The Merlin G. Pope Diversity Leadership Award

Cincinnati Human Relations Commission and Pope & Associates present The Merlin G. Pope, Jr. Diversity Leadership Award

A Yale-educated sociologist, Merlin has long been recognized as one of the pioneers in the Diversity Industry. In 1977, he coined the term “diversity” to describe the changing demographics of the U.S. workforce. Merlin and the company he co-founded, Pope & Associates, Inc., has trained over one million participants across the globe, and worked with over half of the Fortune 500 companies. The CHRC Diversity Leadership Award was established in his memory by his wife and co-founder of Pope & Associates, Patricia C. Pope.

The Merlin G. Pope, Jr. Diversity Leadership Award was created in 2003 to recognize an individual executive in the Greater Cincinnati Area who has demonstrated outstanding commitment and leadership to diversity and inclusion within their organization and/or the community. Recipients of the award to-date have been:

Awardees 

2003 John Pepper, former P&G Chairman

2004 Lynwood Battle, Diversity Manager, P&G

& Chad Wick, CEO, Knowledge Works Foundation

2005 Karen Bankston, Sr. VP External Affairs, Health Alliance

2006 Kathryn Merchant, President/CEO, Greater Cincinnati Foundation

2007 Art Shriberg, Professor, Xavier University

2008 Marvel Gentry Davis, President/Board, ballet tech cincinnati

2009 Icy Williams, Associate Director of Supplier Diversity, P&G

& Dr. Stephen Price, Superintendent, Middletown City Schools

2010 William T. Sprankles III, Principal, Princeton High School

2011 Laura N. Brunner, Exec VP, Al. Neyer, Inc

2012 Clarence Pauley III, VP HR, UC Health and

J. Phillip Holloman, Pres./COO, Cintas Corp.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NOMINATION FORM