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    1. Rail

    MA: Rita Hardiman Joins Keolis Commuter Services as Director of EEO, Diversity and DBE Management for MBTA Commuter Rail Contract

    March 28, 2014
    Hardiman, a noted diversity expert, author and speaker, to develop and implement local employment strategies, including outreach events and community partnerships.
    Related To: Keolis North America

    Keolis Commuter Services has named Rita Hardiman as its director of equal employment opportunity (EEO), diversity, and disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) programs for the company’s Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) commuter rail contract that begins on July 1.

    Hardiman is a diversity and multicultural organization development professional with more than 25 years of experience in both the private and public sectors, working with organizations such as CIGNA, Boston Museum of Science, DuPont, and Microsoft Corporation.  

    At Keolis Commuter Services, a subsidiary of Keolis North America, Hardiman will be responsible for overall workforce diversity with both Keolis employees and subcontractors.  This will include overseeing affirmative action, EEO, and DBE programs to ensure compliance with federal and state laws, and Keolis internal policies, which provide for a diverse workplace.

    In this role, Hardiman will create and implement diversity plans, monitor recruitment employment activities, oversee subcontractors including minority and women-owned businesses, investigate any complaints, and conduct outreach events and partnerships in the local community.

    “Rita Hardiman is one of our country’s foremost experts on diversity and managing multicultural organizations.  We’re extremely fortunate to have her join the Keolis team and help us build the best local workforce to run the MBTA commuter rail system,” said Gerald Francis, acting general manager for Keolis Commuter Services in Boston.

    “This is an exciting time for the hundreds of Keolis employees and subcontractors that will bring excellence to MBTA commuter rail service every day,” Hardiman said.  “Our passengers are a diverse cross-section of our entire region, and our employees will be a reflection of all the citizens and cultures that make our local communities so great.”

    Hardiman most recently served as principal of R. Hardiman Associates consulting in Somerville, MA and as executive director of human resources and chief diversity officer at Greenfield Community College in Greenfield, MA.  She holds a Doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources.

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