As part of the University of Kentucky’s plan to progress the institution toward diversity, equity and inclusion, the university created the "Expand Supplier Diversity Purchasing Program" initiative in 2020. Led by Barry Swanson, UK’s chief procurement officer, the initiative sought to expand UK’s supplier diversity procurement efforts.
This led to the hiring of Marilyn Clark, who began her work as UK’s first supplier diversity manager in 2021. However, the nationwide history of supplier diversity began much earlier.
“Minority business development was born out of the civil rights movement," Clark said. "On March 5, 1969, less than one year after Dr. King’s assassination, President Richard Nixon, signed Executive Order 11458, creating the Office of Minority Business Enterprise. This executive order created a federal agency focused on minority business development and opened the doors for Black and brown business owners to have access to government contracts. This agency is now known as the Minority Business Development Agency. After more than 50 years, this agency was recently codified as a permanent federal agency.”
This focus on minority business development paved the way to opportunities for women, veterans, LGBTQ individuals and disabled-owned businesses — which is now referred to as supplier diversity.
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While UK’s Supplier Diversity initiative has only existed for two years, the impact of the program is already evident.
Carl Brazley, the owner and founder of Plato Paint and Coatings, a national minority supplier, said prior to the program it was hard to get a contract with UK when competing against large corporations.
However, everything changed when the Supplier Diversity Program began.
“I had the opportunity to speak with Barry, and he took the time to understand my small, minority business, with the promise of helping me, and businesses owners like me,” said Brazley. “I felt weight in his words and knew a serious step in the right direction to help the minority community had been taken when Marilyn was hired. She is well connected to the minority community and I knew she would be the champion we needed.”
Through the work of UK’s Supplier Diversity Program Brazley gained access to the resources he needed to work with the university and build other professional connections, like Phil Tackett in UK Facilities Management.
“Things change when culture changes, and people like Barry, Marilyn and Phil will continue to fight until change is evident,” said Brazley. “It’s so gratifying to be heard and have your hard work be recognized. There is now a much more open door for diverse suppliers at the university.”
"Although merit and hard work are what keep business growing, being a diverse supplier has helped propel us to the next level,” said Cathy Stafford, the president of Ad-Venture Promotions, a certified woman-owned business. “Programs such as the Supplier Diversity Program help diverse businesses gain visibility that allows them to connect, network and serve in a larger capacity. I am so thankful for the work the University of Kentucky is doing to raise awareness about diverse suppliers.”
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UK’s Supplier Diversity Program has accomplished a lot in its short time of existence. In the past year UK can document doing business with more than 893 more diverse companies than the previous year. The UK Supplier Diversity Program also conducted the inaugural Construction Diversity Accelerator program, that help minority-owned, women-owned and other underrepresented construction-related businesses gain access to the tools, resources and opportunities to be competitive in the construction industry. This year’s program kicks off on March 7 with approximately 20 new construction-related companies in the cohort. Classes will be held in The Cornerstone E-Sports Theatre on Tuesday nights from 6-8 p.m.
The Supplier Diversity Program has been recognized with the following awards:
2021 Commerce Lexington Volunteers of the Year Award
2022 Insight into Diversity Magazine Jesse L. Moore Supplier Diversity Award
2022 Tristate Minority Supplier Diversity Council Impact of the Year Award
2022 Women’s Business Enterprise Council Ohio River Valley (WBEC ORV) Regional Corporate of the Year Award
2022 Finalist for the University Economic Development Award of Excellence, DEI category
Moving forward, the Supplier Diversity Program hopes to continue to have a positive community impact — with to goal of educating the campus and community to making supplier diversity a part of the culture.
“UK’s Supplier Diversity Program is not a project but rather a journey. Our work must be intentional, sustainable, replicable and most importantly it must have a positive impact for the communities we serve. Having a positive community impact is the goal and all that we do is designed to move forward toward achieving that end,” said Swanson.
Learn more about UK’s Supplier Diversity Program at https://purchasing.uky.edu/supplier-diversity
Categories: Kentucky, Business