2009 Best in Class: Senior Management Diversity - Nonprofit/Government



The Greater Cleveland Rapid Transit Authority (GCRTA) has made a conscious decision to create an inclusive senior management team. Thirty percent of the direct reports to GCRTA’s chief executive officer are minority individuals. Thirty-eight percent of those reporting to senior leaders one level below the CEO are minority individuals.

The combined average is 34 percent for these top two levels, compares favorably to a 15 percent average for the nonprofit/government survey group. This level of diversity is maintained through the provision of tools, support and training to create an inclusive environment for senior managers. Effective strategies include:

  • The GCRTA has a total of six divisions. Three divisions; legal, human resources, and finance & administration, are headed by male and female executive managers from minority groups.
  • The initiative undertaken to ensure the senior management of GCRTA reflects diversity is the affirmative action program. Senior management conducts an annual workforce analysis to determine areas of underutilization in all Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) job categories, such as officials/administrators, professionals, protective services workers, administrative support, skilled craft, service maintenance and technicians. This information is used to develop and pursue hiring strategies that address areas of underutilization, with progress reported to, and monitored by the Board.
  • Recruitment resources to identify diverse applicants and candidates include over seventy organizations in the GCRTA service area. In addition, in order to ensure top quality minority candidates for potential senior management placement, individuals are selected from multicultural universities and identified through internal promotional opportunities.
  • The Management Development Program (MDP) provides cross-functional skills and relationship development through rotational assignments throughout all divisions. Career development includes the enhancement of new skill sets and provides a pipeline of new leaders for GCRTA.
  • Minority employees can use internal and external educational and development resources such as the Tuition Reimbursement Program providing financial assistance for employees, as well as through internal classroom and computerized resource training programs.
  • The senior management team uses data to monitor affirmative action progress, as well as internal and external complaints, and offers pertinent training. Progress in these areas is formally reviewed and evaluated by senior and executive management at regularly scheduled EEO Committee meetings.


“Every employer should have a workforce that reflects the rich diversity of the community in which they work and live. At RTA, we encourage, value and celebrate the diversity we have, because it makes us a stronger organization and gives us a real competitive advantage in fulfilling our important mission.”

Joseph A. Calabrese
General Manager
Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority