council had annual sales between $10 million and $99 million. We also have 30 percent of minority businesses with annual sales under $1 million. The council is here to assist minority businesses and corporations in finding mutually beneficial business collaborations through networking, education programs and business development.”

Award recipients were also presented with scholarships to the Minority Business Executive Program at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College sponsored by Capital One, Comcast NBCUniversal, and Wells Fargo.