HDP Diversity Training Seminar
By Ben DeCosta Aviation General Manager Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport	HDP Diversity Training Seminar The Tech Campus - Atlanta, GA September 11, 2003

Good morning. Thank you for inviting me to speak to you about diversity and its importance in the expansion and modernization projects of Atlanta’s airport. I am pleased to inform you that those projects are proceeding on time and within budget, with the goal of making Hartsfield-Jackson the best airport in the world. I believe our progress is due in part to the conscious effort placed on making sure that the workforce is diverse from both an ethnic and gender perspective.

Atlanta has a rich history of being a leader in bringing change to the forefront of the American consciousness. Take the Civil Rights movement, for instance. Atlanta was a key player in this movement to bring equal opportunity and rights to all citizens of this country. To some degree, you may say that was an introduction to diversity.

Furthermore, look at the legacy that Maynard Jackson bestowed on the airport. Through his efforts, minorities made great gains in terms of securing business opportunities with the city. Also, look at the number of female-owned businesses in Atlanta. I’m sure you all recall from your diversity training session that there are almost 90,000 female-owned companies in Atlanta. That number shows that our city provides the opportunities and environment for success despite obstacles based on gender. All in all, we are a very progressive city. Naturally our airport reflects that progressive trend and HDP plays a pivotal role in ensuring that diversity exists at Hartsfield-Jackson.

There are over 42,000 minority and female construction companies in Atlanta. That sounds like a lot; however, ensuring that we have a large number of qualified minority- and female- construction firms is the issue here. HDP brings in a diverse group of qualified firms through the Alliance’s CBMI curriculum and other training opportunities. Women and minorities have the skills and abilities to help make this airport great and we want to make sure that they are a part of this program.

Now let’s look at sustainable capacity. We want to secure qualified minority- and female- construction companies to work at the airport. We want them to maintain the ability to work on large projects. These companies need the ability to bond at high levels. They need access to capital to complete major construction projects. HDP is meeting this challenge through programs like the “Sky is the Limit” and the upcoming Diversity Conference, which will be held in conjunction with the airport job fair. The next one is scheduled for October 23, 2003 and will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Atlanta Apparel Mart. This job fair will be the first one to be held in conjunction with the Supplier Diversity Conference, an annual event established in 2002 to encourage minority participation in government procurement processes. The two-day conference, in which Mayor Franklin plans to participate, will feature a series of workshops and seminars designed to provide attendees with greater insight into how the procurement process works and how to secure government contracts.

Building a culture for success based on diversity requires that you and I adopt an attitude of helping and assisting others. This is how we maintain and increase our diverse network of construction firms. Bidders and suppliers who are awarded contracts become our extended family and we are ready to help them. This promotes success at HDP because there is help at every level of program management and implementation.
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