There are supplier diversity programs, and then there are Cisco programs. Cisco has managed to develop a system that makes competitor programs appear underdeveloped.

- By Andrew Hale

Assume you are a diverse supplier looking for a way to expand business and wondering how to break into the technology industry on a larger scale. What’s next? Madison Gunter says, “Call me,” because he is the manager of business development and operations for Cisco’s Global Supplier Diversity Business Development Program and he wants to continue building Cisco’s world-class supplier diversity and reseller program.

The over 13-year-old program is two tiered but not in the way traditi....