Spring 2005

Supplier Diversity Program: Local firms find opportunities

Cornelius Goodwin, owner of Sign-a-Rama in Chicago, talks with a representative of Evanston Township High School District 202 during last year’s Supplier Diversity Conference.

Northwestern University’s Supplier Diversity Program enhances economic opportunities for minority-owned, women-owned, disadvantaged, and local-owned (Evanston) business enterprises (M/W/D/LBE) on University contracts and purchases.

“The University is committed to a comprehensive program of M/W/D/LBE business development to ensure that maximum opportunities exist for such firms,” said John Marshall, manager of the Supplier Diversity Program.

Last year the University made purchases from 285 commercial Evanston merchants and paid for health care services from more than 90 providers. The purchases included more than  $600,000 from minority-owned and women-owned businesses in Evanston.

Each year for the last nine years, the University has sponsored a Supplier Diversity Conference to give those firms the opportunity to meet with University buyers and to help the University identify new vendors.

For more information on the Supplier Diversity Program should contact John Marshall at (847) 491-5321 or jbmarshall@northwestern.edu.