U-M honored for its supplier diversity program ANN ARBOR—The Michigan Minority Business Council (MMBDC) has named the University of Michigan its 2002 Corporation of the Year. The award was presented at the Council’s 19th Annual Awards Dinner on Tuesday (Oct.1) at the Cobo Hall Conference Center in Detroit. Each year, the MMBDC recognizes individuals and corporations that have significantly contributed to cultivating opportunities within Michigan’s minority business community. Timothy Slottow, interim chief financial officer, accepted the award on behalf of the University. "I am extremely proud of the U-M purchasing team and the hundreds of people across campus who have made our Supplier Diversity Program a world-class operation," Slottow said. "This program has delivered undisputable results for the University and the minority-owned and women-owned suppliers in this region." Phil Abruzzi, U-M’s director of purchasing, said: "Our commitment to diversity among the vendors we deal with is an important part of the University’s overall commitment to diversity. While many people can talk about the theory of diversity, we put it into practice with our dollars." Founded in 1978, the MMBDC is a privately funded, non-profit business development organization dedicated to enhancing the professional growth of its members as well as fostering business relationships between major corporations and minority-owned businesses. "The MMBDC annual dinner is one of the nation’s premier minority business events," said E. Delbert Gray, president and CEO of MMBDC. "It unites decision makers from some of the country’s biggest companies with minority-owned business leaders to celebrate the power of diversity, but more importantly to build relationships that enable continued growth," Gray said. The speaker at this year’s event was Earl G. Graves, founder and publisher of Black Enterprise magazine, and chairman and chief executive officer of Earl G. Graves, Ltd. Additional information about MMBDC can be found online at www.mmbdc.com.