GRDC Member News and Kudos

Eastman Kodak Employee Award Links Importance of Respect to Business Success
Wendell Smith, US&C Product Logistics, was honored with the Jim Moxley Award for Excellence in Diversity.

The award recognizes a Rochester Logistics employee who exemplifies:

• the Kodak Values.
  
• diversity awareness and sensitivity.
  
• excellence in leadership.
  
• making Rochester Logistics a better place in which to work.

The award is named for the now-retired Moxley, who was a manager in US&C Logistics and a nominee for the CEO Diversity Award in 2000.

Wendell Smith (center) and his wife Debbie, hold the Moxley Award. The Smiths are joined (left to right) by David Wilson, Global Logistics; Charlie Brown, Global Manufacturing & Logistics; May Snowden, Global Diversity Office; Mike Ducey, U.S. & C Logistics, and Jim Moxley.

Employees thought so highly of Moxley's efforts to foster a workplace built on the cornerstone of respect that they established the award in 2000.

Everyone in the organization is eligible for the award. Employees submit written nominations to a diverse team of 35 representatives from throughout Rochester Logistics. The team selects the recipient and presents the award at a ceremony. There were 27 employees nominated for the 2002 award.

"Building a diverse and inclusive culture requires changes, not just from our leaders and not from any one of us, but from all of us so that we can, together, be successful," Smith said in accepting the award.

Chairman and CEO Dan Carp attended the ceremony. He pointed out that George Eastman planted the seeds for the Kodak Values-including the value of "respect for the dignity of the individual" - in the way Eastman interacted with co-workers and the community.

"Every single person must feel valued for his or her ideas and contributions to the business," Carp said. "A Winning and Inclusive Culture helps drive the Kodak Operating System that drives breakthroughs on how we come up with new ideas and manage the company. Building the culture is not a project that has a definite end date. As we attain one level of success, we begin to reach for the next. We will work on it forever."