Montgomery, AL- The Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Diversity Summit was held on Tuesday, September 27th at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center. This year’s theme was “The Business of Diversity: Aligning Your Diversity Strategy with Your Business Strategy”. Stivers Ford Lincoln was the presenting sponsor.
Sessions and panel discussions were held throughout the day on various topics to include gender balance in the workplace, data and technology to drive business, and strategies for diversity and inclusion. Other sessions focused on making the most of millennials and using cultural differences to improve the workplace.
Experts from throughout the country gave presentations during the various sessions. Local and state business leaders were discussion panelists.
Larry Thornton, President and Owner of Thornton Enterprises, Inc. was the opening keynote speaker. He spoke on winning through diversity. Thornton talked about how communication skills, interpersonal skills, and relationship skills will lead to success. He mentioned that the diversity challenge is no longer black and white “We are moving towards a world economy and have to look beyond what we are used to seeing” Thornton said. “We have to work inwardly to change the trajectory of what we see.”
Thornton ended with sharing his experience with diversity as one of the first black students in a newly integrated Montgomery public school system. “It doesn’t matter where you’ve been nor is it important where you are. It’s important once you decide where you want to go” he said. “It’s all about where you are going.”
The Luncheon keynote speakers were Ernst & Young executives Karole Lloyd, Southeast Managing Partner, and Karyn Twaronite, Global and Inclusiveness Officer. The two executives discussed diversity and inclusion in the workplace. “Diversity and Inclusion is important because it involves the attraction and retention of employees” Twaronite said while explaining that diversity requires you to work harder.
The Montgomery Chamber Diversity Summit concluded with a networking reception. Participants had the opportunity to network with each other and talk one-on-one with the presenters.
For more information about the Montgomery Chamber Diversity Summit and to read biographies of session presenters visit www.montgomerychamber.com/diversityagenda.
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