Three African-Americans have advanced in major management positions at Eli Lilly and Co., the Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company.
Lilly recently announced John Lechleiter, chairman, president, and CEO, underwent scheduled surgery for a dilated aorta. In accordance with the company’s bylaws, Derica Rice, executive vice president of Global Services and chief financial officer, assumed the additional role of acting CEO during Lechleiter’s surgery and recuperation period.
Although Rice is currently in charge of the entire company, he was already the most senior African-American within Lilly.
Shaun Hawkins, a Lilly vice president, said, “Derica is capable. This is not about affirmative action or meeting a number. This is about who’s the most capable person. His appointment to acting CEO is a great vote of confidence for Derica and we are going to support him in any way we can to be successful during this time.”
Hawkins has also transitioned within the company. Named the chief diversity officer in 2010, he is now vice president of Lilly New Ventures.
In his new area, Hawkins will be responsible for Lilly’s activities in venture capital, private equity and venture formation.
Hawkins said going from the diversity office to investments wasn’t really that difficult due to his nine years of experience within business development at Lilly.
“The most difficult part of the process for me is leaving my team, the folks I’ve grown to know and love working with and leaving work that I’m passionate about,” said Hawkins.
While leading diversity and inclusion, Hawkins upheld the company’s mission in understanding, respecting and valuing differences within their workforce, suppliers and patients who use their drugs. He was also able to integrate diversity and inclusion with discussions about business and health care.
One of the key programs within the diversity department that Hawkins considers as his legacy was improving relationships with their advocacy organizations and corporate affairs group such as the American Diabetes Association, the Urban League, National Council of La Raza and the Hispanic Council on Aging.
Under his watch, Lilly also diversified its employee base. As an African-American male from Tennessee, Hawkins believes he is a beneficiary of the changes within the culture at Lilly. Hawkins’ job was made easier because of Lechleiter’s belief in diversity and inclusion at all levels of the company which goes toward the company’s overall goals of improving, extending and making life better.
In 2013 alone, the company has won numerous diversity awards such as “Top Employer in Health Care” presented by Black EOE Journal and the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Award from the Indiana Minority Business Magazine, the magazine’s highest award.
Hawkins has already begun his new role in New Ventures and is looking forward to changing how early drug development is done from a cost standpoint and an ability to deliver an increased number of assets. He’s also anticipating all of the variety of future possibilities and collaboration with various groups such as venture capitalists, the pharmaceutical industry and inventors of new drugs.
Others are looking forward to new prospects at Lilly as well. Hawkins has passed his chief diversity officer baton to Monique Hunt McWilliams, assistant general counsel, litigation and legal compliance.
McWilliams has worked in a variety of positions in Lilly Legal since she joined the company in 1998. The majority of her time spent at Lilly was in the company’s litigation and compliance area.
Although an attorney by trade, many feel McWilliams will have a smooth transition in her role as chief diversity officer.
“Monique has been passionate about diversity and inclusion throughout her career at Lilly,” said Steve Fry, senior vice president of human resources and diversity. “Her experience will be invaluable in the chief diversity officer role as she is able to analyze situations in-depth, understand divergent perspectives, and reach practical solutions.”
Over the years, McWilliams has been a champion of increasing diversity within litigation including developing the first round table forum where Lilly and outside counsel discussed law firm challenges to hiring, developing, and retaining diverse lawyers; helping create pipeline programs for law students; and increasing diversity and mentoring minorities within law firms that collaborate with Lilly.
McWilliams has even been recognized for her commitment and advocacy for diversity within the legal profession, receiving the Pepper Hamilton 2009 Champion of Diversity Award.
“There’s a lot of momentum right now within the diversity and inclusion here so I hope I’m able to capitalize on that,” said McWilliams who is a graduate of John Marshall High School, located on the city’s Eastside.
Her goals for the diversity and inclusion office is to improve strategies already in place and look for new ways to further enhance the company in that specific area. She also wants to ensure that as the company changes and grows, practicing diversity remains important.
Although she’s moving to another department within Lilly, she plans to maintain her law license.
Both Hawkins and McWilliams are eager to delve into their new roles at Eli Lilly and Co. and are grateful for the opportunity. As African-Americans moving up within a major company like Eli Lilly, neither Hawkins nor McWilliams label themselves as role models. They do, however, understand their personal responsibility toward their jobs and know young professionals and kids within their communities are looking at their example.
The two said they are grateful for their mentors and those who believed in their abilities to help them get to where they are today.
