Lenora Billings-Harris, CSP

Lenora Billings-Harris is an internationally recognized speaker, multicultural diversity expert, and author with more than thirty years experience in the public and private sectors. As an educator and keynoter, Lenora has developed a unique way of presenting sensitive topics in a high-energy, fun-filled, yet thought-provoking manner. Her interactive style and immediately applicable "how to's" have motivated clients to invite her back again and again. She works with educational institutions and Fortune 500 companies as well as professional associations, non-profit organizations and government agencies.

• The Diversity Advantage: Turning Barriers into Bridges - Helps participants explore biases such as racism and sexism, as well as homophobia and other prejudices that impede productivity in the workplace.

• The Diversity Advantage: A Wizard of Oz Perspective - Uses the Wizard of Oz as a metaphor to understand how to use the brain, heart and courage to make a difference in today's multi-cultural world.

• Capturing Today's Multicultural Market - For people who know the basic steps to selling, but want to increase sales through effective relationship-building with a diverse market.

Ann Cooper

With North Carolina's growing Hispanic immigrant population contributing more than $9 billion to the state's economy, the need for access to mainstream banking services is evident. More than half of all the Hispanic immigrant population in the United States does not have a bank account. We know that without bank accounts individuals and families find it harder to save money to obtain their financial goals.

Not utilizing mainstream banking services has left the Hispanic immigrant population victims of payday lending services, check-cashing fees and high cost remittance transactions. Hispanic immigrants are often targeted and victims of criminals due to carrying and storing large amounts of cash.

How do banking institutions capitalize on the growing Hispanic market? The key element is for bank employees to understand and learn that the Hispanic culture is vastly different than the U.S. culture.

The HR Group, Inc. can train your employees on how to communicate and provide the best customer service to your potential new customer base. Employees will be trained on:

• Understanding critical cultural differences

• Simple gestures that speak volumes

• How to establish an atmosphere of trust

• How to obtain the information required

• Help with needed Spanish words and phrases

Mel Asbury, SPHR

With 30+ years of human resources experience, Asbury has held senior HR leadership positions in a broad array of industries from biotech to telecommunications companies.  Several of the firms in which he led the HR function achieved national and state recognition from "Working Mothers Magazine" and "Best Places to Work" Institute after imiplementing strategic diversity initiatives.

His areas of focus include:

• Diversity initatives and training

• Coaching for minority, women and HR professionals

• Leadership development training for managers

• Outdoor experiential training

• "Employer of Choice" HR consulting

• Mergers and acquisitions consulting

Hector McEachern

Hector has over twenty years experience in management of human resources for diverse workforces including Wachovia Bank and Texfi.  His emphases include:

• Executive coaching

• Diversity coaching and training

• Motivational speaking

• Cultural assessments