Lynne Walker
EVP and Director of Affinity Strategy

First Horizon National Corporation
Headquarters: Memphis, TN
Business: Financial Services
CEO: D Bryan Jordan
Website: www.firsthorizon.com

EVP AND DIRECTOR OF AFFINITY STRATEGY LYNNE WALKER Shares Her D&I Views

“Our philosophy centers around a simple equation: Diversity + Affinity = Inclusion. Through this equation, the goal is to advance and support bank-wide strategies, tactics, and goals to ensure workforce, workplace, and marketplace recognition as best in class for diversity and inclusion.”

The D&I Effect

“The opportunities that exist for the greatest impact consist of running D&I like any business strategy, with the support of data, insights, strategy reviews, and accountabilities to help leaders become engaged and committed…. Diverse leaders help us reach broader candidate circles and attract more diverse talent. Sharing our successes also helps generate enthusiasm and cultivate new ideas that lead to innovation, making D&I contagious.”

Evolving the Role

“Previously, D&I efforts at First Horizon were divided among several people. In 2015, a new position was created to lead our D&I strategy. The director of affinity strategy, who reports directly to the bank president, is responsible for developing and overseeing a 360-degree D&I strategy for talent, customers, vendors, and community. Reporting to the president is a key differentiator that helps to ensure we stay focused on diversifying staff, customer base, and market investments.”

Recent D&I Wins

“In 2016, during staffing map discussions and conversations with customers, a diversity gap was identified in some customer-facing positions. We implemented strategic hiring, which led to an increase in the number of diverse employees hired or promoted—from 36 percent in 2014 to 43 percent in 2017.

“As part of our vendor strategy, we have focused on working with minority, women-owned and disadvantaged businesses. In fact, in the past three years, our vendor diversity has increased from 7.18 percent in 2013 to 13.54 percent in 2016.

“Our strategic hire initiative has helped diversify our lines of business— something customers and employees have said they’d like to see more of. This initiative has led to the strategic hiring of 10 diverse candidates for front-line roles.”

Expansion Plan for 2018

“Building on the work of the past two years, the focus for 2018 is to expand initiatives that are yielding the best results. Expansion will consist of the use of data and insights in our staffing maps, connecting middle management and their teams with the strategy, and expanding customer and vendor initiatives. The objectives of 2018 will strengthen the foundation that has already been laid and prepare us for sustainability in 2019.”

Kristine McKinney
CPDO

Fish & Richardson
Headquarters: n/a
Business: Legal Services
CEO: Peter Devlin
Website: www.fr.com

CPDO KRISTINE MCKINNEY Shares Her D&I Views

“Fish has built a phenomenal D&I program that supports recruiting, retention, and advancement of individuals from all backgrounds. The firm also has a history of tremendous community engagement. So our opportunities do not lie in low-hanging fruit because that work has been done. Our focus is now on systemic and organizational change.”

New Strategy, New Role

“In 2017, Fish launched an entirely new D&I strategic plan. This came as a result of the need to more clearly articulate our D&I goals and further embed D&I into all of our talent management processes. It also served to elevate the D&I conversation, so it is regularly addressed at the highest level of our firm. Each goal in our strategic plan has specific key performance indicators that provide measurement and accountability to ensure change is happening. The addition of my role as a C-level executive, a key part of the new plan, reflects the strategic importance of this work.”

A New Focus on D&I

“In 2017, the focus of the firm’s annual partners’ retreat was D&I. There was a highly engaging session on unconscious bias and the steps we must take to reduce its effects; a table-workshop during which partners identified D&I challenges and opportunities; and firm leadership delivered messages about the strategic importance of D&I. While D&I had always been woven into the annual meeting, this was the first time it was the focus of an entire day. This new approach signaled our institutional commitment to embedding D&I throughout the firm. Since the meeting, we have continued to see increased involvement and discussion regarding D&I at all levels of the firm.”

Fish’s D&I Goals for 2018

“Our D&I strategic plan has set these six important and ambitious goals for 2018:

1. We will educate and engage everyone in our firm on diversity & inclusion.
2. We will embed diversity and inclusion into all career development processes and procedures for the firm.
3. We will increase the representation of individuals from diverse backgrounds in our firm.
4. We will increase the percentage of individuals from diverse backgrounds in positions of leadership.
5. We will increase the percentage of individuals from diverse backgrounds in positions of responsibility with firm clients.
6. We will be recognized as an industry leader in diversity and inclusion.”

Shandarese Garr
SVP, Communications

GCG
Business: Legal Services

SVP, COMMUNICATIONS SHANDARESE GARR Shares Her D&I Views

“Malcolm Forbes said, ‘Diversity: the art of thinking independently together.’ This quote really speaks to my philosophy that dedicating ourselves to raising awareness and educating our employees regarding diversity and inclusion, while embracing the differences among our employees, clients, and communities, drives innovation, creativity, and business growth.”

A Two-Pronged Approach

“The opportunity for greatest impact within our organization is two-fold. First and foremost, our D&I program gives employees a voice and ensures that they know their opinions, their dedication to the success of our organization, and their motivation to do great work are valued.

“Second, GCG’s D&I program continues to lead the industry in caliber and reach. As the trendsetter in our industry, we have a big opportunity to leverage our knowledge and start partnering with our clients on new D&I initiatives that will benefit our industry and the communities we serve.”

How My Role Has Changed

“My role has changed significantly over the past five years. When I first took responsibility for formalizing our D&I program, my focus seemed to be on the various populations of employees within our different office locations. Much of my experience was informed by the time I had spent in those locations, and my knowledge of the differences in each particular office culture. But in recent years, I have focused on the strength our organization can find from operating as ‘One GCG’—regardless of geographic location.”

Mentoring for Success

“In 2017, I formalized GCG’s mentoring efforts via a mentoring circles program, in which employees from across the company progress together via a series of group mentoring sessions with a member of senior leadership. Each team is provided guidelines and best practices for roll-out, milestones, and program wrap up. Mentors and mentees also receive resources to help them maximize their program experience and contribute to the group.

“Upon conclusion of the program, we look at several factors to gauge impact, including each mentee’s familiarity with GCG’s mission and values, his or her demonstrated use of new skills, and in some cases, a group commitment to improving a specific organizational process. On a company level, we measure success by tracking changes in mentees’ knowledge, behaviors, and beliefs. Most important, we have seen that mentees are more confident about becoming mentors.”

Looking Ahead to Next Year

“A key D&I objective for 2018 will be to pursue our vendor diversity goals and objectives. This will enable us to evaluate opportunities for GCG to formally enter into meaningful supplier diversity partnerships.”

Lesley Slaton Brown
CDO

HP Inc.
Headquarters: Palo Alto, California
Business: Technology
CEO: Dion Weisler
Website: www.hpe.com

CDO LESLEY SLATON BROWN Shares Her D&I Views

“At HP, we embed diversity and inclusion in all we do. It’s both how we operate and a mindset. We all play a role, we are all accountable. Disrupt systems and processes to eradicate bias. We are driving a ‘BIG’ strategy, where our employees Belong, Innovate, and Grow.

“The diversity of our workforce reflects the diversity of our customers and partners. By celebrating our differences, we bring unique experiences and perspectives to bear on our capabilities and expertise. This helps us deliver products and services that work for everyone, everywhere.

“Our focus now… Reinventing the Standard for Diversity!”

The CDO Role at HP

“When HP Inc. formed as a new and independent Fortune 100 company in 2015, we made a concerted effort to build this company with diversity and inclusion at its core, starting with establishing a new board of directors to guide us. We’re proud that HP’s board has been recognized as the most diverse board of directors of any U.S. tech company, and this leadership continues to push our company to approach diversity and inclusion in a new direction.

“As chief diversity officer at HP, my focus has been to elevate the D&I conversation, embed diversity and inclusion in all we do, and gain support and advocacy from our company leaders. I’m also working to educate all HP team members regarding the bottom-line business impacts and benefits of D&I, align D&I to support our business strategy, and disrupt and eradicate systemic bias.”

A New Journey

“In 2017, HP launched a campaign with a drive to increase our underrepresented populations. We call this new journey ‘Reinvent Mindsets’ because we want to make it clear that, just as our business reinvents how our customers live, work, and play, we are also reinventing how we think about diversity and inclusion. Reinvent Mindsets comprises ongoing internal training, new measurement tools and other efforts, but focuses on two areas we think haven’t gotten the attention they deserve.”

Setting the Standard

“As we approach 2018, our objectives are to expand our reach, increase accountability, and move from awareness to action. We will focus on executing with excellence, applying a growth mindset, continuing to push boundaries, and innovating. We will also continue to be the company that reinvents the standard of diversity in our industry and beyond.”

Marlon Moore
SVP and CD&IO

The Huntington National Bank
Headquarters: Columbus, Ohio
Business: Financial Services
CEO: Stephen D. Steinour
Website: www.huntington.com

SVP AND CD&IO MARLON MOORE Shares His D&I Views

“At Huntington, we hold tight to the most important thing: people. It’s why we’re in business. It’s how we do business. And that means including everyone— people from every community, with unique talents, bright ideas and different points of view.”

Opportunities for Impact

“We know that the demographics and needs of our society are changing like never before. As a company that understands the power of inclusion, we’ve made significant efforts to embrace our colleagues, partners, and of course, the communities in which we live and work.

“Huntington continues to make progress in hiring and promoting women, ethnic minorities, veterans, and those with disabilities. Business resources groups and inclusion councils bring about positive change within the organization.

“Huntington is working to engage diverse suppliers and expand relationships with minority-, women-, LGBT-, disabled-, and veteran-owned business enterprises. As the supplier base becomes more inclusive, the Bank gains a better understanding of the needs of the marketplace. Working together, Huntington and its suppliers can contribute to economic development, job creation, and stronger communities.”

D&I Wins in 2017

“This year, Huntington has been successful in increasing workforce diversity in both mid- and senior-level positions.

“Ten Huntington business resource groups (BRGs), colleague-driven groups organized around a shared interest or common diversity dimension, support the Bank’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and engaging work environment. Through innovative thinking regarding disability inclusion, military-friendly practices, LGBTfriendly policies, and other initiatives that help support an inclusive culture and serve a diverse workforce, the BRGs have helped shape D&I policy.”

Looking Ahead to 2018

“In the coming year, Huntington will work to improve workforce, workplace, and supplier diversity, as well as community engagement. These efforts will be led and supported by C-Suite leaders who serve on the Bank’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Council.”

James E Page, Jr.
VP and CDO

Johns Hopkins Medicine
Headquarters: Baltimore, MD
Business: Health Care
CEO: Paul B. Rothman
Website: www.hopkinsmedicine.org

VP AND CDO JAMES E PAGE, JR. Shares His D&I Views

“Diversity makes the difference between mediocre research and groundbreaking discoveries that can prolong life and alleviate suffering. Within clinical care, inclusionary practices ensure that we develop critical treatments, discover long awaited cures, and save lives. We also have the responsibility of teaching the next generation of nurses, doctors, scientists, and other health care providers about cultural competency as a critical skill that improves the welfare of patients, lessens health disparities, and creates world-class patient care.

“In my industry, if you don’t get diversity and cultural competency right, people die. By binding diversity to the business of health care, I ensure that Hopkins is a national and global leader in providing an extraordinary health care experience that is not only the safest, but also highly inclusive and culturally competent.”

Maximum D&I Impact

“There is no industry in which appreciating human diversity is as essential as it is in health care. Linguistic and cultural barriers to care can imperil lives. Increasing culturally responsive communications within hospital units supports the dignity and respect that are the pillars of successful medicine. Cultural understanding impacts patients, faculty, and staff.

“There are many natural synergies between D&I and medicine, exemplified by Hopkins’ new Center for Transgender Health, which has brought together experts from endocrinology, psychiatry, gynecology, plastic surgery, nursing, and D&I to build a research-based, evidence-supported interdisciplinary program that results in better outcomes and healthier patients.”

Advancing Diversity

“The year 2017 was an exciting one for diversity and inclusion at Johns Hopkins Medicine—a year of growth and centralization of D&I efforts system-wide:

• Johns Hopkins Center for Transgender Health has served more than 200 patients, with almost 20 undergoing gender affirmation surgeries
• Johns Hopkins’ Community Care- A-Van has served approximately 2,000 patients this year in poor, largely Latino, neighborhoods in southeast Baltimore.
• Through our Leadership Program, we have substantially increased the number of women and minorities in senior leadership positions.”

Plans for the Future

“In 2018, we will be focused on increasing engagement with patients and staff, and building bridges with those who face the most difficult challenges. We will also be working hard to continue to enhance the capacity and scope of the new Center for Transgender Health.

“Finally, we are seeking to improve our efforts to recruit, retain, and promote diverse faculty, particularly in the basic sciences, dovetailing with efforts throughout The Johns Hopkins University.”

David Korunic
CEO

Krungthai-AXA Life Insurance
Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand
Business: Life Insurance
CEO: Roger Deacon
Website: www.krungthai-axa.co.th/en

CEO DAVID KORUNIC Shares His D&I Views

“When it comes to our people, “KTAXA values uniqueness and diversity, and is proud that our staff members are able to be themselves. We want to bring out the best in our employees, as we firmly believe that great people build great companies.”

D&I’s Challenges and Impact

“Along the Diversity and Inclusion journey, the most important challenge has been to educate leadership, management, and staff about the unconscious biases we all have. For example, people may have the unconscious bias toward people with disabilities or LGBT. These beliefs can impact the company’s ability to attract the best job candidates, relate to customers, and ultimately, to be successful as a business.

“KTAXA has not developed and implemented its D&I Strategy in order to adhere to corporate policy or government regulations, but because it is the right thing to do. Everyone deserves to be treated equally and fairly, and to have the opportunity to succeed in life.”

D&I Achievements in 2017

“In term of KTAXA’s 2017 D&I successes, there are some we are especially proud of. KTAXA was selected from among many major Asian companies (one of two AXA entities chosen), to share LGBT inclusion practices during The Economist’s recent Pride and Prejudice event in Hong Kong. KTAXA also was selected to share its people-with-disabilities best practices at Disability Matters Asia-Pac 2017, held in India and organized by Springboard Consulting. In November 2017, KTAXA was invited by the AXA group to share its LGBT inclusion practices at the head office in Paris.

“Diversity and inclusion has become an integral part of the KTAXA culture. Employees at all levels, and across the organization, view their day-to-day activities, and their overall strategies, through a diversity lens.”

Looking Ahead to 2018

“In 2018, KTAXA will focus on the Thai marketplace, and view all parts of the business through a diversity lens, with the aim of creating an impact on Thai society. In order to achieve this, KTAXA will share its D&I best practices and form partnerships with the private sector. For example, KTAXA will host the LGBT business network in Bangkok and use existing resources within the organization to educate the wider community.

“Near the end of each year, KTAXA holds an annual sharing session with C-suite leaders, where they make key decisions regarding how to integrate D&I into their department strategy for the coming year. KTAXA then allocates resources to ensure that the following year’s strategy can be implemented across the organization.”

Dawn Frazier-Bohnert
SVP and CDIO

Liberty Mutual Insurance
Headquarters: Boston, MA
Business: Insurance
CEO: David H. Long
Website: www.libertymutual.com

SVP AND CDIO DAWN FRAZIER-BOHNERT Shares Her D&I Views

“‘Assume positive intent.’ It is something that I actively encourage everyone to follow, because sometimes it can be difficult for people to know where to start a conversation. It can be difficult to find the right words. But if we assume positive intent and hold others accountable with constructive feedback, then together we have the power to make our workplace more inclusive and our company stronger.”

Maximizing the D&I Effect

“Our foundational message is ‘Diversity is about all of us.’ It’s about all of our differences and similarities: race, gender, sexual orientation, and age, as well as work style, geography, mindset, and so on. Driving inclusion and engagement is now in our core capabilities and tied to how we measure employee performance. D&I is in our talent selection and it’s in our real estate design.”

2017 D&I Accomplishments

“This year, the D&I team expanded existing programs and launched several new initiatives. Along with CEO David Long’s committing to advance diverse and inclusive workplaces by signing the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™, Liberty also:

• Increased participation in Pride Parades
• Sponsored the 28^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards (U.S. Consumer Markets)
• Sponsored The Partnership’s 30^th Anniversary Leadership Summit
• Launched the LEADA@Liberty Scholarship for Massachusetts students of African-American descent who enroll in community college with the goal of completing a degree at a state university or University of Massachusetts campus
• Held CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap screenings in multiple Liberty offices
• Signed the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
• Launched our Inclusion in Action learning program
• Hosted the Men as Allies Summit on December 6, 2017: an all-day summit that brought together 400+ Liberty men and women, and featured renowned speakers and leaders in gender collaboration”

What’s Next for D&I?

“In 2018, we are planning to continue D&I content integration in all learning and management curriculum, as well as achieve the following:

• Expand our ERG/D&I Council infrastructure
• Build on Inclusion in Action learning and practice
• Expand and tailor programs internationally

Drive programming to strengthen understanding and collaboration regarding gender, generations, and race”

Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP
Headquarters: Los Angeles, California
Business: Legal Services
CEO: Tom Edwards
Website: www.msk.com

CO-CHAIRS, MITCHELL SILBERBERG & KNUPP’S D&I COMMITTEE, GREGORY OLANIRAN AND KEVIN FRIEDMANN Share Their D&I Views

“Earlier this year, when Heather Heyer was killed in Charlottesville, Virginia, MSK quickly mobilized to work with the Miller Law Group, where she had been employed as a paralegal. We supported the formation of the Heather Heyer Foundation, donated money, and helped promote a campaign within the legal industry to drive donations. When we announced these efforts internally, we were met with an outpouring of pride from employees, including many who said, ‘I’ve never been more proud to work at this firm than I am now.’”

Impact and Challenges

“Despite our historical commitment to D&I, MSK is still faced with challenges, primarily in the promotion of women and establishing a reputation for diversity on law school campuses. We are working to create an atmosphere more conducive to building career and family at the same time, including making changes to our maternity-leave policy. We are working to share our story and our commitment to diversity via social media.”

2017 Successes

“A large number of our attorneys, and Diversity & Inclusion Committee members, have taken on leadership roles in outside organizations. We participate in the Managing Partners’ Roundtable and Diversity Directors’ Roundtable, and support the California Minority Counsel Program’s educational, business development, and networking activities. MSK also sponsored the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association’s Midyear Conference in Los Angeles. We are proud of the role we played in the aftermath of the tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia, and how it renewed our commitment to fighting hatred and bigotry.”

What’s Ahead for 2018

“The firm has targeted lateral recruiting efforts, as well as targeted diversity recruiting efforts, to find the best attorneys to join our practice groups. In addition, we will work with recruiters that specifically focus on recruiting diverse candidates. MSK will continue to sustain a work environment where all attorneys and staff feel welcomed, valued, and energized about the contributions they make and the opportunities they have to further their careers.

“We will also look to our affinity networks and initiatives, such as our Gay Straight Alliance (MSK Out) and Women’s Initiatives, to recruit attorneys from diverse backgrounds. The firm wants to help forge and facilitate relationship-building among our attorneys with shared interests and backgrounds, and provide a forum for professional and leadership development.”

Patty Arvielo
President

New American Funding
Headquarters: Tustin, California
Business: Financial Services
CEO: Rick Arvielo
Website: www.newamericanfunding.com

PRESIDENT PATTY ARVIELO Shares Her D&I Views

“We can fill a boardroom with a mosaic of diversity, but unless we have inclusion, that mosaic will be good for appearance only.

“With the prevalence of social-media consumption, especially among Latinos, serving this market and developing a personal brand online has taken on new importance. Forging ahead in terms of how to use today’s relationship-building tools, as well as operational tech tools like mobile apps, has become a stronger focus over the past few years.”

The D&I Effect

“D&I’s opportunity for greatest impact within the organization is in attracting and onboarding a diverse workforce, then incorporating their innovations into the way we do business. Having a well-rounded workforce equips us to properly serve a variety of markets.”

My Evolving Role

“My role and my goals have changed over the past five years. I have learned to adapt to the increasingly digital way loans are done, and to being a mentor for others learning the new technology. As president of New American Funding, and an active participant in the advancement of the housing industry, my focus is on finding solutions as new challenges arise—in the community or in the company.”

Achievements in 2017

“Our successes for advancing D&I are evident in the company’s workforce composition, and the implementation of NAFOVATOR, a program, which invites all New American Funding employees to contribute ideas directly to me for consideration and possible implementation. In less than two months, we have received 36 employee submissions.

“We are also pleased to report that, in 2017, 58 percent of New American Funding employees are women, 43 percent are minorities, and 34 percent are millennials.”

Our Goals for 2018

“Our objective for 2018 for the advancement of diversity and inclusion is to continue on the trajectory we established this year. We will continue to work toward greater diversity in our workforce and evolve our NAF360 program to ensure that employees feel valued at work and balanced in life, and are treated with 360 degrees of respect. We will also continue our New American Dream program, through which we identify and remove roadblocks that may prevent members of our communities from achieving homeownership.”