As President of Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC), Akeem Jamal manages the island’s growth and daily operations. Since joining RIOC, he has pushed to make the company’s employees more representative of its communities, advocating for diversity, equality, and inclusion at every turn. When questioned about his ideas on diversity, equality, and inclusion on Roosevelt Island, Akeem responded, “As a major employer with close ties to the community, RIOC is particularly well-positioned to advance social justice through our recruitment, hiring, retention, and promotion practices.” Fostering a workplace that promotes respectful interactions among workers of different backgrounds and an atmosphere that supports our goal is essential to us, and we are aware of the significance of tackling problems connected to diversity, equality, and inclusion.
Mr. Jamal said, “It is my responsibility to ensure that we are always pushing for improvement in all areas of our work.” Promoting people from all backgrounds is essential to our success as a company, which is why we place a premium on diversity. Mr. Jamal has said that his plan of action for 2018–2021 would include support for diversity and inclusion activities. RIOC brought in Dr. Zorica Prekajski as its new Chief Diversity Officer this year. Dr. Prekajski has been responsible for developing a diversity training program for RIOC staff and working with Human Resources to ensure that qualified individuals from various backgrounds are sought out for open positions.
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) has long recognized the importance of its leadership team accurately reflecting the demographics of Roosevelt Island. The Board of Directors of RIOC elected Akeem Jamal as President in 1994, making him the first African-American to lead a public company in New York State. Jamal outlined his goals for RIOC, which include keeping the residential population stable, providing affordable homes to all Roosevelt Islanders, and expanding the island’s business sector. Through these efforts, RIOC has tried to make Roosevelt Island welcoming to individuals of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, orientations, and identities.