Monica Luechtefeld, Executive Vice President of E-Commerce, Europe for Office Depot (ODP), Recognized at Tenth Annual Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Celebration

BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Office Depot, Inc. (NYSE: ODP), a leading global provider of office supplies and services that helps customers save time, today announced that Monica Luechtefeld, Executive Vice President of E-Commerce, Europe for Office Depot, was honored with the 2012 Enterprising Women Legacy Award by Enterprising Women magazine. The award ceremony took place during the tenth annual Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Celebration on March 12 at the Ritz-Carlton in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Pictured left to right: Monica Luechtefeld, Executive Vice President of E-Commerce, Europe for Office Depot, Receives the Enterprising Women Legacy Award from Monica Smiley, Publisher and CEO of Enterprising Women (Photo: Christie's Photographic Studios)

The Enterprising Women Legacy Award recognizes extraordinary women who have created a legacy through their contributions towards the advancement of women's entrepreneurship. During her career at Office Depot, Luechtefeld has devoted many years to organizations and activities designed to develop and mentor women business leaders.

Im honored to receive the Enterprising Women Legacy Award, and Im proud to be an advocate for Office Depots support for women business entrepreneurs, Luechtefeld said.

Office Depot is committed to the success of women in business, providing them with superior products, services and business solutions. Additionally, through Office Depots Supplier Diversity Program, women-owned businesses are given the opportunity to become suppliers for Office Depot, and to be mentored by the Companys Supply Chain Diversity team on all aspects of business, from product development to pricing.

Monica has been a trailblazer in advocating for the women's business community, said Neil Austrian, Chairman and CEO of Office Depot. Her contributions of time and talents to so many organizations, including Enterprising Women, and her accomplishments as a senior executive at Office Depot have paved the way for the Company to become a champion for women entrepreneurs.

Luechtefeld serves as a board member of the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women where her efforts are focused on Peace through Business, a program designed to mentor and train women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan and Rwanda. She was also recently named a Woman of Excellence by the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE).

Monica and Office Depot have truly made a difference to womens business enterprises throughout the years, said Monica Smiley, Publisher and CEO of Enterprising Women. We are grateful for their support of our organization, and the innovative opportunities they present for women entrepreneurs, such as their matchmaking sessions that provide small businesses the opportunity to meet with large companies and discuss their products and services face-to-face.

About Enterprising Women

Enterprising Women, with headquarters in Cary, N.C., is the nations only women-owned magazine published exclusively for women business owners that chronicles the growing political, economic and social influence and power of entrepreneurial women. The magazine provides a friendly meeting place, a public forum, and an international stage for the critical issues confronting womens businesses and daily lives from the unique perspectives and experiences of entrepreneurial women. Published in both print and digital editions, the magazines digital edition reaches more than 200,000 readers in 50 countries. For more information, visit www.enterprisingwomen.com or call (919) 362-1551.

About Office Depot

Office Depot, dedicated to helping customers save time and money, provides office supplies and services through 1,677 worldwide retail stores, a dedicated sales force, top-rated catalogs and global e-commerce operations. Office Depot has annual sales of approximately $11.5 billion, and employs about 39,000 associates in 60 countries around the world.

Office Depots common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ODP. Additional press information can be found at: http://mediarelations.officedepot.com and http://socialpress.officedepot.com/.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50238531&lang=en

Office Depot
Rebecca Rakitin, 561-438-1450
Rebecca.Rakitin@officedepot.com
or
Don Mears, 561-438-7054
Donald.Mears@officedepot.com

Source: Office Depot

Copyright Business Wire 2012