Lansing, MI /diversitybusiness.com/ The Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a business association that serves as the link to the state's most dynamic market, will recognize a General Motors supplier diversity initiative that helped the growth of the nation's largest minority-owned specialty promotions company and the largest Hispanic owned firm in the City of Lansing.

The public recognition ceremony will take place at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, June 24, 2003, at the offices of American Inline Identity, 515 North Larch Street, Lansing, MI 48912. Phone: (517) 484-1007.

"Today we are recognizing outstanding supplier diversity efforts by General Motors Corporation that helped facilitate the joint venture between Lansing-based Inline Design and American Identity, headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri," said Armando Ojeda, Executive Director, Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. "This joint venture exemplifies the best of GM's commitment to the growth and development of its minority-owned suppliers," he added.

Inline Design is a Hispanic-owned promotional and marketing leader with the capability to offer clients access to over 600,000 specialized commodities. American Inline Identity operates in a 38,000 square foot facility adjacent to downtown Lansing that houses administrative offices, production shops, a corporate marketing division and a warehouse area.

American Identity is an accomplished corporate identity merchandise management company serving more than 350 corporations in the Fortune 1000. The company's primary goal is to provide the very best branded merchandise and support services the industry could offer.

"Supplier diversity is a business imperative at General Motors and the success of American Inline Identity is proof that strong performing minority businesses have opportunities to grow and establish a long-term relationship with GM," said V. Diane Freeman, GM Senior Manager, Supplier Diversity and member of the MHCC Board of Directors. "American Inline Identity is an example for others to follow."

Founded in 1989, the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization comprised of Hispanic-owned enterprises, automotive OEM's, Tier One suppliers, and non-automotive Fortune 500 corporations. Hispanic owned companies represent 84% of total membership and are involved in the automotive, business services, construction and retail industries. General Motors Corporation

Source: Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce