Talent & Succession Planning

“While DEI is a business imperative supported by data, it’s also the right thing to do, making it equally important as an altruistic investment.”

“It’s about how to have an appreciation of those differences, encourage you to be uniquely you, who you are, and bring your best authentic self into the workplace.”

Inspired by the keynote address’ title, this annual event adopted “Beyond Ordinary” as its theme. That when utilities, their contractors, and subcontractors are thinking about increasing the diversity of the workforce across the companies that help them engineer, construct, modernize, and maintain the nation’s energy infrastructure, that this thinking breaks out and goes beyond the tried and true.

“The impact on our employees is evident. People are having conversations and are asking questions. I’ve had employees call me and say, ‘I want to understand this topic better.’”

“We looked at the number of HBCU graduates we have working at Southern Company and created a Southern Company HBCU Alumni Network to support inclusion efforts through engagement with our employees and our HBCUs.”

A conversation with Burns & McDonnell T&D Group SVP Andy Jarvis and Diversity Director Ron Evans, Infinite Energy Construction’s President Nilson Goes, KDM Engineering’s President Kimberly Moore.

Conversations with the Energy Department’s Patricia Hoffman, Gridwise Alliance’s Karen Wayland, Anterix’s Chris Guttman-McCabe, Lot Sixteen’s Kellie Donnelly, Dentons’ Clint Vince and Andrew Shaw.

“We want to make sure that under-represented founders and entrepreneurs – what I call the underestimated – have the chance to take part in this economy.”

“When I go to a client meeting today, the females often outnumber the males. It’s changed drastically in the last 25 years. The women in the meetings are in leadership positions.”

This panel discussed how empathy guides servant leadership in keeping utilities connected to diverse communities.