TEVET, a Raytheon supplier, provides test equipment and services for more than 90 Raytheon programs, including the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM.
Tracy Solomon sees every day in life-or-death terms.
"I remind our employees that we have no room for bad days," says the founder and CEO of TEVET®, which supplies electronic test and measurement products to Raytheon. "Because we support those who support the warfighter, a bad day for us can leave a service member vulnerable."
That insight is part of what makes Solomon, a service-disabled veteran of the U.S. Navy, so valuable as a partner and supplier. While in the service, he worked with the same type of equipment that he sells today — so he knows firsthand its real-world demands. Plus, the values, commitment and sense of duty Solomon learned in the Navy afford him a unique understanding of his ultimate customer: members of the armed services.
"Working with diverse-owned businesses like TEVET exposes us to a richer and more inclusive range of perspectives on what our customers need," says Benita Fortner, Raytheon's director of supplier diversity. "Tracy and his team are nimble, responsive and true experts."
In return, Solomon credits Raytheon with providing the spark that enabled him to strengthen his business. "They challenged me to re-evaluate how I wanted to show up," he says. We offered mentorship, supplier diversity advocacy, small-business support, training in Raytheon best practices and extensive networking opportunities.
The results have provided both Raytheon and TEVET with what each was looking for: an invaluable strategic partner.
Working with diverse-owned businesses like TEVET exposes us to a richer and more inclusive range of perspectives on what our customers need.