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Bellwether League, Inc.Healthcare supply chain leaders hall of fame adds board member, unveils two educational forums

SCHAUMBURG, IL (February 1, 2013) – Bellwether League Inc., the healthcare supply chain leaders hall of fame, expanded its Board of Directors by one and announced two educational offerings that start later this summer.

Bellwether League recognizes and honors leaders, pioneers and visionaries for their achievements in helping deliver quality care to the populations they serve through efficient and innovative supply chain operations.

Mark A. Van Sumeren increases Bellwether League’s Board of Directors to 10 members, which annually select and honor noteworthy men and women for hall of fame induction.

Van Sumeren currently serves as senior vice president, strategy and business development, for Owens & Minor Inc., the nation’s leading medical/surgical supply distributor to hospitals and other healthcare organizations. He brings more than three decades of healthcare management and consultant experience to the Board.

Van Sumeren noted that he welcomes the opportunity to participate in such a worthy cause.

“It is a tremendous honor to serve in this capacity,” Van Sumeren said. “I hope that I can make a positive contribution to the Board, the League and most importantly, those whom we seek to recognize for their contributions to the industry.

“The Bellwether League performs an important role in advancing our profession by recognizing and honoring the unsung heroes that have made an impact on healthcare far beyond the organizations they have served,” he continued. “These leaders demonstrate the passion, thoughtfulness and impact that we can and should have on the industry, at a time when such leadership is sorely needed. It is truly a privilege to help in recognizing their contributions.”

Bellwether League Inc. Co-Founder and Board Chairman Jamie C. Kowalski expressed his support for Van Sumeren’s election.

“The entire Bellwether League Board of Directors is very pleased and proud to have Mark join our team,” Kowalski said. “Having known Mark for many years – as a former neighbor, competitor, collaborator and boss – I know well that Bellwether League can look forward to many contributions, based on his highly regarded insights, knowledge and experience.”

Van Sumeren’s responsibilities since assuming his current post in 2007 include strategy and business development, marketing, business intelligence and program development.

Prior to his current role, Van Sumeren served as senior vice president of Owens & Minor’ OMSolutions operating unit, which provides supply chain management and the implementation of technology programs at customer sites. Van Sumeren joined Owens & Minor in 2003 to oversee OMSolutions’ growth and development.

Before joining Owens & Minor, Van Sumeren served as vice president of Cap Gemini, Ernst & Young (CGE&Y) and partner at Ernst & Young (E&Y) in their Health/Managed Care sector. He launched and co-led CGE&Y’s/E&Y’s Health Provider Supply Chain Practice for three years. In this role, he assisted numerous leading health systems and academic medical centers in developing and implementing strategic and leading practice supply chain capabilities.

Van Sumeren has authored several articles and book chapters on performance improvement and served as lead faculty on several HFMA workshops on continuous improvement, process improvement and redesign. Van Sumeren also has served as faculty for a Master’s level course on healthcare finance at the University of Wisconsin and has lectured at University of Richmond Robin’s School of Business, Virginia Commonwealth University’s Masters of Health Administration and MBA programs, and University of Arkansas’ engineering school. In addition, he serves on the Executive Committee of Venture Richmond, a public-private partnership promoting the economic, civic and cultural development of the Richmond community. He holds an MBA and a B.S. in Industrial & Operations Engineering, both from the University of Michigan.

Two new educational programs to debut

Bellwether League also announced two educational events it will conduct in 2013.

The first is a learning lab in late July at the annual conference of the Association for Healthcare Resource and Materials Management (AHRMM) in San Diego.

The panel discussion, titled “A Supply Chain Bellwether’s Guide to the C-Suite,” will explore how supply chain leaders can influence and earn the respect of clinicians and administrators alike. Just as supply chain represents the intersection of cost, quality, outcomes and value, which is the hallmark of a new AHRMM campaign, it also showcases the intersection of clinical medicine, finance and operations.

The panel will include Bellwether League Board members and Bellwether Class Inductees.

The second educational event takes place right before the 2013 Honoree Induction Dinner event in Chicago on October 1.

During that afternoon, Bellwether League will host the 2013 National Healthcare Supply Chain Leadership Forum that will feature a panel of Board Members and Inductees exploring the professional relationships between the C-Suite, supply chain leaders and supplier executives. This 1st Annual Forum is open exclusively to Sustaining Sponsors of Bellwether League.

About Bellwether League Inc.

Bellwether League Inc.’s Board of Directors 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 publicly recognized. Honorees demonstrate their qualifications by advancing the profession through work experience and performance and active participation in professional organizations and their communities.

To date, Bellwether League Inc., has identified and honored 53 innovators, leaders and pioneers in healthcare supply chain management in five distinct categories: Education & Media, Supply Chain Management, Group Purchasing, Supplier and Consulting Services.

Launched in late July 2007 by a group of influential veterans in the healthcare supply chain industry, Bellwether League Inc., is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit corporation that 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 six Founding and Platinum Sponsors – Hospira, Kimberly-Clark Health Care, McKesson, MedAssets, Owens & Minor and Premier Purchasing Partners – and a host of additional sponsors.

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

  • 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
  • Patrick E. Carroll Jr. (secretary), president, Patrick E. Carroll & Associates, Cypress, CA
  • Mary A. Starr, (treasurer) assistant vice president, AdvantageTrust, HealthTrust Purchasing Group, Schaumburg, IL
  • James R. Francis, chair, supply chain management, and chief supply chain officer, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
  • Michael Louviere, system vice president, supply chain, Ochsner Health System, New Orleans, LA
  • Vance B. Moore, senior vice president, operations, Mercy, Chesterfield, MO
  • Jean M. Sargent, director, Aspen Healthcare Metrics, MedAssets, Los Angeles
  • John W. Strong, principal, John Strong LLC, Fontana, WI
  • Mark A. Van Sumeren, senior vice president, strategy and business development, Owens & Minor Inc., Richmond, VA

For more information, to become a sustaining, corporate or individual sponsor or to nominate honoree candidates visit Bellwether League Inc.’s Web site at www.bellwetherleague.org.