June 15, 2022 (DES MOINES) – Optimae LifeServices will for the first time in the company’s history observe Juneteenth as a paid holiday.
“By officially observing Juneteenth as an organization, we at Optimae are living out our mission, vision and core values in a tangible way,” said William “Bill” Dodds, Optimae’s chief executive officer. “As one of the largest waiver providers in the state of Iowa, we remain dedicated to continuing to work toward a more diverse, equitable and inclusive society for our employees and the individuals we serve.”
Dodds is one of a number of CEOs who have signed the CEO Commitment to Racial Equity in DSM, which, in part, includes a CEO pledge to “Leveraging the power and privilege that we each possess to influence local and state policies that lead to racial equity and social justice.”
“We are proud to be a leader in DEI initiatives as we join only 8 percent of American companies who offer Juneteenth as a paid holiday,” said Holly Stevenson, Optimae’s director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “During the peak of the Black Lives Matter movement, diversity initiatives and racial injustice became a major discussion point in our country, though in the months since, this conversation has become progressively quieter. At Optimae, we are permanently committed to diversity, equity and inclusion for all.”
Optimae’s Board of Directors approved the Juneteenth measure in November 2021.
