Pressure is mounting on our business leaders to move beyond diversity to racial equity within their own companies’ walls. We are here to help. Last fall, more than 130 top business executives and community leaders participated in the Business Record’s first Executive Vision Series, a powerful new offering that focused on helping businesses build strategies for racial equity. Along with our program partners Urban Dreams and Tero International we are pleased to announce we will once again offer this interactive five-week series on Strategies for Racial Equity in April 2021, and want to encourage you to consider registering your leadership team for this year’s program.
The second Executive Vision Series will be held in the Spring of 2021 and will focus on Strategies for Racial Equity. To provide deep expertise and an authentic experience, Business Record is pleased to announce a collaboration with leading professional training organizations in our community: Urban Dreams & Tero International. Companies may enroll small groups of leaders who will participate in a series of five sessions which include large and small group learning and planning in a virtual environment. Our goal is to deliver opportunities for personal growth and individual insights that lead to leadership breakthroughs and concrete plans for change within an organization.
The ongoing pandemic, economic uncertainty and discourse around racial equity have created unprecedented changes and challenges for businesses and leaders. Many executives nationwide and in Iowa want to reflect, learn, share and explore new visions and appropriate guiding strategies for the future. In particular, conversations around racial equity are of utmost urgency, as many Iowa CEOs are seeking guidance for themselves, as well as resources and training for their teams.
As protests for social justice erupted in the summer of 2020, numerous business executives reached out to Izaah Knox of Urban Dreams for help in shaping strategies to address racial equity. Knox approached Business Publications Corporation (BPC) because of our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and our many channels for reaching and engaging with local business and cultural communities. Conversations ensued between Urban Dreams; Rowena Crosbie, owner of the highly respected and locally-based training firm Tero International; and BPC’s Business Record, and the three organizations decided to join forces on a brand-new initiative. Together, we designed this executive education event series to guide C-suite and senior-level leaders through professional growth and racial equity development to create bold, confident strategic visions and shape-related cultures that value all people.
The series Begins on April 23 and runs for five weeks ending on May 21.
Time: Seseions are held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Curriculum developed and delivered by Tero International Inc. and Urban Dreams will be completed via Zoom over a 5-week span.
• Evaluation and training will be a dynamic mix of teaching concepts and group work.
• Discussions and networking with leaders across the community
• Discussions and networking with your own leadership team
• Interactive feedback
• Leave with ideas to move the conversation forward in your organization.
The program is targeted for Senior-level leaders or board members (CEOS, EVP, SVP, EDs, leadership team level or Board of Directors) who can lead and model change in their organizations.
• 2 - Full Pages in Business Record
– Diversity & Inclusion focus issue October 29 will include company branded advertisement
– One additional ad (Give One) will be donated to a diverse business, cause or organization of choice to heighten racial equity efforts. *Nonprofit rate does not include the donated ad space.
• Logo inclusion on a April 16 print ad
- April 16th Human Resources focus issue spotlighting participants of the program.
• Social Media post
- promote program involvement with mention of both corporation and diverse business.
– Example: "Thank you {COMPANY NAME HERE} for helping dsm businesses do business better. Your support of {DIVERSE BUSINESS NAME HERE} in our giving chain helps to inform, inspire, elevate and celebrate our community. "
• Each participant gets a one-year work/play membership to Business Record/dsm
• Each company gets 10 memberships to share with their Give One recipient company/organization
• 2 - 1/2 Pages in Business Record
– Diversity & Inclusion focus issue October 29 will include company branded advertisement
– One additional ad (Give One) will be donated to a diverse business, cause or organization of choice to heighten racial equity efforts. *Nonprofit rate does not include the donated ad space.
• Logo inclusion on a April 16 print ad
- April 16th Human Resources focus issue spotlighting participants of the program.
• Social Media post
- promote program involvement with mention of both corporation and diverse business.
– Example: "Thank you {COMPANY NAME HERE} for helping dsm businesses do business better. Your support of {DIVERSE BUSINESS NAME HERE} in our giving chain helps to inform, inspire, elevate and celebrate our community."
• Each participant gets a one-year work/play membership to Business Record/dsm
• Each company gets 5 memberships to share with their Give One recipient company/organization
• 1/4 Page in Business Record
– Diversity & Inclusion focus issue October 29 will include company branded advertisement
• Logo inclusion on a April 16 print ad
- April 16th Human Resources focus issue spotlighting participants of the program.
• participant receives a one-year work/play membership to Business Record/dsm
NOTE: The single option is limited to small business owners and nonprofit executive directors.
MARCH 31 - Enrollment reservation deadline
APRIL 23 - First Class
OCTOBER 21 - Materials Due (ad materials and class attendee information)
Contact Director of Advertising Sara Brown at [email protected]
Kurt Gibson - President & CEO
"Of all the recent opportunities I’ve had to learn about racial equity, none has had more impact on me than this series. Hearing personal stories directly from participants who have experienced challenges made me realize that their struggles are real, and as a community, we need to do better."
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Rona Berinobis - Vice President Inclusion and Organizational Development
"The Executive Vision Series provided a great forum for learning, sharing best practices and action planning. The facilitators and speakers effectively used their own life experiences to provide context to the sessions."
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Jay Byers, CEO
"As a region and within each of our workplaces, it is critical that we advance DEI initiatives to ensure that people from all backgrounds feel welcomed in Greater Des Moines and empowered to positively contribute to our organizations, as diverse voices make us stronger. Although DEI efforts need to happen at all levels of the community and workplace, it takes a commitment from the top, which this series encourages and cultivates.”