The University of Houston’s Historically Underutilized Business Operations Department recently announced they won the Houston Business Journal’s Diversity in Business Award. 

The department is the award recipient within the Outstanding Supplier Diversity category, recognizing companies that successfully seek to do business with minority suppliers. 

Director F. Linelle Clark, Ph.D., said the recognition means a tremendous amount because it signifies that the department is on the right track in providing services in support of Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs). 

“I don’t know who nominated us,” said Clark. “I don’t know if it was more than one company that nominated us, but nevertheless, it speaks volumes that someone would take the time to nominate us, and with that, [they] have to explain why we’re being nominated.” 

The Houston Business Journal notified the department that they were nominated for the award. The selection process included the department answering several essay questions, one of which was why diversity is important and how diversity impacts the department’s client or business? 

“As the second most ethnically diverse major research university in the United States, UH values how diversity enriches the University community and is a driving force instrumental to institutional success and fulfillment of the University’s mission,” was part of the department’s response to this question. 

The award shines a spotlight on the work of Clark and her team in support of HUBs and the Universities’ commitment to vendor diversity in all areas of UH procurement efforts. 

The Outstanding Supplier Diversity award also gives the department credibility with the community and gives them the chance to showcase how this department can be a resource in departmental procurement efforts. To learn more about the HUB Operations Department, please visit the department’s web site.