WFF Leadership Luncheon lauds companies committed to diversity

Nation's Restaurant News, June 12, 2006 by Christi Ravneberg

CHICAGO -- Even as short-term diversity goals are met, companies must remain steadfast in their efforts to support women and minorities in the workplace, said speakers at this year's Women's Foodservice Forum Leadership Luncheon.

The event, titled "Celebrating Companies that SOAR," was the WFF's fifth annual luncheon and took place last month at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place hotel during the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show here.

Clarence Otis Jr., chairman and chief executive of Orlando, Fla.-based Darden Restaurants Inc., gave a keynote address in which he urged audience members to keep their diversity plans on track by seeking help from groups like the Women's Foodservice Forum.

Companies often lose sight of their goals, he said, because day-to-day concerns compete for attention and because diversity issues force people to ask difficult questions about themselves and their beliefs.

"It is our job to ensure that erosion of purpose doesn't happen," he said.

In his address, Otis noted three ways in which Darden maintains a supportive company culture: "valuing diversity, acting with a big heart and encouraging employees to dream big."

"The goal is creating workplaces where women thrive and everyone's talent is fully utilized for the benefit of the entire foodservice industry and, ultimately, all of our customers," he said.

He called on audience members to recognize and embrace people's differences, including differences in background, gender and sexual orientation.

"As we try to find out why each of us is the way we are, we create relationships of trust based on that shared curiosity," he said.

Otis also challenged companies to make a bold statement about a commitment to diversity by starting at the top--with the board of directors. He credited retired Darden chairman Joe R. Lee for creating a diverse board of directors and for instilling in employees the importance of documented progress in the area of diversity.

"By having the right focus in the board room, we can have the right focus in the dining room," Otis said.

Also during the luncheon, the WFF, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support and encourage female leaders in the restaurant industry, presented PepsiCo with the group's first annual Jackie B. Trujillo SOAR Award.

Mary Bentley, president of the WFF, introduced Trujillo, a foodservice industry veteran and retired chair of Palo Alto, Calif.-based KFC franchisee Harman Management, who presented the award to PepsiCo president Chris Furman. In accepting the award, Furman praised Trujillo as a business pioneer and also thanked the WFF for the honor.

"I am honored to accept this award and also humbled, in a sense, because I know that our work [to increase gender diversity] has only begun," Furman said. "You have our commitment to achievement in this area."

Right, from left: Vivian McCoy, Cafe 3000, Wakemed; Willie Wilson, Omar Inc.; Crystal Duncan, Georgia Pacific; and Michele Hoskins, Michele Foods

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Left, from left: Paula Marshall, WFF chair; Chris Furman, president of PepsiCo Foodservice; foodservice-industry veteran Jackie B. Trujillo; and Mary Bentley, WFF president

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Above: Clarence Otis Jr., left, of Darden Restaurants Inc., and the WFF's Marshall

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Right, from left: Miriam Eisenberg of Ecolab Inc., Amy Sheren of Wendy's International and Deb Fratrik of BD's Mongolian Barbecue

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Left, from left: Sheri Miksa, formerly of Rubio's Restaurants Inc.; and Gerry Fernandez of the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance

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Far left: Kim Crisanti, chair of the Annual Leadership Luncheon Committee

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