KALAMAZOO, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The city of Kalamazoo is considering hiring a company to do its search for a city manager. The city posted the proposals submitted by the three agencies and it shows that diversity, equity and inclusion are still a big part of the hiring practices.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January that ended DEI policies in federal contracting. Trump has also tried to persuade the private industry to follow suit.
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“Billions of dollars are spent annually on DEI, but rather than reducing bias and promoting inclusion, DEI creates and then amplifies prejudicial hostility and exacerbates interpersonal conflict,” Trump’s January executive order stated.
But in the search for a new city manager in Kalamazoo, all three companies stressed the importance diversity played in their strategy. One company stated it would not business with anyone who didn’t share its commitment to diversity.
The first company: Strategic Government Resources.
It had a specific section dedicated to DEI with a title that said, “DEI in Recruitments”.
“SGR is deeply committed to equal employment opportunity and considers it an ethical imperative. We unequivocally reject any form of bias, expecting that candidates be assessed solely based on their ability to perform the job, ” SGR stated. “Encouraging underrepresented demographic groups to apply is a vital aspect of our commitment. While we cannot guarantee the composition of semifinalist or finalist groups, SGR actively fosters relationships and contacts on a national scale to ensure meaningful participation of underrepresented groups. Our recruitment process is consistently evaluated and refined to incorporate a focus on equity and inclusion.”
SGR stated that in 2024, 33% of its candidates were females and 31% were people of color.
“Our internal hiring practices are designed to attract diverse talent from various backgrounds and experiences. We understand the importance of words, ensuring our recruitment materials are inclusive and reflect an equity-focused perspective.”
The second company: CPS HR Consulting.
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It had a section that stated it has a “focus on diversity recruiting.”
“In the past three years, 57% of the candidates placed by CPS HR were female, members of ethnic minorities or both. To continue this trend, CPS HR is constantly assessing the best methods for reaching the broadest network of possible candidates. To that end, we have just signed a contract with Zoom Info, a new sourcing platform, that includes a diversity sourcing filter.”
CPS HR Consulting also had a sectioned named “Diversity Outreach Process.”
“CPS HR strives to attract the most highly qualified, diverse candidate pool possible,” the company stated. “We are pleased that our diligent efforts have resulted in more than 57% of our executive level placements being people of color and/or female candidates within the past three years.”
“CPS HR is focused on reaching a diverse candidate pool and would recommend
publications/websites that are targeted to minority and female candidates. In addition to placing ads on websites aimed at minority candidates, we will contact leaders within appropriate associations to gain their insight and referrals of possible candidates,” the company stated.
The third company: Raftelis Financial Consultants.
This company had a section titled “DEI @ Raftelis” in its presentation.
“Diversity and inclusion are an integral part of Raftelis’ core values,” the company sated. “We are committed to doing our part to fight prejudice, racism, and discrimination by becoming more informed, disengaging with business partners that do not share this commitment, and encouraging our employees to use their skills to work toward a more just society that has no barriers to opportunity.”
“We have demonstrated success assembling candidate pools that are racially, ethnically, and gender diverse. We are dedicated to helping local governments fill leadership positions with candidates that reflect the communities they serve,” Raftelis Financial Consultants stated.