Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy CEO Phil Hagerman, Phil Shaltz, managing partner for Uptown Developments and president of Shaltz Automation, Steve Landaal, president of Landaal Packaging and Flint private practice physician Nita Kulkarni, M.D., announced the formation of a business advisory council to harness their business acumen and extensive network in support of a job creation initiative at Flint-based St. Luke N.E.W. (North End Women’s) Life Enterprises, Inc., a scrub uniform and accessories business geared to the health-care industry and planning to expand beyond traditional markets.
Founded and led by Flint nuns Sister Carol Weber, OP and Sister Judy Blake, CSJ, St. Luke N.E.W. Life Center is a faith-based program that incorporates education and workplace training to help women become self-sufficient providers for their families. In addition to general workplace training, one of the training options is for participants to learn to sew. At the conclusion of the program, women may then apply for a job as a seamstress at N.E.W. Life Enterprises, a small business formed in 2008 that makes scrub tops and bottoms, hospital gowns, adult garment protectors, I.D. lanyards and cell phone covers.
“The products offered by N.E.W. Life Enterprises are made by women who have grown in their life skills and now know how to sew professionally. It is not only changing lives, it has the potential to change Flint as well,” said Hagerman. “Phil Shaltz, Steve Landaal, Dr. Kulkarni and I strongly believe this program and its products can find a successful market niche not only locally and regionally, but nationally as the business continues to grow.”
To introduce the scrub products to the local health-care community, Hagerman, Shaltz, Landaal and Kulkarni met with the CEOs of Flint’s three major hospitals, McLaren, Genesys and Hurley.
“All three CEOs expressed interest in finding ways they can support this new business and are already doing so,” explained Shaltz, who serves as vice chairman of the Hurley Board of Managers. “Hurley is now offering the scrub products for sale in its gift shop, McLaren has purchased customized scrubs for one of its units and women from N.E.W. Life have spoken at the Genesys annual physician meeting. Moving forward, we anticipate continuing these discussions with the broader healthcare community.”
“The collective support for N.E.W. Life Enterprises represents a turning point in our organization’s history,” said Sister Weber.
To learn more about the St. Luke N.E.W. Life Center and N.E.W. Life Enterprises, visit stlukenewlifectr.com/.
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