Kendra Moravek
Director, Strategic Sourcing and Contracting
Nexera Inc.
New York, New York
Raised in Texas and New Mexico, Kendra Moravek learned about the crucial role of supply chain from a well-informed and experienced team – the U.S. Army – in a momentous place and time – Iraq, 2003.
“I joined the Army a few months after graduating from high school, about a month before the events of September 11,” says Moravek, who is now in the management services area of Nexera, a healthcare consulting firm that is part of the Greater New York Hospital Association.
Her initial duty station in the Army was in Germany, and her unit was one of the first deployed to Iraq in 2003. “I selected logistics because I thought it would be exciting,” she says. “I didn’t want to sit behind a desk. And I wanted to serve my country and the world.
“Who doesn’t need fuel in their vehicle, oil in their trucks, or supplies and equipment for their Blackhawk helicopters?” she says.
Moravek says she responded profoundly to the methods used by the military, and to serving as the conduit for supplies and equipment to those in a war zone. “We helped the people on our team get the things they needed,” she says. It was a lesson she carries with her today, only now, her team comprises caregivers, and their mission is to care for patients.
“I’m very much in support services, and I have been for 20 years.”
Describe a key mentor or event in your life.
“I have to acknowledge that my parents instilled in me the belief that I am capable of anything, as long as I am willing to work for it. I also credit the military for the experiences that taught me about process and structure and how to deal with difficult situations.
“I have had the extraordinary good fortune to have an amazing mentor in my career – Ray Davis (now with Universal Health Services, and with whom Moravek worked while both were at Banner Health in Chandler, Arizona), who pushed me outside my comfort zone, and who continues to provide counsel and learning opportunities. He always encourages me to be the very best version of myself.” Davis has a gift of providing good, constructive feedback, and he always presents it in a positive light, she adds.
In what way(s) are you a better supply chain leader than you were, say, five or 10 years ago?
“I believe I’ve grown in the areas of strategic thinking and negotiation,” she says. “I have spent my post-military career in the healthcare industry, in both non-acute and acute models. Because of the positions I held in the early years – in payables and finance – my view of the procure-to-pay process encompasses the complete supply chain continuum. I think this gives me a broader understanding of what it takes to build successful teams, relationships and strategies.”
Describe the key characteristics of the successful supply chain leader of the future.
“I believe that the successful supply chain leader of the future builds relationships with internal team members and suppliers. It is important for everyone to be at the table, understanding the goals, both financial and contractual, to ensure that the organization’s best interests are being served. The ability to see the big picture, from a strategic standpoint, and to communicate that vision in an articulate manner, keeps everyone aligned.”