Irvine-Based Toshiba Receives Ashita Award for Work with Habitat for Humanity of Orange County

Toshiba employees rank among the most socially active workforces in the world

IRVINE, Calif.--()--Irvine’s Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc. (TABS) and Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. (TAIS) recently received a shared ASHITA Award from Toshiba Corporation in Japan, for the outstanding work performed within the last year for Habitat for Humanity of Orange County. The ASHITA Awards were established in 2005 to highlight the social contributions of Toshiba employees and are presented annually, each December, at the Toshiba President Awards in Japan.

“We are humbled to be honored with this award for the third time,” said Mark Mathews, president and chief operating officer (COO), TABS. “Not only do we share this award with TAIS, but we share it with Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, as well. They work tirelessly to eradicate substandard housing, and transform lives and communities by helping families purchase or renovate a home.”

TABS and TAIS are Whole House Sponsors of the Habitat for Heroes and Foundations For Families program in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., contributing $250,000 in addition to employee volunteer time to help build homes. The pilot program focused on creating a kid-friendly and mutually supportive environment for active military, veterans, disabled veterans, surviving families of fallen military men and women and local families. TAIS also is an Official Technology Sponsor of Habitat for Humanity of Orange County. To date, the company has donated nearly 100 laptops to families in the community, as well as provided in-person, hands-on training for many of them. Mark Mathews serves as chairman of the board of Habitat for Humanity of Orange County.

“We believe that exposure to technology is a key factor in enabling families to develop necessary skill sets for the future,” said Mark Simons, president and chief executive officer (CEO), Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. “By donating notebooks to Habitat for Humanity and providing free, hands-on training to build a level of comfort with these products, we are helping to bridge the gap between the economy and opportunity.”

“We are delighted to offer our congratulations to our valued partners Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc. (TABS) and Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. (TAIS),” said Sharon Ellis, executive director, Habitat for Humanity of Orange County. “Toshiba’s support helped build the first Habitat neighborhood in the United States that welcomes military, veterans and local families. With Toshiba’s help, these families now have an affordable home in which to live. And, their children have a safe place in which to play, and a strong foundation from which they can focus on their education and achieve their goals. We are so grateful to Toshiba for their generous support.”

Toshiba employees rank among the most socially active workforces on the globe. The ASHITA Awards are aimed to strengthen and promote good corporate citizenship, encourage social awareness, earn the trust of society and promote sustained development throughout the Toshiba Group. Past winners of the ASHITA Awards have been recognized for community service programs, cultural exhibitions and charitable fund drives. The ASHITA Awards are another way that Toshiba looks to proactively encourage exemplary corporate citizenship on a global scale.

About TABS

Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc. (TABS) is an independent operating company of Toshiba Corporation, the seventh largest electronics/electrical equipment company in the world. TABS is a leading provider of managed print and professional services (MPS and PS), and manages product planning, marketing, sales, service, support and distribution of copiers, facsimiles, multifunction printing products, network controllers, and toner products throughout the United States, Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. MPS and PS are strategic focus areas for the company, which first developed and began marketing the Encompass™ MPS program in 2003. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TABS has five divisions: the Electronic Imaging Division; the Toner Products Division; the Document Solutions Engineering Division; the International Division; and Toshiba Business Solutions (TBS), a wholly-owned subsidiary corporation of TABS, that operates a network of wholly-owned office equipment dealers throughout the United States.

Honored with the Channel’s Choice top award for “Superior Performance” eleven times by the Business Technology Association (BTA), Toshiba's entire product line, customer support and marketing distribution policies are markers for the industry. For more information on Toshiba products, programs, solutions and services, please visit www.copiers.toshiba.com.

About TAIS

Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TAIS is comprised of four business units: Digital Products Division, Imaging Systems Division, Storage Device Division, and Telecommunication Systems Division. Together, these divisions provide mobile products and solutions, including industry-leading portable computers; televisions, TV/DVD Combination products, Blu-ray Disc and DVD products, and portable devices; imaging products for the security, medical and manufacturing markets; storage products for automotive, computer and consumer electronics applications; and IP business telephone systems with unified communications, collaboration and mobility applications. TAIS provides sales, marketing and services for its wide range of products in the United States and Latin America.

TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation. Toshiba Corporation is a world leader and innovator in high technology, a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products. These products span from information & communications systems; digital consumer products; electronic devices and components; as well as power systems including nuclear energy; industrial and social infrastructure systems; and home appliances. Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 730 companies, with 204,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing $75 billion (6.2 Trillion Yen). For more information on Toshiba visit www.toshiba.com.

About Habitat for Humanity of Orange County

Celebrating 23 years of changing lives and changing communities in Orange County.
169 homes built in Orange County

Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, headquartered in Santa Ana, CA, is dedicated to ending substandard housing and building strong communities in Orange County. Habitat for Humanity families and volunteers have built 169 homes in Orange County since 1988. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.habitatoc.org. Habitat for Humanity of Orange County is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat International has built, rehabilitated, repaired or improved more than 400,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 2 million people. For more information, please visit www.habitat.org.

© 2011 Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. All product, service and company names are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. Information including without limitation product prices, specifications, availability, content of services, and contact information is subject to change without notice. All rights reserved.

Contacts

PainePR
Sara Sloan, 949-809-6856
ssloan@painepr.com
or
Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc.
Sally Anderson, 949-462-6091
sally.anderson@tabs.toshiba.com

Release Summary

Toshiba America Business Solutions and Toshiba America Information Systems recently received the ASHITA Award for outstanding work performed in the last year for Habitat for Humanity of Orange County.

Contacts

PainePR
Sara Sloan, 949-809-6856
ssloan@painepr.com
or
Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc.
Sally Anderson, 949-462-6091
sally.anderson@tabs.toshiba.com