This article focuses on employee training at Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI), based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The mission of the learning and development division for Johnson Controls is to improve human performance for JCI's business success. This is the first year that JCI has entered the American Society of Training & Development's BEST awards, and the organization has come away a winner. Janice Simmons, director of learning and development for the controls group, says that the award is a great external benchmark. More than 500 learning and development professionals support the company's employees. Annual expenditures within the controls group represent more than 4 percent of payroll, and employees average more than 22 hours of learning per year. Learning and development staff in the controls group utilize a systemic strategy of account management, which ensures that all learning and performance decisions start with discussions with business partners and have a strong direct tie to the business. Members of the account management team are responsible for building the relationship to specific business units, and educating themselves about strategic plans, critical business initiatives and goals, and the results that the business is trying to achieve.