Thirteen tech leaders commit to creating more diverse workplaces.
BY JACOB PALMER | DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
Thirteen Portland tech CEOs committed to create more diverse workplaces by signing a “Tech Diversity Pledge.”
The pledge requires them to collect and submit demographic data to create a starting point. Then they will make annual reports to gauge progress and best practices.
“Each firm takes their own steps as well. Each commits within their organization to focus but also commits to being a collaborative partner,” said Chris Harder, business and industry division manager with the Portland Development Commission, one of three organizations that helped convene the group.
Executives and companies signing on to the pledge are:
- Mat Ellis, founder and CEO of Cloudability.
- Gino Zahnd, co-founder and CEO of Cozy.
- Sam Blackman, co-founder and CEO of Elemental Technologies.
- Justin Yuen, president of FMYI.
- Vince LaVecchia, founder and COO of Instrument.
- Matt Jones, head of future infotainment at Jaguar Land Rover.
- Eric Winquist, co-founder and CEO of Jama Software.
- James McDermott, founder and CEO of Lytics.
- Joaquin Lippincott, president and founder of Metal Toad.
- Luke Kanies, founder and CEO of Puppet Labs.
- Josh Reich, co-founder and CEO of Simple.
- Marcelino Alvarez, founder and CEO of Uncorked Studios.
- Monica Enand, founder and CEO of Zapproved.
(SOURCE: Portland Business Journal)
Worksystems and the Technology Association of Oregon also signed the pledge.
“The roots of gender and race underrepresentation in technology go deep into our education system and society,” said Sam Blackman, chief executive of Portland video-processing company Elemental Technologies, among the biggest of the city’s young tech companies.
“The work we are taking on as rising tech companies to bring these issues to the surface is important,” Blackman wrote in a letter accompanying the pledge. “But it is just the beginning.”
(SOURCE: OregonLive.com)
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