Malvern, PA – In recognition of the increasing diversity of the greater Philadelphia region, a number of leading corporate citizens have partnered with the Atlanta based American Institute for Managing Diversity (AIMD) to launch the Delaware Valley Diversity Leadership Academy at Penn State Great Valley.
“Developing the capabilities to capitalize on our increasingly diverse employment pools and communities has become a top priority for many organizations throughout the state,” said Lynn Outwater, Director of the Pennsylvania State Council of the Society for Human Resources Management. “The organizations participating in this program are to be commended for their vision and commitment.” The program will kick off on August 31 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. with an orientation program, and carry on with monthly full-day sessions beginning September 23 and concluding in December.
Participating organizations are demonstrating genuine concern for diversity issues impacting the Philadelphia Region. A unique aspect of the program is the application of diversity management tools and skills to real-time issues affecting Delaware Valley organizations and communities. DLA programs in other locales have tackled issues as far reaching and complex as relations between Korean Merchants and African-American patrons in community groceries, and the challenges surrounding working but undocumented immigrants.
“We see this as a great opportunity to partner with a number of leading corporate citizens, including, AMETEK, ARAMARK, Rohm and Haas, Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Vanguard, and others, to create a unique leadership development program for the region,” said Dr. William Milheim, CEO of Penn State Great Valley, “and AIMD is a first class organization with state of the art knowledge in the area of diversity management.”
AIMD is a 20-year-old nonprofit organization dedicated to helping organizations and communities build capabilities to address diversity issues and opportunities. Its Diversity Leadership Academy (DLA) concept is a leadership development program originally launched in Atlanta, Georgia in 2001 with a grant from The Coca-Cola Company. The successful Atlanta program was followed by expansions into other parts of the country, including Indianapolis, IN, and the Upstate Region of South Carolina (Greenville, Andersen and Spartanburg).
“We are excited to bring the Diversity Leadership Academy concept to the Delaware Valley,” said Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., founder and president of the American Institute for Managing Diversity (AIMD).
The Delaware Valley DLA is a leadership development program designed specifically for business and community leaders, to build diversity management skills and competencies. The curriculum includes class room instruction, interactive exercises, case studies and scenario analyses.
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Media interviews: In addition to interview opportunities on August 31 at a post-orientation reception from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., reporters can contact Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr. at 404-212-0070 or 404-575-2131, or for more info call David Jwanier, Penn State/Phila., at 215-881-7446 or 214-260-6504 (cell).
Greater Philadelphia Demographic Statistics
(Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia)
|
Demographic
|
% change 1990 to 2000
|
|
Asian
|
68.3 %
|
|
Latino
|
51.0 %
|
|
Native American
|
17.8%
|
|
African American
|
8.6 %
|
|
White
|
-4.1%
|
Participating Organizations:
AMETEK
ARAMARK
Catholic Health East
CIGNA
Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company
Crown Cork & Seal
Drexel University, School of Education
First National Bank
GlaxoSmithKline
INROADS / Philadelphia, Inc.
Lincoln Financial Group
Lockheed Martin
Mayors Council on Employment for People with Disabilities
Penn State Great Valley
Penn State University, Smeal College of Business Administration
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Rohm & Haas Company
Sunoco, Inc.
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA
The Vanguard Group
Towers Perrin
Villanova University
Delaware Valley Diversity Leadership Academy Steering Committee:
John Weaver, AMETEK
Barrie Litzky, Penn State Great Valley
Kathy Mingioni, Penn State Great Valley
Dorothy Ray, Penn State Great Valley
Stacey Adams, Rohm & Haas Company
Shannon Piela, SHRM and HR Backbone LLC
Juan Johnson, The Coca-Cola Company
Marcia Zaruba-O’Connor, The Public Accounting Network Group (PANG)
Allison Green, The Vanguard Group
