Exchange’s Diverse Ranks Praised During BRIDGE Discussion
When Antonio Porter studied charts of the representation of minorities in Exchange management track positions, the results surprised him.
“I was expecting much lower numbers,” said Porter, the Exchange’s Mid Central regional vice president. “But they showed me that the Exchange is a multi-diverse organization that cares about a workforce made up of people from different backgrounds.”
Porter and Joseph Todd, the Exchange’s vice president of Credit Operations, spoke at a virtual meeting hosted by Building Resources in Diversity Growth of Employees (BRIDGE), the African American Special Emphasis Program at the Exchange.
Antonio Porter, the Exchange’s Mid Central regional vice president, joined the Exchange in 1996 as a Burger King shift manager.
Joseph Todd, the Exchange’s vice president of Credit Operations, joined the Exchange in 2010, starting out as a Finance and Accounting intern.
Porter and Todd addressed Special Emphasis Program managers and their executive champions.
The two leaders discussed their experiences as African Americans working for the Exchange and as minorities who served in the military as part of the Exchange’s recognition of Black History Month.
African Americans have a voice at the Exchange, Porter said, citing data that showed that they made up 1,422 positions in pay band levels 3-6 out of a total of 5,829. In all, minorities represent 56% of those positions.
“We have a voice at the table,” he said. “And people listen to our voices.”
Todd started at the Exchange in 2010 as an intern in Finance and Accounting. He said he almost didn’t take the job.
“I almost let fear of acceptance keep me from joining,” he said. “I had just gotten out of the Army, and the person who interviewed me threw so much information at me that I thought it was all over my head.”
The hiring manager saw something in Todd and convinced him that the Exchange was the right place for him.
“I grew up with a speech impediment, and I had stage fright and a fear of public speaking,” Todd said. “But I listened to what people had to say, people who had faith in me, and I have been able to succeed.”
Porter, who served in the Marines and joined the Exchange in 1996 as a Burger King shift manager, said he experienced racism early in the military.
“For me, I experienced personal biases and racism early on in the military right out of high school,” he said. “I was a pencil-pusher. I was in admin and logistics.”
But Porter’s actions changed minds quickly.
“Once I showed I was capable of doing what needed to be done and let my work speak for itself, those biases went away,” he said.
Todd praised his mentors at the Exchange and said they went a long way to helping him grow.
“They don’t necessarily have to be in your chain of command or directorate, but just ask yourself, ‘Who in the company can help me get to where I want to go?’” he said.
Groups such as BRIDGE also make a difference in promoting a diverse workforce, he said.
“These open forums are very beneficial,” he said. “The Exchange has done a good job in valuing everyone. Everybody brings something to the table. There is value in diversity.”
