Advertisement

Header Utility Menu

  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Events

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

  • Login

Virginia Business

Mobile Menu

  • Issues
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Business Law
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • CEO Pay
    • Coronavirus 2020
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Legal Elite
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Vote Now for Women in Leadership
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
  • Virginia 500
    • Read the issue
    • Order a copy
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Nominate execs for 2021

Advertisement

Header Primary Menu

  • virginiabusiness.com
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Home News Regions Sentara recruits local, diverse suppliers

Sentara recruits local, diverse suppliers

Published June 30, 2021 by Elizabeth Cooper

“COVID showed us how fragile our supply chain is,” says Jennifer McPherren, Sentara Healthcare’s vice president of supply chain. Photo by Dale Gauding
“COVID showed us how fragile our supply chain is,” says Jennifer McPherren, Sentara Healthcare’s vice president of supply chain. Photo by Dale Gauding

With the COVID-19 pandemic exposing weaknesses in the global supply chain, Sentara Healthcare is ramping up efforts to diversify its vendors, committing executive leadership and resources to growing partnerships with local and regional suppliers, as well as companies owned by women, veterans and people of color.

“We are being intentional about seeking a broad range of vendors,” says Terrie Edwards, a Sentara corporate vice president. “We strive to work with vendors that reflect the communities we serve. That results in a richer, broader environment, yielding better outcomes and leading to suppliers reinvesting in jobs in each of the markets we serve.”

The Norfolk-based health system, which has 12 hospitals in Virginia and North Carolina, as well as dozens of outpatient facilities, spends about $2.4 billion annually on its supply chain, but the pandemic spiked that figure to more than $3 billion. With supplies constricted during the pandemic’s height, the company increasingly turned to local and regional vendors, like Suffolk-based Kerma Medical Products Inc., a veteran- and minority-owned manufacturer of nursing products, including digital thermometers and fetal monitor belts.   

“COVID showed us how fragile our supply chain is, and we began to look for vendors closer to home,” explains Jennifer McPherren, vice president of supply chain and chair of Sentara’s Supplier Diversity Executive Council, which seeks to increase contracts with diverse local and regional firms. “Our goal is to bring things within our continental borders and regionally and locally. Kerma met our integrity standards and has been a great partner.”

Sentara’s initiative benefits diverse companies throughout the health care industry, says Kerma President Joe Reubel. “It provides access and refocused communication that has already demonstrated to be beneficial for immediate sales growth,” he adds. “It is exciting that together we can have an impact not only in the health care industry but also in our communities.”

Along with offering quarterly education sessions to help smaller suppliers navigate the bid process, Sentara recently hired a manager of supply chain diversity to expand the vendor base.

“We want to grow resiliency in the supply chain by aligning opportunities to ensure products get to where they are needed at the time they are needed, in the quantities needed, and do what is best for patient care,” Edwards adds. “If we can do that using suppliers in the Virginia and North Carolina markets, that’s even better.”

Subscribe to Virginia Business. Get our daily e-newsletter.

Related Stories

Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust acquires three North Carolina properties for $15.3 million

Virginia Business logo

More Hampton Roads residents commuting to work outside their hometowns

Virginia Business logo

Interchange Group is building new $5 million industrial facility in Portsmouth

Trending

Finance/Insurance: STEPHAN Q. CASSADAY

Finance/Insurance: PAUL B. MANNING

Federal Contractors/Technology: JASON PROVIDAKES

Education: ANNE M. KRESS

Artemis I to launch with help from Va. contractors

Sponsored Stories

Why is my Less Than Truckload (LTL) freight pricing going up and my service level going down?  

Beyond Juneteenth – How Capital One is Commemorating and Implementing Change

How We Help Your Business Operate Better

Before the Breach: Get Serious About Cyber Resilience

Professionals are Discovering What it Means to Live Uniquely in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia

Riverside Logistics Celebrates 25th Anniversary!

Girls for a Change Empowers Black Youth for the Future Workforce

The Jackson Ward Collective is equipping Black-owned small businesses with the tools for success

Advertisement

Advertisement

Trending

Finance/Insurance: STEPHAN Q. CASSADAY

Finance/Insurance: PAUL B. MANNING

Federal Contractors/Technology: JASON PROVIDAKES

Education: ANNE M. KRESS

Artemis I to launch with help from Va. contractors

Sponsored Stories

Why is my Less Than Truckload (LTL) freight pricing going up and my service level going down?  

Beyond Juneteenth – How Capital One is Commemorating and Implementing Change

How We Help Your Business Operate Better

Before the Breach: Get Serious About Cyber Resilience

Professionals are Discovering What it Means to Live Uniquely in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia

Riverside Logistics Celebrates 25th Anniversary!

Girls for a Change Empowers Black Youth for the Future Workforce

The Jackson Ward Collective is equipping Black-owned small businesses with the tools for success

Get Virginia Business directly on your tablet or in your mailbox!

Subscribe to Virginia Business

Advertisement

Advertisement

Footer Primary Menu

  • virginiabusiness.com
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Footer Secondary Menu

  • Industries
  • Regions
  • Reports
  • Company News
  • Events

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Sign Up

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

Privacy Policy Cookie Policy

Footer Utility Menu

Copyright © 2023 Virginia Business. All rights reserved.

Site Maintained by TechArk