Bob Johnson unveils website to match minorities, business opportunities

27th February 2012   ·   0 Comments

(Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from Target Market News)—Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of The RLJ Companies, in collaboration with Ariel M. Friedler, president of Symplicity Corporation, the market leader in online career tools, today announced the launch of OppsPlace.com. OppsPlace provides companies with the best opportunity to find qualified, minority job seekers and minority businesses in one online destination. OppsPlace is free of charge for job seekers and minority firms and allows corporate human resources and procurement executives to easily access qualified job seekers and qualified minority businesses for openings to provide the best opportunities.

“I created OppsPlace for several reasons,” said Johnson. “First to reduce the disparity in unemployment for minority Americans and to increase access for vendor services and supplier contracts for minority businesses. Second, I also created OppsPlace to provide corporate America with a targeted destination to identify and interact with minorities for employment and business opportunities. With over 30 charter member companies who have joined OppsPlace, it clearly demonstrates their commitment to diversity and inclusion,” he added.

“As more U.S. companies, large and small, become OppsPlace members, OppsPlace will help reduce unemployment for millions of minority Americans, will provide access to capital to thousands of minority businesses, and will help drive the economic recovery of this country by giving minority Americans a fair shot which they deserve to participate fully in the American Dream,” Johnson concluded.

Unique to OppsPlace is the profile builder which allows companies to focus on their diversity initiatives, mentorship programs, business match-making as well vendor/supplier opportunities,” said Friedler,” said Ariel Friedler, president of Symplicity Corporation and co-founder of OppsPlace. “OppsPlace is not a destination to simply upload a standard resume, but it is a platform that allows job seekers and minority businesses to network with each other and interact with professionals at hiring companies,” he concluded.

“OppsPlace is much more than a jobs board,” said Kelli Richardson Lawson, president and COO of OppsPlace. “It is a diverse online network that aggregates rich content and resources in one destination and is dedicated to helping job seekers and minority business owners engage directly with key decision makers in corporate America,” she added. “It is the only place on the web that aggregates job seekers and minority businesses in the spirit of helping communities of color enhance their lives and financial well-being,” she concluded.

For many years, Johnson has been focused on creating opportunities for minorities and recently announced the RLJ Rule for public and private sector businesses. The RLJ Rule is an adaptation of the National Football League’s (NFL) Rooney Rule, which requires the 32 teams, to interview at least one qualified minority candidate whenever a head coaching or general manager position become available. The RLJ Rule is designed to encourage companies to voluntarily establish a “best practices” policy of diversity and inclusion by identifying and interviewing minority candidates or vendors that are often overlooked under traditional hiring or procurement practices.

OppsPlace and the RLJ Rule are two solutions where Johnson believes businesses both large and small can take direct action to increase employment and business opportunities for minority Ameri­cans.

To date, more than 30 companies have joined OppsPlace as Charter Members: Automatic Data Processing, Inc.; Giant Eagle; State Farm; Aflac; HBO; State Street; Avery Dennison; KB Home; Strayer Education, Inc.; BNY Mellon; Kimberly-Clark; Textron; Capital One Financial Corporation; Lowe’s; Toyota; Colgate-Palmolive Company; McDonald’s; Travelers; Dell; New York Life; United States Steel Corporation; Education Manage­ment Corporation (EDMC); Northern Trust; UPMC; EMC; Penn Mutual; Vibrant Pittsburgh (VP); FedEx Corporation; PNC Financial; Visa; General Motors; PPG Industries, Inc.; YUM! Brands; Prudential Financial, Inc.

For more information visit www.oppsplace.com.

This article was originally published in the February 27, 2012 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper

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Minorities in Business group honors local leaders - Courier-Journal

Three Springfield residents who?ve helped improve the local business environment for minorities were honored Tuesday during the second annual Minorities in Business Heritage Awards ceremony.

?The idea is to recognize people who have made significant progress in our community, to make sure all citizens of Springfield have access to economic opportunities,? said John Oke-Thomas, president of the local Minorities in Business organization. ?There?s always room for improvement. Could we do better? Absolutely.?

The Heritage Awards ceremony took place at Q Enoteca, 308 W. Commercial St. Oke-Thomas said the organization has about 85 members. He estimated there are about 45 minority-owned businesses in Springfield.

Minorities in Business promotes economic development and business opportunities through advocacy, networking, community development and capacity-building for minority businesses and entrepreneurs in the greater Springfield area.

The honorees are:

Denny Whayne. He received the Achievement Award in recognition of his lifelong leadership in the Springfield community. In addition to serving two terms on the Springfield City Council, he has served in volunteer leadership positions for the United Way, Springfield Community Center, Boys and Girls Clubs and Missouri State University. He led the successful effort to have the Benton Street Bridge renamed the Martin Luther King Bridge and was involved in many community betterment efforts including the development of the US 65 bypass corridor, Jordan Valley Health Center, the regional crime laboratory and the regional airport.

In accepting the award, Whayne told the crowd of about 50 people: ?It?s never been about me. I?ve always tried to turn the ?me? upside down and make it ?we?.?

He reflected on his early passion for civil rights and said he thought it was his ?duty to try to make a difference.?

Whayne added: ?Things change. People change. People change things.?

Leslie Anderson. The associate professor at Missouri State University, received the Advocacy Award. During her tenure as interim Vice President in the Office for Diversity and Inclusion at Missouri State, Anderson chaired the Summit for Diversity and Economic Development that engaged 76 community organizations, businesses, faith and educational institutions. She chaired the President?s Commission for Diversity at Missouri State for four years and has been involved in many community activities, including work as a trainer for the Facing Racism curriculum sponsored by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.

Joe Robles. Owner of Joe Robles State Farm Insurance, he received the Community Service Award in honor of his many community activities. He serves on the board of directors of Crime Stoppers for the Greater Springfield Area, the Minorities in Business Executive Council and the Missouri State Vice President?s Commission on Diversity and Inclusion. He serves as marketing chair for BNI-Business By Referral Chapter and is a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. Most recently, he has been a leader in the grassroots campaign to educate voters about the E-Verify ordinance.

Minorities in Business initiated its awards last year, recognizing former Social Security Administration district manager Ron Ponds, who received the group?s first Achievement Award. Francine Pratt, former president of the local NAACP and Executive Director of Isabel?s House, received the Community service Award.

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce received the group?s Advocacy Award for identifying a lack of diversity in Springfield as an impediment to economic development. The chamber also held several anti-racism workshops.

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