Growing up in the midst of the auto industry in Detroit, I saw the importance of

different layers of the supply chain from small, neighborhood tool and die shop
s to the huge auto assembly plants. I always thought I would work for a Detroit
auto maker but ended up at TI a company focused on growing its share of the mark
et for automotive ICs and dedicated to supplier diversity. As a procurement spec
ialist, it s rewarding to see our small suppliers collaborate with TI to develop a
nd increase their contributions to our company and win business with other custo
mers. I often hear people who have never been to Detroit making jokes about it o
r focusing on negative things they ve heard, but when they visit or learn about th
e city s history, their perspective changes. Similarly with diverse suppliers, we
can t let pre-conceived notions get in the way of seeing the positives these suppl
iers can bring flexibility, nimbleness, meeting our requirements and extreme ded
ication, plus a huge impact on our local community. -Brian, Women s Business Council
South