Tech Companies will Convene in Arizona to Tackle Diversity Issues

Diverse managers around a conference table.

The Is Diversity Your Competitive Edge? Competition gives tech companies a chance to highlight their progress in hiring talented diverse leaders.

Photo of Denise Meridith, WBC's CEO, speaking at a WBC Annual Conference.

Denise Meridith is CEO of The World's Best Connectors (WBC). The WBC is a community of CEOs, who help other executives, especially those in tech, hospitality and commercial development industries, solve problems

An image of Arizona State University's and World's Best Connectors' Logos

Arizona State University is the Presenting Sponsor for the World's Best Connectors' Annual Conference-Diversifying Tech Leadership-on October 28, 2021.

World's Best Connectors and Arizona State University will host the Diversifying Tech Leadership Conference Presented by ASU in Scottsdale, Arizona, in October

There will be well-known technology experts. It is also critical to hear women, people of color, LBGTQ+ and people with disabilities, who are both struggling and succeeding in the technology universe.”
— Denise Meridith
PHOENIX, AZ, US, September 12, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- During the past decade, and particularly after the George Floyd killing in 2020, there has been a lot of discussion about the need for and promises made to address the slow progress of inclusion of African Americans and women in the exploding technology industry. The World’s Best Connectors (WBC) is a virtual community of C-Suite executives, who help other executives enhance their connections with family, employees, clients, government, and the media. In partnership with Arizona State University (ASU)—the U.S. News & World Report’s most Innovative University in the nation for the sixth year—WBC is convening tech companies in Scottsdale, Arizona, on October 28, 2021, at the Diversifying Tech Leadership Conference Presented by ASU. Collectively, they will delve into the reasons contributing to inequity, the economic values of including more diverse representation, and, more importantly, how to do it.

First of all, WBC wants to recognize tech companies and individuals, who have demonstrated the value of inclusion. There are countless competitions for best movies, books, plays, video gamesters, pies, and everything else Americans love to watch or eat. In the tech industry, there are famous competitions for innovation and products. Baby boomers may remember some of teachings of Jack Welch, the wildly successful former 20-year-long CEO of General Electric, who emphasized that leaders should reward the behavior they want. WBC is taking the unique approach of starting a competition where both corporations (>75 employees) and smaller technology companies (<75 employees) are invited to submit entries for "Is Diversity Your Competitive Edge?" They are being solicited to describe what they are doing and how it is benefitting their company and community.

The site for electronic submissions is https://lnkd.in/gmmGzEkb and deadline has been extended to 6 PM Pacific Time on Monday, September 20, 2021. Among other things, the winners will be featured luncheon speakers at the Diversifying Tech Leadership Conference. ANY company which submits an entry by the deadline will receive one free registration to the Conference.

The goal of this Conference is to have a collaboration of up to 100 tech CEOs and business owners learn/understand the ongoing barriers to inclusion at management levels; to hear from and question C-suite executives describing their real-life case studies (what worked and what did not); and to discuss potential practical solutions: resources, references, and consulting they can apply now in their workplaces.

This will be a hybrid event. There will be limited live attendance with continental breakfast and lunch included. Online attendance is also available. CEOs and business owners can register at: https://thewbcs.tiny.us/yu29t2h7

“There will be well-known technology experts,” says Denise Meridith, CEO of WBC. “It is also critical to hear women, people of color, LBGTQ+ and people with disabilities, who are struggling and succeeding in the technology universe.” Companies who want to sponsor, bring their team, purchase a digital exhibit, or support the conference can contact info@thewbcs.com.

One of the keynote speakers will be Jack McCauley (the Founder of Oculus and a key designer for Guitar Hero), who, as Innovator in Residence at Berkeley, recognizes that diversity is critical to progress in technology. Last year exposed multiple weaknesses in the US, from “digital deserts” to inequities in access to remote education to criminal justice issues plaguing AI to workforce controversies involving race or sex. The advice McCauley and others will share can help business leaders identify what they may need to research and do, and motivate them to start or continue their quest for profitability and sustainability.

Denise Meridith
World's Best Connectors LLC
info@thewbcs.com
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World's Best Connectors' CEO Denise Meridith discusses the upcoming Diversifying Tech Leadership Conference Presented by ASU