Joan Namahana Kerr leads Pacific Gas and Electric Company as its Director of Supplier Diversity and Supplier Development. Throughout her career as a champion of Supplier Diversity, she has received multiple prestigious awards and recognition. Joan is the current Chair of the Institute for Supply Management’s Supplier Diversity Group and is also the Co-Chair of WEConnect International. She chairs the Procurement Committee of the National Utilities Diversity Council and the California Utilities Diversity Council. Joan also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Minority Supplier Development Council, and was past board chair of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.

Joan was instrumental in the development of the Telecom Supplier Diversity Task Force Report, which remains a comprehensive resource tool for supplier diversity excellence. This report was built with the assistance of a blue ribbon panel of national experts to determine how to tackle the challenge of supporting the success of diverse suppliers in an economic downturn.

Joan has also helped lead Pacific Gas and Electric Company to its most impressive year with regards to spending on minority, women and disabled veteran-owned companies. In 2010, PGE recorded a diverse business enterprise spend of $1.13 billion or 32.7 percent, which is an all time high for the organization.

Favorite Quote :“If I am not for others, what am I? And if not now, when?” -Rabbi Hillel

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