Earl G. Reubel Award Winners Announced at the 9th Annual Healthcare Supplier Diversity Symposium

RICHMOND, Va. - Oct. 14, 2014 - PRLog -- On September 23, leaders in the healthcare industry gathered to recognize Richard Manson, President and CEO of Sourcemark LLC, Partners HealthCare and Kevin Price, Director of Supplier Diversity and Performance at Novant Health, for their contribution to supplier diversity by presenting them with the Earl G. Reubel Award. The Awards Banquet for honorees was held at the 9^th Annual Healthcare Supplier Diversity Symposium, hosted by Owens & Minor at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa/Shortpump in Richmond, Virginia.

The Earl G. Reubel Award was established by Owens & Minor to honor the late Earl G. Reubel, whose vision of building a legacy for his family through Kerma Medical Products, Inc., showed the true spirit of his entrepreneurial nature. Every year the award is presented to honorees for their commitment to diversity in the healthcare industry. The three categories include a women/minority business entrepreneur, healthcare systems and a civic leader. Winners are selected by a committee from nominations in each category. Angela Wilkes, Director of Supplier Diversity and Sustainability for Owens & Minor and Chairman of the Healthcare Supplier Diversity Alliance, explains the impact of the visionary entrepreneur, “Earl G. Reubel was a trailblazer, who paved the way for minority suppliers in the healthcare industry. We are pleased to honor his memory every year by recognizing those who are committed to the principles that he lived by.”

Richard Manson, President and CEO of Sourcemark LLC, was honored in the Women/Minority Business Entrepreneur category. When accepting the award, he also issued a charge to his fellow entrepreneurs, stating, “Each of us as entrepreneurs have the responsibility to bring our best to whatever we are doing and whatever we encounter to change things and disrupt the status quo by pushing through every obstacle with zeal and enthusiasm.” SourceMark is a medical and surgical supply company that manufactures, markets, and distributes products to our customers, including hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and major retail pharmaceutical outlets. The company is leveraging global partnerships founded upon customer commitment, trust and integrity. Its mission is to build relationships by delivering excellent products and superior service.

Ingrid Beckles, Manager of Minority Business Enterprise, accepted the award on behalf of Partners HealthCare in the Healthcare Systems category. Ms. Beckles highlighted the company’s commitment to supplier diversity issuing this statement, “Partners HealthCare is committed to patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community. Our dedication to supplier diversity demonstrates our commitment to the communities in which we operate. The success of our supplier diversity program is attributed to the contributions of the entire management and staff of Partners HealthCare.”

Kevin Price, Director of Supplier Diversity and Performance at Novant Health was honored in the Civic Leader category. While in this current position, Price has increased diverse supplier spending more than 300%, using over 400 diverse suppliers. He is a steadfast champion for minority, women and veteran owned business. When asked about the honor, Mr. Price said, “I had the pleasure and honor of meeting and knowing Earl.  He was an incredible visionary leader.  I only hope that I can represent him well as a recipient of this prestigious award.” Novant Health is an integrated system of physician practices, hospitals, outpatient centers, committed to delivering a remarkable healthcare experience.

About The Symposium

The 9^th Annual Healthcare Supplier Diversity Symposium was hosted by Owen & Minor in conjunction with founding sponsors Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council (CRMSDC), Healthcare Supplier Diversity Alliance (HSDA), the National Association of Health Service Executives (NAHSE) and the Symposium Advisory Committee. The two-day event was held in Richmond, Virginia. This year’s theme was “Educate, Innovate, Connect – Defining Agility in the Healthcare Supply Chain.”

For more information on the 9^th Annual Healthcare Supplier Diversity Symposium or a list of speakers and events, please visit the HSDA website at, http://www.hsdafordiversity.org