Murray D. Martin
Chairman President and CEO, Pitney Bowes Inc.
Corporate Headquarters: Stamford, Connecticut
Website: www.pb.com
Primary Business: Customer Communications Management (CCM) Hardware, Software and Services.
Revenues: $5.4 billion
Employees: 30,700 Globally
2011 CEO in Action
In reflecting on 90 years of Pitney Bowes heritage, I have seen firsthand the value that inclusion and diversity can bring to the workplace. It results in better business decisions and fosters awareness that leads to a stronger, more value-oriented culture whose leadership drives success.
As a global company, Pitney Bowes views diversity as a business imperative. Our commitment to diversity dates back to our first chairman, Walter Wheeler, who in the 1940s became a role model for racial inclusion. Like our ability to stay on top of the curve of technology, we also saw the value that diversity brought to the innovations that continue to change the way in which we connect with our customers.
Since Wheeler’s time, our mosaic of cultures, generations, languages, races, genders, perspectives and work styles has continued to equip us to better understand our evolving markets, to connect us with our global customer base, and to attract and retain the best talent and suppliers.
Under my leadership diversity remains a top priority. One third of our board of directors are ethnic minorities and 25 percent are women. I am pleased to sit on the board of directors of Catalyst whose mission aligns closely with ours. We also support mutually beneficial partnerships with diverse organizations like the National Urban League, Society of Women Engineers and The National Society of Hispanic MBA’s.
Diversity and inclusion goals are part of executive performance reviews, and management compensation is tied to successful diversity initiatives. We serve our global markets with a workforce and strategic partner base that includes minority and women businesses. This diversity gives us a better understanding of what customers want and need and helps us anticipate market trends. It also increases our agility in responding to changing market conditions and enables us to build strong relationships.
We help our employees and leaders understand the value of diversity and inclusion through both education and action. We hold our leaders accountable for nurturing and developing their teams, and we follow up regularly to make sure they are fostering an environment where all employees feel involved and engaged in their work.
We continue to perpetuate a culture that gives our employees the opportunity to realize their potential with succession planning strategies that help us track, measure and monitor diversity metrics.
Our unit heads are also accountable for developing talent and inclusion plans that detail the activities and actions needed to support their business plans. We review our progress several times a year, and the Director of Diversity formally presents those findings to the board of directors. This creates a level of transparency and guides the development of our diversity strategies and plans.
Education: University of Waterloo
First Job: A dog kennel and breeding business.
What I’m Reading: The Mentor Leader, by Tony Dungy
My Philosophy: Don’t ask others to do what you aren’t prepared to do yourself.
Best Advice: You can do anything anyone else can; it just may take you longer the first time.
Family: Wife Ruth; sons Joel and Philip; daughter Tricia; daughters-in-law Jen and Jacqueline; grandsons Jude and Gabriel; granddaughter Naomi.
Interests: Hardware and software technologies, heli-skiing, hockey, and others.
Favorite Charities: Bridgeport Mission, World Relief – Rwanda
