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We are honored to accept three employer awards from the US Department of Defense on behalf of the more than 450 US military veterans, military reservists and National Guard members at Marsh McLennan. "Of all the work we do," said Pat Tomlinson, CEO of US and Canada, "the distinction of being a great place to work for veterans, reservists, guardsmen—and all our colleagues—is one of the highest privileges."

Our inaugural Equity = Possibility Black Leaders Symposium left attendees feeling they had found a new community and hopeful about what we can accomplish together. We gathered at two locations of historical significance for the Black community – The Gathering Spot and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

The conversation kicked off with opening remarks from Marsh McLennan President and CEO John Doyle. He emphasized how our global businesses can harness expertise across risk, strategy and people to help diverse business leaders grow and thrive.

Author, entrepreneur and acclaimed international speaker Frans Johansson discussed how leadership and success, innovation and D&I intersect to drive successful business models.

Michele Meyer-Shipp, CEO of Dress for Success Worldwide, discussed with Kaia West, Diversity and Inclusion Leader with Mercer, the role C-level executives have in cultivating a culture of belonging and driving diversity as a business imperative.

Dr. Cindy Pace, Vice President, Global Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for MetLife, contributed to a panel discussion on creating resilient, diverse and empathetic organizations. To be successful, companies must fuse economics with empathy to deliver a total rewards plan that is inclusive to all of their colleagues’ needs.

In a breakout session, Melanie Rhodes, CEO of Diversity Spend Solutions, looked at ways in which companies are diversifying their supply chain and best practices that can be adopted. Attendees learned how to include diverse businesses in the sourcing process and heard some key attributes that make their companies a value add with majority firms.

Robert James, II, Director of Strategic Initiatives, President, Carver Development CDE, discussed strategies for de-risking growth for minority and women-owned businesses. Public sector and other engagements requiring partnership with minority-owned businesses frequently present challenges in meeting rigorous insurance requirements.

In her keynote address, Soledad O’Brien, CEO of Soledad O’Brien Productions, focused on purpose and possibility. She shared how, as a thought leader, she has leveraged her depth of experience and cultural awareness to bring change for future talent and in the professional landscape.

Chris Williams, Chief Diversity and Social Impact Officer for Marsh McLennan, encouraged attendees over dinner at The National Center for Civil and Human Rights to "Think Black." Thank you to all of our speakers and attendees, and we look forward to continuing the conversation!