1. Barbara Valdez
3246 23rd Avenue W., Seattle, WA 98199
(206) 954-4389 barbara.valdez29@yahoo.com
Summary of Qualifications
A results oriented retail industry professional with a strong background in customer service and
diversity affairs. With over twenty years of Nordstrom leadership experience I leverage
outstanding communication skills that are instrumental in program management, team building,
persuasion, and coaching. I’m passionately committed to helping internal and external
stakeholders to better serve underserved communities. Mentoring minority and women-owned
businesses has resulted in the achievement of shared goals. Recognized expert in supplier
diversity having received numerous awards for stellar successes.
Nordstrom, Inc.
Nordstrom is one of the nation’s leading fashion specialty retailers offering a large selection of
high quality apparel, shoes and accessories for the entire family. Nordstrom is widely
recognized as the industry leader for setting the standard for excellent customer service.
Director of Supplier Diversity, 1992 – 2012
Responsible for managing minority, women, veteran, and other LGBT vendor spending
improvement initiatives. Defined the strategy, lead development of diverse suppliers and
measured performance. Provided leadership and guidance to executive management,
collaborated with procurement managers, vendors and the community at varying levels of
leadership to drive inclusion improvements and profitability.
Achievement Highlights:
• Implemented innovative methods to increase annual spending from $3
million in 1992 to $635 million in 2012

2. • Provided the leadership that resulted in Nordstrom’s recognition as a four-
time winner of the “Corporation of the Year Award” by the Northwest Minority Business
Council
• Individually recognized as a 2010 Winner of the “Best of the Decade,
Circle of Honor” by MBN USA magazine
• Increased the number of diverse suppliers by 300%
• Many positive mentions for the supplier diversity program in Fortune
magazine contributing to the selection of Nordstrom as “Best Companies to Work For”
Supplier/Vendor Relationships
• Implemented the development of a tracking system so it became possible
to accurately report dollar spending with minority and women-owned suppliers
• Before Nordstrom broke ground on new sites, worked with general
contractors to meet supplier diversity goals. Also worked with store planning department
in “project reviews” to identify opportunities to better meet goals.
• Created and presented “How to do Business with Nordstrom” events for
minority and women-owned companies
• Utilized effective persuasion skills to positively influence internal decision
makers critical to achieving the attainment of program goals
• Identified creative ways of meeting goals, such as, splitting up work on a
store or putting products into only a few stores. Created “trunk shows” to get exposure to
new vendors. Mentored diverse business owners on how they can do
business with Nordstrom.
• Worked with Corporate Vice Presidents to find creative ways of
increasing spending with minority-owned businesses through “indirect purchasing”
• Served as Chair of National Minority Supplier Diversity Council’s
(NMSDC) Retail Industry Group, meeting quarterly to discuss program benchmarks and
support counterparts at other companies in meeting diversity goals
Diversity Affairs
• Developed curriculum and trained Nordstrom corporate executives and
store management on Diversity in the Workplace
• Managed $100 thousand dollar annual budget to promote supplier
diversity program nationally through community outreach and in publications such as,
Fortune and Black Enterprise

3. • Performed “secret shopping” at over 50 Nordstrom stores to assess any
differences in customer service provided to minority customers and to the improve the
shopping experience for all customers, in general
• Provided coaching on areas of improvement from the results of “secret
shopping” for store and department managers
• Instrumental in the creation of the Nordstrom Scholarship Program which
has grown from 10 local scholarships to 80 nationwide
• Established annual outreach events at corporate headquarters to facilitate
relationships between diverse vendors and company buyers
Community Relations
• Board Member – Boys and Girls Club of King County
• Served as Board Chair, and Vice Chair of the Northwest Minority
Business Council
• Advisor - Women’s Business Enterprise National Council
• Board Member - Astra Women’s Business Alliance (Lake Oswego, OR)
• Volunteer – All Across Africa - Traveled to Rwanda and Uganda working
with low income rural women, equipping them with the capabilities necessary to benefit
from the opportunity of participating in local and global markets
• Volunteer – Cross Cultural Solutions - worked in an orphanage Costa
Rica
• Advisor Board Member - Nordstrom Scholarship
Professional Development
• Nordstrom Executive Leadership Summit
• NMSDC - National Minority Business Program Executives Training
• Nordstrom Media Relations Executive Training
• Washington State University