Supplier Diversity Program Continues to Grow at Kent State University

Kent State University’s Supplier Diversity program is committed to hiring minority- and women-owned business enterprises to restore the buildings around campus. The Supplier Diversity program is an important component of Kent State’s overall diversity effort.

Teresa Golden, president of Environmental Flooring Group, LLC, was hired to replace the office carpet in the Energy and Power Plant.

“This is my first business,” Golden says. “I’m hoping that I can provide Kent State with quality flooring when the need arises, and as time goes on, I hope that I can expand to the regional campuses.”

Environmental Flooring Group, LLC, is a manufacturer and installer of commercial flooring, specializing in green flooring products made from recycled rubber. The recycled materials also fit nicely with the university’s sustainability mission.

“I’m proud to use the recycled rubber because it’s an American-made product,” Golden says. “It’s also excellent for the environment. The rubber comes from old tires that are just sitting in landfills.”

Before establishing her business, Golden was an educator and has more than 30 years of experience in retail. She found a passion for interior design while serving on the interior design committee for schools in her district.

“I really enjoyed helping the architects with the design,” says Golden.

After retiring from education, she knew she wanted to go into some type of sales within the design industry. With the help of a friend in marketing, Golden decided to start her own business in which she could tap into her passion.

Her first contact with Kent State began when she was elected to participate in the Akron Urban League Partnership for the Minority Business Accelerator (PMBA) program. As part of the program, Golden worked with a core counselor and students in the design and marketing departments at Kent State. Golden advised students on a branding project, and the students helped her design her own business cards and brochures.

“It was really fun to work with the students,” Golden says.

For more information on Environmental Flooring, visit efgflooring.com. 

For more information about the Supplier Diversity program at Kent State, visit www.kent.edu/procurement/diversity/index.cfm.