Building an Inclusive Culture with Jorge Quezada from Granite Construction

On this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy welcomes Jorge Quezada from Granite Construction to the show. Jorge is responsible for talent acquisition, workplace compliance, and inclusive diversity, and he helps the company implement strategies to address Granite Construction’s guiding belief that diverse backgrounds, perspectives, cultures, and experiences enhance creativity and innovation. He brings an innovative approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion to make a lasting impact at Granite and the construction industry.

Before joining Granite, Jorge served as Senior Director of Diversity and Inclusion - Leadership Development at Northwestern Mutual and Chief Diversity Officer at Kraft Foods. He also spent more than 25 years at Allstate Insurance Company with roles in human resources, D&I, product operations, product development, marketing, claims, and sales. Jorge holds a bachelor’s degree from Whittier College and an MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In addition to his career, he is active in his community and on multiple boards. He is also a proud husband and father of two based in Soquel, California.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

Why construction is a more significant challenge regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion and how Jorge addresses that at Granite Construction.
His general philosophy on talent development and how he’s ensuring his people continue to grow and address their needs, which includes notice, understand, and act.
What being intentional can do to make an impact on DEI in your organization and the definition of “inclusive diversity.”
Some best practices for getting leaders on board for a more inclusive company culture.
How companies can integrate inclusion into learning and development to ensure everything the company does is more inclusive.

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Connect with Jorge Quezada:

Construction DEI Talks podcast

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