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Key Influencers • Arts, Community and Business Leaders • Bay Area Personalities • Industry Experts. What makes them tick? Find out . . .
In 25 Words or Less.
Posted: March 25, 2016
THE BASICS
| Name: Erby Foster |
| Age: Old enough • Status: Married • Kids: Yes |
| Place of Birth: San Francisco, CA • Raised: San Francisco, CA |
| Professional Background: Erby advises senior management and board of directors on diversity strategy, employer branding, external partnerships, and ERGs. He is a CPA with broad experience creating and implementing business strategy that increase customer satisfaction, drive profitable growth, and expand market share. |
| What achievement or position are you most known for? President & CEO – National Association of Black Accountants, Inc. |
| Contact/Follow: Email • LinkedIn • Twitter |
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25 WORDS OR LESS: WORK
| Job(s) held that is most unlike what I currently do now: VP & CFO – AAA Chicago; Senior Finance Director – McDonald’s Corp; Global Finance Director – PepsiCo; Senior Audit Manager, Arthur Andersen & Co. |
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| Field: Diversity & Inclusion |
| Years of Experience: 10 |
| Title: Chief Diversity Officer |
| Organization: The Clorox Company – Oakland, CA |
| What it does and what I do: Consumer Packaged Goods. |
| Current Big Project: Leverage ERGs for growth & innovation ideas. |
| Staffing/Resource Needs: n/a |
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| Field: Finance & Accounting |
| Title: VP & CFO |
| Yrs of Experience: 15 |
| Company: The Clorox Company – Oakland, CA |
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| Additional Positions: Former Corporate: Senior Finance Director; Senior Audit Manager |
| Additional Organizations: Alonzo King LINES Ballet; Glide Foundation; Museum of the African Diaspora; Network of Executive Women |
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25 WORDS OR LESS: PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE
| Significant Challenge: Today’s global marketplace is different from one we grew up in. It requires new approaches, diverse leadership teams with different worldviews, experiences, and thought processes. |
| Significant Mistake/Regret: What I’ve learned along the way: Diversity is being invited to the party; Inclusion is being invited to dance. Let’s dance! |
Significant Accomplishment: Out & Equal – Outstanding Ally Award, The Clorox Company – Chairman’s Award, NABA – Commitment to the Community Award.
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| Biggest Strength(s): Connector and Influencer. |
| Biggest Weakness(es): Not following my passion early in career. |
| Career Advice: Think of yourself as a “brand.” Then focus on leverage strengths for grow & innovation ideas; job performance; internal & external connections. |
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25 WORDS OR LESS: PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE
| Significant Challenge: “Be Here Now” when spending time with family. |
Significant Accomplishment: Giving 10% of my Time, Talent, & Treasure to serve on non-profit boards.
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| Life Advice: If we each contribute 10% of our time, talent, or treasure – to someone for something – a great deal could be done. |
| Trait(s) most admired in others: Unconditional Love. |
| Among several global issues of deep concern, one(s) that stands out to me: Predict what the next water contamination crisis will be and solve it now. |
| Some causes/organizations I support: Alonzo King LINES Ballet; Glide Foundation; Museum of the African Diaspora; Network of Executive Women |
| Some of my most-admired people (excluding parents): Cecil Williams, Danny Glover, Willie Brown. |
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25 WORDS OR LESS: LIFESTYLE
| Hours of “personal” downtime/week: 10 |
Favorite activity(s) in my personal downtime: Arts, Books, Jazz, Movies, Running.
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| Some of my favorite local hangouts: LINES Ballet, Movie Theatre, Yoshi’s |
Some of my favorite TV shows: Elementary, Rosewod, Shades of Blue.
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| What news outlets or media sources do you most rely on? CNN, NBC, San Francisco Chronicle |
| Favorite Vacation Spot(s): Barcelona, Puerto Rico, Vancouver. |
| Place(s) I would like to visit: Africa, Cuba, Dubai |
| Favorite Pastime/Hobby(s): Arts, Jazz, Movies, Reading, Running. |
| Favorite Book(s): Everything written by Walter Mosley. |
| Something about me that may surprise you: As a High School sophomore; taught Geometry to class of Seniors during a Teacher strike. |
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25 WORDS OR LESS: AND LASTLY. . .
| With all that goes on in our lives, we may believe we don’t have time to get involved with other people’s issues, yet we must. |
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