Top execs will discuss diversity at NEW multicultural event

A diverse group of industry leaders will lead discussions at the Network of Executive Women Multicultural Workforce Conference 2011, March 1-3  in Atlanta. Speakers will include Rosalind Brewer, division president of Walmart Stores; Sandy Douglas, president of Coca-Cola North America; and Keith Wyche, president and CEO of Cub Foods. Welcome remarks will be made by Robert Abernathy, group president of North Atlantic Consumer Products for Kimberly-Clark.

The three-day national event, "Building Competencies, Growing Business,” will offer practical takeaways for advancing strategic relationships, leveraging employee resource groups, and becoming culturally competent at the individual, team and organizational levels. Attendees will learn ways to better use business teams to maximize customer expectations, align marketing and merchandising teams to collaborate at a higher level and break down silos to advance innovation.

"This year’s conference will offer a plethora of opportunities to better understand how inclusion of all perspectives in business decisions will equate to consumer and market share sustainability,” said the Michael Byron, the conference's executive advisor and vice president of supplier diversity for Supervalu.

Joining Douglas for a roundtable discussion on building culturally competent organizations will be Rosalind Brewer, division president, Southeast Operations, for Walmart; and Shawne Murphy Johnson, GVP, brand strategy and marketing, Supervalu.

Holly Moore, senior vice president, director of global accounts, The Futures Company, will make the case that "Diversity is the New Normal," while Dr. Sondra Thiederman, author of Making Diversity Work, will share her thoughts on "unconscious bias."

"Given the caliber of the speakers that we have been able to engage, this is a must-attend conference for any leader, team or organization that wants to see a breakthrough in their diversity and inclusion efforts in 2011,” noted Jeffery Halter, director of diversity strategy of  The Coca-Cola Company and co-chair of this year's event.

A new report, "Diversity in the Retail Industry,” will be shared by Alison Kenney Paul, vice chair, leader, U.S. Retail Practice, for Deloitte. Educational sessions on leveraging employee resource groups, building culturally competent leaders and creating strategic relationships also will be offered.

The conference is expected to draw 200 retail and consumer products industry sales and marketing executives, diversity and inclusion officers, human resource professionals and line managers.

For more information on the Multicultural Workforce Conference, to be held at the Westin Buckhead Atlanta  register now or contact Lauren Martinez.  Registration is $995 for employees of NEW’s national sponsor companies; $1,295 for all other NEW members.