Behind every successful medical procedure, there is an intricate web of supply chain logistics ensuring that healthcare providers have what they need—when they need it. At the heart of this critical operation at HonorHealth is Joshua Andrade, a leader driven by a relentless pursuit of excellence. Supply chain management is critical for healthcare. Without the delivery of the right medical products on time, quality patient outcomes are not possible. As Director of Supply Chain Management, Joshua Andrade plays a pivotal role in ensuring that at HonorHealth. He oversees supply chain operations for multiple sites as well as focused on supporting the expansion of the Cardiovascular Center of Excellence strategy. For Joshua, success can be summed up as “clinical satisfaction leads to patient satisfaction and improved outcomes.”
His success in the supply chain field can be attributed to his inability to settle down. “My weakness is that I’m never satisfied,” he says. “Continuous improvement and expanding my influence are my course of action. My overall goal is to give back to the community, more than I’ve taken.”
Humble Beginnings
Joshua has risen to the upper echelons of the supply chain industry from humble beginnings. The youngest of the three children, he grew up in a 1,000-square-foot, two-bedroom house. “My parents worked nonstop, multiple jobs and side gigs,” he shares. “They did not call out or take time off; vacation was a fantasy.” At a young age, it was instilled in Joshua that he needed to get a good job, work hard and provide for his family.
Joshua’s professional journey started with United Parcel Service (UPS), where within six months, he became an operations supervisor. At UPS, he learned lean concepts, body mechanics, leadership, and how to collaborate with a labor union. Joshua quickly realized that operations and logistics were his passion; however, he also felt that something was missing.
“I felt connected to healthcare,” he says. “I wanted to apply my knowledge and passion to provide care for our community.” In December 2009, Joshua joined HonorHealth as Logistics Supervisor.
“I am truly honored to have served in a Supply Chain leadership role for HonorHealth for 16 years,” he says. “I appreciate the idea of loyalty to an organization and working for a single company for the entirety of one’s career.”
Joshua highlights that his family, colleagues, and leadership team have supported him throughout his career. “I would not be where I am without the support I’ve received,” he adds. “When I look back on my life, I will leave my family and friends with positive and lasting memories.”
Key Achievements of a Remarkable Journey
When Joshua earned his bachelor’s degree in applied management from Grand Canyon University, he became a first-generation college graduate. This, for him, is one of the proudest achievements of his life. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix. Joshua shares that it took him ten years to earn this degree. “I completed it after countless starts and stops,” he adds.
He also considers his 15-year-long association with HonorHealth a major achievement. “My 15-year anniversary with HonorHealth proved my value to the organization,” he points out. Another major achievement of Joshua’s career is: being listed in the “40 under 40 Leaders in Healthcare” list by Healthcare Purchasing News in 2024.
In 2025, Joshua was elected to the national advisory board for Association of Healthcare Resources and Materials Management (AHRMM).
Brief Introduction to HonorHealth
Arizona-based HonorHealth, a leading nonprofit healthcare system, serves a population of five million people in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. Its comprehensive network encompasses nine acute-care hospitals, an extensive medical group with primary, specialty, and urgent care services, a cancer care network, outpatient surgery centers, clinical research, medical education, a foundation, an accountable care organization, community services, and more. “To improve the health and well-being of those we serve” is the mission of HonorHealth.
Joshua points out that in 2014, Scottsdale Healthcare and John C. Lincoln merged to form HonorHealth. “Two extraordinary, non-profit organizations came together to grow their community presence,” he adds. “This yielded many learning opportunities.” In the three years following the merger, they standardized their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, primary distributor, Electronic Medical Records (EMR), and stocking methodology – Low Unit of Measure vs. Bulk.
Joshua was promoted to Director of Supply Chain Management in 2017.
The future of HonorHealth is flourishing. Two major accomplishments are acquiring three acute centers and one freestanding ER as well as established a partnership as a primary clinical affiliate for ASU’s new School of Medicine Advanced Medical Engineering (SOMME). HonorHealth is expanding its footprint in the Cardiology space with the ongoing efforts of its HonorHealth Heart Care, a rebrand of the initiative “Cardiovascular Center of Excellence”. The multidisciplinary approach taken is driven to create better patient experience, outcomes and catapult HonorHealth Heart Care to the top 50 cardiology hospitals in the United States.
A Regular Day at Work and Work-Life Balance
While many leaders strive for a perfect work-life balance, Joshua takes a different approach—one of intentionality. Whether he’s mentoring his team, engaging in industry collaborations, or spending time with his family, he gives his full presence to each moment. This mindset has allowed him to lead with both passion and purpose, without the added stress of chasing an unattainable balance.
“I am intentional with time and give my full focus to that activity or person(s),” Joshua says. “Calculating a balance can only add to unnecessary stress.” So, he prefers to enjoy his work, industry engagements, and coming home to see his beautiful wife and two wonderful boys.
The Andrade family makes vacationing a priority and taking the time to truly unwind, reset then refocus. Joshua shares, “My family and I are fortunate to have the ability to take time away and enjoy precious moments with our boys. For us, there’s nothing better then watching the boys play on the beach in Southern California, as the sun begins to set.”
A Holistic Leadership Style
Joshua describes himself as a “holistic” leader. He didn’t always follow this leadership approach. In the beginning, he led as a dictator. He then became more of a coach to his team, and after that, he adopted a servant leadership style.
Now, according to Joshua, he strives to be a well-rounded leader who integrates personal, professional, mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being (purposeful living).
Joshua is interested in the growth of his team members. So, he offers them opportunities to grow and progress in their careers. “It is fulfilling to assist others to succeed,” he says. “I have built long-lasting relationships with wonderful professionals.”
In 2019, Joshua met Carmen Payne, Soar Transformational Life Coaching. Their professional relationship grew from Carmen’s presentation on “Leading from the Heart” to coaching Joshua with leadership and personal development. Joshua shared, “Carmen Payne is an amazing public speaker, and professional development coach.” Joshua has continued to work with Carmen since 2019 and credits her for assisting him in understanding his need for continuous growth and relentless quest for knowledge.
In 2024, Joshua took his leadership philosophy a step further by co-developing a leadership program with industry professional Michael Maske, Owner and CEO of ZM Medical. The program was designed to instill accountability, communication, and engagement within his team. Through structured discussions, real-world case studies, and leadership exercises, participants were challenged to think critically, own their roles, and contribute meaningfully to the organization’s mission. Joshua’s hands-on approach helped transform emerging leaders, reinforcing the idea that strong leadership is the foundation of a high-performing supply chain.
“Holistic leadership and leading from the heart were more of passion project for me. I wanted to be more present and completely focused on the task at hand. It wasn’t until I met Michael Voorhees that I truly appreciated leading with compassion.”
Change in Perspective Following a Friend’s Death
Joshua has faced several challenges and setbacks over the years. But nothing has affected him like the death of his friend and colleague, Michael Voorhees. “Mike was an amazing person and had so much empathy and compassion for others,” Joshua shares. “I am blessed to have known him.”
“I am extremely thankful for the overwhelming support we received,” he adds. “We were able to orchestrate an amazing celebration of life for him. In a conference room full of people, there was not a dry eye in sight.”
Joshua shares that he took the news of Mike’s death harder than expected. What he experienced after his death provided him with a new perspective on life. He realized that everyone’s days are limited on Earth, and one needs to work on the question of legacy and how will one be remembered.
“It was clear Mike led with love. He was open with hugs and sharing his love for everyone. Even in his final days he let me know how much he loved working with me and how he enjoyed every minute at HonorHealth.” Joshua recalls. “There was so much love in everything he did, the way he interacted with clinicians, the C-Suite, all the way to our volunteers. He loved everyone, and he placed a value on every person he knew and encountered. For me, valuing every person I come across in the way that Mike Voorhees did is part of how I will work to keep his life and legacy alive.”
Mike often emphasized, “Teamwork makes the dream work” – a quote that continues to echo for Joshua.
Supply Chain Management’s Future Trends and Use of AI
Supply chain management is on the cusp of a major transformation. Artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced analytics are impacting almost every function. This will soon lead to a demand for new skills. Joshua foresees a collaboration with higher education institutes to create professional development opportunities and workforce pipelines.
He also points out that there will be a rapid rise in AI utilization and implementations. The use of technology will lead to supply chain transparency as well.
AI is not only transforming the way procurement is done but also reshaping the payment management space. Joshua shares that he is “most excited” about the ability to greatly reduce the labor-intensive and low value-add tasks.
Joshua shared insights through articles in Becker’s Hospital review, “AI will be in every hospital before you know it. Major organizations have implemented it in some facet. Mayo Clinic has added autonomous mobile robots and machine-learning models. Baptist Health has utilized AI to enhance efficiencies in four areas: demand management, payment management, back orders, and contracts/ sourcing. And University of Rochester has been developing their own AI tools.”
References
Dyrda, Laura. (2025). The Health System “Cranking Out” AI Tools. Becker’s Hospital Review. Retrieved from https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/ai/the-health-system-cranking-out-ai-tools/
Influencing the Future Generation
Joshua intends to create greater awareness and understanding of the supply chain in healthcare. His goal is to make the future generation see it as a space where they can pursue amazing career opportunities. Joshua points out that Healthcare Supply Chain has gained recognition in the past 5 years. “I am expanding my influence through HonorHealth, Arizona Healthcare Materials Management Association (AHMMA) and the Association of Healthcare Resources Materials Management (AHRMM),” he adds, “AHRMM has been a major contributor to my success in networking, practice sharing and Supply Chain knowledge. I highly recommend all Supply Chain professionals to start engaging with the organization. It offers a tremendous opportunity for all professionals; students to top executives.”
Advice to Aspiring Leaders
Joshua is a veteran of the supply chain industry and has seen its evolution over the years. As someone who has carved out a distinctive place for himself in the industry, what piece of advice would he like to give aspiring leaders?
“Build relationships” is Joshua’s first piece of advice to aspiring leaders. He also encourages them to subscribe to lifelong learning. Joshua firmly believes in giving back. “I want to give more than I take in life,” he points out. So, his third piece of advice is, “give back to the community.”
Joshua quotes Sir Isaac Newton, “Standing on the shoulders of giants,” to highlight that “the Supply Chain industry is a remarkable industry full of knowledgeable professionals willing to share experiences.”
The Legacy!
As Joshua looks toward the future, his focus remains clear: to cultivate a sustainable workforce, empower future leaders, and redefine what it means to lead in healthcare supply chain management. By championing holistic leadership and lifelong learning, he is setting a standard that will influence generations to come.
Influential Leaders
In my career
Ryan Kirane FACHE, VP Supply Chain – HonorHealth
Kim Post, DNP, MBA, RN – EVP, Chief Operations Officer – HonorHealth
Trevor Swanson, Program Manager – APS
Annette (Allbee) Thweatt – Director Supply Chain – HonorHealth
Mario Zamarripa, MBA – Director Supply Chain – HonorHealth
In the industry
Mike Schiller, CMRP, FAHRMM – Executive Director – AHRMM
Amanda Chawla, MBA, MHA, FACHE, CMRP – SVP Chief Supply Chain Officer – Stanford Medicine
Dennis Mullins, MBA, CMRP, FAHRMM – VP Supply Chain Management – Advocate Health
Stephen Downey, Chief Supply Chain & Support Services Officer – Clevland Clinic
Suzi Collins, President – AHMMA
Special Thank You
My wife, Yvonne, for 9 years of marriage and 14 total years of support. Our two sons, Rocky and Ryder for added inspiration to keep me moving forward. I love you.
Thank you,
Josh Andrade, MBA, CMRP, CHFP
Director Supply Chain Management – HonorHealth
