The following statement from the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia and our members was also printed in the Wednesday, June 17, 2020 editions of AL DÍA, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Philadelphia Tribune.
As members of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, our businesses represent over 600,000 employees in 11 counties, across three states. Our companies, firms, and organizations come in all sizes and hail from a broad spectrum of industries.
The events of recent weeks have laid bare the gross racial inequities that persist in our society. Today, and forever more, we must be clear in our call for equal justice under the law and the end of systematic racism, police brutality, and economic injustice. This is why, as a business community, we pledge the following:
- We will seek outside input, identify areas for change, and put monitoring systems in place to hold ourselves accountable.
- We will listen to our communities and our hearts to create economic empowerment for all.
- We will set a high standard for diversity, equity, and inclusion across all aspects of our work.
- We will nurture and promote a new generation of Black and Brown executives, board members, and entrepreneurs.
- We will work with public officials to accelerate inclusive economic opportunities.
- We will be allies and advocates for those
whohave been voiceless. - We will listen, not judge.
- We will serve others.
Prior to the death of George Floyd and the sweeping calls for reform his killing catalyzed, statements such as these may have been approached with cynicism; viewed as aspirational at best and insincere at worst. But something has changed over the past weeks and we are energized to listen, learn, and act.
For many of us, we are continuing a longstanding commitment to the fight for equality, while for others these will be new priorities for our organizations. But we are certain that with much urgency, hard work, collaboration, and understanding we will be part of bringing lasting change.
Yours in an equitable future,
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Timothy J. Abell Monica Allen Dario C. Altieri, M.D. Joel Anderson Michael Araten Bruce D. Armon, Esquire Mary Stengel Austen Chetan Bagga Silvana Battaglia Nick Bayer Madeline Bell Gregory S. Bentley Matthew Bergheiser Keith Bethel David R. Binswanger John K. Binswanger Emily L. Bittenbender Robert W. Bogle Sarah Bouchard Ryan N. Boyer Steven S. Bradley David Brenner Pierre Brondeau Marc Brownstein Christopher L. Bruner Deanna M. Byrne Valerie Camillo Anthony Campisi James M. Campolongo Michael C. Carbone James H. Carll, Esquire Craig Carnaroli David L. Cohen Marc Coleman Steven H. Collis Benjamin J. Connors Michael Conway Joseph F. Coradino Rev. Luis Cortés Jr. Elizabeth A. Dale, EdD, MPA M. Walter D’Alessio Nicholas DeBenedictis Robert Delany David A. DeLizza Sean Denham Pasquale “Pat” T. Deon, Sr. James F. Dever, Jr. Keith S. DiMarino Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A. Joseph A. Dougherty Larry Dubinski Richard M. Englert, Ed.D. Anne Ewers Gerard A. Fasano Christopher Fiorentino Daniel K. Fitzpatrick, CFA Christopher H. Franklin Joseph A. Frick John A. Fry Donald Generals, Jr. Michael F. Gerber |
Christopher Gheysens James B. Ginty Peter Gonzales Geoff Gordon Francine Friedman Griesing Jeff Guarancino Amy Gutmann, Ph.D. Janet Haas, M.D. Susan S. Hakkarainen William P. Hankowsky Ernest R. Hanna, III Colleen M. Hanycz, Ph.D. Patrick T. Harker, Ph.D. Ric Harris Michael J. Heller, Esquire Curt Hess Daniel J. Hilferty Michael B. Hill Thomas J. Holt, Jr. Ali A. Houshmand, Ph.D. Michael Innocenzo Alan Jacobson Susan Jacobson Lawrence James Philip P. Jaurigue Stephen L. Johnson Robert D. Kane Alan J. Kaplan Andrew C. Kassner, Esquire Joseph Kirk Ronald J. Kozich Kevin Leininger Paul Lemmo Rodger Levenson David H. Lipson, Jr. Amy T. Loftus Susan Lonergan John J. “Jack” Lynch III Garry Maddox Malik Majeed, Esquire William J. Marrazzo Sharmain Matlock-Turner Frank Mattei Ronald B. Matthew, Jr. Shawn McCaney Ashley A. McEvoy Jami Wintz McKeon, Esquire Robert J. McNeill, Jr. John J. McNichol Brad Messinger Joseph G. Meterchick Edgar Miranda Scott B. Mirkin Judith L. Mondre Edward A. Montgomery Bruce Myer Curtis J. Myers Henry Nassau Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH Anne Bovaird Nevins John Otte David C. Pacitti Raymond J. Pennacchia |
Angelo R. Perryman Louis A. Petroni, Esquire Robert M. Poliseno Bernie Prazenica Trevor Pritchett Joseph Pulicare Ronald R. Rabena Matt Rader Sulaiman Rahman Ajay Raju, Esquire Pedro A. Ramos Siobhan A. Reardon Mark C. Reed, Ed.D. Tim Reeves Lori F. Reiner, CPA Paul D. Ridder Jennifer Rodríguez Steve Rosen Roseann B. Rosenthal Nicole Pullen Ross Ronald Rubin William R. Sasso, Esquire Maria Scenna Jay H. Shah Narashima B. Shenoy, MBA, PE Molly D. Shepard Kate Shields Larry Skinner Evelyn F. Smalls Sidney V. Smith, Jr. Don Smolenski John Spagnola Manuel Stamatakis Russ Starke Susanne Svizeny Gerard H. Sweeney H. Marc Tepper, Esquire David Thornburgh Nicole J. Tranchitella Daniel R. Tropeano Paul Tufano Mark A. Turner Richard Vague Judith M. von Seldeneck John L. Walsh, Jr. Jeffrey Warmann Joan Waters David Webb Donovan West Gilbert A. Wetzel Craig White Zachary Wilcha Barton J. Winokur, Esquire Julie E. Wollman, PhD Rob Wonderling Dawn Holden Woods David Yadgaroff David Yager Harold L. Yoh, III |