MURRAY AWARD
Leader of supplier diversity training. LEARN MORE
Murray Schooner Lifetime Achievement Award.
About:
The Alliance of Supplier Diversity Professionals (ASDP) award is named after Murray Schooner, a former Supplier Diversity Manager at Unisys who, for over 30 years, promoted and lived by the ideals upon which this award is based. Upon retirement, Murray continued his body of work in the small business community by becoming an advocate for Veteran- and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned small businesses. Murray passed away in 2010 after a courageous battle with cancer and is remembered fondly by all of us as a mentor and leader in the field of Supplier Diversity.
When:
Nominations are accepted during the Winter-Spring seasons until May 15th annually. ASDP announces and presents the award at a function during the National HUBZone Conference (generally in July or August).
How:
Click here to submit a nomination for the Murray Schooner Lifetime Achievement Award. Please articulate your rationale for the nominee’s selection; the nomminee must fill at least 5 (five) award criteria. The completed electronic form will be forwarded to ASDP’s President for board review and decision-making.
Criteria:
- The nominee should have demonstrated a long-term commitment as a Supplier Diversity Professional (SDP) that has led to increased business opportunities for Small Businesses, Minority/Diverse-owned enterprises of all categories: Small, Small Disadvantaged, HUBZone certified, Woman-, Veteran- and Service-Disabled Veteran-, LGBTQ-, and Disabled-owned suppliers/subcontractors as well as Historically Black Colleges/Universities and Minority Serving Institutions.
- The nominee should have demonstrated an active role in local, state, federal government, or commercial sectors to actively promote small/diverse business opportunities. Examples include participating in and organizing conferences and outreach for the employer (program sponsor) and providing guidance, mentoring or counseling at these events.
- The nominee should have received recognition in their community as a Supplier Diversity leader and advocate
- The nominee should have been instrumental and recognized as a mentor, instructor or counselor to individuals entering or developing in the Supplier Diversity field by promoting education and training to enable these individuals to achieve career success and help employer-sponsors achieve positive program results.
- The nominee should have demonstrated a commitment to the ideals of honesty, integrity, and ethical conduct in all of their business dealings.
- The nominee should have served in a Supplier Diversity Professional or advisory position for 10+ years.
- The nominee should have presented as a panel or keynote speaker at Small/Minority business events/conferences; optionally, the nominee may have published Supplier Diversity-related articles in industry journals, magazines, or other publications.
Explore Our Events.
Several organizations host annual Supplier Diversity events to support education, best practices discussions, and networking within the field.
“A powerhouse training for Small Business Liaison Officers. Put on your thinking cap and join the group for energetic sessions and conversation.”
“This training is excellent for attendees of all levels. The instructors are excellent and committed to the small business cause, as are each of the attendees.”
“This class will give you the background and tools needed to build your Supplier Diversity Program within your organization. It is a must-have for new and experienced Small Business Liaison Officers to not only gain the information needed to succeed as a professional but to meet others and network along the way.”
“This was one of the best professional training programs I have taken. Thorough, engaging and relevant!”
“I am the VP of Supply Chain for a company that builds automation and tooling for aerospace. We recently went from being a small business to being classified as large overnight. In order to satisfy the flow down requirements of our customers, we needed to get training on how to properly establish this protocol within our organization. This class was very helpful in getting us on the way.”
“I am so thankful my organization values our Small Business Diversity program and encouraged us to take this course! I could not have asked for a better learning experience! I have been a designated Small Business Liaison Officer for seven years now and there was a great mix of refresher material and new material that I don't deal with all of the time; plus, they highlighted new and upcoming changes! Best 2 1/2 days of training!!!”
“This is the most extensive, beneficial training I have attended to date as it pertains to my role as Small Business Liaison Officer. So glad I found ASDP!!”
“If you are a newly assigned Small Business Liaison Officer, or have been mandated to fulfill the Small Business Liaison Officer role, then this course is for you. The Alliance of Supplier Diversity Professionals offers the tools to increase your confidence in your new role. They also offer networking opportunities so that you can communicate with other people in your industry and never feel alone. Spread the word. ASDP’s guide to program excellence is a must for all Small Business Liaison Officers.”
“The overall training was excellent, including the energy level and knowledge of the instructors. I learned a lot from the training.”
“The ASDP training was intense and provided an in-depth explanation of rules and regulations that must be abided by. It gave us opportunities to network with other professionals, providing a strong connection to others in similar careers. I thoroughly enjoyed the class!”
“My 4th time re-certifying. I always learn something new. The trainers are great and the subjects pertinent and well presented. Great networking options, as well.”
“The classroom instruction fostered focus on the material and dialog with other students. In-depth discussions and problem solving while in a group setting was very stimulating. The instructors were seasoned practitioners with a wealth of knowledge and experience. The bonus was developing a larger peer group of small business advocates that understand the challenges and rewards of supplier diversity.”
Past Murray Schooner Lifetime Achievement Award Winners.
Ken Hilderbrand – Lockheed Martin
Phyllis Grant – Lockheed Martin
Debbie Melvin – The Boeing Company
Gloria Pualani – Northrop Grumman
Marion Nimon – University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Janice Buffler – Office of the Secretary of Defense
Diane Dempsey – BAE Systems
Ludmilla Parnell – GDIT
Pat McHugh – Lockheed Martin
Gwen Tillman – Northrop Grumman
Have questions about our training program?
Our team is happy to answer.