GM senior vice president of global purchasing and supply chain Jeff Morrison has resigned as board chairman at the Michigan Minority Development Council (MMSDC). Two other GM executives vacated their board seats. The resignations occurred amid an ongoing legal battle between the MMSDC and Piston Group, which earned a 2023 Supplier of the Year Award from GM.
“Jeff Morrison has decided to step down as Chairman of the Board of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council due to increased work responsibilities,” GM spokeswoman Genna Young said in an email to Crain’s Detroit Business. “A dedicated leader and tireless advocate for minority-owned businesses, Jeff has enjoyed collaborating closely with the MMSDC and its members during his Chairmanship.”
Jeff Morrison
The legal battle in question goes back to 2021 when the MMSDC revoked Piston Group’s Minority Business Enterprise certification. Piston is owned by a black man – former Detroit Pistons guard Vinnie Johnson – but the council decided it was ineligible for the certification because white men ran the business. The certification is lucrative as automakers have engaged in new DEI initiatives in recent years, prioritizing their business with minority-owned suppliers.
The case went to trial, and Piston won in August 2024, but the MMSDC appealed the decision a month later. Piston tried to settle with the MMSDC and persuade them to drop the appeal, but the council rejected the proposed settlement and moved forward with the appeal.
The MMSDC said in a statement that it will not comment on the settlement because of “confidentiality restrictions” and won’t “engage in negotiations in the public arena.”
“However, we want to emphasize that all decisions made by the MMSDC regarding this case or other matters are made thoughtfully and with keeping the integrity of our mission and community in mind,” the council said in the statement. “We believe it’s essential to allow the full legal process to unfold.”
Stellantis is also distancing itself from the MMSDC. It’s continuing its membership on the council but won’t renew its event sponsorships.
Comments
Fake “Woke” ?
DEI is dead, meritocracy is in. If piston group can make a better product for less, they will succeed.
FYI, making judgements based on race is by definition, rac1sts. There are federal laws against such disgusting practices no matter which way it swings.
…if someone needs a microwave?
I will settle this once and for all if you need a heart operation and have to pick the surgeon. Would you select the one with the most experience and best record, or pick him out from photos?
I might go with photos but I’d only pick doctors that have a “privileged” look. My theory is that they had to have earned their degrees and been accepted based on merit whereas those from other groups may have been moved through the system based on factors irrelevant to being a good doctor. In this age, you can be sure that the group with the look of privilege has a zero percent chance of actually gaining their title from privilege.
So, you’ll pick a photo of a person who looks “privileged?” It reminds me of history where “privilege ” looking people couldn’t do the job. Your comment reminds me of history of “6888.” You should watch it.
Most experience and best record of course. If there is a chance the procedure can go wrong I want the best of the best to ensure I have a better chance of surviving.
Actually, no you didn’t end this “once and for all”. As a black man in America I wished it went by “Merit” instead of how a person “looks” but we all know how it goes. History has shown that non-melanated people ARE chosen over melanated. People think DEI is just about a person color. If a POC worked their butt off in school, gets a 4.0, trying to get into a prestigious college/university and doesn’t succeed but here comes a child who’s parents “donated millions” to get their child into the same institution. Is that not DEI. A person not qualified for that position?
Appalling and racist organization. Why does it matter what color the owners are? Preferential treatment for any group is racism.
We have allowed Racism to become a club with witch performance,reliability and honesty is beaten to death
Memo. That crap died on November 5th, 2024.. Everyone just get back to making parts..