PLYMOUTH, Mich. , Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- John Barth, a member of the Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) Board of Directors and the company's former chairman and chief executive officer, was honored by the Michigan Minority Business Development Council (MMBDC) this week with its President's Award. He received this recognition for his outstanding efforts to enhance business opportunities for minority suppliers in Michigan and the United States .

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Mr. Barth retired as chief executive officer of Johnson Controls on October 1, 2007 , and as Chairman of the Board in January 2008 . He also served as vice chairman of the MMBDC Board of Directors from 1995 to 2000.

Ed Oliveras, a senior buyer at Johnson Controls, was recognized with the MMBDC's 2008 'Corporate Buyer of the Year' award. The award is presented annually to the individual directly responsible for purchasing activity and who consistently includes certified minority suppliers in the bid process; shows growth in actual spend with minority business enterprises; and advances the cause of supplier diversity and minority economic development. This is the first time a Johnson Controls employee has received this honor.

The awards were presented at the MMBDC's 25th Annual Awards Dinner on October 8 . The event, which was attended by more than 1,500 people, was held at the Marriott at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan .

Johnson Controls also was named a finalist by the MMBDC for the Corporation of the Year in the Manufacturing Sector. It is presented to firms 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.

'We are committed to diversity and it is an integral part of our corporate mission and values,' said Keith Wandell, president and chief operating officer of Johnson Controls. 'Being honored by the MMBDC underscores that we are putting our values to work in a manner that brings significant benefits to the community.'

Johnson Controls -- a global, multi-industry company -- has operated an innovative program to recruit and develop diverse suppliers since the early 1990s. In fiscal-year 2008, it purchased more than $1.68 billion in goods and services from diverse firms, making it a member of the 'Billion Dollar Roundtable' that includes just 13 companies that spend $1 billion annually with diverse suppliers.

MMBDC, a voluntary organization with more than 1,700 members, creates links between major corporations and minority businesses.

Within the Diversity Business Development model at Johnson Controls, 'diverse' suppliers include companies that are owned by minorities and women in the United States , and internationally, firms that are historically underutilized in their local country.

Here are highlights of Johnson Controls' recent activities and achievements in support of diverse suppliers and minority-owned firms.

The company...

-- Integrates 'diversity business development' as a key component of its strategic business plan. Purchases from diverse suppliers, including those owned by minorities and women, are targeted to grow each year.

-- Requires its suppliers to develop and implement their own diversity business development programs.

-- Pledges to include diverse suppliers in divestitures, lead supplier arrangements, joint ventures and strategic alliances.

-- Creates successful partnerships in support of diverse businesses. For example, Johnson Controls is a joint-venture partner in Bridgewater Interiors, LLC of Detroit , a minority-owned firm with contracts to supply complete seating and interior systems for four major auto manufacturers.

-- Sponsors educational fellowships for officials from minority-owned companies. Each year since 1998, Johnson Controls has funded fellowships that enable executives to attend continuing-education programs at the Tuck Graduate Business School of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire . Johnson Controls also has funded fellowships for minority executives at the University of Wisconsin - Madison and the Kellogg School at Northwestern University.

-- Convenes trade shows and other events to promote purchases of goods and services from diverse firms.

-- Implemented standardized internal processes throughout the company for recruiting, training and using diverse suppliers nationwide.

-- Launched a special mentoring and training process for corporations and diverse suppliers in Georgia , Illinois , Michigan , New York , Tennessee , Texas and Wisconsin .

-- Adopted web-based systems to provide business opportunities for diverse suppliers, measure performance, and promote diversity-oriented business solutions to customers.

-- Has provided significant support to the leadership and mission of MMBDC.

Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) is the global leader that brings ingenuity to the places where people live, work and travel. By integrating technologies, products and services, we create smart environments that redefine the relationships between people and their surroundings. Our team of 140,000 employees creates a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world through our products and services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million homes and one million commercial buildings. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com.

SOURCE Johnson Controls