Business News
Xerox Leaders to Rochester: Deep Roots, Rich Relationships Connect Xerox to Community
Thursday 12. June 2008 - Xerox highlights more than 100 years of history, investment and partnership in Rochester.
At a private reception to be held today with Rochester leaders from government, non-profit, academia, health care and business, Xerox Corporation’s (NYSE: XRX) chief executive officer Anne M. Mulcahy and president Ursula M. Burns are reaffirming the company’s strong connection to the Rochester community.
“Xerox is on the threshold of what we believe will be another period of growth. We have evolved into a services-led technology company known for innovation and customer focus,” said Mulcahy. “We thank the Rochester community for its loyalty and we are here to celebrate the partnerships that help sustain us. We know that Monroe County is good for Xerox and we know that Xerox is good for this community.”
Xerox traces its roots to Rochester back to the founding of The Haloid Company in 1906, the same year that Chester Carlson, the inventor of xerography was born. In 1947, Haloid acquired the license to Carlson’s xerographic patents; a year later the word “Xerox” was trademarked and the first xerographic copier was introduced in 1949. In 1961, Haloid officially changed its name to Xerox Corporation.
Today, Rochester remains home to the largest population of Xerox people in the world. With 7,600 employees in Monroe Country, Xerox’s Rochester operations include research, engineering, manufacturing assembly, sales, marketing and more – all of which support Xerox’s $17 billion global business in 160 countries.
Commenting on Xerox’s significant presence in Rochester, Burns said, “We’re often so focused on the day-to-day activities of running the business that we need to pause more to acknowledge our strong connections with this community. That’s what we’re doing tonight with our Rochester neighbors who we’re proud to call our partners, our customers, our suppliers, and our key stakeholders. In so many ways, Xerox really is a local company made up of talented people who are building on our success as a global enterprise.”
The company today highlighted these and other investments in Greater Rochester through economic, philanthropic and volunteer support:
Xerox’s annual contributions to Rochester’s economy include $504 million in spending with local suppliers, $831 million in payroll, and $4.5 million in property taxes. Over the last five years, Xerox has funded $93 million in new facilities and upgrades.
Over the past 10 years, Xerox has contributed more than $25 million in Rochester-area educational, cultural and community organizations including an annual $1 million gift to the United Way, a recent $2 million grant to the RIT Golisano Center on Sustainability and a $1 million grant to the University of Rochester for the Wilmot Cancer Center.
Through the Xerox Science Consultant Program, one of the longest running business/education partnerships in the country, more than 80 Xerox employees and retirees teach hands-on science lessons to 1,700 students from 24 local schools. A founding sponsor of FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics program, Xerox also pairs its engineers with four, company-funded teams of local high school students to compete in regional and global competitions.
As part of Xerox’s Social Service Leave program, 98 Rochester-based employees have taken paid leaves to work full time for local community agencies, such as Foodlink and Gilda’s Club.