Papa John’s diversity chief to keynote Greenville Chamber summit

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The Greenville Chamber will host its Diversity and Inclusion Summit at the Greenville Convention Center on Tuesday, Oct. 8, featuring a keynote address from the diversity officer of a national company that experienced a high-profile crisis after its chairman apologized for making racially insensitive remarks.

The full-day summit will feature three keynote speakers, multiple workshop sessions and a networking reception, according to a news release. The event is designed to “develop authentic and intentional leaders by energizing diversity efforts and inspiring inclusion-minded leadership.”

The luncheon keynote address will be delivered by Victoria Russell, chief of diversity, equity and inclusion for Papa John’s, which suffered a public relations challenge when its founder, John Schnatter, used a racial slur — in context, he argued later — during a training exercise on diversity. Schnatter resigned as chairman, according to widespread media reports at the time.

“I am honored to be a part of the Greenville Chamber’s third annual Diversity & Inclusion Summit,” Russell said in the news release. “It is true that out of crisis comes opportunity and I look forward to sharing Papa John’s journey toward a more inclusive culture where everyone belongs.”

The Greenville Chamber is expecting around 700 attendees, who will choose among eight workshop sessions:

• Voiceless at Work? How to Retain Diverse Talent in the Workplace
• Diversity and Inclusion: By the Numbers — From the Inside Out
• Putting Your D&I Voice Into Action
• Finding Common Places Through Conflict Resolution
• Beyond Lip Service
• Women and Automation — Breaking Barriers for the Future of Work
• Closing the Generational Gap: Leveraging Generational Diversity for Competitive Advantage
• Mentorship: The Secret Weapon You Need to Increase Your Workplace Inclusion

Other speakers include Jennifer Brown, founder and CEO of Jennifer Brown Consulting, and Karen Hinds, the closing keynote speaker and author, consultant and founder/CEO of Workplace Success Group.

Registration closes Oct. 12.