Bellwether League, Inc.Charles E. Housley

Charles E. Housley

Work Experience – Minimum 10 years of service within the healthcare supply chain (including a hospital or nonacute care facility, manufacturer, distributor, GPO, consulting or service company).

Work Performance – Specific accomplishments/achievements in their respective organizations, including expense management measures, committee involvement and management leadership.

Professional Activities – Minimum 5 years of active association participation (e.g., office holder, committee chair or contributor, organizing and running meetings, mentoring others) on the national, regional and local level; performed a minimum of two speaking engagements (national, regional, local, facility) and published at least twice (including writing an article or being interviewed by the trade media) during career.

Advancing the Profession/Industry Influence – Challenging the norms, contributing to the thought process, pushing the envelope in terms of moving the profession/industry forward. Examples include serving as a mentor either within his or her individual organization or on a national, regional or local level outside of his or her individual organization; internal inservices for the C-suite on supply management; pioneering new concepts and ideas that may or may not become reality; influencing those up and down the corporate hierarchy on the benefits of and promotion of sound supply management.

The best way to characterize Charles Housley is as the alpha male of healthcare materials management in the 1970s and 1980s. He was one of the first to recognize the essential role materials management – and materials managers – played in hospital finance and operations, and was one of the earliest proponents of elevating the position to an executive level. In short, he put materials management on the map in a purchasing world, forcing the profession to look at hospitals as a business.

In His Own Words

What are your thoughts about the mission and philosophy of Bellwether League Inc. and how do you feel about becoming part of the organization as an honoree and inductee?

Any organization that recognizes the pioneers of supply chain management will develop higher quality individuals in the field.

What attracted and motivated you to join the healthcare supply chain management field when you did?

I started working in a hospital in the mid 1950s as a teenager. I served under a former Major (VA Mitchell) in the Armed Services who trained me in Logistics in LaFollete Community Hospital in Tennessee where I learned the basics of the supply chain.

For what one contribution would you like to be most remembered?

The book ‘Hospital Materiel Management.’

If you were to encourage people – either outside of healthcare or just out of school – to enter the supply chain management field and potentially qualify to be a future Bellwether League Inc. honoree, what would you tell them?

Pursue the opportunity and join an organization, such as AHRMM, that supports the efforts to advance the principles of the profession.

What is the one industry challenge you would like to see solved in your lifetime?

Affordable healthcare for everyone.