GEA Announces Second Cohort of Program for Diverse-Owned Suppliers

Posted June 27, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOUISVILLE, Ky – GE Appliances, a Haier company, announced today that they are adding another installment to the successful Launchpad Program for Diverse-Owned suppliers that took place earlier this year. The program is specifically designed to grow and develop the capacity of suppliers needed for GEA’s operations. The Launchpad is designed to educate the cohort members on GEA processes and procedures, thus making them optimal partners for GEA’s various business needs.

During the two-and-a-half-month program, the selected suppliers will get a concentrated look at GEA, as a Company, the brands they represent, as well as their multiple US microenterprises, or operating divisions. The program will include educational sessions and discussions on best practices with various functional subject matter experts. Participants will also be paired with their own personal mentors, who will help them prepare for their final pitch.

GEA’s second Launchpad cohort includes the following Indirect suppliers (in alphabetical order, by company name):

Acro Service Corporation, Ron Shahani (NMSDC certified)
Calvary Industries, John Morelock (NMSDC certified)
Custom LogoWare, Jesse Caylor (NGLCC certified)
Global Water Technology, Michael Byerley (NMSDC certified)
Great Lakes Label, Todd Staskiewicz (NVBDC certified)
Letterperfect (dba MinuteMan Press), Tom Batliner (NVBDC certified*)
Mercury Promotions & Fulfillment, Tina Harmon (NMSDC/WBENC certified)
Personal Opinion, Michele Rudolf (WBENC certified)
RCF Group, Carl Satterwhite (NMSDC certified)
The Cornett Group, Christy Hiler (WBENC certified)

(NMSDC = National Minority Supplier Development Council; NGLCC = National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce; NVBDC = National Veteran’s Business Development Council; WBENC = Women’s Business Enterprise National Council)

“Through this program, we’re hoping to further develop the scope and scale of these 10 certified, diverse-owned suppliers who can, in turn, will add value to our company,” said Mary Putman, vice president, marketing & brand for GE Appliances. “We are excited to see what innovative ideas these suppliers can bring to us, and I’m confident there are aspects to what these suppliers do, that we, as a company, can learn from, lean into and improve our processes. It’s a win-win for us all.”

The program will culminate in early October, where cohort participants will present their service recommendations to internal GEA stakeholders.

For more information, please contact GWT at info@gwt-inc.com or 708-349-9991.

About GE Appliances:

At GE Appliances, a Haier company, we come together to make “good things, for life.” We’re creators, thinkers and makers who believe that anything is possible and that there’s always a better way. We’re a company powered by our people, made stronger through our diversity — allowing us to grow closer than ever before to our owners, anticipate their needs and enhance their lives. We’re certified as a U.S. Great Place to Work ™, named one of the Best Companies for Multicultural Women by Seramount (formerly Working Mother Media), Achievers Top 50 Most Engaged Workplaces, received a perfect score for the fourth year in a row on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, and named one of the top 100 Internship Programs by Way Up.

Since 1907, we’ve built innovative, quality products that are trusted in half of all U.S. homes. We sell appliances under the Monogram®, Café™, GE Profile™, GE®, Haier and Hotpoint brands. Our products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, wine & beverage centers, air conditioners, small appliances, water filtration systems and water heaters.

To learn more about our company, our brands, our Corporate Citizenship efforts, our economic impact, and working for GE Appliances visit www.geappliancesco.com.

About Global Water Technology, Inc.: Global Water Technology, Inc. was founded in 1990 to meet a growing demand in the industry for personalized, affordable, and reliable water treatment services. The primary goal was to establish an honest and reputable company that management teams would be proud to partner with. As a result, GWT continues to build upon a strong reputation in the commercial, residential, industrial, hotel, and healthcare markets throughout the United States.

GWT’s reputation for superior service and creating cost effective, resource saving, and equipment preserving strategies has allowed for continued growth and expansion throughout the United States and across a wide variety of industries. Today, Global Water Technology, Inc. is one of the industry’s leaders in water and wastewater treatment.

For more detailed information about GWT, please visit our About Us page.