The St. Louis Cardinals are proud participants in Major League Baseball's Diverse Business Partners Program, which was instituted in 1997, by Commissioner Bud Selig.  We welcome the opportunity to work with suppliers that have the same drive to excel that we have.

When we considered which of our diverse suppliers warranted recognition as America's Best Diverse Suppliers, we went back to our buyers and asked them to nominate organizations they felt gave us peak performance in 2006.

Our procurement and supplier diversity teams agreed that the construction of our new ballpark, which began in 2004 and ended in 2006, was our most significant procurement undertaking.  Our teams then reviewed the performances and contributions of each nominee.  We considered key performance variables such as price, service, quality, and responsiveness.  Then we made our selections.

Now, it is our pleasure to share with our fans, the League and the world, five businesses that have earned the honor of being recognized by the St. Louis Cardinals as America's Best Diverse Suppliers.  Each has our respect, admiration and gratitude.

Marian A. Rhodes St. Louis Cardinals, LLC VP Public Affairs and Employment