The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council presented Ernst & Young’s Director of Supplier Diversity Theresa Harrison with the William J. Alcorn Award for leadership.
The honor was bestowed during the final evening gala event of the WBENC’s National Conference and Business Fair in Las Vegas last month.
Named for WBENC’s first chair of the board of directors and retired senior vice president and chief purchasing officer of the JC Penney Company, the William J. Alcorn Award recognizes individuals furthering the WBENC’s mission of opening the doors to certified women’s business enterprises in corporate contracting.
Harrison has been responsible for the management and oversight of Ernst & Young’s supplier diversity initiative, which includes the design, development and implementation of diverse supplier policies and procedures, since she joined the firm in 2004. A frequent public speaker, Harrison serves in numerous positions on the WBENC board of directors.
“Theresa Harrison is an extraordinary leader who has led meaningful growth among our membership and enhanced our financial strength,” said Laura Taylor, WBENC board chair and vice president of strategic sourcing and procurement operations at Pitney Bowes, in a statement. “She has stepped up to take on many different roles in our organization during her tenure on the board, always with the goal of decisively and measurably improving our effectiveness.”
Harrison serves as board liaison with the WBENC leadership forum and developed the organization’s recruitment program and dashboard for success measurement.
“We are very proud and honored to have Theresa Harrison’s involvement and leadership on our board and in our organization,” said Pamela Prince-Eason, WBENC president and CEO, in a statement. “She demonstrates to others how a corporate leader can be efficiently productive and deeply committed at the same time.”
In addition to her work with WBENC, Harrison is chair of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s procurement council and board chairperson for diversity information resources. She was awarded the 2010 Applause Award from WBENC, named 2008 Advocate of the Year by NGLCC, made The Network Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 and named one of the 100 Women Impacting Supplier Diversity by Women’s Enterprise magazine in 2006 and 2008.
