Michael J. Garner, MBA, was appointed New York City’s first Citywide Chief Business Diversity Officer by Mayor Eric Adams on February 16, 2023. Mr. Garner formerly served as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). His tenure at the MTA spanned 14 years from February 2009- through February 2023. He is a diversity champion, making it his personal and professional mission to create a more diverse business environment wherever he’s been. By creating new programs, Mr. Garner and his teams have been responsible for more than $20 billion in payments to New York State/City Minority and Women-owned Businesses. In addition, since Mr. Garner’s arrival, the MTA has improved its hiring of Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians by 20% across the MTA’s six different operating agencies. Since his arrival at the MTA in 2009, Mr. Garner has designed the country’s leading MWDBE Business Development Program based on dollars paid. As the architect of the MTA’s Small Business Mentoring Program, Mr. Garner has transformed the largest transportation sys- tem in North America with a results-driven construction mentoring program. The program continues to break down barriers for minority, women, disadvantaged and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses in New York State, who otherwise would not have contract op- portunities in the transportation industry. Under the direction of Mr. Garner, the MTA’s Small Business Mentoring Program awarded 575 contracts totaling $620 million to program participants. Overall, through his efforts, more than $17.3 Billion have been paid to New York State certified MWBEs. During Mr. Gar- ner’s tenures at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA), and the MTA, Mr. Garner and his teams have been respon- sible for more than $20 billion in dollars paid to both NYC/ NYS certified MWBEs and MTA certified DBEs. As a recognized industry and community leader, Mr. Garner has had a real impact on the MTA and the MWDBE Business Community, but his work and avid vision does not end there. He is an active member of the Canaan Baptist Church in Harlem, a sought-after speaker on effective MWDBE Programs across the nation, an advisor on MWDBE matters to various U.S. Cities and States including the City of Buffalo, the City of Chicago, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), and the State of New Jersey. He has also served in various execu- tive advisory capacities for: • Former NYS Governor David Paterson’s Small Business Advisory Council • Harlem Hospital Board • Former Treasurer, New York/New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council • 100 Black Men of America – Chairman, Development & Corporate Relations Committee • United States Rugby Association – Board of Directors • President of the Founding Chapter for One Hundred Black Men of New York City; Current Chairman of the Corporate Board Mr. Garner hopes to bring his deep breadth of M/WBE programming experience, his vast network of M/WBE advocates and champions, and a proven track record to the City of New York as it’s first Citywide Chief Business Diversity Officer, and Director of the Mayor’s Office of M/WBEs. Michael J. Garner Chief Business Diversity Officer Panelists PANEL DISCUSSIONS
