RW HR Recognized for DEI Leadership

LEA PETTY, shrm-cp

HUMAN RESOURCES AND SAFETY MANAGER, REDMOND WALTZ ELECTRIC

BY JUDY STRINGER

When working on rewriting the Redmond Waltz handbook, Petty worked with CEO Jennifer Ake-Marriott to ensure that old policies were scrubbed of any outdated language that could be perceived as sexist, ableist, or any other form of discrimination. 

She championed new policies to give paid time off for employees to vote and volunteer, along with the addition of religious holidays, and her concerted effort to hire women and minorities — even as the company operates in the male-dominated manufacturing sector — has led to a more diverse and inclusive environment “that genuinely listens to employees and responds with respect, empathy, and action,” the nomination said. 

Petty joined Redmond Waltz in 2015 as the office manager and has since created her own job description with the support of company leadership. She is currently re-attending Cuyahoga Community College to further her education in DEI and human resources.

Her outreach work includes volunteering with the Cleveland Asian Festival, Destination Cleveland, and the St. Clair-Superior Development Corp., a community development group for Redmond Waltz’s neighborhood.