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Diversity Champion Awards Past Winners

    2013

    Denver Public Schools, Denver, CO.

    Their superintendent, Tom Boasberg, is committed to Denver Public Schools’ equity and inclusion work at all levels from the educators to the staff, volunteers, and parents, to insure that Every Child Succeeds. Their leadership team created a new department, the Office of Organizational Culture and Effectiveness, to create, develop, and facilitate leadership development and training to support and live their values that include equity and inclusion. Working toward systemic change that transforms their culture, they offer employees programs such as Equity and Inclusion training, Conversations on the impact of bias, Anti-bullying, and Understanding different cultures in the classroom. With over 14,500 employees and 84,000 students that represent 130 different languages, cultural awareness and inclusion are keys to their efforts to have Every Child Succeed. They offer their website in different languages and you are encouraged to read online about their diversity training, initiatives, and community outreach efforts. Accepting the award: Bill de la Cruz, Director of Equity and Inclusion, and Debbie Hearty, Chief of Organizational Culture and Effectiveness.

    HopeWest, formerly Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Colorado, Grand Junction, CO.

    In addition to mission, vision, and commitment statements that discuss diversity, HopeWest states, “Inclusivity describes a culture of acceptance. It is a way of thinking, knowing, and being that enables people from diverse backgrounds and beliefs to give and receive culturally competent care.” One of their strengths is community engagement. Their Inclusivity Committee includes membership from other organizations such as Mesa County Library. Together they work to address community needs and educate employees and community members. HopeWest has a Veterans’ Committee that aims to provide the best care to veterans. Their “We Honor Veterans” program sponsored elderly and ill veterans accompanied by HopeWest’s nurses to travel to Washington, DC to visit the WWII memorial. Since 2008 HopeWest has had an Africa Partnership with a sister hospice in Tanzania. HopeWest’s employees and board have raised $50,000 to support the hospice. Ten employees have traveled to Tanzania bringing medical and office supplies. Accepting the award: Mary Wigington, SPHR, Senior Director of Human Resources.

    The Regional Transportation District (RTD), Denver, CO.

    RTD’s commitment to diversity means providing a work setting for all employees that is welcoming and respectful, and provides opportunities for personal and professional development. RTD offers several initiatives to build diversity including their Leadership Academy, Mentoring and Coaching efforts, Domestic Partner Benefits, Work/Life programs that offer flexible scheduling, and Veteran Outreach/Recruitment. Innovative areas where RTD excels include an extensive Supplier Diversity program to ensure equal participation of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in their Department of Transportation contracts. RTD established the Workforce Initiative Now (WIN), a partnership between RTD, Community College of Denver, Urban League of Metropolitan Denver, and Denver Transit Partners. WIN is a partnership that meets the hiring and training needs of local employers by helping to create and retain living wage careers in the transit and construction industries. You can learn more about Supplier Diversity and WIN programs at the RTD website. Accepting the award: Cherie Sprague, Chief Human Resource Officer.

    2010

    The Integer Group L.L.C.

    “We are only as good as the talent we attract and retain. And while we are comfortable with those that are like us, we learn more from those that are different. We need to ensure our diversity efforts encompass all the ways that people are both similar and different by being open to people of all races, ethnicities, backgrounds, experience, etc.” The executive team and all employees at Integer embrace this belief. For the past three years, Integer has included and aligned diversity initiatives with their overall business strategy while creating an inclusive culture where employees are welcomed, embraced, respected, and can grow. Integer has a variety of programs and initiatives that support their diversity efforts that include: Diversity awareness training, mentoring and coaching programs for Veterans, global diversity given they have offices in ten countries, supplier diversity, domestic partner benefits, work/life balance programs, and a variety of community initiatives. Congratulations Integer!

    Colorado Springs Utilities

    Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) is a two year sponsor of the Colorado Springs Society for Human Resource Management Diversity Conference. They promote and espouse a climate of inclusiveness, respect and dignity for all employees and customers. Their diversity efforts are led by the CSU Delta Team that is an employee volunteer committee. The Delta team is tireless in their efforts and committed to seeing that the message of the business case for diversity and specific skills for carrying out the message is provided to every employee. The commitment to the mission of honoring and utilizing the assets of a diverse workforce is unwavering at CSU. Shirley Martinez has been instrumental in the creation of this effort and she and all of the Delta team members deserve recognition for their hard work, commitment, and initiative in building the diversity program at CSU. Congratulations Colorado Springs Utilities!