Pictured Rick Gomez and
Citywide Pride's nine sponsoring companies—Accenture, Bank One, CNA, Deloitte, Exelon, Harris Bank, HRC Foundation, LaSalle Bank and Quaker/PepsiCo—hosted a series of events created by this Chicago-area consortium of Fortune 500 companies during Gay Pride Month.
The Final Event 'Pride on the Plaza' is open to the public, Bank One Plaza, Fountain Level, corner of Dearborn and Madison, Thursday, June 24, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Pictured are folks at an event on 'Being Out at the Top: Forum with Out LGBT Executives,' held at Accenture June 11. FROM LEFT: Presenter Marco Ziegler, a partner at Accenture; moderator Richard Westphal of Accenture; and presenters Rick Gomez of PepsiCo, and Kurt Dahl, a Vice President at Harris Bank.
For info: CitywidePride-Chi@deloitte.com .
Photod\s by Tracy Baim
During Gay Pride Month, several Fortune 500 companies held forums across Chicago on topics that involved business and the GLBT community—a program called Citywide Pride. One of the businessmen who spoke at the forum 'Being Out at the Top' was Rick Gomez, a top executive at Tropicana.
Windy City Times spoke with the affable and articulate Gomez about several topics and one thing became clear: Although sexuality is important regarding who you are, results are critical regarding where you go.
Windy City Times: Now, what's your official title?
Rick Gomez: I'm Vice President of Marketing at Tropicana Beverages. I started with Quaker Oats in 1991. Three years ago, Quaker was acquired by PepsiCo. At that point, I continued to work under Quaker. A year and a half ago, I moved over to focus on marketing for Tropicana Beverages.
WCT: Have you always been openly gay [in the corporate world] and, if so, how hard was it?
RG: To give you some background, I was 22 when I joined the company 13 years ago. At that point, I wasn't out and really hadn't come to terms with my sexuality. Eventually, I did come to terms with it and started reaching out to people at work, with whom I had personal relationships. I came out to those people first and then, over time, talked to managers whom I trusted.
However, I never made this big proclamation to the organization that I'm gay. Similarly, I don't talk about being Hispanic. I rarely talk about my ethnicity or my sexuality at work. However, they're certainly parts of who I am and I'm proud of [being Hispanic and gay].
WCT: Of course there's a slight difference because people can see ethnicity [for the most part].
RG: Yes, it is different and I feel that ethnicity is easier for people to handle in corporate America. I used the analogy because it's all part of who I am. When it comes to being gay, I'm most comfortable sharing with people whom I trust and have built relationships with. With those people, it's more natural for me to want to share more of my personal life.
In the corporate world, the focus is on business results. What are most important are credibility and my manager's confidence in my abilities to deliver.
WCT: How easy do you think it would be for a 22-year-old gay employee to enter the world of corporate America today?
RG: I think things are getting better [in terms of acceptance]. However, I don't think it's necessarily easy—or that it will ever be easy. Hopefully, there's more of a support network and there are more role models today.
WCT: And you don't think it will ever be easy?
RG: I don't know. Maybe some day sexuality will be a nonissue.
WCT: What is your opinion of sensitivity training?
RG: Pepsico does quite a bit of what we call inclusion training in an effort to create a more diverse culture. The training's about understanding ethnic and cultural differences as well as providing practical tools to use on a daily basis.
I think the training is absolutely great; it's a first step. Hopefully, we can get to the point where [appreciating differences] is more intuitive and we don't need the classes. However, today the training is necessary and is helpful. The feedback regarding the classes has always been positive.
It's important to talk about inclusion training broadly so that it's not just about 'How do I work with African Americans?' or 'How do I work with gays?' It's about working with people who are different from you.
WCT: Do you think the amount of discrimination increases as you go up the corporate ladder?
RG: I think the most important thing you can do is deliver the results. You're evaluated based on your track record and no one can ever take that away. As you move up the organization, you will be evaluated on your ability to have impact and drive change.
I don't think discrimination is more apparent at the senior levels, but I do think that standards become higher and things become more competitive. There are fewer positions and the people in those positions better be top-caliber. What we can do as GLBT employees is to be open about our sexuality and, at the same time, deliver outstanding results.
WCT: Let me throw a hypothetical at you. Let's say a law was enacted that called for affirmative action of GLBT employees. Would you be in favor of such a law?
RG: That's such a tough question. I am supportive of removing obstacles that unfairly prevent the GLBT community from succeeding. However, I ultimately believe in a system where people are rewarded for their talent and accomplishments regardless of sexuality.
WCT: But to even get in the door, do you see such a law as being beneficial?
RG: If you posed the lack of GLBT managers as a problem, my first solution wouldn't be to enact that type of legislation. I would ask, 'Why aren't they succeeding?' I think the solution lies in having more out executives as role models, having a greater support network, and presenting better diversity training.
WCT: I came across this quote: 'Some people contend that, when it comes to hiring gays, companies care about profits and performance more than sexual orientation.' Do you think that's true?
RG: I don't think that [that quote] is wrong. At the end of the day, you have to deliver the goods. I wouldn't hire someone just because he's gay; I want to hire the best candidate. Now, I try to create a diverse team; that will drive better problem-solving and more innovation.
WCT: I came across a stat I found interesting: Ninety-five percent of Fortune 500 companies ban discrimination based on sexual orientation—but [as of the date of this interview] over 30 states can fire an employee if he's gay. Do you think the state legislatures have a responsibility to foster more acceptance through their own bans on discrimination?
RG: Well, I think there's a role for the legislatures in banning discrimination. However, I think corporations are realizing the value of diversity. Companies with more diverse workforces will flourish; they'll have less turnover, they'll attract talent, and, ultimately, they'll have a competitive advantage.
WCT: Any final words?
RG: I think it's important to note that a company like PepsiCo, a Fortune 100, is investing significant resources in inclusion training. If PepsiCo is to succeed long-term, it has to have a diverse work force—and it's putting the tools in place to have that. There's a real commitment there. Fortune 100 companies are realizing that successful business should have a mix of all minorities, including the GLBT and ethnic communities. I think PepsiCo's participation in Pride Week is just one example of its commitment to creating a diverse workforce.
I'm at westelm406@yahoo.com .