USM Enhances Corporate Diversity Initiatives
Reaffirms Long-Standing Diversity Commitment through Membership in National Minority Supplier Development Council; Reports on Conferences in Southwest and New England
Saturday, 23 October 2010
NORRISTOWN, PA, October 21, 2010 – USM, a leader in facilities maintenance, management and specialized project solutions, today provided an update on the company’s ongoing initiatives to foster diversity and inclusion throughout the organization and its daily operations.
USM believes diversity and inclusion is a business imperative that must constantly evolve with the marketplace and society. To fortify USM’s corporate diversity initiatives, the company recently became a member of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), one of the country’s leading business membership organizations dedicated to providing a direct link between corporate America and minority-owned businesses. A team of USM employees, led by Mark Pelan, Director of Procurement, and Pam Winston, Compliance Manager/Diversity Officer, recently attended two diversity conferences held by affiliates of NMSDC: The Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council’s Business Opportunity Expo and the Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council’s Diversity at the Border event.
“USM has always worked to establish a culture of sharing ideas and respecting differences, which we believe empowers our employees to deliver more innovative solutions and adds greater value to the company and to our customers,” said Mr. Pelan. “As the USM workforce evolves to reflect the growing diversity of our customers, the communities we serve and the global marketplace, our efforts to understand, value and incorporate differences become increasingly important. The best practices shared at the conferences in Connecticut and Texas, combined with the tremendous networking and relationship-building opportunities, make USM a stronger, more diverse business and a better partner for our customers. We look forward to continuing to increase our involvement through our relationship with the NMSDC and its affiliates.”
The NMSDC was chartered in 1972 to provide increased procurement and business opportunities for minority businesses of all sizes. The NMSDC Network includes a national office in New York and 37 Regional Councils across the country. There are 3,500 corporate members throughout the network, including America’s top publicly-owned, privately-owned and foreign-owned companies as well as universities, hospitals and other buying institutions. The Regional Councils certify and match more than 16,000 Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American businesses with member corporations that want to purchase their products and services.
“Valuing and promoting diversity is essential to creating a culture that is inclusive, respectful and equitable, while creating an environment that makes USM a stronger partner for our customers,” said Ms. Winston. “USM believes that diversity enriches the company’s performance and services, the communities in which USM and its employees, customers and business partners live and work, and the lives of USM employees. Simply put, our commitment to diversity is a commitment to the current and future success of USM.”
The Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council (GNEMSDC) Business Opportunity Expo, held in Connecticut at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods from September 29 to October 1, 2010, is the largest minority business development conference and trade show in New England. The show brings together buyers and supplier diversity professionals from over 200 corporate members of the GNEMSDC and over 400 certified Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) from around the country. Established in 1974, The GNEMSDC serves the entire six New England States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
The Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council (SMSDC) creates opportunities and an environment for minority business enterprise to grow and to actively add value corporate members in these positive business relationships. The SMSDC Diversity at the Border Conference, held September 28-29, 2010 at the Doubletree Hotel in El Paso, Texas, has been instrumental in developing and connecting minority owned businesses and watched them grow from regional to national and even reach global capacity. SMSDC has offices in Austin, San Antonio, Harlingen and El Paso, serving a line stretching from Austin, San Antonio to the Rio Grande Valley along the Texas/Mexican border towards Laredo/Eagle Pass-Del Rio, Midland/Odessa, and back to El Paso.
Media Enquiries
Deb Yorkman
Director, Marketing and Communications
Ph (610) 313-2839
comms@usmservices.com
USM specializes in providing non-core, mission critical facilities maintenance and management services to large organizations with geographically dispersed properties in various industries such as retail, restaurants, banking, telecommunications and others with multi-location business operations.
Regardless of the type of service - whether it’s electrical, HVAC, Repair and Maintenance, Landscaping, Snow & Ice Management, or Janitorial and Floor Care - USM takes a unique, total supply chain management approach to delivering the outcomes that their clients desire.