Jerry Knighton, Associate Vice President and EEO Officer/Executive Director of Inclusive Procurement at Clemson University founded the procurement inclusion program. In response to the lack of opportunities for underutilized businesses, he assembled a task force of business leaders, legislators, and local government officials to develop a plan of action adopted by the Clemson Board of Trustees in 2007. Under Jerry’s leadership, business outreach efforts expanded across the enterprise. Clemson now has an established inclusive procurement infrastructure that Jerry refers to as a three-legged stool model for change: the Office of Access Compliance and Education (ACE), Procurement and Business Services (PBS), and University Facilities Capital Projects.
To advance procurement inclusion practices in the business community at large, Jerry serves on the Board of Directors for the Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council (CVMSDC). He is Chair of the Upstate South Carolina Regional Industry Needs Group (RING) and is an executive coach to several businesses in NMSDC’s Center of Excellence Certificate Program. Recently, he partnered with CVMSDC to develop an entrepreneurship track of workshops led by diverse businesses for Clemson’s Men of Color National Summit to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs.