Biography Of Dr. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr.
Pioneer of Diversity Management
1944 - 2013
Pioneer of Diversity Management
1944 - 2013
Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., was at the forefront of developing and implementing innovative concepts and strategies for maximizing organizational and individual potential through Diversity Management. He served as CEO of R. Thomas Consulting & Training, Inc., and President of The American Institute for Managing Diversity (AIMD). In 1991, Dr. Thomas was among a group of progressive African American consultants who envisioned an informal think tank that might help advance the field of diversity. With others in the field, including Dr. Price Cobbs, they founded the Diversity Collegium, a respected organization of multicultural diversity practitioners. (www.diversitycollegium.org)
After exercising in his home, Dr. Thomas fell, hit his head and never regained consciousness. He died on Friday May 17, 2013 and was buried on what would have been his 69th birthday on Friday May 24, 2013. An overflow crowd of church members, family, and diversity practitioners from around the country attended his funeral at Friendship Baptist in Atlanta, Georgia.
In 1984, concerned about the inability of American organizations to maximize the contribution of diverse employees, Dr. Roosevelt Thomas founded AIMD as a non-profit research and education enterprise. He and his staff became known as the seminal source for managing diversity concepts and strategies. The team focused initially on workforce diversity. They later expanded their focus to create a diversity framework for addressing general management issues such as change management, functional coordination, the integration of multiple lines of business, and acquisitions and mergers.
Roosevelt Thomas was the author of seven published books including: The Giraffe and Elephant: A Diversity Fable (A publication of the American Institute for Managing Diversity, Inc., 2002); Building a House for Diversity: A Fable about a Giraffe and an Elephant offers New Strategies for Today’s Workforce (AMACOM, a division of the American Management Association, 1999); Redefining Diversity (AMACOM, 1996); Differences Do Make a Difference (AIMD, 1992); and Beyond Race and Gender: Unleashing the Power of Your Total Work Force by Managing Diversity (AMACOM, 1991). He is also the author of several articles, such as the Harvard Business Review article: “From Affirmative Action to Affirming Diversity” (March-April 1990), which alerted Corporate America to the need for moving beyond EEO in addressing the challenge of empowering a diverse workforce. He contributes to several periodicals and trade publications. In addition to his writing, Roosevelt Thomas developed a series of video tapes.
Dr. Thomas earned a D.B.A. in Organizational Behavior from Harvard University, an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. in Mathematics Summa Cum Laude from Morehouse College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He has also served as Secretary of Morehouse College, Dean of the Graduate School of Business Administration at Atlanta University, assistant professor at the Harvard Business School, and instructor at Morehouse College.
In 1998, the National Academy of Human Resources elected and installed Dr. Roosevelt Thomas as a Fellow. He was recognized by The Wall Street Journal as one of the top ten consultants in the country, and cited by Human Resource Executive as one of HR’s Most Influential People. In 1995, he received the American Society for Training and Development’s Distinguished Contribution to Human Resource Development’s Award. Roosevelt Thomas was active for more than 30 years as a consultant to numerous Fortune 500 companies, corporations, professional firms, government entities, non-profit organizations and academic institutions, and served as a frequent speaker at national conferences and industry seminars.
Dr. Thomas was an active member of Friendship Baptist Church in Atlanta. He was also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Boule).
Dr. Thomas was a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Survivors are his wife of 42 years, Judge Ruby J. Thomas; sons, Shane Thomas and Jarred Thomas; daughter, April Thomas; grandson, Montre' Thomas; brother, Robert Potts Thomas (Carol); nephews, Robert Potts Thomas, Jr. and Jason Thomas; cousins, Nola Potts and Marla Potts; a host of other nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
After exercising in his home, Dr. Thomas fell, hit his head and never regained consciousness. He died on Friday May 17, 2013 and was buried on what would have been his 69th birthday on Friday May 24, 2013. An overflow crowd of church members, family, and diversity practitioners from around the country attended his funeral at Friendship Baptist in Atlanta, Georgia.
In 1984, concerned about the inability of American organizations to maximize the contribution of diverse employees, Dr. Roosevelt Thomas founded AIMD as a non-profit research and education enterprise. He and his staff became known as the seminal source for managing diversity concepts and strategies. The team focused initially on workforce diversity. They later expanded their focus to create a diversity framework for addressing general management issues such as change management, functional coordination, the integration of multiple lines of business, and acquisitions and mergers.
Roosevelt Thomas was the author of seven published books including: The Giraffe and Elephant: A Diversity Fable (A publication of the American Institute for Managing Diversity, Inc., 2002); Building a House for Diversity: A Fable about a Giraffe and an Elephant offers New Strategies for Today’s Workforce (AMACOM, a division of the American Management Association, 1999); Redefining Diversity (AMACOM, 1996); Differences Do Make a Difference (AIMD, 1992); and Beyond Race and Gender: Unleashing the Power of Your Total Work Force by Managing Diversity (AMACOM, 1991). He is also the author of several articles, such as the Harvard Business Review article: “From Affirmative Action to Affirming Diversity” (March-April 1990), which alerted Corporate America to the need for moving beyond EEO in addressing the challenge of empowering a diverse workforce. He contributes to several periodicals and trade publications. In addition to his writing, Roosevelt Thomas developed a series of video tapes.
Dr. Thomas earned a D.B.A. in Organizational Behavior from Harvard University, an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. in Mathematics Summa Cum Laude from Morehouse College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He has also served as Secretary of Morehouse College, Dean of the Graduate School of Business Administration at Atlanta University, assistant professor at the Harvard Business School, and instructor at Morehouse College.
In 1998, the National Academy of Human Resources elected and installed Dr. Roosevelt Thomas as a Fellow. He was recognized by The Wall Street Journal as one of the top ten consultants in the country, and cited by Human Resource Executive as one of HR’s Most Influential People. In 1995, he received the American Society for Training and Development’s Distinguished Contribution to Human Resource Development’s Award. Roosevelt Thomas was active for more than 30 years as a consultant to numerous Fortune 500 companies, corporations, professional firms, government entities, non-profit organizations and academic institutions, and served as a frequent speaker at national conferences and industry seminars.
Dr. Thomas was an active member of Friendship Baptist Church in Atlanta. He was also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Boule).
Dr. Thomas was a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Survivors are his wife of 42 years, Judge Ruby J. Thomas; sons, Shane Thomas and Jarred Thomas; daughter, April Thomas; grandson, Montre' Thomas; brother, Robert Potts Thomas (Carol); nephews, Robert Potts Thomas, Jr. and Jason Thomas; cousins, Nola Potts and Marla Potts; a host of other nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.