Stefan Wilson (UPS), Recognized as Multicultural Leader of the Year
Stefan Wilson -- formerly President of Gulf South, UPS - now President, Great Lakes, UPS Diversity is strength. Diverse employee experiences and ideas drive the bottom line of businesses in a positive direction. It is a skillful art to understand, like Stefan Wilson does, the advantages of cultivating a diverse community, employee base, and talent, and then using it to penetrate barriers and better position your business. But diversity's strength truly emerges when companies rise to do the right thing for individuals. In Wilson's youth, he says, "I saw pioneers wanting to do the right thing and that visual of standing up for the right thing, regardless of the environment, was more impactful than any personal experience." Doing the "right thing" for all people is at the heart of who Wilson is as a person and a leader. He develops all people, advances talent where he finds it, and brings diverse voices to the table, even when met with resistance. "To do all these things, you have to be comfortable in your own skin," he says. "People can see that very clearly and they want to be part of that kind of leadership." Wilson is a skilled artist at the work of diversity, serving as President of UPS Gulf South District for 2 1/2 years and recently taking a new assignment as President of UPS Great Lakes District, over some 16,000 people. The Louisiana native has criss-crossed the country with UPS bringing diversity's message, creating balance and bringing about change in four U.S. districts. Assessment is key when Wilson enters a new district. "It's a little about what's already been cultivated," he says. "I come in from a perspective of my own personal views and experiences, then elaborate on what's been done before. My job is the next phase and to maximize the opportunities in front of me." When he entered the Gulf South District, Wilson understood there would be a strong mission to help UPS penetrate business into the Hispanic community by developing relationships and brand loyalty with new businesses. Austin, San Antonio and Houston were communities of focus. But research also told him that Texas had a very high percentage of female CEOs, so he positioned himself and his staff to be part of organizations that could foster relationships with female-owned and led businesses.
 "I look at where the soft spots are in our business and how to build that to make those things be stronger and exist in greater proportion than when I found them," Wilson says. The same philosophy holds true when Wilson helps people grow. He gains a great deal of gratification from developing UPS employees and those who have yet to break into the business world. Wilson seeks opportunities to positively impact other's lives through his work with the National Urban League's Black Executive Exchange Program. "We go out to minority universities and give young college students a glimpse of the executive experience-what takes place, what employers are looking for, what business leaders are looking for," Wilson says. "It's really sharing your experiences so a young college student can come in better prepared for the business world." Soaking in this kind of practical knowledge is so important to newcomers, something Wilson understood early in his career. "I always had targeted jobs or responsibility levels I thought my capabilities would allow me to attain, but I knew it was my responsibility to develop myself and be prepared," he says. "The fluid part is knowing what is required and building the right patterns along the way to allow success to take place with multiple types of assignments." While individual responsibility is of utmost importance to successes, Wilson advises to never discount the importance of an organization that allows you to build on your competencies and take on greater and new responsibilities because of your successes. |
