Trailblazer Awards Reception Was Hosted by the African American Chamber of N.J. and the N.J. Chamber of Commerce
Eight New Jersey businesses and a business leader that are leading the way in demonstrating tangible and measurable progress in diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) were recognized Nov. 14 at the third annual DE&I Trailblazer Awards reception, co-hosted by the African American Chamber Commerce of New Jersey and the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce.
“These are the companies and organizations that don’t just support DE&I, they are setting measurable equity and inclusion goals and meeting them,” said John E. Harmon Sr., IOM, founder, president & CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey. “They are making a difference. We applaud these trailblazers and encourage their counterparts in the business community to work toward similar measurable goals.”
“We are honoring the companies that are walking the walk,” added Tom Bracken, president and CEO of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. “We are recognizing and celebrating the DE&I champions who are meeting the challenge and challenging the status quo.”
The DE&I Trailblazer Awards at Pines Manor in Edison revealed honorees that have excelled in these key areas: access to capital; board diversity; corporate citizenship; supplier diversity; and workforce diversity. Also presented was a ‘Statewide DE&I Champion’ award that went to a company that has excelled in nearly every category of DE&I; and a ‘DE&I Influencer’ award that went to an outstanding business leader.
The Awardees
The DE&I Trailblazer Award in the ‘Board Diversity’ category went to Virtua Health. Virtua’s board of trustees boasts a diverse composition – 41% people of color and 35% women. The awardee’s DE&I success is striking in another way. Their senior leadership team is 55% women and 22% people of color. Since diversity doesn’t just happen by chance -- it takes hard work -- every team member at Virtua (more than 10,000 people) completes an intensive 26-week course on human understanding and experience aimed at fostering self-awareness and building stronger relationships.
The DE&I Trailblazer Award in the ‘Access to Capital’ category went to New Jersey Community Capital. The nonprofit has made it its mission to inject vital capital into communities that need it most, while directly confronting racial and ethnic wealth disparities. In 2022, it closed $47 million in financing, only to surpass that in fiscal 2023 with an impressive $58 million in new loans. These loans have helped create or preserve 1,400 housing units, 2,000 jobs, and 330,000 square feet of real estate. But beyond the numbers, what truly stands out is the institution’s commitment to equity: 55% of its loan portfolio supports minority borrowers from underrepresented communities.
The DE&I Trailblazer Award in the ‘Supplier Diversity’ category went to American Water. Over the past three years, it has achieved a 25% increase in spending on diverse suppliers across New Jersey. This fall, it launched its Supplier Development Program, a six-month cohort designed to mentor diverse suppliers and enhance their chances of securing contracts with the company. The company, meanwhile, has dedicated an entire section of their website to clearly report their metrics on inclusion, diversity, and equity. It also adopted a strategic plan to build an inclusive, diverse, and equitable workplace where employees feel they belong and can bring their whole selves to work.
The DE&I Trailblazer Award in the ‘Corporate Citizenship’ category went to Comcast. Comcast is leading the charge against digital inequity through its $1 billion initiative aimed at connecting people to the internet. Since 2011, the company has connected over 496,000 low-income New Jersey residents to the internet at home. It has also established more than 1,250 Wi-Fi zones in community centers nationwide — including over 30 in New Jersey — providing free, high-speed Wi-Fi and digital skills training for students and families of all backgrounds. In the past three years, this corporation has contributed $17.1 million in cash and in-kind donations to New Jersey nonprofits that focus on skill building, job training, and career development.
The DE&I Trailblazer Award in the ‘Corporate Citizenship – Small Business’ category went to Huntler Management. This minority-owned firm’s mission goes beyond being an industry leader in infrastructure and construction—it's about making a meaningful difference in the communities it serves. One of its standout efforts is an annual partnership with the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, where the company provides Thanksgiving dinners — complete with turkeys and all the sides — to families in need in Trenton. In addition, the company regularly supports Elijah’s Promise in New Brunswick by collecting and distributing snack bags, and it proudly partners with Touch Link, which aids survivors of domestic violence, and MyGoal, which supports families affected by autism and other intellectual disabilities.
The DE&I Trailblazer Award in the ‘Workforce Diversity’ category went to CGI. CGI supports an inclusive culture committed to the wellbeing and growth of its team. Their success in this endeavor led to being named to TIME Magazine’s list of ‘World’s Best Companies’; and to Forbes magazine’s list of ‘Best Employers for Women,’ as well as being on lists recognizing DE&I practices and LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion. Here in New Jersey, the company is a partner with the New Brunswick P-Tech School District, which helps students from underserved communities pursue careers in STEM fields. A team of professionals from CGI mentors P-Tech students for the four to six years they spend in the program. Students can shadow the company’s consultants during the summer, attend internal meetings and sign up for a paid internship when they turn 18. These activities enable the students to get real-world corporate experience. It also familiarizes the students with the company’s culture, should they choose to work there after graduation.
The second DE&I Trailblazer Award in the ‘Workforce Diversity’ category went to Langan. Langan’s workforce of 1,700 employees, is comprised of 38% women and 31% people of color – both surpassing industry averages. In 2023, 41% of its new hires identified as women, and 39% were people of color. To ensure continued progress, the firm requires all employees to undergo awareness training, while executives and senior leaders participate in more in-depth DEI training. Supplier diversity is another area where this firm excels. It has awarded over $10 million to minority- and women-owned businesses in the tri-state area, accounting for more than 33% of the total contract values.
The DE&I Trailblazer Award in the ‘DE&I Influencer, category goes to Leon Baptiste, president of LB Electric Company. In 1999 he founded a 100% minority-owned contracting and engineering firm that has worked with major clients like PSEG, ConEd, and the Port Authority. Driven by a deep sense of responsibility to give back, in 2005 he launched a training center, in partnership with NJIT and local community colleges, to train inner-city youth, minority students, and re-entries in solar technology, preparing them for careers in renewable energy. His dedication to his community extends beyond business. He serves as chairman of NJIT’s Electrical & Computer Engineering Industry Advisory Board, mentors with the Port Authority of NY & NJ, and co-chairs the construction group for the African American Chamber of Commerce.
The DE&I Trailblazer Award in the ‘Statewide DE&I Champion’ category went to Hackensack Meridian Health. HMH has embedded diversity, equity, and inclusion at the heart of its mission. It even earned recognition as the No. 1 hospital system in the U.S. on Diversity Inc.’s "Top Hospitals & Health Systems" list for 2023. HMH established a Supplier Diversity Council that regularly meets to advance diversity initiatives. As for accountability, it developed software to track and measure its diverse supply chain. This work resulted in a 32% increase in supplier diversity spending in 2023, totaling $75 million.
Honoring Companies that are ‘Walking the Walk’
For the past two months, the two chambers have accrued an impressive list of nominees that represent a wide range of business sizes and industries. All of them have inspiring and uplifting stories to demonstrate how they moved diversity, equity and inclusion to the forefront of their business strategies.
The nominees considered were:
- American Water
- AmeriHealth
- BND Consulting
- Center for Family Services
- CGI Technologies and Solutions Inc.
- Comcast
- Electra Lines LLC
- Elevate 360 LLC
- Emergency Pest Control
- Empower Construction LLC
- Hackensack Meridian Health
- Huntler LLC
- Langan
- LB Electric Co., LLC
- New Jersey Community Capital
- New Jersey Department of State
- Quality Dental School of Technology, Inc.
- Qunnections Management Group, LLC
- South Jersey Industries
- Virtua Health
- We Are Jersey
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About the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey
The African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ) performs an essential role in the economic viability of New Jersey. While providing a platform for New Jersey’s African American business leaders to speak with a collective voice, the AACCNJ advocates and promotes economic diversity fostering a climate of business growth through major initiatives centering on education and public policy. The AACCNJ is a proactive advocacy group with a 501(c)(3) tax exemption, as is the National Black Chamber of Commerce, with which the AACCNJ is affiliated. For more information, visit aaccnj.com
About the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce
The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce is a business advocacy association based in Trenton that lobbies key stakeholders for legislation and policies designed to make New Jersey a desirable state to operate a business and establish good-paying jobs. Chamber member companies receive exclusive invitations to events that offer valuable networking and educational opportunities. Additionally, the Chamber regularly disseminates legislative updates, industry insights, and employer-related news critical to conducting business in New Jersey. The organization unites local and regional chambers of commerce across the state to address significant business issues. The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Foundation is committed to equipping New Jersey’s future workforce with the essential skills required for success in both college and employment. For more information, visit njchamber.com