As I reflect on my tenure with Quest Oracle Community, both as a board member and, most recently, as Chair, I am filled with gratitude for the enriching experiences and the resilient spirit of our community. Serving in this capacity has been a privilege, and witnessing the growth, adaptability, and collaborative efforts of our members has been truly inspiring. This past year has been particularly noteworthy, marking a period of continued recovery, building momentum, and impactful initiatives. As I share this summary of Quest's accomplishments in 2023, I am reminded of the collective strength and shared commitment that define our remarkable community.

At Quest, we strive to make sure ALL stakeholders feel included and have a sense of belonging in the Quest community. We strive to foster an organization where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to bring their authentic selves into the community. Over the years, the Quest community has had members of the LGBTQIA++ community involved in our community, and many have held leadership positions of Quest. During the month of June, we honor their involvement and accomplishments in Quest by pausing to understand the history of the month, to raise awareness on inclusivity best practices and to highlight organizations that are at the intersection of LGBTQIA++ and technology.

About the Author Jonathan Vaughn Quest Oracle Community, CEO Quest Partners with Local Organizations to Have a Positive Impact Partnerships will positively impact the places in which Quest does business with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and sustainability Lexington, KY., April 28th, 2023 – Quest has a history of partnering with local organizations, but this…

Celebrate Diversity Month takes place in April every year. It was initiated in 2004 to recognize and honor the diversity of the world around us. It is a time to recognize and understand our differences, while honoring the common essence of humanity. By appreciating our similarities and differences, the month aims to get people to foster a deeper understanding of others, regardless of who they are, what they are or how they live. It is also an opportunity to increase diversity in the workplace.

Women’s History Month marks an opportunity to celebrate, support and uplift women. And at this time, I am reminded of both the people who had a strong influence on my life and Maya Angelou’s words, “Prepare yourself so you can be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud. Be a blessing to somebody.”

February is recognized as Black History Month. The month honors those who have endured centuries of struggle, and those who continue to fight for civil rights.

While the first original celebration of Negro History Week was in February 1926, Black History Month was expanded to the entire month of February in 1976, the nation’s bicentennial. Negro History Week originally spanned the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two figures pivotal to abolishing slavery in the US. The initiative to establish an entire month of honor was spearheaded by author, journalist and historian, Carter G. Woodson, known most notably as the “Father” of Black History due to his influential work.

Today, there are nearly 50 million African American people in the US; from 2020 to 2060, African Americans will contribute to more than 20 percent of the total US population growth.

As part of honoring Black History Month, Quest would like to provide you with a list of key organizations serving the African American community, particularly those with a focus on technology, leadership, and professional development in functions that many of our members perform in their companies. As technology continues to change, the need for new thoughts and ideas will also increase.

The Quest community has a history of being a diverse and inclusive organization, as we believe our community is stronger and more valuable to its members because of its diverse make-up. Quest is continuing its DEI journey with a focus on formalizing many of our practices in search of continuous improvement (an organizational core value), and to ensure our beliefs are reinforced and operationalized in organizational behavior that endures. Before I get into some of the details of Quest’s DEI plans, please allow me to provide a little background.

Mark Thomas joined Hays Recruitment Specialists in 2008. Hays is a leading global specialist recruitment firm, and the market leader in places such as the UK, Germany, and Australia. Located in London, England where Mark holds the role of UK & Ireland IT Director, he and his team are directly involved in all aspects of the running, updating and solution design of the Oracle platform. The team is responsible for ensuring the stability and reliability of the systems by implementing regular patching and updates as well as designing and implementing creative solutions to solve business challenges.

Ken Piddington, Vice President & CIO at U.S. Silica, enters his second year on the Quest Board of Directors. When it comes to Digital Transformation, Strategy, and Innovation, Ken is a leader in the industry - an Award-Winning CIO recognized for his leadership and management effectiveness through IT innovation and an established Keynote Speaker. Recently elected by his board peers as an Officer At-Large, Ken serves on the Board’s Executive Committee and will lead the new Executive Programming Taskforce at Quest, where he will guide the development of specific executive programming initiatives and engagement plans for continued outreach.