Q&A with Frito-Lay’s Group Manager Supplier Diversity Jean Lacefield

WE: When did Frito-Lay form its supplier diversity program?

JL: Frito-Lay,Inc.formed its supplier diversity program in 1983 when our senior leadership executed their vision of improvingthe economic wealth of the ethnic business community. Foralmost a quarter of a century,we remain committed to inspiringwell being in our suppliers and the communities we serve. Read more

Pitney Bowes’ Panzarella uses post to reach domestic, foreign MBEs

Peter Panzarella knows purchasing matters. He is, after all, the chief procurement officer for Pitney Bowes, where he is charged with oversight of thoughtful spending. What drives his success in this post is a grounded and proper regard for the sales end of the business. He finds that gains in sales and diversity in the supply chain are increasingly entwined. Variably, one wags the other. Read more

Karen Taylor, Reliant Energy

It was late 2001 when news of the Enron collapse captivated the media and created marketplace anxiety, as global concerns mounted over the potential effects of the conglomerate’s demise. Thousands, in some capacity, were touched by the calamity, prompting senior executives to focus their attention on the impact to the marketplace, the energy industry and their own companies’ futures. Reliant Energy, however, did not allow the backlash to divert attention from an intense commitment to diversity. Read more