“Hyundai is committed to including minority suppliers at nearly every step in the supply chain,” said Keith Eakins, assistant manager – minority supplier development, who accepted the award on behalf of HMMA. “By facilitating access to Hyundai’s purchasing community and encouraging minority contracting with first tier suppliers, Hyundai has surpassed $128 million spent with certified minority business enterprises”

The Alabama Minority Business Opportunity Center nominated HMMA in the Minority Business Advocate category for its on-going involvement in the development of minority businesses in Montgomery and the River Region. HMMA has facilitated seminars with corporations and minority business enterprises (MBEs) to discuss both problems facing MBEs in today’s business climate and developing possible solutions.

“Hyundai has worked closely with the Alabama Minority Business Opportunity Center in planning, promoting and producing Alabama’s Minority Enterprise Development week,” explained Eakins. “Our involvement is a win-win situation. We learn about potential suppliers and they gain a better understanding of how to do business with Hyundai.”

Sponsored by the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Minority

Enterprise Development (MED) Week calls on the Nation to commemorate the minority business enterprise community whose growth continues to outpace the growth of all U.S. firms. MED Week events are known for bringing together the most influential and respected people from government agencies, corporations, and business associations dedicated to minority business development.

Twelve other businesses and entrepreneurs were recognized during the 25th Annual Regional MED Week awards luncheon.

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About the Minority Business Development Agency, U.S. Department of Commerce

Established in 1969 and headquartered in Washington, DC, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. MBDA is the only federal agency created specifically to foster the establishment and growth and competitiveness of large, medium and small minority business enterprises by offering management and technical assistance through a network of more than forty local business centers throughout the United States. The location of MBDA funded centers and other helpful resources to build minority businesses are available at www.mbda.gov.

About Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, LLC

Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, headquartered in Montgomery, Ala., is an independent manufacturing operation of Hyundai Motor Company, based in Seoul, Korea. HMMA currently produces the Sonata sedan and the next generation Santa Fe sport utility vehicle at its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. In February 2007, HMMA achieved Certification to the International Automotive Task Force’s (IATF) most rigid quality management standard, ISO/TS 16949, a set of Quality Management System requirements specific to the automotive industry. At full capacity, HMMA will produce 300,000 vehicles annually. Hyundai cars and sport utility vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced by more than 750 Hyundai dealerships nationwide.

Contacts at Alabama Minority Business Opportunity Center: Alex Alvarez and Scott Vowels – (205) 957-1883.