DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COMMISSION MEMBERS
Mark Mercer (chairman)
Larry Neal (vice chairman)
Katherine Becker
Richard Cardwell
Scott Chapel
Elizabeth Crehan
Robert Harris
Rose Haverkos
James Johns
John Chad Merz
Alicia Pater
Trevor Snider
Eric Taylor
Robert Vollbrecht
Ed Wilson
Letitia Block
Craig Bucheit
Nadine Hill
Since its inception late last year, the city’s Diversity and Inclusion Commission has been working steadily to find answers to the various questions that led to the formation of the group.
According to data provided by the city, Hamilton has 578 full-time employees. The roster includes 447 white males and 107 white females. The lack of diversity and disparity between men and women led city leaders last December to form the commission.
“Our vision as a committee is to work towards finding a way to create a workforce that represents the community we serve,” said, Mark Mercer, who is chair of the commission. “This is a big project and we have a good mix of people from the community and city officials who are working with us. They’re very passionate about this work.”
Seven community residents were appointed by Hamilton’s City Council members from a pool of applicants, and eight city employees were appointed by City Manager Joshua Smith.
A diversity consultant, Dr. Ron Jackson, an expert on identity negotiation, race and culture, was hired by the city to help the commission formulate a strategy to help Hamilton become more diverse.
“So far, they are doing quite well it seems. They have a diverse representation on the commission and our discussing a broad array of interests in terms of how to gain more diversity and that is very good,” Jackson said. “It’s good for the city to be proactive and get out ahead of any type of crisis.”
Jackson said he is impressed that Hamilton is taking the steps to realize that it needs more diversity in the workforce and in the city.
“It’s positive to have economic inclusion and the recruitment and retention of a diverse and inclusive workforce and population in Hamilton,” he noted. “This newly-formed commission in Hamilton isn’t something that is new across the country, but it is unique in Ohio.”
Mercer said that before the commission was formed, an effort to reach a diverse group was started by Councilwoman Kathy Klink. The EMBARK initiative was started as a way to identify high school-age students who wanted to find employment at City Hall and around Hamilton.
“Right now we have four students registered in the program and it looks to have a bright future,” Mercer said.
As one of the city’s leaders, Smith said the commission is a necessity for Hamilton.
“We are at the beginning of our journey with the Diversity & Inclusion Commission. Early indications are positive and I believe we will yield positive results with our efforts,” he said. “Our Department Directors are aware of our organization’s efforts to diversify our workforce and are working to ensure we make tangible progress in that area.”
Mayor Patrick Moeller said the efforts to develop a more diverse workforce is a key to building a brighter future for the city.
“The Commission continues to have goal oriented meetings. I have heard discussions and project ideas are going well,” he said. “Hamilton Police Department has been creative and aggressive in building a diverse applicant pool for police careers.”
Moeller was particularly pleased that the police force just brought in a recruiting class that included the first African-American hire since 1999 and added more females to the ranks.
The diversity hiring by the police department also caught the eye of local NAACP leader the Rev. Dr. Michael Reeves, Jr.
“It is very pleasing to see how the Hamilton Police Department under the leadership of Craig Bucheit has answered the clarion call to raise the efforts in their recruitment process,” he said. “They had many techniques and ideas that helped push the recruitment process ahead. However, the Department certainly went a different direction by involving the community leaders and their ideas.”
Rev. Reeves sees the Diversity and Inclusion Commission’s mission as an important one and that recruiting a workforce that represents the community is vital for Hamilton.
“The faith based community as well as the NAACP Hamilton-Fairfield West Chester have been a vital ally in the recruitment process as it relates to the police department,” he said. “It is important that we in the city of Hamilton continue to embrace a professional, diverse and happy work environment for all our citizens. This is just the start of many great things that many will see, coming from Hamilton, Ohio.”
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