John Deere Supplier Diversity Meet & Greet connects QC suppliers with Deere

John Deere, in partnership with the Chamber, recently hosted a Supplier Diversity Meet & Greet, where local suppliers were invited to create or build upon their business relationships with Deere. Eleven local suppliers met face-to-face with decision makers from Deere’s supply chain teams to showcase their capabilities.

Supplier Diversity Manager Camiella Shumpert shared how the event helped John Deere create mutually beneficial relationships with local suppliers.“We’re looking for opportunities with local businesses where we can either grow the current business relationship we have or acquire new suppliers. Suppliers can share additional capabilities that we may not have explored yet and build resiliency in the supply base.”

John Deere’s supplier diversity team focuses on creating an equitable and inclusive supply chain in communities. The team targets women-owned businesses, minority-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses and more, seeking their unique perspectives to promote inclusion and innovation.

“Not only does a diverse supply chain help our bottom line and it’s the right thing to do, but we all benefit from innovation. Diverse suppliers offer a fresh perspective. It’s a proactive way to create an equitable supply chain and give everybody an opportunity that wasn’t there in the past,” said Supplier Diversity Specialist Steward Brynne.

John Deere also aims to identify diverse suppliers who qualify for the federal HUBZone program, a government initiative that prioritizes contracting with small companies operating in HUBZones, historically under-utilized business zones. The Quad Cities is one of the nation’s premier HUBZones.

Perhaps the most compelling theme from the meet & greet is John Deere’s enthusiasm about making a meaningful difference in their home communities by developing relationships with local suppliers who wanted to make a connection. The Chamber helped facilitate the connection between local companies and John Deere.

Chamber VP of Business & Economic Growth Chris Caves emphasized this unique opportunity. “You know what’s cool in the Quad Cities? You have access to decision makers with a big company like John Deere. We’re inviting and welcoming small and medium sized businesses to engage with John Deere, and that only happens in the Quad Cities.”

John Deere has committed to spending $500 million with minority-owned businesses and $1 billion with woman-owned businesses by 2025.