Business Leadership Week Considers “Impact of Diversity In Business”

Business Leadership Week Considers “Impact of Diversity In Business”

SAN MARCOS – The McCoy College of Business Administration at Texas State University will host the annual Business Leadership Week Feb. 16-19.

This year’s theme, “Examining the Impact of Diversity in Business” echoes the university’s Common Experience theme of “Exploring Democracy’s Promise: From Segregation to Integration.” Leaders from a variety of business professions will deliver lectures and lead discussion forums to get students thinking about how diversity impacts the atmosphere of today’s business practices.

The keynote address will be delivered by Felix Sanchez, chief executive officer of TerraCom, a government and public relations firm in Washington, D.C., and the pro bono chairman of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts (NHFA). Sanchez has developed a number of programs to assist the entertainment industry in achieving its goals of promoting more Latinos. Under his leadership, and in partnership with Children Now, NHFA produces an annual quantitative look at Latino portrayal on network primetime television. Sanchez also has organized a partnership between NHFA and the entertainment industry to develop actor showcases; promote Latino writers; develop new talent development programs and assists the industry in addressing issues of concern to the Latino community.

Gilda Garcia (chief diversity officer and director of Equity and Access at Texas State), Herman Horn (director for the Health and Human Services Civil Rights Office), and Angeles Valenciano (executive vice president of the National Diversity Council), comprise the Leadership Panel, which will allow students the opportunity to interact with professionals who share a rich history in both human resources and civil rights.

Brian McCoy and Megan McCoy Jones of McCoy’s Building Supply will be speaking as a part of Beta Gama Sigma’s “Meet the Leaders” event. The distinguished Lecture will feature Karen Smithson (director of Human Resources at Atchley & Associates, LLP; co-vice president of Diversity and Inclusion Committee for Austin Human Resource Management Association) and Irma Martinez (26 years as human resources leader at IBM), who will be sharing their experiences with the evolution and growth of diversity during their careers.

New for 2015 will be the Interactive Fair’s Professional Dress Fashion show showcasing fashion from JCPenney. Individual personalized consultations provided by JCPenney Salon and Sephora will also be available. Attendees can expect a mini makeover, product samples and the opportunity to win gift cards, a complete salon makeover and professional dress clothing.

The Cultural Awareness Workshop (registration is required online) is a new seminar that will certify students in multiple dimensions of diversity and sensitivity training.

Diane Gottsman of the Protocol School of Texas will again lead the etiquette dinner, which will be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center. Other legacy events include the Bloomberg Businessweek Mini-Case competition for student organizations to compete for a monetary prize sponsored by Bloomberg Businessweek.

Business Leadership Week activities are open to all Texas State students. For a complete schedule of events, visit http://advising.mccoy.txstate.edu/leadershipweek/.