Embracing diversity: local companies support differences in the workplace.

• Author: Kinder, Peri
• Position: Special Report

When Bart LeFan moved from Nashville to Salt Lake City more than two years ago, he wasn't quite sure what to expect. He'd heard all the stereotypes about Utah regarding polygamy, incomprehensible liquor laws, the dominant religion and the conservative nature of the state--and he'd heard there might be some good skiing.

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But with the great opportunity for growth in the health care industry in the state, LeFan took a leap and relocated anyway. LeFan is currently working as a clinical business manager at the University of Utah and has no plans to leave the state anytime soon.

"I hadn't planned on staying," LeFan says. "I thought I'd be here two years, get my degree and move on. But I've been pleasantly surprised."

Recruiting diverse, college-educated professionals from out of state is a constant struggle for Utah employers. Fighting stereotypical misconceptions about the state, big companies like Zions Bank, Rio Tinto and American Express are bringing in talented and diverse young people, and encouraging them to share new ideas with the business community.

Roger Tsai is another recent transplant to Salt Lake, working as an attorney at Parsons, Behle and Latimer. With his Taiwanese heritage and dedication to the Asian community, Tsai served as president of the Utah Asian Chamber of Commerce, helping promote social, economic and business interaction. He has lived in other "interesting and difficult places" but believes residents need to accept that Utah has a rapidly growing diverse population, making the state a more interesting place to live.

"I think Utah is strangely insular," Tsai says. "People who live here have lived here most of their lives. I think it's a positive thing that creates strong communities and strong families, but what it also creates is a place where there's not really constant movement of new ideas and breaking traditions."

SUPPORTING DIFFERENCES

Diversity isn't just about ethnicity or national origin; its characteristics include religion, sex, age, disability, veteran status and sexual orientation. Embracing diversity in the workplace is about appreciating the uniqueness that each individual brings to the company. Successful employers understand that new ideas create better business concepts and people with different life experiences can bring a lot to the table.

To encourage and support Utah companies to increase diversity in the workplace, former Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. partnered with Salt Lake...