DETROIT, Mich., Oct. 30, 2017 — At a black-tie gala wrapping up its annual Conference and Business Opportunity Exchange, held this year in Detroit, Oct. 23-25, Harriet Michel, former NMSDC President presented Toyota with the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) Corporation of the Year award to Robert Young, Toyota Motor North America R&D (TMNA R&D) group vice president, Purchasing & Supplier Engineering Division. Toyota is one of four corporations to have won corporation of the year more than three times from the NMSDC in its 45-year history. Toyota spends over $3 Billion directly with over 300 diverse suppliers and Toyota's suppliers spend nearly $1 Billion with over 1500 diverse suppliers at the Tier 2 level.

“We are truly honored by this recognition and can’t thank NMSDC, its regional affiliates and corporate members for their tremendous support as we have integrated procurement and development best practices into our supply base development process. This recognition reflects the strong work being done across Toyota North America to enhance our inclusive sourcing practices and our collaboration with our supplier partners. We are only as good as our supply team and we are so fortunate to have a great team supporting our development of “Ever Better Vehicles.”
 
Louis Green, NMSDC’s interim president, congratulated the honorees, saying, “We are truly proud to recognize the leaders among our corporate members, and the individuals who work to advance minority supplier diversity and development; and to recognize, too, the outstanding minority business enterprises in our network for their business growth and development, operational success, support of other minority businesses and active participation in the community.”
 
During the ceremony, Adrienne Trimble, general manager TMNA Diversity & Inclusion was recognized as one of the top 45 individuals within the NMSDC network — past or present, MBE or corporate, NMSDC presidents, regional or national members — who have been most influential in shaping and growing the NMSDC over its 45-year history.
 
NMSDC’s Conference is the nation’s premier forum on minority supplier development. More than 6,000 corporate CEOs, procurement executives and supplier diversity professionals from the top multinational companies and international organizations, as well as leading Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American business owners, gathered to re-energize their collective efforts to develop and advocate for more vigorous participation by minority-owned firms in global corporate supply chains. For the host city, Detroit, the economic impact generated by the Conference is considerable: $7.5 million total, including an estimate of more than $1 million in state and local taxes and 1,400+ jobs supported.