Industry NewsBusiness of Diversity Celebrated at PHLDiversity Luncheon

Business of Diversity Celebrated at PHLDiversity Luncheon

PHILADELPHIA—The Multicultural Affairs Congress (PHLDiversity), a division of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), enjoyed record-breaking attendance at its 2014 Annual Luncheon on Oct. 9 at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. Featuring a keynote by Nina G. Vaca, chief executive officer of Pinnacle Technical Resources and an inaugural member of President Barack Obama’s Ambassadors of Global Entrepreneurship, the luncheon hosted 600 of the city’s diverse hospitality professionals, dedicated to increasing Philadelphia’s recognition as a top multicultural tourism and convention city. The theme, “The Business of Diversity,” focused on highlighting diversity as a driver in economic growth for Philadelphia and the region.

As a testament to the importance of diversity highlighted at the luncheon, speakers included Horace ‘Chip’ Jordan, SVP and global head of tax, Marriott International and Patricia Lee, SVP, human resources and chief diversity officer, Wyndham Worldwide – which ranked No. 16 and No. 39, respectively, on DiversityInc’s 2014 Top 50 Companies for Diversity; and No. 7 and No. 2, respectively, for supplier diversity.

The luncheon also served as a platform to honor industry and community leaders for their success and accomplishments in support of PHLDiversity’s mission. Honorees included John Chin, executive director of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, who received the Outstanding Recognition Award; Ana Aponte Curtis, vice president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) events planning department, who received the Industry Appreciation Award; and the late E. Steven Collins, former director of urban marketing and external relations at Radio One Inc., who was posthumously honored with the Community Impact Award.

“This year’s luncheon boasted not only its largest attendance to date, but also a dynamic lineup of speakers and honorees who have helped redefine what diversity means in business,” said Greg DeShields, executive director of PHLDiversity. “With this year’s event being the first under my belt as executive director, I was proud to look out into the audience and see individuals and corporations who are committed to driving more diverse business to Philadelphia.”

Prior the luncheon, PHLDiversity hosted a press event, during which PHLCVB President and CEO Jack Ferguson – attributing the city’s economic growth in part to increased multicultural convention bookings – highlighted the record breaking attendance at the 25th Annual National Society of Hispanic MBAs Conference and Career Expo, which met in Philadelphia in September.

“The PHLCVB has always valued PHLDiversity’s contribution to Philadelphia’s efforts in becoming a national and global destination for meetings, conventions and tradeshows,” said Jack Ferguson. “PHLDiversity is an asset to our regional economy and has set Philadelphia apart as a national leader in the multicultural hospitality industry.”

Over the last 90 days, the PHLCVB has secured nearly $100 million in convention business with another $735 million anticipated, several of which are multicultural. Recently booked conferences for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (2015) and the National Black MBA Association (2017) alone are projected to generate $30 million economic impact for Philadelphia in the coming years.

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