There is an old saying that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Al Herbert Jr., Ph.D., didn’t need one to impress UAB more than 10 years ago when he chaired the Division of Medical Imaging and Therapy in the School of Health Professions.

And it doesn’t appear he’ll need one now that he has returned to UAB as the new executive director of Supplier Diversity.

Herbert said UAB made quite an impression on him those years ago, which is one reason he wanted to return to campus. At the Department of Supplier Diversity’s 11th annual Appreciation Luncheon in November – Herbert’s first event in his second UAB career – those old memories and feelings swept over him again. “It’s a joy and a pleasure to be back home where I belong,” Herbert said.

Numerous administrators, faculty and staff attended the appreciation luncheon, which recognized the 69 departments, divisions and centers that spent at least 10 percent of their procurement dollars with minority- and women-owned businesses. UAB President Carol Garrison, Ph.D., was the featured speaker.

“It was delightful not only to have the president of the university present, but also the many administrators, faculty and staff who attended,” Herbert said. “It shows that the president’s call for minority and women participation in the university has been received by all members.”

A total of 261 UAB departments participated this year, and more than 610 minority- and women-owned businesses took part in the program.

Quality Resources, the Women and Infant/Radiation Oncology Facility and Nursing Student Affairs each spent 100 percent of their available money with minority- and women-owned businesses.

JCAHO/Regulatory Affairs (99.63 percent), Customer Services (95.51 percent) and Employee Health (94.73 percent) all spent more than 90 percent of their available funds with diverse business groups.

UAB departments spent more than $19 million with minority- and women-owned businesses in purchasing and construction overall, with $11 million spent with minority-owned businesses and $8 million with women-owned businesses.

“We certainly have exceeded our goal,” Herbert said, “and some departments have far exceeded the participation dollars.”

The UAB Department of Supplier Diversity Program was established in 1987 to ensure that all vendors have better access to and knowledge of UAB’s procurement system. Herbert said he hopes to continue to build on its successes by continued outreach to diverse businesses.

“We plan on looking at new and innovative short-term and long-term initiatives such as the mini trade shows that we will be participating in,” Herbert said. “Our first was Nov. 20 at Children’s Hospital. The Birmingham Business Resource Center co-sponsored that with us.”

Herbert hasn’t been far from UAB in recent years, so he’s very familiar with his new surroundings. He assumed his duties with Supplier Diversity in October after an eight-year career with the City of Birmingham, during which he was responsible for daily operations management as chief of staff and capital budgets.

Prior to joining the city, Herbert was the director of the department of radiology and School of Radiography at the Atlantic City Medical Center in New Jersey. He oversaw all planning budgets, purchasing and human-resource issues for multiple units.

In addition to serving as the chair of the department of diagnostic imaging and special assistant to the dean for minority and international affairs at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Herbert has been was assistant professor at Tuskegee University and chair of diagnostic medical imaging at the Imperial Medical Center of Iran in Tehran.