Women in Business & Industry 54 Women in Business & Industry

DIVERSITY BRIEFSDC-Based VanguardCommunicationsSelected Among WorkingMother’s ’25 best smallcompanies’

Hispanic-woman owned VanguardCommunications is recognized as one of the2006 Working Mother Best Small Companiesin the April issue of the magazine. Vanguard,based in Washington, D.C., was selected forits “innovative, family-friendly workplacepractices that women value” in WorkingMother’s inaugural recognition program.

“Vanguard’s work has focused heavily onyouth- and family-centered advocacyprograms over the course of our 19-yearhistory. It’s important to us that those policiesare also part of our workplace,” said Vanguardco-founder and President Maria Rodriguez.“We want to provide a work environment thatvalues and respects our staff and theirfamilies.”

At Vanguard, new moms and dads areencouraged to bring their babies to work formonths after they’re born. Once newborns aremobile, parents are offered flex-time to helpmanage child care - a policy open to all staffafter one year of service. Parents with school-age children are able to telecommute on dayswhen schools are closed due to snow orholidays, as well as when unexpected familyemergencies make it hard for working momsand dads to come to the office. Iftelecommuting is not possible due to workdemands, parents are invited to bring theirchildren to work on days when school isclosed.

Working Mother magazine selected smallcompanies - defined as employing between 5and 100 workers - based on a review of work/life benefits, entrepreneurial spirit andprograms to help women advance. Vanguardwas one of 25 companies chosen from nearly250 nominations received by the magazine.Working Mother editors described Vanguard’sbenefits: “With a focus on advocacy forwomen and children, this PR company walksthe walk when it comes to its own employeebenefits.”

Vanguard Communications is committed tocommunications outreach that can changeattitudes, perceptions and public debate aboutcritical social issues, such as health, mentalhealth, safe food and farming, theenvironment, education and other quality oflife concerns. The firm has worked onnumerous initiatives that help ensure thehealth, safety, and acceptance of children,youth and families of all kinds and from allwalks of life.

The National Society ofHispanic MBAs AnnouncesLourdes M. Hassler asChief Executive Officer

The National Society of Hispanic MBAs(NSHMBA) is pleased to announce theappointment of Lourdes M. Hassler as theorganization’s new chief executive officer.

“NSHMBA is at a pivotal point, and we’reconfident that Lourdes’ leadership will be keyin enhancing and delivering the organization’sstrategic goals,” said Dr. Donna MariaBlancero, chair emeritus of the national boardof directors. “Lourdes has had an impressive

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DIVERSITY BRIEFS

turns to the same networks, or relies onreferrals from current employees. The upshotis that organizations keep bringing in thesimilar kinds of people, which doesn’tencourage outreach or inclusion.” An equallyserious problem for management, observedVigue, is new hires that fail to work out. “It’sastonishing how many people leave a new jobwithin 18 months, sometimes as many as halfof a company’s new hires. What went wrong?And what can be done to improve theselection process?” Lack of employee trustand excessive new hire turnover should beaddressed by establishing hiring practices thatare structured, open and inclusive,” Viguesaid. “Employers need to define the criteriafor positions at all levels, and the criteriashouldn’t be just about technical skills, butsoft skills as well.” Vigue noted that manyemployers refuse to concede their hiring or

promotion process is flawed. “Most claim tohave an objective and inclusive system...butthen they focus recruiting efforts on bonusesfor employees who bring in more employeesjust like themselves. What we repeatedly findis that hiring and promotion criteria aren’ttransparent, openings aren’t communicatedeffectively, and procedures aren’t consistentor unbiased. Too often people aren’t gettingan equal shot at open positions oropportunities for advancement.” TheNovations Group Internet survey of 3,100senior HR and development executives wasconducted by Equation Research. Founded in1977 and based in Boston, Novations Group isone of the country’s largest performanceimprovement organizations and serves clientson four continents. For information visitwww.Novations.com.

DIVERSITY BRIEFSand extensive career at American Airlines.She is also involved with numerous Hispanicassociations and is a strong supporter ofeducation in our community.”

Before joining NSHMBA, Lourdes M. Hasslerwas director of Latin America sales andmarketing for American Airlines, a career thatspanned more than twenty successful years instrategic operations, international marketingand operational finance. She holds aMarketing Degree from California StateUniversity at Northridge, and will graduatefrom the Executive MBA program at TexasChristian University in May.

In her position as CEO, Lourdes will directthe overall current affairs of the organization,including the strategic direction, finance,human resources and general operations. Shewill lead the growth initiatives and developnational partnerships to effectively positionNSHMBA into the next century.

“I’m excited and honored to lead NSHMBA,the premier Hispanic business association,”Lourdes M. Hassler shared. “As a long-timeadvocate for education, NSHMBA’s mission is aperfect fit with my strong belief of what thecore trait that will flourish our people and oursociety at large. NSHMBA has a successfultrack record of preparing Hispanics forleadership positions and meeting the goals ofour stakeholders - our members, ourcorporate and university partners, and ourcommunity.”

NSHMBA-”The Premier Hispanic BusinessAssociation” The National Society of HispanicMBAs (NSHMBA) was created in 1988 as a501(C)(3) non-profit organization. It has 29chapters and more than 7,000 members inthe U.S. and Puerto Rico. NSHMBA’s mission isto foster Hispanic leadership through graduatemanagement education and professionaldevelopment. The society works to prepare

Hispanics for leadership positions throughoutthe U.S., so that they can provide the culturalawareness and sensitivity vital in themanagement of the nation’s diverseworkforce. For further information aboutNSHMBA, visit the organization’s Web site atwww.nshmba.org.

Minority/WomenEmployees Have LessTrust in PromotionPolicies

Minority employees are less likely to regardtheir organization’s selection and promotioncriteria as fair, according to a survey of 3,100senior human resources executives byNovations Group, a global consultingorganization based in Boston. While nearlytwo-thirds of all employees believe theircompany’s policies are equitable, only 47.4%of minority workers thinks so. Womenemployees also have somewhat less trust insuch criteria. Do employees think yourorganization’s criteria for selection andpromotion are fair?

Apparent unfairness in selection andpromotion is one of the biggest causes ofemployee cynicism, believes Novations GroupVice President Tim Vigue. “We weren’tsurprised to find that as many as one-fifth ofall employees in the study distrusts the way inwhich people are hired or picked foradvancement. This simmering resentmentundermines team work and trust in topmanagement.” According to Vigue, selectionpolicies at many organizations are informaland chaotic, which help prompt thedisaffection among employees. “Companiesrecruit from the same pools all the time. HR

Women in Business & Industry 1110 Women in Business & Industry

DIVERSITY BRIEFSwould remain about 90 percent independent.Mulcahy serves as the company’s onlyemployee director.

Xerox Supplier DiversityProgram Celebrates 20Years of Success

In 1985, Xerox Corporation had “one guy inan office” just quietly tracking how muchmoney the company spent with minority-,women- and veteran-owned businesses. Buttoday, Xerox’s supplier diversity effortsrepresent a sophisticated, world-classprogram. A department now manages millionsin spending and works with hundreds of

suppliers. It has earned top governmentdesignations and other awards nationwide.And it increasingly is making diverse supplierspart of the solutions that Xerox offers to itscustomers too.

As Xerox marks its 20th year of formallymanaging supplier diversity, the evolution issomething to be proud of, yet “we’re aimingfor new levels of success every year,” saysDan Robinson, who directs the company’ssupplier diversity strategies. “The goal todayis to leverage the sophistication of oursupplier diversity program as a competitiveadvantage and as a way to attract newbusiness opportunities for Xerox. That’s a longway from when the program began with oneman - me - charting numbers in an office.”

DIVERSITY BRIEFSXerox Elects MaggieWilderotter to Board ofDirectore

Xerox Corporation’s (NYSE: XRX) board ofdirectors yesterday elected Maggie Wilderotterto the board. Wilderotter is chairman andchief executive officer of CitizensCommunications, a full-servicecommunications provider of telephone,television, and Internet products and services.Wilderotter joined Citizens Communications in2004 as president and chief executive officer.She was named chairman of the company inJanuary of this year.

Prior to Citizens Communications,Wilderotter was senior vice president ofworldwide public sector at Microsoft. She hasalso served as president and CEO of WinkCommunications Inc., as well as executivevice president of national operations for AT&TWireless Services Inc. and chief executiveofficer of AT&T’s aviation communicationsdivision. Earlier in her career, she was a seniorvice president of McCaw CellularCommunications Inc. “Maggie is anexceptional leader with a proven track recordof bringing innovative, technology-basedsolutions to market,” said Anne M. Mulcahy,Xerox chairman and chief executive officer.“Her experience and strong leadership skillswill serve Xerox and its shareholders well andcomplement the outstanding talent serving onour board.”

A graduate of the College of the Holy Cross,where she is a trustee and earned a bachelor’sdegree in economics and businessadministration, Wilderotter serves on theboard of directors of The McClatchy Co. andQuantum Corp. Her election to the Xerox

board is effective March 1.

In related news, Xerox said today thatStephen Robert, a current member of thecompany’s board of directors and the financecommittee of the board, has decided not tostand for re-election at this year’s annualmeeting of shareholders. Robert, who ischancellor of Brown University and chairmanand CEO of Renaissance InstitutionalManagement LLC, was elected to the Xeroxboard in 2004. His decision not to stand forre-election is related to his increased andadditional business obligations. With thesepending changes, the 11-member Xerox board

Maggie Wilderotter is chairman and chief executive officer ofCitizens Communications

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DIVERSITY BRIEFSmember of many associations, including theUpstate New York Regional MinorityPurchasing Council, which Robinson chairs;the National Minority Supplier DevelopmentCouncil; and the National Association ofWomen Business Owners. The company hasrelationships with groups such as theWomen’s Business Enterprise NationalCouncil, the U.S. Pan-Asian AmericanChamber of Commerce, the American IndianChamber of Commerce, the African AmericanChamber of Commerce, and the U.S. HispanicChamber of Commerce. As a global company,Xerox’s supplier diversity outreach alsoinvolves Brazil, Canada and the UnitedKingdom. For example, in late 2004, Xeroxhelped launch the Canadian Aboriginal andMinority Supplier Council, and Xerox CanadaCEO Doug Lord serves as the board chairman.

“Within the United States and abroad,operating a strong supplier diversity programhas become a business imperative,” Robinsonsays. “Xerox intends to continue leading witha world-class program that integrates supplierdiversity with other business functions, usesadvanced tracking and measurement toevaluate progress, and seeks ongoing processimprovements to become even stronger.”

Yum! Brands Recognizedin FORTUNE’s ‘Top 50Employers For Women’;Diversity Drives Cultureand Business at World’sLargest RestaurantCompany

Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), has beennamed one of FORTUNE magazine’s “Top 50Employers for Women” for its comprehensiveresults across key diversity measures.

FORTUNE’s “Top 50 Employers for Women”survey appeared in its December 2005 issue.The magazine surveyed over 1,000 public andprivate U.S. companies and made its selectionbased on key measures such as percentage offemale board members and new hires,compensation, managerial diversity, andfamily benefits. FORTUNE lists the Top 50companies alphabetically.

“Yum! Brands’ commitment to diversityhelps drive all aspects of our business,” saidDavid C. Novak, Chairman and CEO, Yum!Brands Inc. “Minority and women leaders playa vital role in our success.”

“Our mission is to continue to activelydevelop a workforce with a broad mix ofbackgrounds and viewpoints at all levels ofmanagement. Building on our diversefoundation at all of the brands gives us acompetitive edge and helps drive CustomerMania,” added Novak.

For the past several years, Yum! Brands hasbeen nationally recognized for its diverseworkforce.

— Yum! has been named one of FORTUNEmagazine’s “Top 50 Employers for Minorities”for the past three years.

— The company has been recognized as oneof the “Top 30 Best Companies for Diversity”by BLACK ENTERPRISE Magazine.

— The company also has been recognized asone of the “Corporate 100 CompaniesProviding Opportunities for Hispanics” byHispanic Magazine.

DIVERSITY BRIEFSThrough October of 2005, Xerox has spent

nearly $250 million this year alone withminority- and women-owned businessenterprises - about 10 percentage points morethan planned. This spending represents 30percent of Xerox’s total qualified U.S.purchases (excluding certain items such astaxes). In total, since 1985, Xerox haspurchased more than $5 billion in goods andservices from minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses in the United States.

Xerox’s program not only reports how muchit spends with “MWBEs” but also requiresXerox suppliers and their suppliers to do sotoo, ensuring a chain of business that iscommitted to diversity spending. And, thatchain continues into how Xerox offersdocument technology and services to its owncustomers. For example, earlier this year, as akey component of a six-year managedservices agreement with Xerox, KeyCorpengaged Kansas-based Evolv Solutions LLC - aminority-owned document management andoutput solutions provider - as a primarysupplier.

“Customers who contract with Xerox havecome to expect and are provided with quality,service and competitive pricing,” Robinsonsays. “Increasingly, they are asking forsolutions that incorporate a supplier diversitycommitment - a commitment that Xerox hasdemonstrated for more than 20 years.”

PIONEERING PRACTICES – The roots ofXerox’s supplier program date to the late1960s, when Joseph Wilson, the president ofXerox, wanted to help spark positive changein Rochester after a series of race riots. Hearranged a meeting with community activists,which generated an idea for a black-ownedand operated manufacturing company thatcould provide both new pride and new jobs. Tohelp ensure its success, Wilson ensured Xerox

would be a customer. Known today as Eltrex,the company remains a Xerox supplier andprovides mechanical parts and assembliesused in many Xerox products.

Xerox then began to informally gather moreinformation about its suppliers in response toquestions that came up from customers.Soon, the questions were coming morefrequently, and in 1985 the formalmanagement program was born, positioningXerox as a preferred vendor with bothgovernment agencies and Fortune 500accounts.

Today, in addition to Robinson and theglobal purchasing team, Xerox has a supplierdiversity steering committee withrepresentatives from all major Xerox businessareas. They help provide strategic directionand support so that Xerox, as a buyer,achieves its supplier use goals and that Xerox,as a vendor, leverages market accessinitiatives to help Xerox achieve its revenuegoals and meet customer requirements.

AWARD-WINNING EFFORTS – Over theyears, these initiatives have led to severalawards from customers, publications andassociations, including three top supplierawards from the U.S. Small BusinessAdministration: the Frances Perkins VanguardAward, recognizing use of woman-ownedsmall businesses; the Dwight D. EisenhowerAward for Excellence, which honors largecontractors who use small businesses andsubcontractors; and the Award of Distinction,recognizing large federal contractors that haveexceptional small business subcontractingprograms.

“We’re among few companies to havereceived the ‘Triple Crown’ in awardspresented by SBA in one calendar year,”Robinson says. Xerox is also an active

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DIVERSITY BRIEFS

More than 50 percent of Yum!’s U.S.workforce are minorities as well as more than50 percent of the company’s new hires. Inaddition, nearly 50 percent of the company’sworkforce are women.

Yum!’s diversity strategy includesemployment, leadership development,purchasing and community involvement. Thecompany and its franchise partners supportleading community organizations such as theNAACP; National Urban League; NationalCouncil of LaRaza; U.S. Pan Asian Chamber ofCommerce; MultiCultural Foodservice &Hospitality Alliance and the Women’sFoodservice Forum, among others.

Many of Yum! Brands’ philanthropic effortsare focused on minority community giving andemployee volunteer involvement throughprograms such as Louisville-based Dare toCare Food Bank. Yum! Brands Foundationmakes a $1 million annual commitment to theorganization, two-thirds of which helps reachan additional 90,000 hungry children inunderserved minority communities. Yum!Brands Foundation also has committedapproximately $1 million to the Louisville-based Muhammad Ali Center for theadvancement of humanity worldwide. Inaddition, Yum! Brands is committing $250,000

for the creation of the Children’s EducationalCenter as part of the Kentucky Center forAfrican-American Heritage.

Yum! Brands Inc., based in Louisville,Kentucky, is the world’s largest restaurantcompany in terms of system restaurants withnearly 34,000 restaurants in more than 100countries and territories. Four of thecompany’s restaurant brands — KFC, PizzaHut, Taco Bell and Long John

“Yum! Brands’ commitment to

diversity helps drive all aspects of

our business,” said David C. Novak,

Chairman and CEO, Yum! Brands Inc.

“Minority and women leaders play a

vital role in our success.”

More than 50 percent of Yum!’s

U.S. workforce are minorities as

well as more than 50 percent of

the company’s new hires. In

addition, nearly 50 percent of

the company’s workforce are

women.

Silver’s — are the global leaders of thechicken, pizza, Mexican-style food and quick-service seafood categories respectively. Yum!Brands is the worldwide leader inmultibranding, which offers consumers morechoice and convenience at one restaurantlocation from a combination of KFC, Taco Bell,Pizza Hut, A&W or Long John Silver’s brands.The company and its franchisees todayoperate over 3,100 multibrand restaurants.Outside the United States in 2004, the Yum!Brands’ system opened about three newrestaurants each day of the year, making itone of the fastest growing retailers in theworld. The company has been recognized inBLACK ENTERPRISE Magazine as one of the“30 Best Companies for Diversity” and for thepast three years in FORTUNE’s “Top 50Employers for Minorities.” WIBI

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NEARLY HALF OF AMERICA’S

LARGEST COMPANIES RESPONDING

TO SURVEY DO NOT VOLUNTARILY

DISCLOSE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT

OPPORTUNITY DATA ON WOMEN,

MINORITIES

HIDINGGLASSCEILING

the

Analysts Urge Public Companies to Heed Call

of 1995 Federal Glass Ceiling Commission;

Data Seen As Critical to Assessing Risks and

Opportunities for Investors.

A decade after the federal Glass CeilingCommission recommended voluntarydisclosure of equal employment opportunity(EEO) data by publicly traded companies,almost half (46 percent) of respondingStandard & Poor’s 100 (S&P 100) companiesadmit that they fail to publicly release suchinformation in full, according to a new reportfrom the Social Investment Analyst ResearchNetwork (SIRAN), a project of the SocialInvestment Forum Foundation. While somecompanies - including Coca-Cola, IBM, Intel,and Merck - voluntarily make such disclosureto investors, other firms — including Altria,Cisco and Walt Disney — fail to fully disclosethe extent to which they are or are notachieving progress on equal employmentopportunity.

Women in Business & Industry 2120 Women in Business & Industry

In looking at the track record of America’slargest companies on disclosing their practicesrelated to the advancement of women andminorities in the workplace, SIRAN reviewedthe voluntary disclosure of federal EEO-1reports by companies in the U.S. S&P 100Index. Of the 97 surveyed companies, 46responded, with six (13 percent ofrespondents) providing full public disclosure,19 (41 percent) indicating that they make EEOinformation to investment analysts only uponrequest, six (13 percent) providing partialpublic disclosure and 15 (33 percent) refusingto make public any equal employmentopportunity data.

The SIRAN report notes:“In all, slightly over half ofthe responding companiessaid that they voluntarilyand fully disclosed theconsolidated EEO-1 Report.Given SIRAN’s belief thatcompanies choosing not torespond are less likely tovoluntarily disclose, the trueEEO disclosure rate amongAmerica’s largestcorporations is likely to beat the lower end of theobserved range of 25-50percent.” The SIRAN reportgoes on to applaud sixcompanies “that provideeasy, Web-based access todetailed EEO statistics as part of theircorporate social responsibility reporting”:Citigroup, Coca-Cola, Hewlett-Packard, IBM,Intel, and Merck.

Heidi Soumerai, director of social research,Walden Asset Management, a division ofBoston Trust & Investment ManagementCompany, said: “Social investmentresearchers have been disappointed in the lowlevel of voluntary equal employmentopportunity disclosure by companies. Withoutadequate EEO disclosure, analysts are notable to assess certain risks and opportunitiesassociated with existing or potentialinvestments. Therefore, SIRAN is calling uponpublicly traded companies to voluntarilydisclose equal employment opportunity

information to investors and for U.S.legislators to study the feasibility ofmandatory disclosure.”

Intel Director of Corporate ResponsibilityDavid Stangis said: “A genuine commitmentto diversity and inclusion demands robustemployee programs, effective externalrelationships, effective pipeline developmentin education and scholarship and above all -credible communication internally andexternally. I view disclosure and transparencyas one indicator of the credible corporation.Our stakeholders from job applicants to Intel’s

social investors expect that credibility. AtIntel, we have used data and disclosure tofocus attention to issues and drive long-termcontinuous improvement. EEO disclosure isjust one small indicator to a broadercommitment to corporate citizenship expectedby our employees, prospective employees andinvestors.”

Fran Teplitz, managing director, SocialInvestment Forum, said: “Companies with agood record on diversity have a competitiveadvantage in employee recruitment andretention. Moreover, U.S. customers arebecoming increasingly diverse. Arepresentative work force is more likely toanticipate and respond effectively to evolving

“Social investment researchers have been disappointed in

the low level of voluntary equal employment opportunity

disclosure by companies. Without adequate EEO disclosure,

analysts are not able to assess certain risks and

opportunities associated with existing or potential

investments. Therefore, SIRAN is calling upon publicly

traded companies to voluntarily disclose equal employment

opportunity information to investors and for U.S. legislators

to study the feasibility of mandatory disclosure.”

Heidi Soumerai, director of social research, Walden Asset Management

Women in Business & Industry 2322 Women in Business & Industry

company’s workforce by race and genderacross employment categories as developedby the U.S. Equal Employment OpportunityCommission (EEOC) and the LaborDepartment’s Office of Federal ContractCompliance Programs (OFCCP). Althoughcompanies are required by law to collect suchinformation and report it to the government,the law does not permit the EEOC to disclosethe documents.

WIBI

Made up of 100 of the largest blue-chipcompanies across diverse industry lines, theStandard & Poor’s (S&P) 100 is a subset of theS&P 500.

ABOUT THE REPORT

Walden Asset Management, the socialinvestment division of Boston Trust &Investment Management Company, hasprepared this report for SIRAN. The surveywas conducted by SIRAN analysts at thefollowing firms: Boston Common AssetManagement; Calvert; Citizens Advisors Inc.;F&C Asset Management PLC; InstitutionalShareholder Services, Inc.; Legg MasonInvestment Counsel; Pax World Funds; SmithBarney Asset Management (a division ofCitigroup Global Markets Inc., an indirectwholly owned subsidiary of Citigroup, Inc.),Social Awareness Investment Program;Trillium Asset Management; and Walden AssetManagement (a division of Boston Trust &Investment Management Company).

ABOUT SIRAN

SIRAN is an analyst network that supportsmore than 100 North American socialinvestment research analysts from 30investment firms, research providers, andaffiliated investor groups. Social researchanalysts evaluate corporate policies andperformance on various issues of corporatesocial responsibility (CSR). CSR includesissues such as environment, health andsafety, diversity and human resources policies,and human rights and the supply chain. Thisresearch may be used in: creating investmentportfolios; engagement with companies toencourage improved CSR performance;corporate benchmarking; and financial andrisk analysis. SIRAN is a working group ofthe Social Investment Forum Foundation, anational nonprofit organization providingresearch and education on socially responsibleinvesting. The Forum Foundation supportscutting-edge research on the trends, practice,performance, and impact of social investing.

consumer demand. Conversely, allegations ofdiscrimination in the workplace have created asignificant burden for shareholders due to thehigh cost of litigation and potential loss ofgovernment contracts. Such litigation mayalso damage a company’s reputation. Inseveral industries, discrimination litigation hasbeen particularly costly.

In the pharmaceutical, petroleum, andconsumer products industries, discriminationlawsuits have resulted in costs incurred byshareholders exceeding $1 billion.”

The bipartisan Federal Glass CeilingCommission was convened with a mandate tostudy EEO issues and propose strategies toeliminate artificial barriers to advancementfaced by minorities and women in the U.S.workforce. In the Commission’s 1995 report,the phenomenon of the glass ceiling-significant under representation of women andminorities within senior management-wasaffirmed to be a pervasive problem incorporate America. The Commissionconcluded: “Public disclosure of diversitydata-specifically, data on the most seniorpositions-is an effective incentive to developand maintain innovative, effective programs tobreak glass ceiling barriers. The Commissionrecommends that both the public and privatesectors work toward increased publicdisclosure of diversity data.”

Glass ceiling barriers to advancement forwomen and minorities remain a real problem.Peopleclick Research Institute recently foundthat, while the number of women at thehighest levels of management increased overthe decade, their share of these jobsdecreased from 31.9 percent to 18.8 percentover the decade. The proportion of executivepositions held by minorities was generallyunchanged over the decade at about 11percent. Representation in overallmanagement increased, but remainsdisproportionately low, with 36.4 percent ofmanagement jobs held by women and 16.7percent by minorities. These results are evenmore disappointing in the context of increasedparticipation of women and minorities in thelabor force: women rose from 45.8 percent to46.8 percent of the workforce in the 10 years

ending 2000, and minorities rose from 22.1percent to 27.2 percent. There is ampleadditional documentation that, 10 years afterthe Glass Ceiling Commission report, progresstoward eliminating glass ceiling barriers hasbeen modest ... at best.

The EEO-1 is a government report requiredof most employers with more than 100employees. It provides a snapshot of a

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At the National Association of

Workforce Boards’ Forum 2006,

Microsoft launches Digital Literacy

curriculum to prepare U.S. workers

to compete in the knowledge

economy.

As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthenthe U.S. work force and boost the ability ofthe nation’s companies to compete in a globaleconomy, Microsoft Corp. today announced itis donating cash, software and a curriculum tohelp provide training in technology skills toadults.

In a two-year alliance with the U.S.Department of Labor (DOL), One-Stop CareerCenters around the country will receive a totalof $3.5 million in cash and software, inaddition to a donated Digital Literacy trainingcurriculum, to further advance technologyskills and training programs. Initially, grantswill be made to One-Stop Career Centers in 9cities: Boston and Framingham, Mass.;Pittsburgh and Lancaster, Pa.; Rockledge, Fla.;Sunnyvale, Calif.; Seattle; Chicago; andBeckley, W.Va.

Digital Literacy is a five-course curriculumthat provides a foundation of basic computerskills to learners with little or no previouscomputing experience. The curriculumculminates in a Digital Literacy certificate test,which assesses knowledge across all fivecourses.

“Microsoft has a very strong interest in thereadiness of America’s work force, and as acompany we believe access to learning iscritical in advancing U.S. interests globally,”said Pamela Passman, vice president of GlobalCorporate Affairs at Microsoft. “By partneringwith the DOL, we are opening yet anotheravenue for the ongoing education necessaryfor workers to remain competitive.”

The Department of Labor’s One-Stop CareerCenters (http://www.CareerOneStop.org) are

nationwide resources that help businesses, jobseekers, students and work-forceprofessionals find employment and careerresources, and obtain training and work-forcecredentials.

“This partnership will provide value-addedtechnology training to workers seeking toupgrade their skills. Microsoft and othertechnology leaders understand that we needto close the skills gap to keep Americacompetitive in the innovation economy,” saidSteven Law, deputy secretary of the DOL.

Today’s grants will give One-Stop Centersthe chance to build on existing models oftechnology skills training and to test newdirections. In addition to increasing thecenters’ capacity to provide training in IT skillsto adults with barriers to work and increasethe pool of available workers with a commandof IT skills, this new program has severalother goals.

By integrating IT training into the ongoingprogramming of the public work-force system,Microsoft hopes to contribute to a betterunderstanding of what types of IT skillscurriculum and delivery are most effective forindividuals whose barriers to work are due, atleast in part, to deficiencies in IT skills.

Passman noted that in addition to an agingpopulation and other demographic shifts, thenature of the country’s work force is rapidlyshifting. As enterprise moves from amanufacturing- to an information-basedeconomy, the skills that workers requireincreasingly revolve around knowledge-creation and information-sharing, insight andanalysis, and collaboration and advancedcommunications skills. She pointed out somesobering statistics, citing recent research:

• Only 13 percent of American adultssurveyed are “proficient” in theknowledge and skills needed to search,comprehend and use information, a 13percent drop since 1992.

• Just 13 percent of American adultssurveyed are proficient in the knowledgeand skills needed to identify and perform

DIGITAL LITERACYDIGITAL LITERACY

Microsoft,Department ofLabor Team Up

to TrainTechnology

Workers

Women in Business & Industry 2928 Women in Business & Industry

computational tasks, a number that hasn’t improved in15 years.

In the past decade, Microsoft has been addressing thisdigital literacy issue. The company has developed a range ofcommercial and philanthropic programs to address the needfor IT education and skills training, as well as validation andcertification of such skills.

Today’s DOL alliance is part of Microsoft’s UnlimitedPotential program, which is designed to provide underservedpopulations with IT education and skills training throughcommunity-based technology centers around the country. Ona global level, Microsoft has made a commitment to bring thebenefits of IT education and skills training to a quarter of abillion people by 2010.

In the three years since the Unlimited Potential programbegan, the company has made more than $25 million in cashand software grants and provided technical support andtraining to more than 4,000 technology learning centers inthe U.S., about half of which target work-force development.One of the great benefits of Unlimited Potential is that, inaddition to cash grants, the technology skills curriculum andthe availability of free or low-cost software help create acomprehensive program in the community technologycenters.

Microsoft invites other industry leaders to join with thecompany in an alliance that will work with other leaders in theprivate and public sectors to create a national work-forcedevelopment policy framework, goals and agenda for theUnited States. The company also hopes to work with thepublic sector to more effectively align successful privatesector models of technology skills training and certificationwith public sector work-force development programs.Passman said she hopes that by 2010 every individual in theU.S. work-force who wants a basic level of technology andcomputing skills will have access to the training they need tosucceed in the knowledge economy.

“To address demographic and global economic trends, it’simperative that we act now to ensure that new and existingworkers acquire the basic IT skills necessary for work and forcontinual learning,” Passman said. “Through alliances like theone announced with the DOL today, Microsoft believes it canhelp make a measurable impact on the preparedness ofmillions of Americans and the ability of U.S. businesses tocontribute to and benefit from the knowledge economy.”

WIBI

Women in Business & Industry 3130 Women in Business & Industry

LABOR

HARVESTINGTHE FRUITS

LABORof her

Immigration is a politically decisive issueand a sensitive subject for many.Disagreements abound on the rights and

responsibilities of people who would like tolive and work in the United States, how todifferentiate those well-intentioned groupsfrom the more dangerous “terrorists”entering the country and what to do aboutrelationships with countries losing theircitizens to our borders. Since 2001, over 3.5million immigrants have entered the UnitedStates. For American citizens, it is oftendifficult to understand what drives others tocome to this country. That understandingcannot be explained through typicalimmigrant issues. The “immigrantexperience” can only be conveyed by theindividuals who have lived it.

Behind the headlines lies the real immigration

story. A story where the positive impact of the

immigrant and minority community leads to

economic gain and personal growth.

“Dreams of an Immigrant” (BridgewayBooks, February 2005, ISBN 1-933538-22-8,$13.95) is the inspirational memoir of oneimmigrant woman’s hard work, perseveranceand faith. The book creates a personal andintimate look at an immigrant’s life inAmerica. Born in Paraguay, author ElizabethS. Steger, Ph.D. realized at an early age theopportunities that awaited her in the UnitedStates. Determined to be the best student inschool, Dr. Steger continued her educationat Purdue University. In the book, sheoutlines her life’s path, her work, andlessons she learned along the way.

Dr. Elizabeth Steger

Women in Business & Industry 3332 Women in Business & Industry

continued on next page>>>

“Wonderful experiences in business,marriage, medicine and spirituality havemade my journey interesting andsuccessful,” writes Steger. “I hope the storyof my road to success, independence, andhappiness will inspire others.”

Dr. Steger earned her Ph.D. in industrialchemistry from Universidad Nacional deAsuncion. She went on to earn two master’sdegrees from Purdue University includingher MBA and MS in food science. Dr. Stegerworked for Citrosuco, one of the world’slargest citrus plants. Now, she owns her ownconsulting company called Citrus ConsultingInternational, Inc. She has focused her workon increasing the citrus industry’s efficiencyand productivity, resulting in over $30million in additional revenues for severalcitrus processor companies.

The forecasts she and her companydevelop every year for citrus growers havehelped farmers to price their crop correctly

and allowed both farmers and processors toplan their season two months earlier. As aleading citrus forecasting expert, she is asought after source of information and hasbeen quoted in The Wall Street Journal, theOrlando Sentinel and by the Dow JonesNews Service. Dr. Steger currently resides inOrlando, Florida with her husband.

Women in Business & Industry had theopportunity to pose a few questions to Dr.Steger regarding how she was able to attainher level of education and professionalaccomplishment. Her honest and poignantresponses remind us that challenges aremeant to be overcome, humility is indeed anadmirable quality and, although setbackscan and do occur, we must always bediligent and steadfast in order to reach ourgoals.

WIBI: What obstacles did you incur as animmigrant to the US in regards to achievingboth your level of education and professionaladvancement?

Dr. Steger: I came to the United Statesafter finishing my Ph.D. at UniversidadNacional de Asuncion in Paraguay. I hadearned a scholarship to Purdue University todo my post-doctorate work and was excitedabout the opportunities I would find in theUnited States. I soon discovered thelanguage barrier was going to be my biggestobstacle.

“When you’re an immigrant…

you should try to get your

English skills in tune with your

work if you want to get ahead.

Language training is the best

personal investment you can

make to further your career.”

Women in Business & Industry 3534 Women in Business & Industry

or bring significant benefits with yourwork.4. Execute plans successfully and on time.5. Make the boss look good. Make himproud of your work.

WIBI: Where there any special programsthat you accessed during your education? Ifso, what where they? (scholarships, grants,mentoring)

Dr. Steger: Yes, there were twoscholarships and one grant that made myeducation possible. In order for me to cometo study in the United States, I earned aRotary International Scholarship. It was one

of the best scholarships offered at that timein foreign countries because it paid fortuition, living expenses and travel. Icompeted with candidates from two othercountries for the award, and realize now justhow instrumental this scholarship was on mypath to success.

Later, Purdue University in Lafayette,Indiana gave me an scholarship to finish myfirst master’s degree. Citrosuco, a citruscompany I worked for in Brazil, gave me agrant to earn my second Master of BusinessAdministration. My father was my greatestmentor in life and I owe him my success.

Dr. Steger’s work with the citrus industry has increased effiency and productivity resulting in over $30million in additional revenues for citrus processing companies. In the photo above, Steger examines thedamage done by Hurricane Charley.

Even though I finished nine Englishcourses in Paraguay, I only had enoughgrasp on the language to order food in arestaurant, ask for general directions andunderstand the basics during my professors’lectures. The first three months, I wantedto cry. I had to write papers for school andbarely understood the assignments. With thehelp of some wonderful friends I had made,including one of my professors, and bystudying day and night, I was able to getthrough the ordeal. I finished my Masters ofFood Science in one and a half years with astrong GPA.

My advance in the professional world wasslow. I almost lost my job because of mypoor communication skills. However, I waspromoted from engineer to manager to R&Ddirector at of one of the largest citruscompanies in the world because of my hardworking attitude combined with excellenttechnical performance. I learned animportant lesson after that experience aboutconquering obstacles with creative solutions.When you’re an immigrant from a foreigncountry, you should try to get your Englishskills in tune with your work if you want toget ahead. Language training is the bestpersonal investment you can make tofurther your career.

WIBI: What did you do to overcome thoseobstacles?

Dr. Steger: I overcame these obstacles bystudying the language, acceptingopportunities to speak to large audiencesand by focusing on projects that helped thecompany make and save money.

WIBI: What advice could you give to youngHispanics who are seeking to advance theireducation and professional status?

My advice to young Hispanics issimilar to the advice I would giveall young people. Never give up.Find out what your weaknessesare and establish an action plan tocorrect them. Whether enrolling inan English class or getting moretechnical training to improve yourskills, to be successful you muststrive for excellence and alwaysdo more than the job requires.The five components I have foundto be essential to climbing theladder of success are:

1. Understand the company’svalues and act upon them.2. Be friendly and honest.3. Make money for the company,

My advice to young Hispanics is

similar to the advice I would give

all young people. Never give up.

Find out what your weaknesses

are and establish an action plan to

correct them. Whether enrolling in

an English class or getting more

technical training to improve your

skills, to be successful you must

strive for excellence and always do

more than the job requires.

Women in Business & Industry 3736 Women in Business & Industry

WIBI: Has being an immigrant and womanheld you back in our culture? If so, how?

Dr. Steger: In general, women are held backin society, more so in Latin America than in theUnited States. I was twelve years old when Iconcluded that staying home, taking care ofchildren and cleaning house would not satisfymy aspirations in life. I knew I needed myindependence. My sisters all choose to marry inorder to leave the house, which is normal inLatin society. I choose to leave to pursue myeducation.

At one point in my career, a German womansupervisor took me aside and asked me how Ihad become successful. She had been passedover for promotions several times and felt likethe slights had been because she was awoman. This is a difficult type of discriminationto overcome because it is so subtle. If shereally had been overlooked for jobs becauseshe was a woman, no manager would everadmit it. Her only choice, as mine has been,was to do the best I could, and constantly goabove and beyond my job responsibilities.

The label “immigrant” has become almost abad word in our culture recently. Because ofthe terror attacks and the continued debateabout illegal immigration, the public has foundit easy to stereotype all immigrants into onecategory. For an immigrant, you arediscriminated against until you prove your legalstatus and worth. Guilty until proven innocent.

The U.S. government support for minoritieshelps to outweigh the cultural discrimination.My status as a women and immigrant is adouble plus. My personal company has SBAstatus from the federal government. Thatmeans small companies can get contracts withthe government if they qualify. It is anexcellent help when you own a small business.

WIBI: Have you or are you active as a mentorto others?

Dr. Steger: I love mentoring. I was a mentorfor Purdue University’s students and I alwaystry to be an example for my family, nephewsand nieces. WIBI

Women in Business & Industry 3938 Women in Business & Industry

Women Leaders inNon-Profit Organizationsand AssociationManagement CompaniesSurpass NationalAverage

In Contrast, Women Remain a Minority inLeadership Roles in Top CorporateBusinesses – Greater opportunities foradvancement may lie in AssociationManagement Cos., Non-Profits

Despite all the barriers professionalwomen have conquered over the years, it isno secret that obstacles still exist for thoselooking to advance their careers. One of themore significant obstacles facing women inthe workplace today is the opportunity tomove up into senior-level executivepositions. According to a study conducted byCatalyst, a mere 15.7 percent of corporateofficers at Fortune 500 companies today arewomen.

A much greater percentage of womenaccount for upper management roles atAssociation Management Companies (AMCs)- companies that offer cost-effective,efficient management of daily operations atnon-profit associations, trade groups, andprofessional societies. New research by theInternational Association of AssociationManagement Companies (IAAMC) showsthat, among their active membercompanies, 33 percent of CEO’s andPresidents are women - more than doublethat of Fortune 500 companies.

Professor Patricia H. Deyton, InterimFaculty Director of the Center for Gender inOrganizations and Assistant Professor ofManagement at the Simmons School ofManagement in Boston, offers a possible

Women in Business & Industry 4140 Women in Business & Industry

explanation for this increase in Leadership, apublication of the Center for Public Leadershipat the John F. Kennedy School of Governmentat Harvard University. According to Deyton,women may be drawn to working with non-profit organizations as it affords them theopportunity to serve as the backbone ofsupport for community services. This is a rolein which women have been historically active,and one that fits a commitment to improvesociety by working with groups such as theAmerican Red Cross.

“Women are equally interested in working inleadership roles in large businesses,” offersDeyton. “But, as evidenced by the smallnumbers of women in leadership roles in theFortune 500 companies with a tradition ofmale leadership, many barriers still exist thathave not arisen in sectors where women havehad early and frequent opportunities to takeon leadership positions.”

Not all associations that hire AMCs aregeared towards supporting the communityaround them. Many are trade associations andprofessional societies whose aim is to improvethe quality of the industries they represent.Ironically, women executives are often chosento lead an association whose board ofdirectors and members are primarily men.

In the six years that Molly Lopez, CAE(Certified Association Executive), has beenpresident and owner of AssociationManagement, Ltd., the company has becomea leader in managing male-oriented financialand insurance trade associations, although herjourney has not been without challenges.Lopez and her all-female staff havesuccessfully assisted their clients in achievingtheir goals and thus far, gender has not beenan issue.

“Resourcefulness, intelligence, mutualrespect and open communication areimperative to the success of a femaleexecutive striving to gain her clients’ trustwhile working with male- dominatedindustries,” says Lopez. “Skills commonlyassociated with the female executive -strategic thinking, tenacity, financialmanagement, communication, attention to

detail, coping skills and consensus-buildingskills - are invaluable to her success.”

Women account for a higher percentage ofexecutive positions in larger, self-staffed non-profit organizations as well. In 2005, the Non-Profit Times’ “Power & Influence Top 50” listnamed the 50 top senior-level executives inthe non-profit sector, and of those selected,26 percent were women.

“Holding an upper-level managementposition at an AMC allows women executivesto excel in two ways - obtaining a high-levelmanagement position within their companywhile indulging in a sense of wider communityor industry improvement through their non-profit clients,” noted Sue Pine, Executive VicePresident of IAAMC.

About Catalyst: Catalyst is a non-profitresearch and advisory organization thatsupplies information on women in business.Visit www.catalystwomen.org to learn more.

About Associations and AssociationManagement Companies: The estimatedimpact on the economy represented by non-profit organizations including tradeassociations and professional societies is 10-12 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.

Association Management Companies (AMCs)are professional service firms that provideassociation management and otherassociation services through experienced staff,proven practices and shared resources. AMCsin the United States now manage non-profitbudgets exceeding $2 billion collectively. Formore information, visit www.amcinstitute.org.

One of the more significant obstacles

facing women in the workplace today is

the opportunity to move up into senior-

level executive positions. According to a

study conducted by Catalyst, a mere 15.7

percent of corporate officers at Fortune

500 companies today are women.

Women in Business & Industry 4342 Women in Business & Industry

Women in Business & Industry 4544 Women in Business & Industry

WIBI

State Farm Seeks WomenWho Overcome Adversityand Embrace LifeHonors Inspirational Women WhoHave Persevered After Losing aSpouse

Millions recently tuned in to watch Olympicathletes around the world showcase theirathletic talents, winning achievements andstories of perseverance. The commitment ofthese athletes is inspiring and touches peopleeverywhere. In neighborhoods nationwide,women also embody this same spirit ofdetermination every day.

State Farm Life Insurance Companiesannounces the Embrace Life(TM) Awards tohonor women who inspired others andpersevered after the deaths of their spouses.

“The death of a spouse is a devastatingexperience. Our agents see first hand theemotional and financial impact it has onfamilies,” says Susan D. Waring, executivevice president and chief administrative officerof State Farm Life Insurance Companies. “TheEmbrace Life Awards enables us to celebratethe achievements of women who turnadversity into hope.”

To celebrate personal achievements andshare the life lessons of these women, StateFarm(R) will honor five winners with a$10,000 cash award and recognition at theEmbrace Life Awards gala luncheon in NewYork City on September 14, 2006.

46 Women in Business & Industry

HOW TO ENTER:

Participants are invited to nominate a specialwoman by submitting an essay (of no morethan 1,000 words) between March 1, 2006 andMay 31, 2006. Participants are welcome tonominate themselves.The essays will be judgedby an independent panel of experts on fourcriteria:

— A brief history of the nominee and thecircumstances leading up to the loss of herspouse;— Information on how the nominee movedbeyond her grief to embrace life and inspireothers;— Overview of how the experience changedher;— Life lessons from the nominee on what, ifanything, she would do differently and whatadvice, both personally and financially, shewould offer others facing a similar situation.

Participants must be at least 13 years of ageto nominate a woman for the Embrace LifeAwards. Nominees must be at least 18 years ofage at the time of entry and residents of theUnited States or the provinces of Ontario, NewBrunswick and Alberta, Canada. Nominationscan be made by visiting the State FarmEmbrace Life Awards Contest Web site at http://www.sfembracelifeawards.com and followingthe online directions.

A hard copy of the application form also canbe printed at the Web site and submitted bymail. Mailed applications should include theessay and contact information: complete name,complete address, day/evening phone numbers,date of birth (month and year only) and emailaddress. All U.S. entries should be mailed to:State Farm Embrace Life Awards Essay Contest,1878 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14610.Canadian entries (Alberta, New Brunswick orOntario provinces only) should be mailed to:State Farm Embrace Life Awards Essay Contest,17-7000 McLeod Road, Unit # 135, NiagaraFalls, Ontario L2G 7K3. All entries must bereceived by May 31, 2006.many families haven’ttaken the necessary steps they should toprotect their hopes and dreams for the future.Preparing for the worst won’t make it happen,but it eases the burden if a tragedy occurs.