HispanicBusiness

AT&T Inc. announced yesterday that Joan Kerr, executive director of AT&T's Supplier Diversity Programs, has been honored by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) with the Utility Marketplace Access Partnership (UMAP) Advocate Award.

Launched three years ago, the UMAP awards recognize individuals, companies and public service commissions that have made strong contributions to promoting supplier diversity. AT&T recognized Ms. Kerr's efforts, telling the media that she has served as a "valuable executive resource to numerous supplier diversity efforts over the years with organizations such as the National Minority Supplier Development Council, the Association for Service Disabled Veterans, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Billion Dollar Roundtable and others."

The award reinforces AT&T's reputation as a company committed to diversity. In September 2008, AT&T was named number one in the Hispanic Business magazine Top 60 Diversity Elite. The telecommunications company "scored well across all the variables used to measure a company's diversity practices, but in the category 'supplier diversity,' they performed especially well. They were in the top echelon," said Mike Caplinger, supervisor for HispanTelligence, Hispanic Business Media's research division.

Ms. Kerr has also served as past chairwoman and current vice chairwoman of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council. In that capacity she assisted disadvantaged business enterprises to position themselves to win business in the corporate world.

"We're proud of Joan and the work that her team has done to further AT&T's Supplier Diversity Program, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year," said Tim Harden, AT&T president of Supply Chain and Fleet Operations. "We're also deeply honored to receive this recognition from NARUC because it is being presented by key industry regulators and publicly recognizes our contribution to broadening the opportunities available to diverse suppliers."

AT&T was one of the first companies to initiate a formal corporate-wide supplier diversity program with the establishment of its Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) in 1968. The company said that its supplier diversity programs are designed to "promote, increase and improve the quality of the overall participation of minority-, women- and disabled veteran-owned business enterprises in AT&T's supply chain."

The UMAP Advocate Award was presented to AT&T on Nov. 18 during NARUC's 120TH Annual Convention in New Orleans.