Tampa Innovator Wins Historic Healthcare Contract to Distribute Products in More than 4,400 U.S. Hospitals
Tampa, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Chamber is proud to announce that Tampa’s very own Sherrel Sampson has been selected by the nation’s largest health care group purchasing organization, Premier Inc., to create a new category for its alliance of more than 4,400 U.S. hospitals and health care providers. Sampson is the Founder & CEO of Canviiy, an organic based health & wellness brand and the first-to-market proprietary scalp care collection, ScalpBliss™. The contract by Premier places Sampson at the center of the health giant’s efforts to address disparities for diverse patients across North America.
Sampson is a member of the Chamber’s Minority Business Accelerator Cohort 2024. The Premier announcement comes just two months after Sampson launched Canviiy into Walmart, expanding from its distribution to CVS and Sally Beauty. The Tampa entrepreneur says she is thrilled her ScalpBliss™ solutions will now be in more oncology hospitals than ever before. Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa was her first, then City of Hope in Los Angeles and Harvard’s Dana Farber Cancer Center in Boston. With Premier’s vast network of hospital systems in the U.S. and Canada, Sampson is hoping to expand her reach exponentially.
“In today’s culture climate, the choice to be culturally sensitive is no longer an option, it is a necessity to build patient trust and serve the needs of diverse patient populations,” said Deborah Williams, Senior Director of Supplier Diversity of Premier Inc. “We listened to the needs of our members and pioneering this new category to deliver premium ethnic hair, scalp and skincare products was a strategic priority.”
Sampson calls this a “historic milestone” for her company. “In future years, minority populations will be the country’s main demographic engine of change and it’s essential that hospitals continue to drive cultural competence by delivering effective, quality care to diverse patients,” said Sampson. “We are honored to partner with healthcare systems across North America to address the disparities that exist for black and brown populations.”
Bob Rohrlack, President & CEO of the Chamber, recalled the inspiring entrepreneur’s first meeting with other members of the MBA 2024 Cohort when she shared her story. “To think this all started after a nightmare experience at a hair salon. When Sherrel suffered a painful scalp reaction, she decided to create her own products to provide relief. But she didn’t stop there and now her invention is helping people all over the country,” said Rohrlack. “She stepped away from a successful career in corporate America to pursue her dream of helping others and it led to this moment. She’s become a trailblazer in ethnic hair products for one of the leading healthcare companies in North America. We are so proud of her and honored to be part of her MBA family!”
Contact us for more information on the Minority Business Accelerator Program, which is part of the Chamber’s Economic Inclusion programming.