joe adams
The release of our first-ever CDI Report marks an important step in evolving our commitment to culture, diversity and inclusion.
our commitment
Letters from leaders
Managing Partner and CEO Joe Adams, Culture, Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) leaders Rich Caturano and Tracey Walker, and Financial Services Audit Partner Kate Seitz share their personal perspectives on, experience with and commitment to building a culture of diversity and inclusion at RSM.
Letter from Joe Adams
DEAR CLIENTS, COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS,
joe adams
The release of our first-ever CDI Report marks an important step in evolving our commitment to culture, diversity and inclusion.
RSM has been on a journey to advance culture, diversity and inclusion (CDI). ‘The power of being understood’ is our firm’s purpose, and understanding and valuing diverse perspectives is core to our brand and at the root of diversity and inclusion. At RSM, we believe everyone in our firm plays a meaningful role in shaping our commitment.
Inclusion is central to who I am and how I work, as I have always believed that when people feel like they are part of the team, it leads to better outcomes. I have been fortunate to have a tremendous career at RSM, and part of that is because I had leaders who were willing to listen to and understand me. That is the environment I want to create for all people who work for and with RSM, and it’s one of the reasons I am so passionate about CDI.
When I led the Great Lakes region for RSM, we built the STAR (Stewardship and Teamwork for the Advancement and Retention of women) program, which is the foundation for our women’s employee network group today. And in 2013, I appointed Rich Caturano, immediate past chairperson of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), as our national CDI leader to build a deliberate approach to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion at RSM. We continue this foundational work under Rich Caturano, Tracey Walker and the national CDI team. While I am proud of the progress we have made, I recognize that there is still more work to be done.
The release of our first-ever CDI report marks an important step in evolving our commitment to culture, diversity and inclusion. We’re sharing a deep and transparent look at where we’ve come from, our work to create a stronger workplace and profession, and where we plan to go from here. Our goals are bold; and I believe with commitment from our RSM people across the globe, we can achieve them.
Together, we make up the diverse mosaic of our firm—always evolving, growing and becoming stronger as we work together to achieve our goals and build a more inclusive, equitable RSM, profession and society.
Meet Kate Seitz
Financial Services Audit Partner, Former InspirAsian National leader and national STAR leader
Early on in my career with RSM, Joe Adams was the regional managing partner of the Great Lakes region. I volunteered to be part of a team that was integrating a new acquisition into RSM, and Joe was sitting at my table. We were discussing a topic, and I spoke up, very nervously, in front of the then managing partner. A couple of days later, I found a handwritten note in my cube from Joe. He personally thanked me for my contribution during that meeting.
Years later, I was considering changing my career and leaving the accounting world altogether. Somehow, Joe found out and called me to better understand my reasons. That also made a big impact on me—that the CEO cared enough to take time to try to understand and help.
I am grateful for my experience at RSM, specifically for the ongoing support I’ve received from leadership during my 18 years at the firm. My experiences made me feel cared for and special. Each day, I try to follow Joe’s example by showing my colleagues I care, spending time with them and highlighting their accomplishments. It is now my job to inspire others. That’s RSM and our culture of diversity and inclusion.
Letter from Tracey Walker and Rich Caturano
DEAR CLIENTS, COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS,
Being your authentic self. It’s essential for building a meaningful life and genuine relationships. That’s why at RSM, we encourage our people to bring their authentic selves to work. We know that by being genuine with one another, we build understanding, which leads to enhanced relationships. And when we know one another better, we’re comfortable sharing information and ideas. The unique perspectives that our diverse team of 13,000+ people across the U.S. and in Canada bring to the table lead to innovative thinking that ultimately helps us help our clients succeed.
Since our firm was founded 95 years ago in Davenport, Iowa, we’ve been focused on fostering inclusiveness. And we’ve enhanced that focus over the years in a variety of ways, including through the formalization of our approach to inclusion with the development of a team of professionals dedicated to enhancing our culture, diversity and inclusion (CDI) efforts; the formation of 12 diverse employee network groups; by defining our enterprise CDI policy and by continuously striving for solutions to complex diversity and inclusion issues.
We are humbled to be a part of RSM’s continued efforts to enhance inclusion – not only within our firm but within the profession and in the world at large. It’s critical to our collective success in today’s increasingly diverse and global economy – and it’s simply the right thing to do.
We invite you to join us as we evolve our mosaic of diversity, equity and inclusion.
Tracey Walker, National Leader of Culture, Diversity and Inclusion
Rich Caturano, Partner, Founder and Executive Sponsor of RSM’s Culture, Diversity and Inclusion Program
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