Johnson Controls Named 'Corporation of the Year' for Diversity Efforts

Johnson Controls Named ‘Corporation of the Year’ for Diversity Efforts

Johnson Controls was recently selected as "Corporation of the Year" for 2006 by the Central and South Texas Minority Business Council (CSTMBC) for its outstanding achievements in developing diverse supplier companies. Representatives from CSTMBC presented Johnson Controls with the top honors at the group's 2006 Awards Banquet earlier this month. Kenneth Gardner, diversity business development manager for the Automotive Experience business of Johnson Controls, accepted the award. The event, attended by more than 300 people, was held at the Marriott Rivercenter hotel in San Antonio, TX.

PLYMOUTH, MI — Johnson Controls was recently selected as "Corporation of the Year" for 2006 by the Central and South Texas Minority Business Council (CSTMBC) for its outstanding achievements in developing diverse supplier companies.

Representatives from CSTMBC presented Johnson Controls with the top honors at the group’s 2006 Awards Banquet earlier this month. Kenneth Gardner, diversity business development manager for the Automotive Experience business of Johnson Controls, accepted the award. The event, attended by more than 300 people, was held at the Marriott Rivercenter hotel in San Antonio, TX.

Johnson Controls has operated an innovative program to recruit and develop diverse suppliers since the early 1990s. In fiscal-year 2006, the company purchased approximately $1.004 billion in goods and services from diverse firms, making it a member of the "Billion Dollar Roundtable" that includes just 12 companies that spend $1 billion annually with diverse suppliers.

Within the Diversity Business Development model at Johnson Controls, "diverse" suppliers include companies that are owned by minorities, women or veterans — and those designated by government agencies as small businesses or disadvantaged businesses.

CSTMBC, a voluntary organization with more than 400 members, works to create links between major corporations and minority businesses. This is the first time Johnson Controls has been named Corporation of the Year by the CSTMBC.

"Embracing diversity, and the positive results that it generates, is an important part of our company’s corporate mission, values and business strategy," said Keith Wandell, president and chief operating officer of Johnson Controls. "We are pleased to be recognized by the CSTMBC for our minority supplier development activities in Texas."

The Corporation of the Year award recognizes companies that actively include certified minority suppliers in their procurement opportunities; assist in the development of minority suppliers; and promote supplier diversity and business development within their corporation and to their vendors and other businesses and organizations.

Also at the event, Reginald Layton, diversity business development director at Johnson Controls, received the 2006 Presidents Award for his service as chairman of the CSTMBC board of directors and his leadership in the launch of successful new CSTMBC programs in 2006. Thomas Shipps, operations buyer at Johnson Controls, was selected as a finalist for the CSTMBC’s 2006 Advocate of the Year Award.

For more information about Johnson Controls, go to: http://www.johnsoncontrols.com.