NMSDC Names Ford Corporation of the Year

Top Supplier Diversity Professional, Affiliate Council and Minority Businesses Also Honored

DENVER, Nov. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc.^® (NMSDC^®) presented Ford Motor Company with its prestigious "Corporation of the Year" award at a black-tie awards banquet on Wednesday, October 31, to cap its four-day conference and business opportunity fair in Denver, Colorado.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121101/DC04897)

NMSDC's Corporation of the Year award is the most sought-after honor for major corporations that are dedicated to improving the overall participation of Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American suppliers in the global corporate supply chain.

"Presenting this award to Ford is a fitting way to continue celebrating our 40th anniversary," said NMSDC President Joset B. Wright. "Ford has been a true supporter of NMSDC's supplier diversity initiatives for more than 30 years. In 2012 Ford took its efforts to a new level, embodying an absolute model of minority supplier development and collaboration with its company policies, supplier investment, technology support, and creation of joint ventures and strategic alliances."

Crippled by the economic downturn that began in 2007, Ford has steadily regained its presence among the world's leading automakers. In 2011, Ford purchased a company record $5.08 billion in goods and services from more than 400 certified minority business enterprises (MBEs), a 31 percent growth over 2010. Since 1996, the company has spent more than $50 billion with certified MBEs. Prior to 2011, Ford facilitated 13 joint ventures/strategic alliances to increase MBE-to-MBE business opportunities as well as MBE and major corporations. To support the company internationally, nine MBEs have a global footprint with operations outside of the U.S.

Ford ascribes to NMSDC "best practices" for minority supplier development to enhance its corporate supplier diversity processes and build capacity for MBEs. In support of NMSDC and its network of 36 affiliate councils in 2011, the company volunteered more than 5,000 hours for more than 36 committees and events. The automaker sponsored three MBEs for membership in NMSDC's Corporate Plus^® Program and participates on NMSDC's International Program Advisory Committee. Additionally, Ford procurement and supplier diversity executives hold leadership roles on the NMSDC board and the board of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council.

At its banquet, NMSDC also presented awards for individual leadership in Minority Supplier Development, Suppliers of the Year and Regional Council of the Year.

Kevin Bell, senior manager, supplier diversity and learning and development at Chrysler Group LLC, received the Minority Supplier Development Leader of the Year award in recognition of exemplary development programs for minority business owners, as well as exceptional leadership and impact throughout corporate America. Under his leadership, Chrysler – a member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable – had a combined Tier 1 and Tier 2 spend of $4 billion, an increase of 51 percent from 2010 and 100 percent from 2009.

Four top minority businesses were recognized as National Suppliers of the Year in recognition of their business acumen and excellence in community service. They are:

Infinity Business Solutions of Buena Park, California, in the category for businesses with sales less than $1 million; RM Executive Transportation dba Mosaic Global Transportation in Redwood City, California, among firms with $1 million to $10 million in sales; United Building Maintenance of Carol Steam, Illinois, in the category for businesses with sales between $10 million and $50 million; and Vision Information Technologies, Inc., dba VisionIT of Detroit, Michigan, for firms with sales greater than $50 million.

Twelve minority businesses were honored as Regional Suppliers of the Year. They are Albu & Associates, Winter Park, Florida; The Bartech Group, Inc., Livonia, Michigan; BITHGROUP Technologies, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland; Corporate Management, Inc., dba Corporate Services Management LP, Tucker, Georgia; Ideal Electrical Supply Corporation, Washington, D.C.; Integrated Security Consultants Inc., Tampa, Florida; KBM Facility Solutions, San Diego, California; KCS, St. Paul, Minnesota; NIMBUS, Inc., Louisville, Kentucky; Pyramid Consulting, Inc., Alpharetta, Georgia; Unique Expressions, Ferndale, Michigan; and World Wide Technology, Inc., Maryland Heights, Missouri.

The Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council earned Regional Council of the Year honors for providing outstanding service to hundreds of corporations and minority businesses in the state of Michigan. 

About NMSDC

The National Minority Supplier Development Council advances business opportunities for certified Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American business enterprises and connects them to corporate members.  One of the country's leading corporate membership organizations, NMSDC was chartered in 1972 to provide increased procurement and business opportunities for minority businesses of all sizes.

The NMSDC Network includes a national office in New York and 36 Regional Councils across the country. There are 3,500 corporate members throughout the network, including America's top publicly-owned, privately-owned and foreign-owned companies as well as universities, hospitals and other buying institutions. The Regional Councils certify and match 16,000 minority-owned businesses with member corporations that want to purchase their products and services.

For more information about NMSDC, call (212) 944-2430 or visit the Web site at www.nmsdc.org.

SOURCE National Minority Supplier Development Council