Johnson Controls CEO Receives National Diversity Leadership Award

MILWAUKEE, April 5 /PRNewswire/ — John Barth, chairman and CEO, Johnson Controls, Inc., has been selected by the Diversity Best Practices (DBP) and Business Women’s Network (BWN) as a recipient of their 2007 Diversity Leadership Award. Barth was chosen for his deep commitment to diversity and its role in driving corporate performance.


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Barth’s commitment to diversity has been a defining characteristic throughout his tenure as Johnson Controls chairman and CEO. He and Johnson Controls have been recognized for diversity leadership more than 10 times in the past three years.


Diversity and its essential role in corporate performance is also reflected in Johnson Controls’ corporate Vision, and extends beyond the company’s 136,000 employees to key stakeholders that include suppliers, vendors and communities. In 2003, Johnson Controls became the only company in its category named to the Billion Dollar Roundtable, one of 12 U.S. businesses that purchase more than $1 billion from minority suppliers in a single year. The company has exceeded the $1 billion benchmark every year since.


“The only way to compete and succeed in a global marketplace is to incorporate diversity into our entire business, from employees to suppliers to contractors,” said Charles Harvey, vice president of diversity and public affairs. “The supplier and workforce programs John supports ensure global leadership as we implement business strategies and serve customers.”


Barth launched a Global Diversity Team to develop and implement strategies to increase workforce representation of women and minorities, now and in the next generation of Johnson Controls global leadership.

  With Barth, honorees named to receive this award are:

— The Coca-Cola Company CEO and Chairman E. Neville Isdell
— Kaiser Permanente Chairman and CEO George Halvorson
— Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. Chairman, President and CEO Stan O’Neal
— MGM MIRAGE Chairman and CEO J. Terrence “Terry” Lanni
— Monster Worldwide, Inc. President and CEO William M. Pastore
— Sears Holdings Corporation President and CEO Aylwin B. Lewis
— Wachovia Corporation Chairman, President and CEO G. Kennedy Thompson.


All will be honored at the 2007 CEO Diversity Leadership Awards Gala in Washington, D.C., Nov. 1, 2007.


The 2007 CEO Diversity Leadership Awards ceremony is part of The Diversity and Women’s Leadership Summit & Gala, an annual event hosted by DBP and BWN that brings together major corporations, U.S. government agencies, and entrepreneurs to celebrate and champion diversity. This two-day event spotlights business leaders who share their success strategies and insights.


Johnson Controls is a global leader in automotive experience, building efficiency and power solutions. The company provides innovative automotive interiors that help make driving more comfortable, safe and enjoyable. For buildings, it offers products and services that optimize energy use and improve comfort and security. Johnson Controls also provides batteries for automobiles and hybrid electric vehicles, along with systems engineering and service expertise. Johnson Controls (NYSE:JCI) has 136,000 employees in more than 1,000 locations serving customers in 125 countries. Founded in 1885, the company is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/ .