Media

Supply chain ‘hall of fame’ welcomes 3 to Board
Moore, Francis and Sargent amplify provider expertise and leadership

SCHAUMBURG, IL (December 18, 2009) – Three prominent healthcare supply chain executives from nationally recognized healthcare provider organizations joined the Board of Directors of Bellwether League Inc., the supply chain “hall of fame.”

The three newest members of Bellwether League Inc.’s Board are Vance B. Moore, president, Resource Optimization & Innovation, a division of the Sisters of Mercy Health System, Chesterfield, MO; James R. Francis, chair, supply chain management, and chief supply chain officer, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and Jean M. Sargent, director, supply chain, USC Health Sciences, Los Angeles.

Vance B. Moore

Moore expressed his appreciation of and enthusiasm for the talent and history behind Bellwether League Inc. and said he looked forward to helping the organization grow in the future.

“I am big supporter of Bellwether League Inc.’s mission because when I migrated into the healthcare industry it was difficult for me to identify true healthcare supply chain mentors – past or present,” Moore said. “Bellwether League Inc. shines a bright light on true pioneers and innovators of the healthcare supply chain and provides both recognition of the brave and direction for those aspiring to their path.”

Moore joined ROi in April 2002 after 17 years in the healthcare industry working with such companies as Baxter International, Allegiance Healthcare Corp., Cardinal Health Inc. and the healthcare division of UPS Logistics Group. His career has included operational and sales roles in healthcare manufacturing, distribution, consulting, third-party logistics and currently provider operations. At ROi, Moore leads supply chain management organization that handles group contracting, clinical and operational consulting, pharmaceutical repackaging, custom procedure tray manufacturing, print operations and distribution and transportation management.  

“Healthcare supply chain is often a thankless career,” Moore continued. “Success is often defined by the elimination of problems before anyone knows of a problem. Bellwether League Inc. provides a method to recognize the body of work by true leaders that consistently executed acts of heroism often out of the limelight. It is great that we finally have an organization that has authentic appreciation for true leaders in this arena.”

James R. Francis

Francis joined Mayo Clinic in June 1999 as the senior executive who spearheads the organization’s overall supply chain management strategic direction. He also directs Mayo Clinic’s more than $1.8 billion expense stream for supplies, purchased services and capital medical equipment, as well as $40 million in annual operating expenses.

“The time for leadership in healthcare supply chain management has never been greater, given current economic challenges and potential healthcare reform,” Francis said. “Bellwether League Inc. recognizes such pioneers for their leadership and work that has contributed greatly to the advancement of supply chain management in healthcare. I am honored to have been selected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Bellwether League Inc. and look forward to contributing to the fine work of this group in recognizing such contributions.” 

Prior to Mayo Clinic, Francis spent six years as the vice president of material services at BJC HealthCare, St. Louis. Before that he served in a variety of roles with increasing responsibilities at St. Louis-based Christian Health Services starting in 1984. Before CHS became part of BJC, he was vice president of corporate services for the company.

Jean M. Sargent

With more than three decades of experience in central service/sterile processing and distribution and supply chain management, Sargent currently serves as director of supply chain at University of Southern California (USC) Health Sciences.

Sargent also is a past president of the Association for Healthcare Resource and Materials Management (AHRMM) of the American Hospital Association (AHA), a long-time editorial advisory board member of Healthcare Purchasing News and is active in two other organizations working to advance excellence and improve patient care and safety through the healthcare supply chain: Strategic Marketplace Initiative (SMI), a consortium of healthcare business executives united to reengineer supply chain operations and the GS1 Healthcare US initiative, a group striving to accelerate the adoption and implementation of uniform standards and practices by all trading partners in the supply chain to reduce inefficiencies, errors and costs, and improve patient safety.

“I am honored to be elected to Bellwether League Inc.’s Board of Directors,” Sargent said. “I am looking forward to the opportunity to collaborate with such a prestigious group of individuals committed to recognizing those who have led the way in healthcare supply chain.”

About Bellwether League Inc.

Launched in late July 2007 by a group of influential veterans in the healthcare supply chain industry, Bellwether League Inc. identifies and honors men and women who have demonstrated significant leadership in and influence on and contributions to the healthcare supply chain, including professionals from hospitals, non-acute healthcare providers, manufacturers and distributors of healthcare products, group purchasing organizations, consulting firms and educational institutions.

Bellwether League Inc. plans to recognize its third group of honorees at the annual AHRMM conference in early August in Denver and induct them during the official event in Chicago in early October during National Healthcare Resource & Materials Management Week.

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 charter, corporate and professional sponsors.

Bellwether League Inc. honors supply chain professionals in five distinct categories: Education & Media, Supply Chain Management, Group Purchasing, Vendor and Consultant. Bellwether League Inc. selects individuals that meet its criteria to be publicly recognized and recorded in print and online media for their contributions in advancing and improving all segments of the healthcare supply chain. The criteria include ethics, innovation, integrity, leadership, longevity, mentoring, reputation, speaking, teaching, writing and volunteering. The Board of Directors of Bellwether League Inc. comprises a veteran group of industry advocates who have volunteered their time and expertise to create and continually develop the organization and its ongoing educational activities. The Board includes:

• Jamie C. Kowalski (co-founder and chairman), CEO, Jamie C. Kowalski Consulting LLC, Milwaukee, WI
• Rick Dana Barlow (co-founder and executive director), president, Wingfoot Media Inc., Schaumburg, IL
• Robert P. “Bud” Bowen (secretary), retired CEO, Amerinet Inc., St. Charles, MO
• Patrick E. Carroll Jr. (treasurer), president, Patrick E. Carroll & Associates, Cypress, CA
• James F. Dickow, director of supply chain management, facilities and operations consulting, Lerch Bates Inc., Mequon, WI
• James R. Francis, chair, supply chain management, and chief supply chain officer, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
• John B. Gaida, senior vice president of supply chain management, Texas Health Resources, Arlington, TX
• Thomas W. Hughes, executive director, Strategic Marketplace Initiative, Scituate, MA
• Vance B. Moore, president, Resource Optimization & Innovation, a division of the 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

For more information, to become a corporate or individual sponsor or to nominate honoree candidates visit Bellwether League Inc.’s Web site at www.bellwetherleague.org. Additional photos available on request and online.