Patricia Hanes is an accomplished leader with more than thirty years of expertise in supply chain management and minority business development. Currently serving as Vice President of Diversity at Veteran Toner Services, LLC, Patricia leads the company’s diversity initiatives by working closely with the Supply Chain team to diversify the supplier base and collaborating with the Sales team to identify new market opportunities. Veteran Toner Services, a Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Business, supplies U.S. manufactured toner cartridges to government and corporate buyers nationwide. Patricia also oversees the Human Resources team to ensure that diversity is integrated into all internal operations.

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Before her role at Veteran Toner Services, Patricia retired from her distinguished career at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where she served as the Director of Global Business Development for the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). During her tenure, Patricia spearheaded efforts to support minority business owners, resulting in more than $2 billion in contracts and financial assistance. She first joined MBDA as Regional Director of the Southeast in 2008 and made significant strides in promoting minority-owned businesses. Her efforts in advancing minority and women-owned business development are well-known across various national organizations.

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Patricia’s previous experience also includes her work at International Truck and Engine Corporation, where she led the Global Supplier Diversity Initiative. Additionally, she spent twenty-five years at the Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America, a division of Occidental Petroleum, specializing in Supply Chain Management and Supplier Diversity.

Patricia’s influence extends beyond her professional career, as she holds numerous board and committee affiliations. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Chicago Minority Business Development Council and the Diverse Manufacturing Supply Chain Alliance (DMSCA).

 

She has also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Chicago Minority Business Development Council and was an Executive Committee member of the National Minority Business Council for four years. Her dedication to minority business advocacy earned her the role of Honorary Co-Chair of the Chicago Regional MED Week Committee and a spot on the Advisory Committee for the Chicago Minority Business Opportunity Committee (MBOC).

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Throughout her career, Patricia has received numerous awards and recognitions. She was awarded the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award for Supplier Diversity by the Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council. In 2011, she was honored as one of Atlanta’s 100 Black Women of Influence by the Atlanta Business League. Her expertise in supplier diversity earned her a spot on MBN News' Top 100 Supplier Diversity Professionals list in 2010, as well as the title of one of Atlanta’s Top 25 Women in Business by Rolling Out Magazine. Patricia’s efforts have earned her various other accolades, including the Rising Star Award from the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council, the Success Award from the Minority Business Committee of the Chicago Minority Business Development Council, and Lifetime Achievement Awards for Minority Business Development from both the MBDA Midwest Region and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

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Patricia’s advocacy and leadership in supplier diversity have been celebrated in notable publications such as Minority Business News USA, Women and Minorities in Business, Chicago Defender, and Chicago Tribune. In addition to her extensive experience, Patricia holds a B.A. degree in Business Administration from DePaul University in Chicago, IL. She is a Lifetime Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) from the Institute for Supply Management and is also a Certified Supplier Diversity Manager.

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Patricia Hanes continues to be a force in driving change for minority and women business owners, leveraging her vast experience to advocate for diversity and inclusion in the business world.