ARC Diversified
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| ARC Diversified, Inc. | |
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| Type | Non-Profit Private |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Headquarters | HQ in Cookeville, Tennessee; Manufacturing facilities in Cookeville, TN |
| Key people | Dr. Michael Barrett, COO Pat Pointer, VP Business Dev. 931.284.1348 |
| Industry | Food processing |
| Products | Bakery mix, Frozen biscuits, Vegetable oil, and more... |
| Revenue | ▲$55 million USD (2006) |
| Website | www.arcdiversified.com |
ARC Diversified is a 501(C)(3) non-profit corporation, headquartered in Cookeville, Tennessee, mainly concerned with hiring and training the severely disabled in the manufacturing of food products.[1] The company employs over 100 severely disabled people to manufacture several private label brands and its own Granny Bunt brand[2]. On average, their brand portfolio reaches more than three million people around the world daily. ARC Diversified is the first non-profit agency in the country to operate a USDA approved (PL No. 47-011-02) facility[3] for the production of manufactured goods sold to the feeding programs of the US Government and private industry. ARC-Diversified utilizes the manufacture of food items to create opportunities for severely disabled[4] in the development of work skills, vocational services and a better quality of life.[5]
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[edit] History
The company can trace its history to the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act or JWOD, et seq. This is a U.S. federal law mandating that all Federal agencies purchase specified supplies and services from nonprofit agencies employing blind persons or others with severe disabilities. The Act was passed by the 92nd United States Congress in 1971; it is named after Senator Jacob K. Javits, who led efforts to expand the Wagner-O'Day Act of 1938, named after Senator Robert F. Wagner and Congresswoman Caroline O'Day.[6].
Senator Javits led the efforts to expand the older law, which applied only to blind persons, and covered supplies but not services. The effort succeeded in spite of objections raised by organizations representing the blind, as expressed for example in Resolution 68-04[7] passed in 1968 by the American Council of the Blind.
The Federal agency charged with administering the program is currently known as the Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled. It replaced the Committee on Purchases of Blind Made Products established by the 1938 act. The agency decides which commodities and services the government should purchase under the JWOD Act. The program it oversees, known for over three decades as the JWOD Program, was renamed "AbilityOne" by Congress in 2006.[8]
In 1992 ARC was the first nonprofit agency in the country to operate a USDA-approved facility for the production of manufactured goods sold to the feeding programs of the US Government and private industry. They began manufacturing over 125 different varieties of dry mixes, dairy blends and oil products for Federal customers such as the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Defense. ARC Diversified also produced for the private sector and participated in the reinvented Federal procurement Prime Vendor program by delivering to full-line food distributors who are contracted to deliver to Federal installations.[9] Arc-Diversified's accomplishments were recognized in May of 2004 by the United States department of Agriculture. They were awarded Javits Wagner O’Day Contractor of the Year award.[10]
In July of 2006, ARC Diversified filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Shortly before the bankruptcy was filed the companies two directors resigned from the company. Department of Agriculture officials contested the charity's bid for a higher cooking oil price due to the executives compensation. The impasse in negotiations caused credit problems, layoffs and the forced resignations of the two top officials. After the bankruptcy was filed, ARC closed its doors temporarily. The company reopened its doors in November of 2006 and has gradually rehired 100 employees as it builds back its business with the help of the local business community and the government. [11]In March of 2008 the former two top officials of ARC Diversified settled the judgments filed against them by the nonprofit's federal bankruptcy trustee. The settlement agreement says that judgment is based upon liability for "errors, omissions, negligence and breaches of duty" in connection with their positions with ARC, and not based upon actual fraud.[12][13]
[edit] Corporate governance
Current officers include:
- Jeff Callahan - Chief Executive Officer
- Dr. Michael Barrett - Chief Operating Officer
- Pat Pointer - Vice President of Business Development
- Gene Heaton - Senior Project Manager
[edit] ARC Diversified Products
[edit] Dry Mixes
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[edit] Frozen Food
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[edit] Other
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[edit] Certifications
ANSI/ISO/ASQ Q9001-2000 Certified
USDA Total Quality Systems Audit (TQSA) Certified
USDA Agriculture “Dairy Plants Surveyed and Approved for USDA Grading Service” Plant Number 47-1102
Orthodox Union Kosher
United States Food and Drug Administration Registrar Corp.: Registration Number 16459898298
Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Regulatory Services, Food and Dairy Establishment Number 33015
American Institute of Baking Superior rating 2008
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ 9/11 State of Tenneessee, Department of Finance and Administration, Division of Mental Retardation Services article
- ^ Trademark with USPTO
- ^ Logline Magazine, Defense Logistic Agency permission at http://www.dla.mil/policy.aspx
- ^ abilityone.gov Ability One William M. Usdane South Regional Award
- ^ United States Congressman Bart Gordon letter
- ^ Ronald Reagan: 50th Anniversary of the JWOD Act, 1988
- ^ American Council Of The Blind
- ^ A Brief History of the JWOD Program
- ^ JWOD Creaing jobs abilityone.gov article
- ^ USDA JWOD Contractor of the year, Congressional Record
- ^ Congress aims to fix job program for disabled
- ^ ARC lawsuit settled against former directors
- ^ Cumberland Business journal
