2011 Awards for Corporate Excellence

Notice to the Press

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

January 13, 2012

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The U.S. Department of State will present the thirteenth annual Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) on January 18, 2012, during a ceremony in the Benjamin Franklin Room of the Harry S. Truman building, Washington, DC. The ceremony will start at 11:00 a.m. and will be followed by a reception in the Thomas Jefferson Room.

The prestigious ACE recognizes the important role of U.S. businesses in advancing good corporate governance and democratic principles worldwide The award honors exemplary business practices, corporate social responsibility, and innovation in a company’s overseas operations.

This year 62 nominations were received for American companies operating in 38 different countries. The winners were chosen by the Principals’ Award Selection Committee. The Committee, chaired by the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, includes a representative of the offices of the Secretary, the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, the Under Secretary for Management, and various Assistant Secretaries. It also includes senior officials from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the Department of Commerce.

The 2011 ACE winners were selected from the following 13 finalists: Amway in China, ANOVA Food LLC in Indonesia, Archer Daniels Midland in Paraguay, Cargill in India, General Motors in Uzbekistan, Grenada Chocolate Company in Grenada, Intel in Vietnam, Johnson & Johnson in Russia, Joy Global Africa in South Africa, Procter & Gamble in Nigeria, Procter & Gamble in Pakistan, Sahlman Seafoods in Nicaragua, and Tiger Machinery in Russia. The winners will be publicly and officially announced at the ACE ceremony.

After the Secretary announces the 2011 ACE winners in Washington, Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Roberts D. Hormats will lead the interactive portion of the ceremony via satellite. U.S. Ambassadors and in-country company executives will participate from the U.S. Embassies that submitted the winning nominations, where simultaneous events will take place.

The ceremony will be streamed live on January 18 at 11:00 a.m. EST on www.state.gov.

The ceremony is open for press coverage.

Pre-set time for cameras: 10:00 a.m. from the 23rd Street entrance.

Final access time for all press: 10:35 a.m. from the 23rd Street entrance.

Media representatives may attend this briefing upon presentation of one of the following: (1) a U.S. Government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense, or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification (driver’s license or passport).

ENDS

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