Minority-owned medical/life science distributor Westnet, Inc. celebrates 30 years in business
Banner Business Sponsored by The Boston Foundation
As a proud certified corporate member of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, Westnet places a high value on diversity, recognizing that different perspectives enhance its business operations and customer relationships.
Founded in 1994 by Gordon Thompson in Canton, Mass., they have been one of the premier distributors of medical, life sciences products and equipment.
For 30 years, the company has worked to create its unique niche as a regional distributor known for its customer-centric approach, which it describes as ”wrapping its arms” around the customer.
The business expanded its operations to Baltimore, Md., in 2011, opening a distribution warehouse in an underutilized business zone. The major factor in this expansion coming to life was Johns Hopkins University’s commitment to Westnet as a partner.
This expansion allowed Westnet to serve the greater DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia) area, which includes the National Institutes of Health, offering personalized delivery solutions tailored to meet the specific needs of its diverse customer base.
This includes specialized delivery options for both acute and non-acute medical facilities and direct-to-desktop delivery services for life sciences research.
Thompson said that his dream has come true as they celebrate 30 years of serving the community.
“One of the wishes I had in a perfect world was to develop a company and be reflective primarily of people who look like me. …Servicing what is considered a very prestigious market, given the Boston metropolitan area is still a worldwide method for health care and research and to be able to provide goods and services to that type of industry with the high quality, if you will, respective standards that are required,” he said.
“It, in many ways, speaks for itself, and then again, to do it with an organization comprised of a majority of people that look like you is very rewarding [for] so many years has been a blessing,” he added.
He also said that while he may be the founder of the company, he would not have made it to 30 years without his team.
“Many of us don’t get [an] opportunity. And this company, myself and this company, has been afforded opportunities and we’ve been fortunate enough to make the best of it so that we can only be very thankful for,” he said,
Thompson said he did not realize that they had made it to 30 years until an employee informed him of this milestone and said that they should celebrate.
“It sounds hard to believe. …But, you know, when you turn around and look back and you say, wow, 30 years and you realize that there is a statistical reality that, only 10% of businesses that start up last get to see year 15, you start to realize how much of an accomplishment it has been for all of us. And that’s something I was not thinking about—it was not on the forefront of my mind until, you know, one of the employees said we really should celebrate the 30 years,” he said.
“It’s history that can’t be taken away from you. So it’s really a good feeling to be trusted by people you work with and to trust people you work with. I can’t tell you how valuable [that] feeling that is.”
Lastly, Thompson shared advice for aspiring entrepreneurs who may want to follow in his footsteps.
“Yes, my advice is to do everything you can to maintain positivity. There will be days that there are some very dark clouds, but you have to endure. There will be days when you get knocked down, you have to get up. …That positivity and that durability mentality is only going to have and will have an exponential impact when things go your way, but you can’t throw your hands up in the air. I believe … that our society has an abundance of opportunities. You just have to fight,” he said.
Thompson also said that aspiring entrepreneurs should work on maintaining a high tolerance for ambiguity.
“Things go a certain way unexpectedly. You have to have a tolerance to shift and adapt and endure. In business, things don’t always go the way you plan. There are going to be ambiguous situations that take place, and you have to be nimble enough to adapt and remain or chart — if you have another course that keeps you in line with your goal.”
Thompson’s daughter, Vanessa, also works for the company. She shared her thoughts on the company making it to 30 successful years in business.
“(It) is remarkable, especially for a minority-owned business. It’s definitely hard for Black business owners in America. Only 11% of businesses in America are Black-owned, and in addition to that, 80% of them fail within the first 18 months. So, given the challenges faced by Black-owned businesses, the milestone is a testament to the perseverance of our employees and of my dad, and it definitely deserves acknowledgment,” she said.
She also said that it is important to continue to advocate for supplier diversity and build relationships with Black business owners to increase their visibility and access to opportunities.
“I remember as a young girl being on the truck when it was just my dad, a truck, and his deliveries. And, you know, we’d ride around Boston and make his deliveries. And I remember all the hard times, the long days and the late nights that he worked. So yeah, I’m truly, truly proud of him and very proud of the growth of the company and everyone that’s contributed to its success,” she said.
One of the vendors that Westnet works with is Boston Children’s Hospital. Research buyer Maria Diggs said that she has been working with Westnet since the early 2000s and has established a good relationship.
“I want to say congratulations to them [on] their 30th anniversary of business. That is such a blessing. That’s all I can say. … In the past, I would just call and I would just give them what I’m looking for, say, if I placed the order and they hadn’t gotten here yet, they get right down to the bottom of it. …They’re very punctual in getting back to me when I am looking for their items. … And got back to me as quick as possible,” she said.
Jennifer Kenty works as a scientist for the vendor Vertex. She spoke about her experience working with Westnet since 2015 and said she has had a positive working experience with them.
“What was very distinct about the Westnet company is that it just made me feel like a family, a work family there. They provide really great pricing and competitive pricing; they’re reliable and everything. But I think more than that, when I needed something randomly and urgently, I was able to talk to them through text messages, phone calls, or email [and]they’re there, and they prioritize, and they’re always available to help us out,” she said.
“Westnet is not only just like family, and trusting, wonderful business and people, it’s just amazing how they, regardless of how big of a lab I work in … they’re always there. And that’s, really wonderful. … I really think that Westnet is going to become one of the big, successful companies and I hope so. It’s service-driven as well as [having] competitive pricing and everything. I think it’s a wonderful company to work with,” she added.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.