About Us

Mission

Bellwether League Foundation™ (BLF) is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable foundation that offers programs to educate, endow and evaluate professionals in healthcare supply chain performance excellence. BLF accomplishes this through its primary operation, the Healthcare Supply Chain Leadership Hall of Fame™, its growing philanthropic efforts, which include Collegiate Capstone Projects and scholarships and its various multimedia properties.

The Healthcare Supply Chain Leadership Hall of Fame™ evaluates and validates professionals submitted for consideration in its three award programs: Bellwether Honorees, Ammer Honorees and Future Famers. The Hall of Fame also offers educational and professional development content via the annual Bellwether Leadership Symposium and its "Leaders & Luminaries" multimedia properties of online and printed content.

The Hall of Fame selects deceased, 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 recognized publicly as Bellwether Class Honorees.

Future Famers represent supply chain professionals early in their healthcare careers (first 10-12 years) who do not yet qualify for Bellwether consideration but have contributed meaningfully to the profession and industry.

Honorees who receive the "Dean S. Ammer Award for Healthcare Supply Chain Performance Excellence" represent noteworthy executives and professionals in the middle of their careers who, through their innovative leadership and influential project management experience, best exemplify the practice and spirit of healthcare supply chain performance excellence.

Through 2025, the Healthcare Supply Chain Leadership Hall of Fame has inducted 154 innovators, leaders and pioneers in healthcare supply chain management in eight categories: Provider-Based Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing, Distribution, Group Purchasing, Consulting Services, Military Medical Logistics, Academia and Media. The Hall of Fame also has recognized 45 Future Famers and eight Ammer Honorees.

BLF's philanthropy efforts support capstone educational and developmental projects, grants and scholarships to college-bound high school students who plan to study supply chain curricula, current college students who major in supply chain-related careers and professionals who pursue continuing education through associations and universities.

Launched in late July 2007 by a group of influential veterans in the healthcare supply chain industry, BLF began as an independent 501(c)(6) not-for-profit corporation that upgraded to an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable foundation in January 2021.

Motivation

Supply chain management professionals are integral to the successful delivery of high-quality healthcare services and optimal patient care. They achieve this by supplying all of the necessary products and services for doctors and nurses to provide care for patients as well as successfully managing professional relationships with clinicians and suppliers. The supply chain impact on a healthcare organization’s financial performance can be significant, consuming up to 50 percent of a facility’s budget, next to labor. Hence, supply chain professionals, who touch every aspect of healthcare operations, continually must balance clinical, financial and operational needs.

Board of Directors/Officers

Board members and Officers represent active and retired executives and professionals from all facets of the healthcare supply chain management industry. They serve one-year terms and may be re-elected.

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Barbara Strain, CVHP
Chairman
(Bellwether Class of 2021)

Principal
Barbara Strain Consulting
Charlottesville, VA

Rachel K. Anderson
Secretary
(Future Famers Class of 2023)

Vice President, Supply Chain,
DCH Health System, Tuscaloosa, AL

Ed Hisscock
Treasurer
(Bellwether Class of 2022)

Retired Senior Vice President Supply Chain
Trinity Health
Livonia, MI

Gary H. Rakes, CFAAMA, CMRP, CSCS
Advisory Council Chairman
(Bellwether Class of 2021)

Retired Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer
Aspirus Inc.
Wausau, WI

Fred Crans
Outreach Ambassador
(Bellwether Class of 2020)

Healthcare Business Development Executive
St. Onge Co., Cleveland, OH

Rick Barlow
Co-Founder and Executive Director

President
Wingfoot Media Inc.
Schaumburg, IL

Advisory Council

Advisory Council members represent active and retired executives and professionals from all facets of the healthcare supply chain management industry. They are appointed by the Board for one-year terms and may serve more than a single term.

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Gary H. Rakes, CFAAMA, CMRP, CSCS
Advisory Council Chairman
(Bellwether Class of 2021)

Retired Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer
Aspirus Inc.
Wausau, WI