there.” I made a short list of candidates, and Double D was at the top. He was the first person I called and the first to accept. I am chair of the board, but it was Darwin who set the tone. His courage and experience set the standard we all strove for and will continue to emulate.
Corporate America — and not just minority and women professionals — owes a major debt to the work of Darwin Davis and his peers. That goes double for the 40 companies we recognize as the “Best for Diversity” in this issue. The case for diversity rests in the value proposition that corporate America is at its most productive and competitive when everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, has the opportunity to contribute and lead in every area of business. Few people made that case more convincingly than Darwin Davis.