For 30 years, James B. Tucker, Jr., has leveraged his extensive sales and business development experience to empower organizations to achieve their diversity and inclusion goals. His knowledge and experience guides organizations through the creation of customized strategies that address the specific diversity needs of the business. He works with senior executives to champion diversity and develops commitment and enthusiasm across all employee groups.

James was introduced to diversity training as a senior manager at IBM.  He delivered the annual diversity modules and conducted training for his direct reports and for each department under his authority. James was also responsible for administering follow-up surveys, tracking the year-to-year trends, and administering corrective actions where appropriate.

With the diversity experience gained during his 18 years at IBM, James was a natural fit to serve as executive lead for diversity activities in his subsequent companies. As publisher of Ebony Magazine, James was called upon by many of Ebony’s clients and partners to conduct workshops on a variety of diversity topics.  These organizations included S.C. Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, Target Corporation, Kellogg’s, General Mills, J.C. Penney, Proctor & Gamble, Hyatt Hotels, and several advertising and PR agencies.

As a DEI consultant, James stresses with his clients that effectively managing diversity and inclusion is not only the right things to do, but it is also good for business. This allows an organization to draw the best talent from all parts of society, foster the effective teamwork and collaboration needed for innovation, and relate to clients and stakeholders.

His consulting engagements demonstrate that being intentional about respect and inclusion makes DEI not an add-on to a company’s culture, but part of the company’s DNA.  James works with organizations to ensure that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is something every single employee at the company has a stake in.

Throughout his career, James has maintained a very active civic profile.  Growing up in the Englewood community in Chicago and participating in several youth enrichment programs, he innately understands the value these programs have to uplift underserved youths and change the personal and professional trajectory of their lives. 

James has served as a regional board member for the Inroads program that provides business internships for college students. He is also a mentor and counselor to community college students through the One Million Degrees program, an advisory board member for the computer science department at Olive Harvey Community College, and counsels small business owners and entrepreneurs though the Endeleo Institute on Chicago’s south side.

James is a graduate of Northwestern University and has received certificates from the executive institutes at Stanford University, University of Michigan, Wharton School, and the Harvard Business School.

Outside of work, James enjoys being active, classical music, and international travel.  

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