Join Our Network of Buyers Committed to Supplier Diversity

Pacesetters 2024

“Together, we can and must create a more equitable business community through individual commitments, accountability and collaboration.”

– James Rooney, President & CEO, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

Pacesetters are large and mid-sized companies and anchor institutions committed to using their purchasing power to close the racial wealth gap by intentionally increasing spend with minority business enterprises (MBEs). Our Pacesetter companies demonstrate their commitment to increasing their supplier diversity in both dollars and contracts across local, state, and national lines of business with an increased focus on MA-based businesses of color. The Pacesetters initiative is paving the way for greater economic inclusion within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Join the Network

Why Join Pacesetters?

Build your MBE pipeline

  • Doing Business webinar
  • Access to Personalized and recommended MBE lists
  • Network with MBEs

Learn best practices

  • Quarterly meeting discussions: benchmarking, building out a diversity policy, supplier diversity within ESG
  • Attend Behind the Scenes of an MBE
  • Unconscious Bias Program – send two of your company reps to learn about bias in procurement

Amplify your supplier diversity program

  • Annual Awards
  • Thought Leadership
  • Social media spotlight

Enhance your supplier diversity practices

Your organization will gain access to resources and events that will elevate your supplier diversity practices and procedures.

Gain visibility

Promote your MBE engagement and DEI successes by sharing your news and events across our channels, reaching our 6,000+ followers on LinkedIn and 17,000 on Twitter. And don’t forget to submit your nominations for Company and Individual of the Year in our Pacesetters Awards.

Learn from peers

Learn from your peers across industries and gain insights on best practice, including through our quarterly convenings and training on subjects such as unconscious bias in procurement.

Behind the Scenes of an MBE with Little Cocoa Bean

Behind the Scenes of an MBE

External Minority Business Enterprise Lists & Databases 

The Chamber is eager to amplify the variety of businesses of color throughout Massachusetts. Through the lists below, buyers may find and contact minority-owned enterprises in the region who are ready and available to do business with Pacesetters.

These lists are meant to supplement your corporations’ own pipeline of MBE suppliers, and are by no means exhaustive. We encourage spend and new connections with MBEs across Massachusetts. 

Our Pacesetters Chairs

Meredith Whalen

Chief Purchasing Agent, Gilbane Building Company

As an eleven-year industry professional, Meredith Whalen is a champion of minority, disadvantaged businesses, and workforce development, and is committed to and…Read more

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Daylana Ervin-Parker

Director of Budget and Supplier Diversity, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Daylana is the Director of Budget and Supplier Diversity at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. She leads and executes strategies that advance the procurement…Read more

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