Scottsdale Mayor Ortega Declares Sept. 15 as United Diversity Business Summit Day
(PHOENIX, Ariz.) — NEWS: Thinkzilla Consulting today announced that As Scottsdale Mayor David D. Ortega proclaimed Sept. 15 “United Diversity Business Summit Day,” diverse business leaders and entrepreneurs from across Arizona came together to share ideas and innovations at the first United Diversity Business Summit, which was livestreamed by the City of Scottsdale. The proclamation was presented to Dr. Velma Trayham, organizer of the summit and founder of Thinkzilla Consulting Group. The 2022 summit will be held on Sept. 14, with registration forthcoming.
Highlighting the importance of “opportunity for everyone,” Mayor Ortega shared his initial foray into business at age 14, when his dad announced that “I spent your college fund today” on a local business. Mayor Ortega also proudly shared two key accomplishments: establishing an anti-discrimination ordinance within his first two months in office and formalizing an agreement with the local school district and Scottsdale Community College to support educational health and attainment.
The programming for the summit was presented by Thinkzilla Consulting Group fulfilling its mission to help organizations create positive economic impact through cultural diversity. The only firm in the state of Arizona that combines program management resources with deep DE&I expertise, a network of thousands of minority-led business suppliers, and full service marketing capabilities. The theme of the all-day summit was “Enhancing the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem,” and it was designed as a recovery mechanism to grow small and medium businesses and provide opportunities to support diversification and inclusion initiatives.
“The first annual United Diversity Business Summit was a transformative day filled with innovative and dynamic programming, purpose-driven and vision-oriented entrepreneurs and business owners and illuminating and inspiring keynote speakers. We couldn’t have asked for more,” said Dr. Velma Trayham, CEO of Thinkzilla Consulting Group. “We look forward to introducing even more programs that enhance the ecosystem for small businesses and diverse entrepreneurs.”
At the United Diversity Business Summit, Thinkzilla launched a new diversity, equity and inclusion assessment for businesses: https://thinkzillaconsulting.com/dei-assessment/. The assessment was developed to help more organizations evaluate their efforts to create a sustainable diverse, equitable and inclusive culture, gathering data-driven insights and then identifying new opportunities and strategic planning around DE&I. Trayham invited companies of all sizes interested in making diversity, equity and inclusion “the core of your business values” to move forward with the assessment.
The event programming addressed critical topics that directly impact minority business owners and entrepreneurs. Chris Camacho, president and CEO, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, led a conversation on “The Road to Economic Recovery” that shared innovative business practices and pivot techniques that empower innovation in entrepreneurship. Marcy Tibbs, financial specialist with Country Financial, hosted, “Taking Control: Financial Challenges Women Face,” addressing the importance of credit and maximizing social security benefits to help women strengthen their financial futures. Robin Reed, president, and CEO of the Black Chamber of Arizona delivered a powerful keynote presentation on scaling a successful business venture. Through these workshops, speakers highlighted innovative approaches and best practices that corporations and entrepreneurs could employ to enhance economic diversity.
The esteemed speakers included: David Ortega, Mayor of Scottsdale; Art Hamilton, founder of Art Hamilton Group, Kaley O”Kelley, News Anchor for ABC 15 Arizona, Eric Standifer, president and CEO of Blaylock Van; Dr. Velma Trayham, CEO of Thinkzilla; Robin Reed, president and CEO of the Black Chamber of Arizona; Chris Camacho, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council; Monica Villalabos, president & CEO of Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Tye Hayes, former Chief Information Officer for the City of Atlanta; Gia Rutledge, DE&I expert with Thinkzilla and more.
Sponsors for the event were: Blaylock Van, Arizona State University, Scottdale Art Center, Country Financial, Millionaire Mastermind Academy, SRP, and the City of Scottsdale. Additional community supporters were: GPEC, Black Chamber of Arizona, Arizona Informant, Herozona Foundation, and Maricopa Corporate College.
The United Diversity Business Summit can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBOUmrz4HrM.
Related link: https://thinkzillaconsulting.com/
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