LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Thurmond Woodard posthumously upon the
occasion of his induction into the Chief Diversity Officers Forum Circle
of Legacies by the Johnnetta B. Cole Institute

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to honor those
distinguished individuals whose lifework and civic endeavor served to
enhance the quality of life in their communities; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Thurmond Woodard posthumously upon the occasion of his induction into
the Chief Diversity Officers Forum Circle of Legacies by the Johnnetta
B. Cole Institute; and
WHEREAS, The late Thurmond Woodard, former Chief Diversity Officer for
Dell, is honored for his highly successful career as a diversity and
inclusion executive; he vastly contributed to the development and
support of the next generation of diversity practitioners; and
WHEREAS, At the time of his death in April of 2007, Thurmond Woodard
was Dell's Vice President for Diversity and had immense influence on the
company's culture; as chief ethics and privacy-compliance officer, he
supervised the tech giant's global business conduct office and guided
global strategy; and
WHEREAS, Thurmond Woodard's vision and dedication to diversity and
ethics were critical in helping to extend Dell's global reputation for
business ethics and integrity; and
WHEREAS, A member of Dell's Global Diversity Council, Thurmond Woodard
earned a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from Hampton University and had
more than 30 years of experience in business finance, marketing, sales
and human-resources management; prior to joining Dell in October 2000,
he was president and chief operating officer for R. Thomas Consulting
and Training, where he advised CEOs and senior leaders in corporate
America on how to integrate diversity within business strategy and how
to formulate policies to recruit and retain talented individuals; and
WHEREAS, A leader in his company and community, Thurmond Woodard
earned a reputation for being an engine of change; in 2006, he received
the Austin Area Urban League's Whitney M. Young, Jr. Award for his work
in strengthening business and community partnerships to provide access
to opportunity for all individuals, where inequities may otherwise have
prevented many from achieving their maximum potential; and
WHEREAS, Dell endowed a scholarship in Thurmond Woodard's name to
honor his contributions and provide educational opportunities for
students of color and students from disadvantaged economic backgrounds
around the world; and
WHEREAS, A true asset to society, Thurmond Woodard is survived by his
wife of 37 years, Suzanne, and their children, Miki and Derek; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Thurmond Woodard posthumously upon the occasion of his induction
into the Chief Diversity Officers Forum Circle of Legacies by the John-
netta B. Cole Institute; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Thurmond Woodard.