Women and Minority Directors: A Topsy -Turvy Trend Reports The Conference Board

But their number
declined in 2005 over 2004 in manufacturing , and the pattern is erratic in
financial services.
The Burroughs Group was established in 2002 by 15 founding members
as a proactive response to the shifting demographics in Massachusetts
and an increasingly critical need for promoting, educating and
advocating for black businesses to become an economic growth engine
for the African-American community.
BellSouth is proud to have been recognized over the years for its
commitment to inclusion and diversity.

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diversity leadership

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According to Charles Peck, one of the authors of the report, "Although
some of the year-to-year fluctuation is due to the fact that the same
companies do not respond every year, the trend in both the manufacturing and
service sectors is increased representation on boards by women and
minorities. Visit The Conference Board's website at
http://www.m.

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We want to use our influence and resources to improve the
economic advancement of our communities.net

BellSouth will host a tent during the three-day event, located along Major
Sponsor Row, showcasing many of our products and services such as DSL , long
distance, DirecTV, and BellSouth(R) Complete Choice(R) plan bundles.

development american

service firms in 2005 than in the previous five years, but
their numbers have declined over 2004 in manufacturing and financial services,
according to The Conference Board's latest study on directors' compensation
and board practices. The Conference Board is a global research and business
membership organization.

Makeup of Board of Directors
Percent of companies with one or more women or minorities on boards of
directors

Manufacturing Manufacturing Financial Financial Services Services
Women Minority Women Minority Women Minority

2005 73% 54% 69% 51% 80% 57%
2004 77% 59% 76% 61% 77% 59%
2003 65% 49% 72% 49% 72% 51%
2002 65% 42% 74% 51% 69% 48%
2001 60% 38% 68% 60% 61% 45%
2000 64% 36% 75% 40% 67% 38%

About The Conference Board
Non-partisan and not-for-profit, The Conference Board is one of the
world's leading business membership and research organizations.
"Our customers want to do business with companies that can respond to and
understand their needs," says BellSouth Chief Diversity Officer Valencia
Adams. All of
the groups work to enrich the personal and professional development of its
membership and to develop business initiatives that help BellSouth reach
specific target audiences. BellSouth also offers online and
directory advertising through BellSouth(R) RealPages.

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Shelley Webster, chair of The Burroughs Group says, "We formed to
support and promote the wide variety of black owned businesses in New
England. near the Civic Center and
concludes at Piedmont Park.

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On Sunday June 26, BellSouth employees, friends, partners and family will
march in the parade, which begins at 1:00 p.

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So we urge majority companies
to use the directory as an aid to identify African American owned
businesses that can meet the needs of today's marketplace.

society american

Business Editors

BOSTON ----The Burroughs Group, an
advocacy group for black businesses in New England, is pleased to
announce the publication of its membership directory. As a business council, The
Burroughs Group membership is mutually supporting, self sustaining and
dedicated to changing the way business is done with and between
companies owned by people of color.com.

society address

The Conference
Board produces The Consumer Confidence Index and the Leading Economic
Indicators for the U.
For background on members, visit www.

black diversity

(Racial /ethnic minority is defined by the individual
survey participant.

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BellSouth is a 2005 Atlanta Pride Sponsor

diversity at

1379, The Conference Board

american issues

Seventy-three percent of the manufacturing companies surveyed have women
directors, compared to 77 percent last year, and 65 percent in 2003 ."
The Burroughs Group members represent more than one half billion
dollars in assets, a gross revenue base of more than 140 million
dollars and provide hundreds of jobs locally and regionally . "As in other areas of the business, the company is continually looking
for ways to improve the effectiveness of our efforts and having a presence at
events such as Pride afford us an opportunity to interact face-to-face with
current and potential customers," she adds.

women minority

Racial and ethnic minorities have mostly increased their representation
during the last five years on the boards of service firms. Our conference and council
programs bring together more than 12,000 senior executives each year to share
insights and learn from one another.conference-board."

About BellSouth Corporation
BellSouth Corporation is a Fortune 100 communications company
headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

minority development

The Conference Board also produces a
wide range of authoritative reports on corporate governance and ethics, human
resources and diversity, executive compensation, outsourcing, profiting from a
mature workforce, and corporate citizenship.theburroughsgroup. A grand
prize will also be awarded at the end of the event for customers completing an
online survey. Information and registration will be available at the BellSouth
tent. For businesses, BellSouth provides secure, reliable local and long
distance voice and data networking solutions.

advance general

These barometers can have a
major impact on the financial markets.

The Burroughs Group: A New Economic Paradigm for the Black Business Community

NewANGLE is one of BellSouth's six employee networking groups. The groups
are a key component of the company's inclusion and diversity strategy.
BellSouth's five other networking groups are: BellSouth Network of
African American Telecommunications Professionals, Alianza (a Hispanic
networking group), BellSouth Women's Networking Alliance, Inter-Tribal Council
of BellSouth Employees (a Native American group), and the Pan-Asian Council of
BellSouth Employees. Through BellSouth Answers(R), residential and small business
customers can bundle their local and long distance service with dial -up and
high-speed DSL Internet access, satellite television and Cingular(R) Wireless
service.

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For
more information, call Shelley Webster at (617) 904-8485 or e-mail her
at smwebster2511@comcast . In, 2005, DiversityInc recognized
BellSouth as a "Top Company for Diversity" and as one of the "Top Ten
Companies for Supplier Diversity," Black Enterprise magazine included
BellSouth on its list of "30 Best Companies for Diversity," and for six
consecutive years, BellSouth was recognized on Fortune Magazine's annual list
of "America's Best Companies for Minorities.

african minority

In the service firms , 80 percent have
women directors, up from 77 percent last year and 72 percent in 2003." The data on financial services is difficult to interpret.S.org. More information about BellSouth can be found at
http://www.bellsouth.

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Because
there are fewer of these firms in the survey results [than in the other two
industries], the effect of year to year shifts in the composition of the group
may be magnified.

Source: Directors' Compensation and Board Practices in 2005
Report No. Timed to
coincide with today's launch of the Initiative for a New Economy , the
new directory reflects the diversity of the region's African-American
owned business community , with more than 30 members ranging from oil
companies to real estate developers to financial service providers.

corporation american

NEW YORK, More women executives hold seats on the
boards of U. and other major nations. In addition, group members volunteer in various
community organizations and initiatives throughout the year.

place groups

Backed by award winning customer service, BellSouth offers the most
comprehensive and innovative package of voice and data services available in
the market.

african address

Among
financial service companies, 69 percent have women directors, compared with 76
percent in 2004 and 72 percent in 2003 .com. BellSouth has joint control and 40 percent
ownership of Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless voice and data
provider with more than 50 million customers.
BellSouth believes that diversity and fostering an inclusive environment
are critical in maintaining a competitive advantage in today's global
marketplace.

american advance

com(R) and The Real
Yellow Pages(R).

works corporation

-- Fourth straight year of sponsorship --

ATLANTA, BellSouth Corporation (NYSE: BLS) and its
employee -networking group, New Associates Networking for Gay and Lesbian
Equality (NewANGLE) again joins several other major corporations in sponsoring
Atlanta's annual Pride celebration, which takes place on June 24-26 in
Piedmont Park.