Dorsey facilitating growth of UVA’s spending with local small business

Syd Dorsey

If you have a question about the small business landscape in Virginia, the chances are very good that Syd Dorsey has an informed answer. 
 Susan Y. (Syd) Dorsey has a profound and varied background in business leadership, governmental advising, teaching, and consulting, and she’s bringing that experience and expertise to the consulting role she has taken with Procurement and Supplier Diversity Services.

Dorsey is all about making connections and sharing her knowledge and experience, as evidenced by her prolific community service and board posts, ranging from the Virginia High-Tech Partnership to UVA’s own Board of Visitors (2003-2011).

An alumna of the Darden Graduate School of Business, Dorsey is once again contributing to UVA by assisting Procurement in revitalizing its Supplier Diversity efforts. Dorsey first became directly involved with Procurement as a member of a Small, Woman-owned, and Minority-owned (SWaM) Advisory Group in 2020. She further deepened her involvement when she joined us in the summer of 2023 in a consulting capacity at the behest of UVA’s leadership.

The Supplier Diversity Team has already been ramping up its efforts to re-engage local businesses, both in terms of local outreach and in re-instituting some familiar support programs for SWaM businesses, such as supplier training and the SWaM Supplier Expo.

Working closely with Senior Director Mark Cartwright, Dorsey has immersed herself into the landscape of procurement at UVA, visiting with buyers all over Grounds. What she’s hearing has a familiar refrain. “People want to do the right thing,” Dorsey says. “UVA buyers want to support our local business community; they just need the tools and resources that make this easy for them.”

Dorsey has been helping to connect buyers with the information and resources that will enable them to do just that.

The top issue Dorsey wants to refresh in the minds of buyers is our need to seek out small and locally owned businesses when possible. “Over 97% of Virginia’s businesses are small businesses,” Dorsey points out. “When we support small business, it’s a powerful economic driver.” She elaborates that sustaining local business is also intrinsic to President Ryan’s Great and Good plan for 2030.

There is room for the support of small businesses to grow. The Commonwealth of Virginia’s goal for spending with SWaM firms is 42%. For the past decade, SWaM spending across the Commonwealth has averaged 33%.  UVA already spends $44.7 million with local suppliers, but we have committed to increasing the proportion of funds going to local businesses as a part of President Ryan’s local economy working group.

One immediate need Dorsey has seen is surrounding state certification: many small businesses have let their state certification status expire. Without certification, we can’t count the money spent with them toward the larger goal.

Dorsey and the entire team eagerly anticipate engaging more with both our vendors and our partners across Grounds as we move further into 2024. If your department is interested in learning more about Supplier Diversity and SWaM business efforts at UVA, please get in touch with us at askfinance@virginia.edu.
________________________________________________________

Reach out to Syd Dorsey directly at syd4ws@virginia.edu

Related Stories: What’s Next for Supplier Diversity