Andersen Corporation Strengthens Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Creates New Director Role, Signs National Pledge, Partners with Local Expert

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Dec 17, 2018, 12:10 ET

BAYPORT, Minn., Dec. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Andersen Corporation, America's premier window and door manufacturer, announced today that it has promoted David Edgerton Jr. to Director of Diversity and Inclusion, effective immediately. Edgerton will report to Karen Richard, Chief Human Resources Officer. In this newly created role, Edgerton is responsible for partnering with leaders across the company, in support of Andersen's vision, mission and operating strategies, to cultivate a work environment that embraces diversity and promotes an open and welcoming community.

Pictured above: Andersen Corporation leaders Jay Lund, chairman and CEO; Karen Richard, senior vice president and chief human resources officer; David Edgerton Jr., director of diversity and inclusion; with Sharon Smith-Akinsanya, CEO of Rae Mackenzie Group.

Edgerton joined Andersen in 2014 as an IT leader and was appointed to Andersen's Inclusion Council in 2017. He serves as the board chair of Blacks in Technology, an organization focused on increasing ethnic diversity in the tech industry. He also is an adjunct instructor at three local universities and is the sole instructor for the mini-MBA program at Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA) which is devoted to minority entrepreneurship growth and success. Edgerton received his MBA from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management and his electrical engineering degree from North Carolina A&T.

In addition, Andersen has joined the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ initiative, the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace. By signing the coalition's pledge, Jay Lund, Andersen Chairman and CEO, joins more than 500 companies and organizations, spanning sectors, industries, geographies, and size, who agree to:

cultivate workplaces that support open dialogue on complex, and sometimes difficult, conversations about diversity and inclusion;
implement and expand unconscious bias education; and
share best known—and unsuccessful—actions.

"We are firmly committed to increasing Andersen's diversity and fostering a culture where everyone is welcomed, valued and respected," said Jay Lund. "We are proud to pledge our commitment to the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion and I am confident David Edgerton's leadership, combined with our team's commitment, will strengthen diversity, inclusion, equity and access at Andersen and in our community."

In addition to Andersen's national CEO Action pledge, the company is also partnering with Sharon Smith-Akinsanya, CEO of Rae Mackenzie Group, to strengthen its position in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul region, further reinforcing Andersen's commitment to attract and retain diverse talent and to be a special place to work for all employees.

About Andersen Corporation
Headquartered in Bayport, Minnesota, Andersen Corporation and its subsidiaries manufacture and market window and door products under the Andersen®, Renewal by Andersen®, EMCO®, Weiland®, MQ™ and Heritage™ brands. Andersen, a privately held company, was founded in 1903 by Danish immigrant Hans Andersen and his family and employs more than 8,000 people with manufacturing sites in North America and Europe. For 115 years, the company has embraced an "all together" philosophy to achieve its vision that everyone benefits from their association with the company. Andersen has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2018 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award. Visit us at andersencorporation.com.

"Andersen" and all other marks are trademarks of Andersen Corporation.

SOURCE Andersen Corporation