For example, a pioneer supplier-diversity program has boosted
business for women- and minority-owned enterprises from $3.2 million to more than $25 million over
the past four years. “Now that we
have set the model, we’ll expand,”
says Manpower CEO Jeff Joerres,
who co-chairs the GMC Diversity
Committee.
Another collaborative effort that
has recently launched is the Milwaukee 7, a seven-county Regional
Economic Development Council.
The group’s $12-million budget will
help attract, retain and grow business and recruit diverse workers.
With a focus on long-term expansion, the Milwaukee 7 hopes to
diversify southeast Wisconsin’s
industry base with high-growth professions and family-supporting jobs.
The Council also intends to increase business development in
inner-city areas, to direct more business to companies owned and operated by underrepresented groups
and to foster innovation.
To keep Milwaukee affordable and
attract business, the city is working been established with $500,000 in
collaboratively to expand its tax public funds and additional private
base and provide revenue for fur- investment. In addition, four Main
ther economic expansion. “Grow- Street Milwaukee business dis-ing our tax base is imperative,” tricts are targetedfor revitalization,
insists Mayor Barrett. To accom- financed by federal grants and pri-plish this, the Milwaukee Economic vate-sector resources. Plus, Mayor
Development Corp. will provide Barrett is working to establish a
$18 million in new-market tax cred- School of Public Health at the Uni-its. (Loans last year helped create versity of Wisconsin-Madison to
800 new jobs and kept 400 jobs in train future healthcare profession-the area.) Three new Business als and bring healthcare to needy
Improvement Districts have also neighborhoods.
Corporate Headquarters in Milwaukee
Fortune 500 HQs per 100,000 people
Comparable
Metros
Minneapolis/St. Paul
Charlotte/Gastonia/
Rock Hill
Cincinnati
Milwaukee
Columbus
Pittsburgh
San Antonio
Indianapolis
Nashville
Source: MMAC, 2004
Fortune
500 HQs
18
9
Population
3,083,637
1,613,465
Per 100,000
people
. 58
.56
9
8
5
7
5
4
3
1,672,866
1,514,313
1,514,313
2,338,671
1,691,774
1,674,493
1,288,051
. 54
. 53
. 31
. 30
. 30
. 24
. 23
Manpower Supports Area’s Diverse Professionals
As part of its effort to be a local employer of
choice, Manpower recently announced it is leaving its suburban headquarters for RiverBend
Place, located in an area of downtown Milwaukee targeted for revitalization. Also, Manpower
is planning to invest $100,000 in youth, job
training and recruitment efforts to promote and
enhance the hiring of Milwaukee residents in
the community into meaningful careers. Called
Martha C. Artiles Project Accelerate, the work-force development
initiative will start by working with its new nonprofit neighbors to study the dynamics of the Milwaukee
work force. TechReach, Manpower’s national public/non-profit/private-sector partnership program, will likely be leveraged. It’s designed to be employer-driven and focused
on high-growth jobs by delivering customized training to
underskilled workers. “We must reflect the diversity in
our markets and in our communities if we are to be a center for quality employment opportunities. That means we
need to make sure we are not involved in the community
in a siloed manner,” says Artiles. “We recognize we have
to be in it for the long haul—it won’t happen overnight.”
As a staffing organization, Manpower recognizes that it needs to be seen as an employer
of choice locally, as well as a resource for diverse talent nationally. For that reason, “We
have to do something different and unique to
attract diverse talent. We have aligned with
two organizations, Hispanic Professionals of
Greater Milwaukee and the Young Professionals of Milwaukee,” says Martha C. Artiles,
Manpower Chief Diversity Officer. The Young
Professionals of Milwaukee is an organization
within the MMAC. Together with the Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee, they represent a large talent
pool in the region. Manpower works to make both organizations successful by helping their leadership define growth
strategies and communicate to the greater Milwaukee
community. “How we recruit temporary employees to fill
staffing positions, or permanent employees for positions
at Manpower, is how we’re being talked up in the community, ” Artiles says. By working closely with these groups,
“they will talk you up with their membership as an organization that’s in it for a long-term relationship.”
