Tony Soave Values Diversity in the Workplace at MPS Group Anthony Soave values diversity within his company, Soave Enterprises. Each diverse business in Soave Enterprises works to build a diverse workforce team bringing together people of different backgrounds, cultures, races, and gender. Reaching out into the local community, Detroit-based MPS Group has recently undertaken new initiatives to recruit and retain top-flight minority employees. The company, a registered Minority Business Enterprise located in one of the city’s Enterprise Zones, has achieved significant diversity as a direct result of these innovative programs. “Teams come in a variety of sizes, with an additional mix of cultures, backgrounds, personalities, skills and accomplishments,” says company founder, Anthony Soave. “Diversity has always played a significant part in our company’s history, and our team has thrived because of it.” Fostering Diversity at MPS Group MPS Group’s total minority employment continues to grow, and it’s percentage of female employees now ranks above 50%. “We are proud of our ongoing efforts and recent successes in attracting minority employees,” explains Angie Sherrill, MPS Group’s Director of Human Resources. “Among our core corporate values is a commitment to broaden participation of minorities in the business community.” Among Soave Enterprises’ most successful programs is an MPS Group internship program in cooperation with Detroit Public Schools. Ten students from Randolph Career and Technical Center participated in MPS Group’s summer workforce program. Teen workers who graduated the previous May were retained as permanent employees at summer’s end. A similar program was also implemented with high school students near the company’s Sharonville, Ohio facilities. Targeting of minority employees extends to college graduates as well. “We are building relationships with local universities to attract more environmental engineers from within the minority community,” details Sherrill. “Currently, I’m working with Wayne State University and have plans to soon expand recruitment efforts to Oakland University, then possibly University of Michigan and Michigan State.” “Most importantly, MPS Group seeks out the most qualified applicants - period,” states Sherrill. “However, as a minority-owned, inner city enterprise, we have embraced workforce diversity as a goal and extend opportunities to minority applicants when possible.” A History of Growth and Customer Service Soave-owned MPS is a certified MMBDC minority business enterprise specializing in Total Resource Management, the installation of soft and hard flooring surfaces, project
management, industrial services, field and site inspections, maintenance consultation and programmed maintenance services, recycling coordination, and transportation. At MPS Group, the firm's plans, targets, and operational objectives revolve around providing products and services that help customers maintain their competitive advantage. Every employee in every MPS Group division understands how their part of the business is measured and is empowered to make adjustments and to feed lessons learned into the strategic planning process. About Anthony Soave and Soave Enterprises Soave Enterprises is a diversified management and investment company founded by Detroit businessman Anthony Soave that provides strategic planning, financial and other management resources to its affiliated business ventures in the real estate, automotive retailing, beer distribution, scrap metal, industrial services and transportation industries, among others. The MPS Group is a managed professional services company based in Detroit, Michigan. For more information on Tony Soave and Soave Enterprises, please visit http://www.soave.com. Soave Enterprises 3400 E Lafayette Detroit, MI 48207 313-567-7000 http://www.soave.com