The University of Illinois System Office of Procurement Diversity welcomes you to attend our virtual series celebrating the accomplishments of various diverse communities. This November, we celebrate Veteran Owned Businesses.
Join us to hear keynote speakers Dr. Jerry Bell Jr and Paul Jenkins.
Dr. Jerry Bell Jr. is a former enlisted medic, West Point graduate, and Aviation Officer where he flew the UH60 blackhawk. Jerry is the President of the Il Chapter and National Secretary of the Elite SDVOB Network a 20 -year-old-501(c)19 non-profit veterans' organization. The Elite SDVOB Network is an all-volunteer association comprised of business owners.
Jerry has spoken and presented at various conferences, most notably the United States Military Academy Diversity Conference, Midwest Academy of Management Conference, Lyon Conference in Lyon, France, and the Command and General Staff for the Marine War College in Quantico, VA where he has presented on servant leadership, job fit for veterans, Diversity Equity and Inclusion and group dynamics. He has adjunct faculty experience at Lewis University, Benedictine University, St Francis University and has been published in a book providing insight on power in organizations.
Navy Veteran Paul Jenkins is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Bancroft Architects + Engineers, a Chicago-based design firm that specializes in laboratories, hospitals, and highly technical spaces. Committed to Veterans and Veterans causes, Bancroft prioritizes the work they do for the Department of Veteran Affairs and for Veterans charities.
A Chicago native, Jenkins is a 1985 graduate of the United States Naval Academy where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering. He subsequently earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago while simultaneously attending the Pritzker School of Medicine. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in Biomedical Engineering at Colorado State University.
Hope to see you there,
Sharla Roberts
Director of Procurement Diversity
Office of Procurement Diversity oversees the supplier diversity program for the University of Illinois System.
Thursday, November 16, 2023 | 10 - 11 a.m. Virtual Zoom Presentation
Join the Meeting
If you need disability-related accommodations to participate, please contact procurementdiversity@uillinois.edu.
We appreciate early requests to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.
