Dr. Ken Harris is the president and CEO of the National Business League (NBL), and he’s also the co-chair of Stellantis’ North America inaugural National Black Supplier Development Program (NBSDP). Through this program, Stellantis and the NBL will support Black-owned supplier companies through resources, connections, education, and have future plans to connect them with contracts as well.
As the NBL’s president and CEO, Dr. Harris elaborated on the program’s mission and goals during the NBSDP’s kickoff event, held last month at Stellantis’ Conner Event Center in Detroit. He delivered a powerful speech as he eloquently reminded the audience of the significance of Booker T. Washingtons’s famous metaphor: “cast down your bucket were you are.” During his speech, Dr. Harris also recognized Lottie Holland (director – diversity, inclusion and engagement at Stellantis, North America) as the pioneer who spearheaded this momentous program by continuing to ‘cast down her bucket’, in an effort to affect intergenerational change. He referenced how her team of colleagues and NBSDP pilot program participants are paving the way forward and simultaneously making history, as they stood alongside her as she rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in celebration of the program’s launch. The historic moment was televised by the NYSE and also commemorated Black Business Month.
Press play below to hear more of what Dr. Harris had to say.
