Owens & Minor, Inc. (NYSE-OMI) will host the 9th Annual Healthcare Supplier Diversity Symposium on September 23-24, 2014, in Richmond, Virginia. This year’s symposium –“Educate, Innovate, Connect – Defining Agility in the Healthcare Supply Chain” – will draw leaders from women-, minority-, and veteran-owned businesses, as well as healthcare industry professionals, from around the country for panel discussions, workshops and networking. This year’s keynote address will be given by Carla Harris, Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Morgan Stanley, and author of Expect to Win, Proven Strategies for Success from a Wall Street Vet. By hosting the annual Healthcare Supplier Diversity Symposium for nine consecutive years, Owens & Minor has achieved distinction in the market for its commitment to supporting the development of supplier diversity. Joining Owens & Minor as founding sponsors of this annual event are the Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council (CRMSDC) (formerly known as the Virginia Minority Supplier Diversity Council), the Healthcare Supplier Diversity Alliance (HSDA), and the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE). This year’s event will be held at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa/Short Pump located in Richmond, Virginia.

“Adapting to change requires agility and innovative thinking, and that is what defines a successful enterprise in today’s rapidly changing healthcare market,” said Craig R. Smith, chairman & chief executive officer of Owens & Minor. “Through education and sharing ideas, we can find new tactics to connect with our customers to efficiently serve their needs in the market. For diversity businesses, the opportunities in this changing environment are significant, and we will engage our Symposium participants in a lively examination of the ways that we can connect for personal and professional success.”

This year’s Symposium will begin with a reception and dinner on Tuesday, September 23, 2014, featuring keynote speaker Carla Harris. A published author and successful Wall Street veteran, Harris was appointed by President Obama as Chair of the National Women’s Business Council. She was recently named to Fortune Magazine’s list of “The 50 Most Powerful Black Executives in Corporate America”, U.S. Bankers Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Finance (2009, 2010, 2011), and Black Enterprise’s Top 75 Most Powerful Women in Business (2010), among many other distinctions. Before joining Morgan Stanley in 1987, Harris earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and her MBA from Harvard Business School. She serves as Chair of the Board of the Morgan Stanley Foundation and sits on a variety of other community service boards. An accomplished singer, Harris has released three gospel CDs.

On Wednesday, September 24, 2014, participants will engage in Symposium workshops, panel discussions and networking. The event will also provide formal and informal opportunities for leaders of businesses owned by women, minorities, and veterans to network with leaders from major healthcare systems, medical device and product manufacturers, pharmaceutical firms, healthcare distributors, academia, policy makers, and government.

At the opening night dinner on Tuesday, Owens & Minor will present the Earl G. Reubel Award, named for the founder of Virginia-based Kerma Medical Products, a noted minority-owned healthcare company, to honorees in three categories:

  • An outstanding minority, woman, or veteran business enterprise (MWVBE) supplier to the healthcare industry
  • A hospital or integrated delivery network (IDN) with demonstrated commitment to and the highest dollar volume of purchases from diversity suppliers
  • An individual who demonstrates outstanding leadership in community outreach and/or healthcare education that positively impacts community health and wellness

Nominations must be made by 6:00 p.m. on Friday, August 1, 2014. To review the awards criteria and make a nomination, visit the Earl G. Reubel Award website.

In conjunction with the 9th Annual Healthcare Supplier Diversity Symposium, the Richmond Region of Professional Women in Healthcare (PWH) is sponsoring a luncheon on Tuesday, September 23, 2014, at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa/Short Pump. To register for the PWH event, visit www.mypwh.org.

For more information about the Symposium, please visit www.hsdsymposium.com.

Owens & Minor, Inc. (NYSE: OMI) is a leading healthcare logistics company dedicated to Connecting the World of Medical Products to the Point of CareTM by providing vital supply chain services to healthcare providers and manufacturers of healthcare products. Owens & Minor provides logistics services across the spectrum of medical products from disposable medical supplies to devices and implants. With logistics platforms strategically located in the United States and Europe, Owens & Minor serves markets where three quarters of global healthcare spending occurs. Owens & Minor’s customers span the healthcare market from independent hospitals to large integrated healthcare networks, as well as group purchasing organizations, healthcare products manufacturers, and the federal government. A FORTUNE 500 company, Owens & Minor is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, and has annualized revenues exceeding $9 billion. For more information about Owens & Minor, visit the company website at www.owens-minor.com.