Kelly has named tenured vice president Keilon Ratliff as the company’s first chief diversity officer. He is a member of the company’s senior leadership team and will report to Kelly President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Quigley.
Ratliff will lead the development and execution of the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy, including programs and partnerships to attract and retain a diverse and inclusive workforce for Kelly and its clients.
“Kelly is at a crucial point in our DEI journey, where we have the opportunity to drive meaningful and lasting progress internally and with our clients,” Quigley said. “Over the past two years, we have invested in a comprehensive DEI strategy and launched our Equity@Work initiative to make work more accessible to job seekers from underemployed talent groups. Keilon has been a driving force behind those efforts, and his business acumen, leadership, passion for breaking barriers to work, and track record of success with clients and talent, make him the ideal choice to scale these efforts.”
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A solutions-driven leader with more than 23 years of experience in the staffing industry, Ratliff currently leads the company’s automotive, energy, and finance business. In that role, he worked with Toyota Manufacturing in Georgetown, Kentucky, to expand career opportunities for job seekers with non-violent, non-relevant criminal records. That effort, which helped increase the plant’s talent pool by 20%, reduced turnover by 70% and increased its diversity rate by 8%, inspired the launch of the second chance hiring initiative Kelly 33. The program has since been adopted by Kelly clients across the country.
“Keilon’s pioneering work with Toyota and the subsequent success of Kelly 33 shows the incredible impact that bold, innovative DEI strategies have on both talent and clients,” Quigley said. “Under his leadership, Kelly will continue fostering a culture of belonging where everyone can thrive and grow its leadership to advocate for equitable and enriching work for all.”
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Last year, Kelly hired and placed nearly 30,000 candidates who have faced significant barriers to employment, including veterans, the formerly incarcerated, neurodivergent candidates, job seekers from low-income families, and the long-term unemployed.
Ratliff joined Kelly in 2004 and has served in several key operational leadership roles throughout his tenure. His work earned him a place on Staffing Industry Analysts’ 2021 List of DEI Influencers. A Six Sigma Green Belt, Ratliff holds a bachelor’s in psychology and human resources and an MBA from Ohio Dominican University. His current role as vice president and vertical lead at Kelly Professional & Industrial will be transitioned to a successor over the next several months.
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