Washington, DC – The Walter Kaitz Foundation will present a workshop on supplier diversity in New York City on September 12, coinciding for the first time with the 19 th Annual Conference of the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) and the cable industry's “Diversity Week.”
The New York City workshop represents the ongoing expansion of the Kaitz Foundation's outreach for its Supplier Diversity Connection program, with the addition of regional workshops during the course of the year.
“Since so many purchasing efforts are made at the local or regional level, it was important that the program move out into the communities,” said Debbie A. Smith, Executive Director of the Walter Kaitz Foundation. “Supplier diversity efforts are a critical part of the overall diversity picture, and we're committed to helping the cable industry connect with the appropriate suppliers.”
For six years, the Kaitz Foundation has sponsored Supplier Diversity programs during The National Show, the annual conference and exposition of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA). The objective of the initiative has been to help increase opportunities for women- and minority-owned suppliers in the cable telecommunications industry. For the past two years, Kaitz also has sponsored supplier diversity events at CableTec Expo, the annual conference of the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers. Additional regional workshops are planned for the future.
The agenda for the New York City workshop, scheduled for September 12, from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at The Westin New York at Times Square, includes:
- “The Basics of Business – Developing a Supplier Diversity Initiative”
Moderator:
Ralph G. Moore, President, Ralph G. Moore Associates
Speakers:
Harvey Butler, Vice President, Supplier Diversity/Procurement, J.P. Morgan Chase
Fred Canady, Vice President, Supplier Diversity, PepsiCo
Greta Davis, National Director, Supplier Diversity, Time Warner, Inc.
- “Cable Purchasing Trends and Issues: A Reality Check for WMBEs”
Moderator:
Helen Dimsdale, Director, Public Affairs, NCTA
Panelists:
Sherryl Love, VP Materials Management, Cox Communications, Inc.
Steven Gines, Director of Procurement, Time Warner Cable
- “Understanding the Procurement Maze – Who do I sell to?”
Women and minority owned businesses will have an opportunity to meet with purchasing representatives from Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable and Comcast to learn how to gain access to those respective organizations.
Information about registering for the workshop can be found on the Kaitz Foundation website, www.walterkaitz.org, or by contacting the Walter Kaitz Foundation at 202/775-3611.
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