Windell Paige, CEO
Windell Paige is the CEO of WP and Associates, Inc., a national Business Consulting Company that provides guidance in fostering business relationships through strategic alliances and match-making for minority and women business entrepreneurs. Paige, a veteran of business development is also an outstanding motivational speaker. He previously served as the Director of the Office of Supplier Diversity for the State of Florida for eight years in Tallahassee, FL., where he lead the state’s effort to ceased to utilize quotes, percentage goals and set-asides in order to grow the State’s spending with minority/women vendors under the leadership of former Governor Jeb Bush
Paige was appointed by Governor Bush in January 2000 as the State’s Chief Minority/Women Business Development Executive. He served in that position until Bush left office in January 2007. Under Paige’s leadership Certified Minority/Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) spending grew from $292 million in 2000 to more than $1 billion in 2007. The State’s spending with minority/women businesses grew and major improvement were made to help minority businesses interact with state decision makers, major corporations who were prime contractors and grassroots economic development organizations.
Paige joined the Bush Administration after holding a variety of minority business entrepreneur management positions, including serving as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Regional Minority Business Council from 1992-1999. In this position he served as a liaison between diversity business entrepreneurs and corporate entities representing both the public and private sector. From 1990-1992 Paige was the Associate Vice President for TEM Associates, Inc. where he managed major projects including the State of Florida’s Business Study for the Department of Management Services, previously known as the Department of General Services. During his tenure TEM was number 70 on the Black Enterprise Top 100 Companies in the country.
In 1978 Paige joined the BellSouth Corporation as a TSPS Operator. Six month after joining Bell South, he was appointed employment manager and assumed responsibility for identifying minorities for entry level positions. In 1982 Paige became minority/women business program coordinator where he managed an $18 million annual budget; provided orientation training to vendors and designed and implemented long-term minority business goals for South Florida.
Since 1999, Paige has served on various valuable organizations boards including the Florida Minority Supplier Development Center Board of Director, Small Business Development Center Advisory Board, Broward Conventions and Visitors Bureau Meeting Planning Advisory Board, Floridians Representing Education and Equality and Washington Mutual Community Advisory Board.
Paige’s commitment to diversity has not gone unnoticed by businesses around the nation and the state of Florida. In 2006, he was named Advocate of the Year by the Florida Regional Minority Business Council; in 2003 he was named the Southeastern Minority Business Advocate of the Year by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Paige graduated from Florida A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Public Administration. He, his wife Bonita and their two children reside in Tallahassee.
Bonita Davis Paige, Business Operations Manager
Bonita Davis Paige has over 20 years of diversity knowledge. Bonita received her Master Compliance Administrator Certification from the American Contract Compliance Association.
Bonita has established a statewide network of minority businesses, program managers, corporate representatives and community leaders. As a long time MBE manager at the Broward County School Board and after more than seven years of service in state government with the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Management Services, Bonita brings a wealth of both knowledge and experience to the team.
Bonita specializes in business matchmaking, reinforcing existing business relationships and creating new ones. Methodical with expertise in organizing activities also makes Bonita our lead manager for time-sensitive matters, logistics/event planning.