Cedars-Sinai and Huntington Health, a Cedars-Sinai affiliate, recently hosted Huntington Health’s first Supplier Diversity Connection mixer.
Held in partnership with Communities Lifting Communities (CLC) and the Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC), the event drew over 125 diverse-owned vendors, hospital purchasers and leaders, and other supporters. The mixer began with a bingo icebreaker, and the room buzzed with conversation as attendees scrambled to meet one another and fill their cards.
Advancing Community Well-being and Opportunity
Pamela Weatherspoon, Huntington Health’s vice president of enterprise, diversity, equity, inclusion, wellness and engagement, then introduced Dr. Lori Morgan, the hospital’s president and CEO.
Dr. Morgan welcomed the crowd “to our first, but certainly not our last, Supplier Diversity Connection event.” She noted the hospital has served the Pasadena community for over 131 years and affirmed its commitment to advancing supplier diversity.
“We’re dedicated to ensuring equity in all aspects of our work, from care delivery to employment and across all our outreach efforts,” Dr. Morgan said. “Supporting community well-being and providing equitable opportunities to do business with Huntington is imperative to us.”
Motz Feinberg, chief supply chain officer at Cedars-Sinai, also spoke, sharing that the health system was “founded on the principle of inclusion and diversity.” Over 120 years later, he said, Cedars-Sinai continues holding this principle at the core of its community engagement, both with patients and the community.
Feinberg shared a recent example of the health system’s supplier diversity strategy in action. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center needed to find new printer and copier vendors. Working with CLC, HASC and the city of Los Angeles, the organization identified four diverse-owned firms that now serve its printing and copying needs.
Bringing Suppliers and Purchasers Face to Face
Vendors who attended the mixer said it was much easier to connect with hospital procurement staff there than by email or phone. Michael Jefferson, who owns the Hospital Equipment Company, noted the event removed some of the barriers, such as email spam filters and busy schedules.
“It offers the opportunity for businesses to speak directly with people who can answer your questions, the people we try to sell to. It’s a matter of finding out what’s required to become a vendor, so we know how to interact and do business with them,” he said.
The mixer was Jefferson’s second supplier diversity event with CLC. He missed the fall 2023 conference, which sold out, but attended another June 2024 event at Cedars-Sinai.
“And we’ve already signed up for the Sept. 2024 event,” he said. “We will not be left out again!”
Diana Ahmed is CEO of Mission Viejo–based MBS, Inc., which manages medical and hazardous waste. She noted these types of events are especially important for her as a woman and minority small business owner with a disability.
“I’m legally blind, and it’s really hard for me to go out and pitch what I do,” Ahmed explained. Also, she said, the waste management industry is dominated by large companies. “I think events like this give opportunities for people to see what companies like mine do, besides the big players,” such as being able to better customize services to clients’ needs.
Ahmed made some promising contacts at the mixer and “definitely” plans to attend CLC’s September conference. “I’m so grateful to be part of such an inclusive group,” she said.
Building Connections and Strengthening Relationships
According to Weatherspoon, Huntington started its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) journey when she arrived in Dec. 2020. Since that time, she’s seen a “large culture shift” toward truly understanding the value of DEI work across the organization, including in supply chain.
“Part of our journey is continuing to strengthen relationships with multiple different businesses, community members and organizations,” Weatherspoon said. “This event is a great way to strengthen our supplier diversity program, and it’s the beginning of many.
“It’s all about relationships and building connections that will hopefully produce shared prosperity and more representation of those who haven’t always had the same opportunities to be successful, especially in working with health care organizations.”
CLC and HASC look forward to continuing the momentum with their second annual Supplier Diversity Conference, Sept. 26 in Montebello. Learn more and register on the event website.