Krishna K. Bansal

President

Krishna Bansal is an entrepreneur with more than two decades of experience in business, finance and technology. He is the President and CEO of Q1 Technologies, Inc., a technology and services company that he founded in 2002. Headquartered in Aurora IL, his company has worked with educational institutions, governments and fortune 500 corporations with complex technology and improving global operations. Q1 Technologies is also bringing the same level IT experience available to fortune companies to the local Small and Medium Businesses under the brand MyTecq.com

Bansal believes in giving back to the community. As a volunteer, he is actively involved working for education, business & civic organizations. His experience / involvement other than running for office (D204 School Board & Illinois House District 84) are:

• City of Naperville - Planning and Zoning Commissioner
• Board Member - Illinois Chamber of Commerce
• Chairman – Indian Community Outreach, Naperville Mayor’s office
• Vice Chair - Indian Prairie Education Foundation (school district 204)
• Founding Chairman and current Board Member of City of Aurora Indian Community Outreach Advisory Board
• Board Member – Vishwa Jagriti Mission of North America and devoted to helping homeless and underprivileged children
• Board Member - Global Organization of People of Indian Origin
• Chief Organizer of multiple Large Events, that are attended by thousands of people

Bansal holds a master’s degree in Business Administration, an undergraduate degree in Business & Accounting and multiple technology certifications. Additionally he and his company have won many awards by local and national organizations.

On a personal front Krishna and his wife have two daughters attending high school. Between swim meets, concerts, extra-curricular and other school activities, Krishna is an avid pilot and enjoys flying. He also loves travelling and has toured extensively across the globe.

Perry Mehta

Vice President Finance

Perry Mehta is an accomplished professional, hard core entrepreneur and strong visionary leader.  He started FutureNet Group, Inc. in 2003, as Innovative Infrastructure Company.  Today, FutureNet Group is considered as one of the most premier Perimeter Security Company and Technology Company who has more than 300 employees amongst four offices in the United States, and an office in India.

Born in Ahmedabad, India, Mehta has always been a catalyst for change and a spokesman for creating a better community. Mehta started computer education program in Ahmedabad in mid 1990s, built a college in Gujarat, India, established a scholarship at his college alma mater, SV National Institute of Technology (SVNIT), and has given several engineers the opportunity to establish themselves in the United States by providing them with jobs and financial assistance.

He has won several awards due to his leadership and commitment to the community. A few awards include the Minority Small Business of the Year from the White House and the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. His company was recognized as one of Michigan’s 50 Companies to Watch and one of the ICIC’s Fastest Growing Top 100 Inner City Companies for several years. Recently he has been awarded as Glorious Gujarati award. 

FutureNet Group has signed a MoU for $150 million with Govt. of Gujarat for Defense Manufacturing as part of Make in India. Also, to support Indians to migrate to USA, Mehta has worked hard and received an approval to sponsor 50 families under Investment Visa EB-5 Program.

Mehta is one of most influential Indian American who has succeeded in business and with strong commitment to help community.

Susan Au Allen

Member at Large

Susan Au Allen came to the United States from Hong Kong on an invitation from the White House in recognition of her volunteer work for people with disabilities. She received her Juris Doctor from Georgetown University and LL.M. in International Law from the Antioch School of Law. During her 17 years with Paul Shearman Allen & Associates of Washington, DC and Hong Kong, she became nationally recognized for her work on immigration, international trade and investment.

In 1984, Susan founded the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Education Foundation (USPAACC) with a group of business and civic leaders in Washington, DC and California, to bring the diverse Pan Asian American business and professional people together as one unified voice in business, commerce and trade. In 2001, she won two Federal cases for her clients, took sabbatical leave from her law practice, and became USPAACC National President & CEO.

Long an effective advocate for small businesses on Capitol Hill, the White House, government, corporate America and the media, Susan achieved a new level of influence when President George H.W. Bush appointed her to the Council of the Administrative Conference of the United States where she served from 1991 to 1996.

Susan is a frequent guest at the White House and Congressional events that address issues affecting America’s small, minority and women business communities. Her participation in these forums plays an important role in shaping the national agenda on the economy.

She is frequently approached by the media to comment on small and Asian American businesses, US-Asia commerce and trade, and Asian American women executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals.

Susan analogizes USPAACC as the acorn that has grown into an Oak Tree since its founding 28 years ago, with strong roots and wide branches extending to thousands of small and Asian American businesses and professionals across the country. She is proud of USPAACC’s ability to connect business to business, open doors to contract, educational and professional opportunities for Asian Americans which is the fastest-growing group with the highest business growth in the United States, and substantial social and economic connections to the dynamic Asian Pacific region, the world’s fastest-growing economic bloc.

Once an immigrant, she knows the obstacles that must be overcome to achieve the American Dream, and she has dedicated her life to help entrepreneurs to pursue their Dream - develop, grow and build a successful business.

Susan is a member of Pfizer’s Small Business Advisory Council; Diversity Council of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, International Franchise Association and American Red Cross; National Association of Women Business Owners National Advisory Council; and the Kennedy Center Community Board.

She has served on the President’s Council on the 21st Century Workforce Committee on the Future of the Workplace; the Small Business Advisory Committee of the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. General Services Administration; U.S. Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council; U.S. Small Business Administration National Women’s Business Council; NASA’s Minority Business Resource Advisory Committee; Women Small Business Summits National Advisory Board; Washington Board of Trade Board of Trustees for The Washington Initiative; Diversity Council of Time Warner, Wyndham International, Premier Automotive Group (Aston Martin, Jaguar, Volvo and Landrover); Board of Directors of the Virginia Small Business Finance Authority; Diversity Boards of AMTRAK and the U.S. Marine Corps; Commissioner of the Minority Business Opportunity Commission of the District of Columbia; and the Board of Trustees of Excelsior College in New York.

She has contributed op-ed articles to USA Today, The Washington Times, The Baltimore Sun, Asian Week, and Asian Fortune, and appeared as a commentator on C-Span, CNN, CNBC, ABC, Fox News, The News Hour, To the Contrary, This is America, and The Editor.

Susan was named Women Worth Watching by Profiles in Diversity Journal in 2013; America’s Top Diversity Advocates together with President Clinton, President Carter, and Oprah Winfrey by DiversityBusiness.com in 2007; and one of 50 Most Influential Asian Americans by A-Magazine in 1994.

Among Susan’s awards are the Urban Wheels Lifetime Achievement Award (2010), DiversityBusiness.com Top Diversity Advocates (2007), Minority Business Hall of Fame (2005), National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers’ Diversity Advocacy Award (2006), NASA Special Recognition Award for Extraordinary Efforts in Promoting Small Business Programs Nationally and Internationally (2002), AT&T Spectrum Award for Advocacy for Minority Business Opportunity (2001), and Skirt in Power Award from the District of Columbia Chamber of Commerce (1992).

Susan speaks (Cantonese and Mandarin) and writes Chinese fluently. Married with two sons, she lives in McLean, Virginia.

Rona Fourté

Chairperson

Rona is the director of supplier diversity for Walgreens, member of Walgreens Boots Alliance. In this capacity, she leads a team to impact the diverse owned business inclusion rate in contracting for merchandise, goods not for resale and professional services. She and her team serve as the primary liaison and subject matter experts for identifying, developing and introducing diverse suppliers for opportunities at Walgreens. Rona has also supported HR Transformation for Walgreens and is an integral leader within the Global Office of Diversity & Inclusion.

Prior to joining Walgreens, Rona led supplier diversity initiatives in both the private and public sectors and held senior management roles in finance and accounting. Rona directed the Chicago Minority Business Opportunity Center, a $1.2M US Department of Commerce, MBDA funded project, and was acknowledged by the National Director for successfully executing financial transactions for minority owned businesses in excess of $105M. Rona has led information technology system design projects for organizational transformations as an employee and as a consultant. Rona has been cited in diversity publications, received recognitions for advocacy, commitment, and most importantly for delivering results that have contributed to the development and economic growth of the diverse owned businesses.

Rona is an active member of the community and serves on advisory boards and task committees of several organizations throughout the US including affiliates of the National Minority Supplier Development Council and Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, US Business Leaders Network, Food Marketing Institute, State of Illinois, and Multicultural Retail 360 (produced by Convenience Store News).

Rona has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration & Accounting from DePaul University, a Masters of Arts in Divinity and is a Certified Fraud Examiner. 

Ruby McCleary

Director

Ruby was appointed Director of Supplier Diversity with United Airlines in 2008. In this role, she is responsible for developing United’s Corporate Supplier Diversity/Supply Chain strategy across multiple product lines and services. Under her leadership, United’s supplier diversity spend has grown to over $1B annually; creating a Best in Class Supplier Diversity brand at United. As a successful advocate on behalf of Women and Minority Business Enterprises, United has been named one of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council’s America’s Top Corporations for WBEs (women business enterprises) five consecutive years, Corporation of the Year by CMSDC (Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council) in 2013 and 2016 a host of other accolades.  

Before joining United, Ruby lead U.S. Cellular®’s Supplier Diversity initiatives and Supplier Diversity Business Development at SBC (one of the original members of the Billion Dollar Roundtable for Supplier Diversity). As a former business owner herself, she presents unique insights to business owners.  As President of R. McCleary Consulting she provides successful diversity strategies tailored to meet her client’s individual corporate objectives. Ruby has taught leadership and development seminars for business owners at the Univ. of Wi-Madison (WSDC- Business Seminar), for WBENC, the MBDA, WBDC and CMBDC. She has a successful track record in the areas of Diversity and Inclusion, Procurement and Customer Relationship Management.  Through her course “How to Market your Way to Yes”, suppliers are taught what works and what doesn’t when marketing to potential customers, how to develop a business marketing plan and how to successfully respond to an RFP. 

Prior to her strategic engagement in the Supplier Diversity Industry, Ruby was the Director for IT Contracts, responsible a $660 Billion Outsource Agreement for Data Center Operations at Ameritech. She started her career at Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems Division in the Contracts, Proposal Management and Gov’t Regulations department.

As a Director for United Airlines, Ruby was named one of Top 25 Women in Power in Diversity by Diversity Plus Magazine in 2012 and 2015.  Ruby has a strong financial and strategic management background supported with her MBA and B.S. in Accounting. She currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors on the CMSDC. She also is on the Board of Directors for WBENC and chairs the Program Committee. Ruby participates as a Corporate Partner with WBDC, serves as Chair of the NMSDC Air Transportation Group and is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Individual Leadership Awards include: 

• Named Top 25 Women in Diversity by Diversity Plus Magazine 2012 and 2015
• 2013 WBENC Applause Award
• Named America’s Top Leaders in Supplier Diversity by WE Magazine for four consecutive years 2011-2015
• Named Best of the Decade in Supplier Diversity by MBN 
• Who’s Who for WBE by WE MAGAZINE?
• Named Top 100 under 50 Diverse Emerging Leaders by Diversity MBA Magazine for 2008
• Supplier Diversity Professional of the Year- Local chapter MBDA 2007
• Supplier Diversity Manager of the Year for 2005 by CMBDC

Tom D. Lutz

Director

Tom D. Lutz joined U.S. Bancorp as Senior Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer in April, 2008. He is responsible for the corporate procurement organization involved with strategic sourcing, vendor management, and supplier diversity. Since joining U.S. Bancorp eight years ago, Tom has focused on delivering significantly greater value across the enterprise through more effective internal alignment, improved vendor relationships, strategic talent management, and a shareholder-centric view of operating costs and business practices.

Tom has more than 30 years of experience in the areas of procurement, supply chain management, and information systems. Prior to joining U.S. Bank, Tom spent twenty years with General Mills in a variety of roles, and three years with Pulte Homes as National Vice President of Procurement.

Tom is a native of Minnesota, and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Systems Analysis from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana.

KC Sukumar

Director

KC Sukumar has a lifetime of industry experience.  He has served in the computer industry in several positions until he started his firm TAJ Technologies, Inc. 30 years ago in 1987.  KC Sukumar has an Engineering degree from India and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Minnesota.

KC Sukumar and TAJ have been recognized many times for growth and excellence.  KC was awarded 1999 Minnesota Minority Small Business Person of the Year and 2014 Entrepreneurial Success Award both by the SBA.  TAJ Technologies was nationally ranked as an Inc. 500 Company in 1996 and in 1997, a Fast 500 Company in 1997 and 1998.  Also in later years TAJ ranked in Inc5000 listing during 2009 and 2010 and consistently ranks in the local publications as one of the top 10 local IT companies. 

KC Sukumar strategy for growing his company has been to put employees and clients at the front and center, cater to their needs and create an environment of value for all stakeholders within the framework of ethical business practices. 

TAJ Technologies gives back to the community routinely sponsoring local and international charity events and KC Sukumar as a Rotarian is involved in a number of world community projects in his native India.

Reshma Sambare

Director

Reshma Sambare practices law at Miller Canfield Paddock and Stone PLC and focuses her practice on legal issues related to commercial construction, commercial real estate development, commercial contracts, and economic development incentives involving national and international clients of public, private, and public-private-partnership nature. Reshma is a Civil Engineer, with Masters Degrees in Construction Management and Finance, and worked in the commercial real estate development sector for close to ten years prior to obtaining her law degree.

In addition to her commercial transactional law practice, Reshma is involved in several nonprofit and pro bono initiatives focused on the South Asian women and families. Reshma serves on the VAWA and U Visa Pro Bono Panel of Michigan Immigrant Rights Center; serves on the State Bar of Michigan’s Domestic Violence Committee; and serves as the Board of Director on several nonprofit organizations.

Hoyt M. Hsiao

Director

Hoyt Hsiao is President & CEO of Shaw-Lundquist Associates, Inc. He is involved with the overall business activities of the company and guides its strategic direction. Since starting with the company in 1987, Hoyt has been an important member of the management team in managing growth and process improvement and setting the purpose, values, vision and goals for the company. Shaw-Lundquist was named a 2016 Minnesota Family Business honoree by Twin Cities Business Magazine.

Hoyt’s current professional and community activities include: Board of Governors, Children’s Theatre Company; Board Member, University of Minnesota China Center Advisory Council, and MEDA Board Member and Treasurer. Some of his past involvements were: past Board Member, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce; past Board Member and past Secretary, National Association of Minority Contractors, former Board Member, Associated General Contractors of Minnesota, former Board Member National Association of Minority Contractors Upper Midwest chapter, past Member of the Coalition of Asian American Leaders executive committee, and past Board Member of the Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.

Hoyt was honored as Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO’s 2017, an MBE who Rocks by MBE Magazine in 2016, a 2016 inductee into the National Association of Minority Contractor’s Hall of Fame, selected as MEDA’s Entrepreneur of the Year for 2015, and a honoree of the Minneapolis St Paul Business Journal’s Minority Business Awards in June 2008. Hoyt was also honored by being named to the 2008 Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine’s Burt and Rusty Cohen Volunteer Hall of Fame in September 2008.

Hoyt was born in Minneapolis and grew up in the Twin Cities. He attended the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities and graduated from the Carlson School of Management with a Bachelor of Science degree. Hoyt is married and enjoys travel, and time with his wife, daughter and their cat and dog.

Dinkar Karumuri

Director

Dinkar Karumuri is President and Chief Executive Officer of Senryo Technologies with branches in US and India, a technology firm based in the Chicago area specializing in delivering innovative enterprise solutions to governments and businesses. Dinkar Karumuri has over 20 years of experience as a technologist, solution architect and an implementation leader for both public and private sector clients. Specifically, Dinkar Karumuri has expertise in delivering solutions in Cloud Computing, Enterprise Resource Planning, Business Intelligence, Enterprise Application Integration, and Enterprise Performance Management.

Senryo Technologies is an SBA Certified small business 8(a) corporation, a federal contractor with contract vehicles such as GSA IT-70 Schedule, GSA 8(a) STARS II, CIO SP (3), and many state and local master consulting agreements for IT and Management consulting services. It is also registered as a Minority Business Enterprise and has obtained ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2013 Certifications, and Senryo Technologies is a CMMi Level 2 (DEV) appraised business.

Dinkar Karumuri also a founding partner and an Advisory Board member for idSUREiTY an identity platform for Government and Commercial enterprises. Dinkar’s community activities include – Board Member at Indian Community Outreach, Founder/Board of Director at Chicago Andhra Association, Mayor’s Technology Council member attended business delegations to Israel and Mexico as Indian-American representative, Political Affairs Board of ITServe largest organization of IT businesses.

Dinkar is a certified Project Manager with a Master’s Degree from the University of Illinois, Chicago in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. His proudest academic achievement was his research thesis on the Modeling and Analysis of Virtual Reality Systems, which was presented in the International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE98) in Kyoto, Japan.

In his spare time, Dinkar spends time playing and biking with his kids, and he enjoys cooking, playing golf and travel.