NSBE - Convention 2014 - (Page 89)

40th NSBE Annual Convention * March 26-30, 2014 Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center * Nashville, Tenn. 'NSBE40: Engineering and Leadership in Harmony' National Society of Black Engineers Golden Torch Honorees CORPORATE DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP General Mills, Inc. multicultural employees are teamed with an executive within their own business function. is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers. The equation is simple: diversity plus inclusion equals business value. General Mills not only wants diversity, it believes diversity is critical to the company's success. The company believes it connects with its consumers, customers Ken Charles, Chief Recruiting and and communities more Diversity Officer, effectively because its General Mills, Inc. employee population mirrors the demographics of the nation. Ten of General Mills' senior leaders have organized an Executive Diversity Council to listen, learn, respond and enforce accountability throughout the organization. The council members act as advisers to the several diversity organizations within General Mills. One of these organizations is the Black Champions Network (BCN), the largest employee network within General Mills. Network participation is actively promoted to new hires as a way to make professional connections and identify successful career paths. One way the BCN is active in the African-American community is through the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Breakfast. What started with 800 guests in 1991 has grown so large that it reaches full capacity seating at the Minneapolis Convention Center. In the ever-changing business environment, it is critical to have processes and tools in place to ensure the success of African Americans within the professional arena. Tools used within General Mills to pinpoint high-potential individuals and provide training, leadership roles and experiences needed to accelerate their development and professional advancement include the People and Organization Review, and the Diversity Scorecard. General Mills also provides many opportunities for employees to grow. Mentoring opportunities are available to multicultural employees at all stages of their careers. Through sponsorships, qualified DISTINGUISHED ENGINEER OF THE YEAR GRADUATE STUDENT OF THE YEAR www.nsbe.org Moses K. Mingle Electronics Engineer, Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate (I2WD) Branch Chief, Electronic Warfare Systems Grounds Branch United States Army Moses K. Mingle leads a branch of government and contractor personnel working toward the development of state-of-the-art technology in support of the electronic warfare mission to the United States Army. He previously served as the chief engineer and assistant product manager for Product Manager Counter Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) Electronic Warfare (PdM CREW). He and his team are credited with providing significantly improved technology capabilities for CREW systems that saved the Army, the Program Management Office and the U.S. taxpayer more than $120 million. In his earlier position, as team leader for the Radio Frequency Measurement and Signature Intelligence Branch with I2WD, he led two key development programs: countermeasure systems that were used by the U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and other theaters of operation throughout the world to defeat improvised explosive devices. Both programs received the 2006 and 2008 "Top 10 Greatest Army Inventions" awards. Mingle holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University, a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix. He has received numerous honors for his achievements and Whitney B. Gaskins Ph.D. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering University of Cincinnati Whitney B. Gaskins is a student of biomedical engineering with a focus on engineering education. Her research is on improving learning environments for all students by examining pedagogy, teacher training and perception, and stereotype threat. She also studies stress in the classroom environment and the effect it has on health and academic performance. Gaskins has been recognized by the National Technical Association for her novel approach to studying students, specifically underrepresented minorities and women, and she has been a Graduate Engineering Education Consortium for Students Fellow sponsored by the National Science Foundation. Gaskins earned her Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Cincinnati and has a Master of Quantitative Analysis degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Business. Along with her scholastic achievement, Gaskins serves on three diversity councils at the university and has worked as an engineering professional for companies including GE, Atricure and Toyota. A mentor, advisor and community activist, Gaskins has dedicated her life to motivation and philanthropic endeavors. In 2009, she founded The Gaskins Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate and empower the African-American community. Gaskins was named Miss Black Ohio in 2009 and used this platform to improve the self-image of young women. She also served as executive director for the scholarship pageant for Ohio from 2010 to 2012, a role in which she provided educational opportunities to outstanding young women of color. Gaskins also CONTINUED ON PAGE 90 NSBE MAGAZINE * C ONVENTION 2014 * 89 http://www.nsbe.org

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NSBE - Convention 2014