Global Diversity and Inclusion Foundation Announces Atlanta as its Worldwide Headquarters....Influential Local Gay Executive Tapped as CEO/President

Online, April 29, 2010 (Newswire.com) - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chuck Obina, an Atlanta-based executive has been appointed as the first CEO/President of the recently launched Global Diversity and Inclusion Foundation (GDIF).

To enhance global diversity, the foundation will establish and share best practices regarding maintaining a peek-performing, all-inclusive workforce. Offerings and assistance will include executive forums, managerial training, employee retention consultation, employee-focused self-discovery initiatives, and an array of other empowerment programs and services.

"Our ultimate aim is to enable all minority community members to live authentically and be given the opportunity and support to thrive in the workplace," said GDIF board member Dr. Maurice Dorsey, National Program Leader, USDA. "Therefore, we will focus our efforts on helping for-profit and non-profit businesses to maximize their workforce potential by fully tapping the world's vast, diverse employee pool," added GDIF Board member Scott Murphy, SVP HR, Turner Broadcasting System.

"Obina has long been recognized as one of Atlanta's most influential and dynamic leaders within, and beyond, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. He has also grown to be quite well known in the national arena on diversity topics," said GDIF Corporate Council, Frances Ann Moran, CEO,Hughes & Sloan.

"Chuck Obina has repeatedly demonstrated that he is immensely gifted in bringing together a broad array of for-profit and non-profit organizations to embrace and implement cultures of diversity and inclusion," said GDIF Board member Graciela Meibar, VP Global Sales, Training & Diversity, Mattel.

"He is a dynamic choice to the launch of GDIF" added Jeremy Green, GDIF board member and Compensation Consultant at NCR.

"As organizations seek to gain an edge and grow in our highly competitive global marketplace, a culture of inclusiveness must be carefully created and maintained so that all qualified talent is welcome and given every opportunity to succeed," said GDIF Executive Council Board Member Neil Watanabe, EVP/CFO Anna Linens.

"If we are not actively creating cultures of inclusion, then by default we are creating cultures of exclusion," Breanna Speed, United Stationers, GDIF's Chairman of the Board.

GDIF was envisioned and established by a core group of executive-level leaders and diversity supporters from a wide array of top Atlanta organizations who saw a void: the need for a turn key organization that could spearhead, aid and accelerate businesses' movement toward inclusiveness.

"Thus was born GDIF, which will, by design, provide results-driven assistance to organizations wishing to create cultures of inclusiveness to maximize workforce talent, enhance the bottom line, and build a reputation for respecting employees' unique qualities and abilities." said Sharon Skipper, GDIF founding board member.

In choosing Atlanta as its headquarters, GDIF joins many national nonprofits with headquarters in the city, such as Habitat for Humanity International, the Arthritis Foundation, the American Cancer Society, CARE and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

GDIF also joins corporate world headquarters located in Atlanta, such as AT&T Mobility, CNN, Chick-fil-A, The Coca-Cola Company, NCR, The Cox family of companies, Delta Air Lines, Georgia-Pacific, The Home Depot, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, and UPS among many others.

"Our aim is that GDIF be rapidly recognized as a vibrant, innovative leader in fostering corporate cultures of equality for all, "said Obina.

The GDIF was established as a Code Section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

For additional information on the Global Diversity and Inclusion Foundation, please visit www.globaldif.org.

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Interviews are welcome. Please contact Chuck Obina, CEO/President, GDIF, 404.786.4541 E-mail: [email protected].