Heather Kolenik’s 30-year journey at Henry Schein.
When people think of healthcare, they often picture doctors, nurses, and frontline caregivers. But behind every patient interaction is an unseen network of supply chain professionals ensuring critical products are there when they’re needed most. For Heather Kolenik, Senior Manager of Inventory Management and Large Customer Supply Strategy at Henry Schein, that behind-the-scenes work is her passion – and her purpose.
Kolenik’s journey began 30 years ago, when she joined Henry Schein as an expediter on the Inventory Management team. At the time, healthcare largely centered on supporting small-office practitioners. “I’ve held many roles within Inventory Management over the years, and as the industry shifted from small-office practitioners to the IDN space, I recognized the critical need for strategic support – one that my background uniquely positioned me to fulfill,” she said.
Today, Kolenik leads the strategy that ensures Henry Schein delivers optimal fill rates for large customers. Her days are anything but typical. One moment, she’s collaborating with sales teams to understand unique inventory demands. The next, she’s preparing inventory levels for a major customer implementation, or analyzing opportunities to improve fill rates for critical accounts. Kolenik balances the technical with the human, never losing sight of the patients who depend on the products her team helps deliver.
That connection to patient care became crystal clear during Hurricane Helene. The storm’s devastation severely disrupted the national supply of IV solutions – a resource many patients rely on for survival. “Our team responded quickly, delivering critical products to affected areas and partnering closely with our largest customers to ensure uninterrupted access for patients relying on these life-sustaining treatments,” she said.
Moments like these underscore the critical importance of supply chain professionals in healthcare. Kolenik is quick to point out that global events, weather conditions, and unforeseen crises can disrupt supply in an instant. Preventing those disruptions demands a 24/7 commitment, with teams working tirelessly to safeguard the flow of critical products. COVID-19 revealed the fragility of these systems to the broader healthcare community, but for Kolenik, it only reinforced the importance of proactive planning and collaboration.
At the heart of her leadership philosophy is teamwork. To Heather, successful supply chain operations hinge on strong inter-departmental partnerships. “In a large organization, effective coordination across teams is crucial to delivering optimal solutions for our customer base,” Kolenik said. “In this role, it is imperative that we make sure we fully understand every issue before acting. Creative, outside-the-box thinking is crucial so the team can develop innovative solutions that drive the best results for our customers.”
Ultimately, the greatest challenges arise from the unknown. “By fostering open communication with our customers, we can anticipate their needs and implement solutions that reliably meet them.”