Bellwether League Inc. Co-Founder and Chairman Jamie C. Kowalski Receives AHRMM's 2011 Leadership Award

August 16, 2011 — The Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM) named Jamie C. Kowalski, CEO, Jamie C. Kowalski Consulting, LLC, and co-founder and chairman, Bellwether League Inc., as the recipient of the 2011 George R. Gossett Leadership Award.

The Leadership Award is presented by AHRMM in memory of George R. Gossett, an early president of AHRMM. Gossett envisioned the prominence of resource and materials management in the healthcare field and championed the educational and professional development of the resource and materials management discipline. It is the highest honor bestowed by AHRMM and is given to an individual who has demonstrated an extraordinary level of leadership and professionalism in the field, made significant contributions to AHRMM and advanced the healthcare supply chain.

"Jamie Kowalski is a significant contributor to both AHRMM and the healthcare supply chain industry as a whole," said AHRMM president William Stitt. "Jamie's consulting as well as his participation in AHRMM has helped lift the industry and change materials management's role from simply placing orders to serving as a critical component of a hospital's ability to maintain a positive bottom line, and, therefore, continue to serve patients." Kowalski received the award on August 8, 2011, at AHRMM's Annual Conference in Boston.

"It is an overwhelming honor and privilege, and a humbling experience, to stand here and accept this award, allowing me to join a group of truly distinguished supply chain pioneers and leaders. Many of them – particularly the early awardees – were role models from whom I learned and tried to emulate when I first came to this profession, and became a member of AHRMM," Kowalski said in his remarks before AHRMM attendees. "This is a group I never dreamed would someday invite me in. I admit I stand here a bit wondrous about being selected for this honor."

Kowalski closed his acceptance speech with a bit of his motivation for co-creating Bellwether League in 2007.

"What I have learned over the years, and still strongly believe, is supply chain management can bring enormous benefits to healthcare, even help enhance the quality of care," he said. "I urge all of us in this profession to continue the work that will optimize supply chain management in every hospital and [integrated delivery network] in our country. Given our current state of the industry and economy, we cannot afford not to."

Kowalski has been an active member of AHRMM both with local chapters and with the national organization and has published numerous articles and books during his career. Kowalski has achieved fellow status with many of the associations he participates in including AHRMM and the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Since 1966, AHRMM has bestowed the George R. Gossett Leadership Award 29 times. Kowalski represents the 12th recipient of the Award with ties to Bellwether League Inc. Of the 11 others, three are current and past Board Members and eight are Inductees in the Bellwether Classes of 2008, 2009 and 2010. In addition, Bellwether League Inc. inducted George R. Gossett posthumously as a member of the Bellwether Class of 2010.

For more information about AHRMM’s award and other recipients visit AHRMM’s website.

About AHRMM

The Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management is the leading national association for executives in the healthcare resource and materials management profession. A professional membership group of the American Hospital Association, AHRMM serves more than 4,000 active members. Founded in 1962, AHRMM prepares its members to contribute to the field and advance the profession through networking, education, recognition, and advocacy. For more information, visit www.ahrmm.org.

About Bellwether League Inc.

Launched in late July 2007 by a group of influential veterans in the healthcare supply chain industry, Bellwether League Inc., a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit corporation, identifies and honors men and women who have demonstrated significant leadership in, influence on and contributions to the supply chain from healthcare providers, healthcare product manufacturers and distributors, group purchasing organizations, consulting firms, educational institutions and media outlets.

Bellwether League Inc. is funded by five Founding Sponsors – Hospira, Kimberly-Clark Health Care, MedAssets, Owens & Minor and Premier Purchasing Partners – and a host of additional sponsors.

Bellwether League Inc. selects retired and currently active professionals with a minimum of 25 years of exemplary service and leadership performance in supply chain operations that meet its criteria to be publicly recognized. Honorees demonstrate their qualifications through advancing the profession, work experience, work performance and active participation in professional organizations.

The Bellwether Classes of 2008, 2009 and 2010, include 36 industry innovators, leaders and pioneers.

The Board of Directors of Bellwether League Inc. comprises a veteran group of industry advocates that includes:

Jamie C. Kowalski (co-founder, chairman), CEO, Jamie C. Kowalski Consulting LLC, Milwaukee, WI
Rick Dana Barlow (co-founder, executive director), president, Wingfoot Media Inc., Schaumburg, IL
John B. Gaida, (secretary) senior vice president of supply chain management, Texas Health Resources, Arlington, TX
Patrick E. Carroll Jr. (treasurer), president, Patrick E. Carroll & Associates, Cypress, CA
James F. Dickow, president and CEO, Dickow Consulting Group, Mequon, WI
James R. Francis, chair, supply chain management, and chief supply chain officer, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Mark M. McKenna, retired president and CEO, Novation LLC, Dallas, TX
Vance B. Moore, senior vice president, operations, Sisters of Mercy Health System, Chesterfield, MO
Richard A. Perrin, president and CEO, AdvanTech Inc., Annapolis, MD
Jean M. Sargent, director, supply chain, USC Health Sciences, Los Angeles
Mary A. Starr, assistant vice president, AdvantageTrust, HealthTrust Purchasing Group, Schaumburg, IL

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