robin billups – passion for people
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photo by steed media service |
Vice President, Corporate Procurement, National Supplier Diversity, U.S. Bank
Robin Billups is energy personified. She is the quintessential lover of life, possessing an unquenchable thirst to experience the best — but she also wants others to taste some of the delectable offerings of the world that she has. At work, Billups is a passion-fueled bank executive whose supercharged mentality regarding inclusion and diversity at the nation’s sixth largest financial institution is both contagious and inspiring. “I’m an excited person. I’m excited about life. But I’m [also] excited about the opportunity to help grow this company. So that when we say we’re the sixth largest bank in the United States, I can really be proud of that,” says Billups, a vice president of corporate procurement and national supplier diversity for U.S. Bank Corp. “And we’re not just talking about supplier diversity. We’re talking about economic diversity, we’re talking about management diversity, [and] we’re talking about board diversity. I see great opportunity here.” Billups was formerly in the commercial real estate division, most recently providing construction and term debt via bonds and tax credits for affordable housing and mixed-use developments.
Initially, upon meeting Billups and U.S. Bank execs at the National Urban League Convention in St. Louis, you thought her upbeat spirit emanated from being enveloped within the aura of her hometown. Billups’ immediate families, the Morgans and the Billupses, have left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape. But you soon discern something greater, something brighter, a flame from within this Los Angeles resident’s soul. She is able to express that passion through her work to materialize opportunities for those who are often overlooked.
“Supplier diversity is a business practice. The initiative is to bring minority businesses into the bank’s bid process for procurement opportunities,” she says. “On the flip side, we have an initiative that is our small business focus to provide financing, business literacy and opportunities in the local market for the smaller minority businesses.” – terry shropshire
