Eaton Corporation Host Sponsor of Minority Business Trade Fair

    CLEVELAND--May 23, 2002--Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation today said it will assume a key sponsorship role in the annual All Ohio Trade Fair (AOTF), to be held June 10-12 at the Cleveland Convention Center.
    Sponsored by the Northern and South Central Ohio Minority Business Councils, the fair will feature seminars and workshops that explore current trends. The event is designed to strengthen contract opportunities within the current economic environment by bringing together minority suppliers with businesses and government agencies. It is expected to attract about 200 exhibitors and 1,500 fair attendees.
    The AOTF is an annual event that provides access to educational, managerial and technical assistance for minority business enterprise.
    Eaton will act as host sponsor of the event, which last year resulted in the granting of an estimated $25 million in contract awards, and the luncheon keynote speaker on June 12 will be Ernie Green, Eaton board member and founder and president of Ernie Green Industries (EGI), an automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Dayton, OH.
    "Attendance at this year's event is key to the growth of Eaton's supplier diversity program," said Stanley V. Mickens, vice president of supplier resource management (SRM) for Eaton. "It's an opportunity for Ohio-based firms to meet many successful minority businesses and begin to form strategic partnerships where they may not already exist."
    In conjunction with the trade fair, Eaton is also hosting its SRM Quarterly Conference in Cleveland. The company expects approximately 40 of its own managers to attend the trade fair Wednesday morning. SRM is responsible for the management of the $4 billion in goods and services that Eaton procures annually.
    "We consider the fair important enough that we specifically scheduled Eaton's own SRM meeting to coincide with it," added Deborah Pickens, director of supplier diversity at Eaton and co-chairperson of the AOTF. "The AOTF provides Eaton personnel an opportunity to network with minority business entrepreneurs from the entire Midwest region and from multiple industries."
    The fair's theme, "Supplier Diversity - Get In The Game," is representative of the climate of getting involved and excited about seizing opportunities in Ohio's growing minority business venue. The Ohio councils help certified minority business suppliers throughout the state meet the challenges facing small business owners, as well as build relationships with corporate America.
    Eaton Corporation is a global $7.3 billion diversified industrial manufacturer that is a leader in fluid power systems; electrical power quality, distribution and control; automotive engine air management and fuel economy; and intelligent truck systems for fuel economy and safety. Eaton has 48,000 employees and sells products in more than 50 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com
    Information and online registration for the 2002 All Ohio Trade Fair can be found at www.allohiotradefair.com.