AT&T Is Recognized Among the 10 Best Corporations for Veteran-Owned Businesses

DALLAS, April 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AT&T* today announced that the National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA) has recognized AT&T among the 10 Best Corporations for Veteran-Owned Businesses for 2010.

The list honors the most successful large corporations that engage the nation's three million veteran-owned businesses as suppliers. This is the fourth time AT&T is honored with this recognition.

"AT&T actively seeks disabled-veteran business enterprises (DVBEs) to include in our business. They have proven to be valuable business solution partners in our supply chain. They help us meet our diverse customers' needs and improve AT&T's position in the marketplace," said Marianne Strobel, executive director, AT&T Global Supplier Diversity Program.  

AT&T's unwavering commitment to the inclusion of diverse suppliers in its supply chain is evident in its benchmark best-spending results, some of the highest in the country. In 2009, AT&T spent $82 million with disabled-veteran owned business enterprises (DVBEs). AT&T is an original member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable—a supplier diversity think-tank that spends more than a billion dollars annually with diversity-owned companies. Only 17 corporations nationwide qualify at this level.  

AT&T has been included on this list in previous years for continuing to be a leader in developing and promoting DVBEs and increasing corporate contract opportunities. AT&T's goal is to procure 1.5% of its purchase base with DVBEs.  

To achieve this goal, AT&T is launching "Operation Hand Salute" (OHS) in May 2010, an initiative designed as a mentorship development program for strategically positioned and innovative DVBEs. AT&T has assembled a 'blue-ribbon' task force of DVBE leaders, companies, business experts and community leaders to partner in the design and implementation of OHS for optimal success. The pilot program will launch in California and will assist participants in improving their business operations and subsequently their ability to win corporate contracts. The term "Hand Salute" represents AT&T outreach efforts to develop DVBEs and AT&T's acknowledgement of veterans' military service and willingness to compete in the enterprise market segment.

The cover of the April issue of NaVOBA's Vetrepreneur magazine features this year's 10 honorees. The list welcomes back some perennial vetrepreneur-friendly companies like Booz Allen Hamilton, SAIC, AT&T, DynCorp International and Comcast Corporation. The honored companies also include Northrop Grumman, Dell, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, UPS and Lockheed Martin.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest 3G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. AT&T offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse(SM) and AT&T | DIRECTV(SM) brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T's Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations are known for their leadership in directory publishing and advertising sales. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE® magazine's list of the World's Most Admired Companies. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.

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SOURCE AT&T Inc.