Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Announces Creation of Office of Diversity Management

Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Announces Creation of Office of Diversity
Management

PA First State to Adopt an Enterprise Level Strategy

HARRISBURG, Pa., July 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell
announced today that he has signed an executive order creating the Office of
Diversity Management and establishing a framework for an enterprise-wide
diversity management strategy led by a chief diversity officer.

"This is an important step forward for Pennsylvania," said Governor Rendell.
"Establishing this office underscores my commitment to creating a culture of
inclusion that values and promotes diversity and equal opportunity throughout
state government."

Pennsylvania is the first state in the nation to establish the position of
chief diversity officer with oversight authority to fully integrate and
transform diversity principles at a statewide level. This model was selected
following extensive research and review of organizational diversity best
practices in the public and private sectors.

The Office of Diversity Management is led by Trent Hargrove, Pennsylvania's
first chief diversity officer. Hargrove is charged with evaluating existing
programs and policies to determine if they align with the commonwealth's
diversity objectives and to identify possible barriers to achieving them.

"By pioneering change in effective diversity management and implementing
innovative inclusion strategies, we intend to forge relationships that will
strengthen the effectiveness of all functions of government for the benefit of
residents," said Hargrove. "We will prepare a strategic plan that will make
Pennsylvania a national leader in diversity management."

Hargrove, through the new Office of Diversity Management, also advises the
secretary of administration on a variety of issues, including equal employment
opportunity, recruitment, placement, retention, and contracting issues related
to diversity management planning.

"Until now, the commonwealth's efforts to recruit and retain a diverse
workforce have been largely decentralized," said Secretary of Administration
Naomi Wyatt. "I am confident that, under Trent's leadership, we can transform
our diversity efforts into a more comprehensive program across all state
agencies."

The executive order also established the Governor's Executive Diversity
Council and the Governor's Diversity Planning Council to help the office in
accomplishing its goals. The Governor's Executive Diversity Council provides
guidance, direction and executive-level approval of enterprise-wide
priorities. The Governor's Diversity Planning council identifies and assists
with critical diversity issues that need to be addressed through a
comprehensive planning process. The chief diversity officer is the liaison
between the councils.

Hargrove previously served as chief counsel to the Department of General
Services. He also worked in the areas of civil rights enforcement and hate
crimes awareness, and has served in some capacity for every governor and
attorney general since 1979.

The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public
education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing
economic investment to support our communities and businesses.To find out more
about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter,
visit: www.governor.state.pa.us.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A copy of the executive order is available online at
http://www.oa.state.pa.us/EO2008-06.

CONTACT:
Chuck Ardo
717-783-1116

Mia DeVane (OA)
717-772-4237

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

Chuck Ardo of the Pennsylvania Governor's Office, +1-717-783-1116; or Mia
DeVane, OA ,+1-717-772-4237