Mary C. Shannon Inducted into Prestigious Marquis Who's Who Biographical Registry
Mary C. Shannon, a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience, founded Connectus Worldwide in 2018, specializing in diversity consulting. She's renowned for integrating diversity into corporate practices and serves on various boards. Shannon spearheads efforts like the CEO-to-CEO Challenge to enhance supplier diversity, aiming to support local businesses with initiatives like the Supplier Diversity Playbook. Inspired by her grandmother, Shannon's commitment to diversity and inclusion remains unwavering as she expands Connectus Worldwide's influence in the Midwest.
Mary Shannon’s two words to describe the complexity of supplier diversity: Competitive advantage
Mary Shannon, founder of Connectus Worldwide, is praised for her dedication to diversity and inclusion in Kansas City's business scene, notably through her involvement in the CEO-to-CEO Challenge with KC Rising. Leveraging her corporate diversity expertise, Shannon emphasizes the value of diverse teams in decision-making and profitability. Her participation aims to secure contracts for her firm while spotlighting minority-owned businesses, aligning with research on the economic benefits of diversity. The CEO-to-CEO Challenge promotes collaboration with minority-owned enterprises for mutual growth and societal progress, with participants like Steve McDowell committing to diversity in their industries. By fostering these relationships, the initiative addresses income disparities and advocates for inclusivity, aiming to create a more equitable and prosperous business environment in Kansas City.
CEO to CEO Challenge
Mary Shannon, founder of Connectus Worldwide, is recognized for her efforts in advancing diversity and inclusion within Kansas City's business landscape. Through her participation in the CEO-to-CEO Challenge, initiated by KC Rising, Shannon seeks to foster partnerships between major corporations and minority-owned businesses, thereby expanding opportunities for collaboration and economic growth. With a background in corporate diversity programs, Shannon underscores the significance of diverse teams in enhancing decision-making processes and ultimately improving a company's profitability. Her involvement in the challenge not only aims to secure contracts for her firm but also to elevate the visibility of minority-owned businesses in the Kansas City area, aligning with research indicating that diverse partnerships contribute to economic prosperity.
The CEO-to-CEO Challenge, viewed as both equitable and strategic, encourages corporations to engage with minority-owned partners, recognizing the potential for mutual benefit and societal advancement. Participants like Steve McDowell from BNIM commit to actively seeking out minority-owned partners, acknowledging the imperative of greater diversity within their industries. This initiative addresses income and wealth disparities by nurturing relationships between large corporations and small minority-owned businesses, emphasizing inclusivity as a cornerstone for building a thriving community. Through such collaborative efforts, Kansas City endeavors to harness its unique strengths while rectifying past shortcomings, striving to cultivate a more equitable and prosperous business environment for all stakeholders.
Testimonials
"Embarking on the certification journey with Connectus Worldwide was a transformative
experience for my business, culminating in the successful attainment of our WBENC
WBE certification. The ensuing growth opportunities have been nothing short of
exhilarating, and I wholeheartedly endorse partnering with Connectus Worldwide for
your certification journey."
What truly distinguishes Connectus Worldwide is the seamless blend of professionalism
and responsiveness, coupled with Mary's unwavering courtesy, clear communication,
and invaluable assistance throughout the process. In the face of initial complexities,
Mary's expertise and active involvement provided the necessary guidance to navigate
challenges with ease.
The pivotal role of Mary Shannon as our certification coach cannot be overstated.
Serving as a dedicated accountability partner, Mary not only demystified the process but
ensured that our paperwork was meticulously prepared for submission to the certifying
agency. This level of support allowed us to focus on other critical aspects of our
business, elevating the certification journey from a necessity to a strategic catalyst for
growth.
Ebony Black
Connect Staffing Professional, LLCKansas CIty, MO & Las Vegas, NV"From the initial meeting, Connectus Worldwide provided top-tier service. It is understanding the process of receiving certification and walking the business owner through each step. No question is silly because it gives the business owner more understanding, and Ms Mary Shannon was ready to answer each question."
The process felt painless, quick, and informative. Ms Mary Shannon had an easy
process to follow and took the time needed to submit a successful application.
I am now a certified NMSDC minority-owned business, and it's all thanks to Connectus
Worldwide.
Frederick Griffith CEO
Anew FitnessNew Orleans, LA"Connectus Worldwide was instrumental in driving my business to obtain its WBENC WBE certification. I am very fortunate to have had Ms. Mary Shannon to coach me through the process. From our first meeting, she clearly outlined the required documentation and what I could expect throughout the process. My experience was well aligned with what she had described. My WBENC WBE certification interviewer was so impressed by the quality of my application, that she requested the contact information of my certification coach. What could possibly be a better testament to Ms. Shannon's professionalism and excellence than that?"
"Connectus Worldwide was instrumental to my business obtaining both WBENC and
WOSB certifications. Within months of obtaining the certifications my business became
more competitive when bidding on new business opportunities. I would recommend
working with Connectus Worldwide to assist any business owner with navigating the
certification process.
The team at Connectus Worldwide were professional, responsive, and kind. As a small
business owner I found the process of running my business and applying to
certifications overwhelming and challenging. With the team’s expertise and guidance
we were able to complete the process and get certified.
Having a certification coach gave me the peace of mind in knowing that my time and
efforts were focused on the right thing to achieve our goal. Mary Shannon was a patient
and knowledgeable capability partner that walked us through each step of the process
to ensure our paperwork was submitted in a professional manner to the certifying
agency."
Melissa Zamora McLaughlin President|Founder
Marea StrategiesSpringfield, VA"Mary Shannon served as an excellent certification coach, providing valuable support and guidance throughout my MBE/DBE certification process. With her help, our paperwork was submitted in a timely manner to the certifying agency, allowing us to focus on other important business matters. Her accountability and expertise were truly rewarding. I often recommend Connectus Worldwide to my colleagues when they inquire about certifications."
