Conference Co-Chairs

	Alexander Hernandez, CFPT™ CRPC® Vice President / Financial Advisor Suntrust Hispanic Latino Diversity Council
	Lisandra Suarez, SPHR Dept Head/Human Resources Manager Hilton Grand Vacations Diversity & Inclusion Council

Welcome

On behalf of SunTrust Bank and Hilton Grand Vacations we welcome you to the 2012 Florida Diversity & Leadership Conference. We are honored to be involved in the conference this year and encourage you to be actively involved in diversity and inclusion initiatives as well.

As professionals in the finance and hospitality industries we certainly share the value of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and in our communities. At our companies, and personally, we both believe that frequent dialogue between businesses and the community on diversity and inclusion topics is a business imperative. This is especially true in the Florida market with its continuous influx of people from many nationalities and walks of life, whom make this state their home. The reality is that our workplaces, communities, and public organizations are becoming more and more diverse hence the key to success for organizations operating in our local/global economy is embracing and understanding diversity and how it impacts their success rate.

According to the 2010 U.S Census Bureau, Florida's population grew by 17.6% versus a nationwide average of 9.7%. This ever increasing community is partially comprised of 2.4% Asian, 16% black, 17% over the age of 65, 22% Hispanic or Latino origin, and over 51% females. These statistics show a significant shift of demographics in our area which must prompt us to look internally to ensure that, to say the least, our market strategies, internal processes, talent management and perspectives are in harmony with these facts.

This year's conference theme and session topics revolve around uniting the various diversity champions and bringing their voices and yours to the forefront. This will give our community the opportunity to learn and have an open dialogue on the issues that affect all of us. We will have presentations and discussions across a wide range of impactful and meaningful topics, from "Winning in the Game of Politics" to "Preparing for Leadership" while we will also dive in into more specific diversity and inclusion topics. Add to that distinguished keynote speakers to provide insight and knowledge into the power of diversity. You now have an opportunity to grow, learn, and network with the top minds in the community, and other professionals seeking to broaden their knowledge of diversity best practices.

We are proud to be active participants in the dissemination of diversity and inclusion within our respective fields and communities in this new era of business. We hope you can join us in spreading the message and look forward to seeing you at the conference.

Regards,

Alexander Hernandez, CFPT CRPC®
Vice President / Financial Advisor
SunTrust Hispanic Latino Diversity Council Co-Chair

Lisandra Suarez, SPHR
Dept Head/Human Resources Manager
Hilton Grand Vacations Diversity & Inclusion Council