CHICAGO, April 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Grainger, North America's
largest industrial distributor of products used by businesses to maintain,
repair and operate their facilities, today announced a $25,000 donation to the
National Minority Supplier Development Council's (NMSDC) Advanced Management
Education Program. The company also announced Phyllis Valdez, president of
The Valdez Group, an Hispanic-owned supplier of specialty tools for the
manufacturing market, as the recipient of its annual scholarship award.
Valdez will attend the program this summer.
The Advanced Management Education Program is held annually at Northwestern
University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management and focuses on issues of
growth from the minority business owner's perspective. This program provides
minority business enterprises with tools and skills needed to achieve and
sustain accelerated growth.
Grainger's contribution marks the second consecutive year the company has
participated in this program. The company recognizes the importance of
providing small minority business enterprises with resources that enhance
their efforts in marketing to large corporations. As a result, Grainger seeks
to help expand the skill-sets of talented executives, increase the number of
thriving minority business enterprises and encourage greater diversity
throughout the business community with its contribution.
Grainger's efforts also help meet customers' diversity goals in the
purchase of goods and services. Grainger builds upon existing business
relationships and conducts ongoing outreach to new minority suppliers through
its participation with the NMSDC, regional Minority Supplier Development
Councils and the Women's Business Development Council.
"Diversity is an essential component of business today," said Richard L.
Keyser, chairman and chief executive officer, Grainger. "We are committed to
helping foster diversity within our industry, through our participation in the
NMSDC's professional development opportunities for minority-owned businesses."
About Grainger
W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE: GWW), with 2001 sales of $4.8 billion, is the
leading North American industrial distributor of products used by businesses
to maintain, repair, and operate their facilities. Grainger shares are traded
on the New York and Chicago stock exchanges. For more information, visit
Grainger online at http://www.grainger.com .
SOURCE W.W. Grainger, Inc.
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http://www.grainger.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/gh/cnoc/comp/953850.html
CONTACT:
Michael E. McGrew of Grainger,
+1-847-535-4196, mcgrew.m@grainger.com
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