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CIA has been recognized by the Greater Cleveland Partnership as one of the 50 Northeast Ohio organizations making the most progress toward cultivating diversity and inclusion.

In acknowledgment of CIA’s efforts to improve inclusion in the make-up of its board, senior management, workforce, and suppliers, Greater Cleveland Partnership named CIA to its 2015 Commission 50.

According to Greater Cleveland Partnership, “Members of the Commission 50 are recognized annually for progress in creating, enhancing and sustaining their diversity and inclusion strategies. This recognition is based on their responses to the Commission on Economic Inclusion’s annual Employers Survey on Diversity.”

“It’s very gratifying to have our efforts acknowledged by the Greater Cleveland Partnership,” said CIA President Grafton Nunes. ““as an educator, an employer and a purchaser, we continually strive to celebrate difference.”

One of the first organizational changes Nunes made after taking office at CIA in 2010 was to redefine the title and the role of then Human Resources Director Raymond B. Scragg. Scragg is now vice president of human resources + inclusion.

“From the outset, our objective has been for CIA to significantly advance the inclusion of minority students, faculty, and staff, as well as suppliers and contractors,” said Scragg. “We’re delighted to report that CIA exceeded its 20% spending target with companies certified by the City of Cleveland and/or Cuyahoga County as minority, female, and small business enterprises in Phase II of the campus unification project.”

Nunes noted that CIA has made great strides in attracting students of color to enroll in this undergraduate college of art and design. At the start of the current academic year, 23 % of enrolled students were minorities, whereas in 2000, only 12% of CIA students were from minority groups.

The 50 employers recognized by the Greater Cleveland Partnership are listed alphabetically on the Commission on Economic Inclusion’s website.