Delphi Hosts 10th Anniversary Matchmaker Conference

TROY, Mich., Feb. 24, 2005 -- Delphi Corp. will host its tenth consecutive Matchmaker Conference at the Lansing Convention Center, March 1-2, 2005, themed: "Celebrating a Decade of Diversity".

The Delphi Matchmaker Conference, one of the largest minority supplier conferences in the United States, has grown significantly since the first ribbon cutting ceremony in Dayton, Ohio in 1996, generating more than $180 million in purchases to minority business entrepreneurs. The conference has encouraged the development of long-term business relationships between Delphi's Tier I and minority business entrepreneurs leading to business partnerships.

"We are proud of our diversity initiatives over the past ten years," said Dave Nelson, Delphi's vice president, global supply management. "As we continue to transform our company, it is important to have a diverse supply base working with us to optimize the entire purchasing value stream by reducing waste, eliminating unnecessary costs, and improving quality."

Osamu (Simon) Nagata, vice president of purchasing, Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TMMNA) will deliver the keynote address at the event's "power breakfast" on Wednesday, March 2. "We enjoy having our customers take part in this event and are pleased to have the senior purchasing executive of a very important Delphi customer address this year's conference attendees," stated Jon Stegner, Delphi's general director, global supply management. Mr. Nagata oversees all purchasing functions at TMMNA and is responsible for procurement of parts and components, raw materials as well as equipment and services.

"Having minority business entrepreneurs interface with purchasing agents from major automotive suppliers and manufacturers in this setting is an excellent means of providing valuable exposure to both parties," said John E. Taylor, Delphi manager, diversity supplier development. "Many successful business relationships with minority suppliers began at the Matchmaker Conference and we look forward to forging more collaborative supplier relationships in the future."

In addition to Delphi's Matchmaker Conference, the company's employees have membership involvement on numerous National Minority Supplier Development Councils including: Michigan Minority Business Development Council; Project One Member; South Central Ohio Minority Business Council; Upstate New York Regional Minority Purchasing Council; Indiana Minority Purchasing Council and Dallas Minority Purchasing Council. Nelson serves on the board of the National Minority Supplier Development Council and is affiliated with the MMBDC Regional Roundtables for Genesee, Oakland and Saginaw counties; Asia Pacific American Chamber of Commerce (APACC) and the Women Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

In 2004, approximately 8 percent of Delphi's North American purchases were with minority suppliers. Delphi purchases from approximately 300 minority suppliers nationwide.