Commission on Economic Inclusion Announces Best-in-Class Awards; Results of Annual...

Commission on Economic Inclusion Announces Best-in-Class Awards; Results of
Annual Diversity Survey Show Gains

CLEVELAND, May 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Commission on Economic
Inclusion, a coalition of Northeast Ohio employers committed to making the
region's diversity a source of economic strength, announced its 2008 "Best in
Class" member organizations for their progress in building and maintaining
diverse and inclusive organizations at its Annual Meeting held earlier this
month at Corporate College East in Warrensville Heights, Ohio.

Other highlights of the Annual Meeting include:
-- Results of the 2008 Greater Cleveland Employers Survey on
Diversity(TM),
which showed progress in all four areas measured: board, senior
management, workforce and supplier diversity
-- Keynote address by Alexander M. (Sandy) Cutler, chairman and CEO of
Eaton Corporation and a founding co-chair of the Commission
-- Review of 2008 accomplishments
-- Announcement of the newly named Commission co-chairs

-- Proposal for a new "Collaborative for Inclusion"

Best-in-Class winners
The employers honored were selected based on results of the 2008 Greater
Cleveland Employers Survey on Diversity(TM), and follow-up interviews by the
Commission staff. Two organizations -- one nonprofit/government organization
and one for-profit company -- were selected in each of four categories. The
winners are:

Board Diversity: Kaiser Permanente and KeyCorp; Senior Management Diversity:
Cuyahoga Community College and Eaton Corporation; Workforce Diversity: The
MetroHealth System and Time Warner Cable of Northeast Ohio; and Supplier
Diversity: Cleveland Clinic and KeyCorp.

"We're pleased that all Commission winners are working to improve diversity
and inclusion within their own organizations," said Commission Co-chair
Christopher M. Connor, chairman and CEO of The Sherwin-Williams Co. "Our
Best-in-Class winners are the pacesetters whom we recognize for the exemplary
progress they have made. They have successfully developed and implemented
policies and practices that can be replicated by other organizations."

Survey highlights
Northeast Ohio is the only region in the country to accumulate and report
economic inclusion data through an annual survey. For 2008, 96 employers (55
percent for profit, 34 percent nonprofit and 11 percent government
organizations) representing about 173,500 employees in the region and nearly
1.9 million employees nationwide, completed the Employers Survey on
Diversity(TM), now in its eighth year. Survey highlights comparing 2008 data
to 2007 include:

-- Board diversity increased from 16.9 percent to 18.8 percent
-- Senior management diversity increased from 11.9 percent to 12.1
percent
-- Workforce diversity increased from 23 percent to 24 percent

-- Supplier diversity data indicated an increase in the amount spent with
Northeast Ohio minority-owned enterprises (MBEs) of $285 million (from
9.4 percent to 11.1 percent of total purchases)

"This is encouraging news about the increasing support of Northeast Ohio's
minority-owned businesses by Commission-member organizations," said Andrew
Jackson, senior vice president of the Greater Cleveland Partnership and
executive director of the Commission. "We're now tracking our progress
quarterly, so we're aware of how the numbers are shaping up throughout the
year. We've also put into place more resources to help our members reach their
diversity and inclusion goals."

Keynote speaker: Alexander (Sandy) Cutler
Cutler, who, with former Congressman Louis Stokes, founded the Commission in
December 2000, observed that, at the time, "there was a tremendous outpouring
of interest in coming together to address one of the most important economic
development items on our agenda. It became apparent that we had the right
people (and they) have not let go of this important issue."

He said the Commission's growth from the inaugural 28 member organizations to
more than 100 current members; the ongoing commitment of member CEOs to
advancing diversity and inclusion within their organizations and the region;
the increases in board, senior management and workforce diversity; and the
growth in spending with Northeast Ohio minority-owned companies are examples
of how the region's business community is responding to "the enormous
magnitude of this challenge." He urged the business community to "take an
additional step up" to ensure that progress in all aspects of organizational
diversity continues, despite challenges of the economy.

Other 2008 highlights
"This past year has produced several accomplishments for the Commission," said
Commission Co-chair Brian E. Hall, chairman and chief executive officer of
Industrial Inventory Solutions LLC. These included: (1) Establishment of
quarterly metrics; (2) creation of the "CEO 5 x 3 Agenda" to provide
Commission member-CEOs with specific action steps to drive and maintain
positive inclusion momentum within their organizations; (3) more resources
created for Commission members; (4) more support for minority business growth;
(5) increased marketing of Commission services and publicity about success
stories.

New leadership
The Commission also announced that Lyle Ganske, partner-in-charge, Cleveland
office, Jones Day, and Kenneth Hardy, president and CEO of Bonnie Speed
Logistics(TM), have been named as the Commission's new co-chairs effective
immediately. They succeed Connor and Hall, who have led the Commission since
2004.

Collaborative for Inclusion
Jackson also introduced a model to increase synergy, impact and efficiency
among economic development organizations in the region that are focused on
economic inclusion. A "collaborative for inclusion" would enable these
organizations to: (1) focus on core services to minority businesses; (2)
create a more effective use of limited funds; and (3) deliver greater impact
for the MBEs and corporate customers.

About the Commission
The Commission on Economic Inclusion is a program of the Greater Cleveland
Partnership (GCP). Its mission is "to significantly improve the level of
inclusion -- the meaningful involvement of minority businesses and individuals
-- in the economic engines that drive Northeast Ohio." The GCP mobilizes
private-sector leadership, expertise and resources to create jobs and wealth
and improve the economic vitality of the region. www.commission-inclusion.com.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click
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Andrew Jackson
https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=65491

SOURCE Greater Cleveland Partnership

Judith Malone of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, +1-216-592-2412