Marriott nearly doubles billion dollar spending goal with diverse suppliers
Feb 27, 09 | 1:57 am 
Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) announced today that it has spent $1.9 billion with diverse suppliers over the last five years in the U.S., nearly doubling its goal that was set in 2003. Last year, Marriott set a new record, spending more than $500 million companywide with minority-and woman-owned businesses.
"Our program is a great opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs to grow," said Bill Hartwig, vice president, supplier relations, Marriott International, Inc. "We are committed to nurturing and strengthening our existing relationships and actively looking to increase our portfolio with outstanding minority- and woman-owned suppliers who meet our needs and criteria."
Marriott suppliers hail from various industries. Among the company's top diverse suppliers are:
Berman Purchasing Inc., Jupiter, Fla. (furniture, fixtures and equipment purchasing)
Carter Brothers, Atlanta, Ga. (security and fire alarms)
Eagles Koinonia Corporation, Brandon, Fla. (janitorial/cleaning)
Fairmont Designs Hospitality Group, Buena Park, Calif. (furniture designs)
Gary's Seafood, Orlando, Fla. (seafood distributor)
Hospitality Staffing Solutions, Marietta, Ga. (temporary staffing)
LandRon Inc., Orlando, Fla., (construction)
Tronex, Parsippany, NJ., (disposable gloves and products)
Ty, Ty, & Ty Inc., Miami, Fla. (rooms/linen)
T&G Constructors Inc., Orlando, Fla. (construction)
"The supplier diversity program is perfectly aligned with Marriott's business goals," said Jimmie Paschall, senior vice president, external affairs and global diversity officer, Marriott International, Inc. "Additionally, the program's success is a great testament to Marriott's sustained commitment to inclusion."
Marriott has an ongoing commitment to global diversity and inclusion. Marriott has a board-level committee, the Committee for Excellence, which meets regularly to set goals and monitor the company's progress. Marriott has been recognized for its supplier diversity efforts by DiversityInc magazine and named Top 50 Companies for Supplier Diversity by Hispanic Trends magazine.
For more information on Marriott's diversity program, visit www.marriott.com/diversity.
About Marriott International, Inc.
Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) is a leading lodging company with more than 3,100 lodging properties in 66 countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Bulgari brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club, Horizons by Marriott Vacation Club, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Grand Residences by Marriott brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, USA and had approximately 146,000 employees at 2008 year-end. It is recognized by BusinessWeek as one of the 100 best global brands, by FORTUNE® as one of the best companies to work for, and by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as Partner of the Year since 2004. In fiscal year 2008, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of nearly $13 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com.
