Securian Financial began doing business with Software House International (SHI) nearly a decade ago, purchasing computer hardware, such as laptops, desktops and accessories, from the New Jersey based firm. The relationship has grown dramatically over the years, and today, SHI is one of our largest vendor relationships, providing valuable help with technology procurement, operational processes and cloud consulting.
In addition to being a valued vendor to Securian Financial, SHI is part of its supplier diversity program, which supports businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, LGBTQ+, handicapped and other underrepresented populations. It’s also part of our corporate social responsibility statement as a purchaser of goods and services from other organizations.
Founded by Thai Lee in 1989, SHI has more than $14 billion in annual revenue and more than 6,000 employees, making SHI a global leader in technology services and the largest woman-owned business in the country.1
“SHI is truly a trusted advisor and a value-add relationship” said Patrick Maza, Procurement consultant. While the relationship started in 2016 with small transactions for laptops, it has dramatically expanded over the past few years.
A turning point came when SHI began helping Securian manage its software licenses and renewals. “We were drowning in renewals, and this was and is a tremendous help for us and the Enterprise Technology team,” Patrick said. The growth continued as we began evolving our technology operating model, which included consolidating information technology vendors.
SHI also helps us negotiate, navigate and integrate with related companies’ technologies and contracts. This has been especially important as we migrate our data storage to the cloud.
“The growth of our business with SHI represents the kind of growth that is truly a win-win for both companies,” said Tom Lavin, manager, Enterprise Technology Procurement, who works closely with the SHI team.
“In addition to their expertise, SHI is a company that is deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in their practices and culture. Their values and mission align closely with our purpose, which is valuable as we navigate new technologies that benefit our associates, our customers and our channel partners.”
Patrick notes that it’s “a great relationship that continues to grow and improve. They work hard for us, and we work hard to be good partners as well.”
