DaimlerChrysler Recognized for Strengthening the Minority Business Community

DaimlerChrysler Receives Prestigious Governor's Award in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 14 -- DaimlerChrysler has earned the 2005 Ohio Minority Business Development Award. Doug White, Ohio Director of Commerce, presented the award Tuesday, June 7 to the Chrysler Group at the Ohio Governor Bob Taft's annual Minority Business Development Recognition reception at the Columbus Convention Center in conjunction with the Ohio Business Opportunity Fair.

As the largest employer in Toledo, DaimlerChrysler sourced $221 million with Ohio-based minority businesses in 2004. More than $130 million in minority supplier content goes to producing the Jeep(R) Liberty vehicle at its Toledo North Assembly Plant.

"DaimlerChrysler has demonstrated its commitment to the Ohio minority business community for the past 20 years, since the inception of its supplier diversity initiative," said Jethro Joseph, Senior Manager Diversity Supplier Development of DaimlerChrysler. "It is a business imperative for DaimlerChrysler to support minority suppliers. Our on-going commitment is to develop and maintain a qualified minority supplier base that is reflective of our customer base."

Since the inception of its minority supplier program, DaimlerChrysler has implemented several innovative programs, emphasizing mentoring and networking to help develop and enhance the business opportunities for minority suppliers. DaimlerChrysler has initiated a networking event that supports the Toledo minority business community and actively supports the Northern Ohio Minority Business Council (NOMBC) as a corporate sponsor for several NOMBC programs such as the Ohio Business Opportunity Trade Fair. The company is also an inaugural module leader of the Toledo-based Partner's First module, which serves as a mentoring opportunity for Toledo minority businesses to enhance business operations.

Mentoring programs, such as the award-winning process known as the Minority Enterprise Initiative (MEI), have been implemented at DaimlerChrysler to encourage growth and secure additional business not just with DaimlerChrysler, but with other industries and companies as well.

Last year, DaimlerChrysler was among industry leaders in minority procurement. In 2004, Chrysler Group spent $3.3 billion with minority suppliers, which represents 12 percent of its total purchasing spend, an increase of $300 million from the previous year. Since 1983, the Company has sourced more than $27 billion to minority-owned companies.

DaimlerChrysler also furthered its minority supplier developments last month with the introduction of the Company's Supplier Diversity Web site enabling DaimlerChrysler to potentially increase minority sourcing business. The online supplier registration tool is designed to identify and register potential suppliers. It offers an enhanced resource for new suppliers to build relationships and understand specific procurement requirements. The Web site can be accessed at http://supplierdiversity.daimlerchrysler.com/ .