Marriott also achieved its highest number of minority college recruits last year – 30.5 percent were minorities and 16 percent were African-American, the company said. Marriott has made an ongoing commitment to diversity in all areas of its business, company officials add. Marriott established the "Committee for Excellence" in 2003 to monitor the ongoing progress of diversity across the company. Earlier this year, the Committee reported that historic benchmarks were reached companywide over the past year – $400 million spent with women and minority-owned suppliers; 400 hotels opened, or in the pipeline, owned or managed by minorities or women; and an all-time high in diverse appointments to management positions. Marriott has received broad recognition for its diversity initiatives.