Twenty-three MBEs companies representing various industries attended the SSM Health Care (SSMHC) sponsored Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) seminar on Thursday, November 7th at SSM Corporate Office. The seminar was titled, “Business Plan: Reviewing and Monitoring”

Above at left of William "Bill" Thompson are: (standing) Yvonne Tisdel, (sitting) Tony Trupiano, Michael Rosenblatt, Estella Wright (Pre-Paid Legal Services Inc.), David Quist (Aquent), and Rita D. Stoker (Stoker Agency).

presenter William (Bill) Thompson, Senior Vice-President Strategic Development for SSMHC. According to Yvonne Tisdel, this seminar was another opportunity for SSM Health Care to demonstrate its commitment to support MBEs. Tisdel adds, this is the second year we have held events of this nature, the first being last year’s supplier vendor fair. Both of these events received very positive feedback from attendees. We may not be able to do business with every MBE that register on our website, attend one of our seminars or that makes a personal contact with a SSMHC purchasing manager however we are able to cultivate new relationships as our mission calls us to do and to build corporate goodwill in the community we serve. Each entity within SSMHC has a goal to spend 10% of its discretionary spending with MBEs. In comparing 2002 to 2001, SSMHC leadership, improvements in MBE tracking, the new online directory and with plans already underway for implementation next year of more MBE initiatives; SSMHC should continue to show significant improvements.