Anthony S. Kendall
Chairman and CEO, Mitchell & Titus, LLP
Headquarters: New York, New York
Education: Binghamton University, MBA, BS; Harvard Business School, Owner/President Management Program
First Job: Arthur Andersen
What I’m Reading: Everybody Paddles by Charles Archer
Best Advice: Question yourself often, but believe in yourself always.
“Diversity—in particular, diversity of thought fueled by individual exposures and experiences—is the engine of creativity and innovation. An organization’s most valuable asset is its diversity of people and thought, and its willingness to embrace each person’s uniqueness.”
Diversity—Our Engine of Creativity and Innovation
As Mitchell & Titus celebrates its 40th anniversary, we continue to build on the core values instilled by our founders—to create an organization where good people from all walks of life can fulfill their potential and realize their career aspirations in public accounting. Today, Mitchell & Titus is the largest minority-controlled accounting firm in the United States.
At the heart of our firm is an ecosystem that embraces diversity and inclusion, which leads to innovative thinking that benefits both our people and our clients. The biggest challenge in managing a diverse workforce is remaining vigilant and committed to understanding that both our cultural differences and our family dynamics influence how we evaluate information and the world around us. Mitchell & Titus’s value system reflects the experiences and attitudes of all our people—not just those of leadership. We have a shared vision that transcends cultural and generational differences.
I have learned to appreciate that we all have conscious and unconscious biases. It is incumbent upon us to recognize how those biases impact our assessments and opinions of ourselves and others. Diversity—in particular, diversity of thought fueled by individual exposures and experiences—is the engine of creativity and innovation. An organization’s most valuable asset is its diversity of people and thought, and its willingness to embrace each person’s uniqueness.
Leaders enable their people to reach their fullest potential by investing in them holistically (professionally and personally) and ensuring that each experience and opportunity contributes to their development. Leadership is a privilege, and leaders must endeavor to place people in positions where their differences become our strengths. This also creates a platform for our collective energies and efforts to propel an organization to greatness. Our investments in people empower them to explore and share their knowledge with others. At Mitchell & Titus, we live this mantra by providing our executives with life coaches so that they foster high-performing teams and fulfill their personal goals and aspirations.
Mitchell & Titus values our diverse workforce; we make sure that our people’s voices are heard, which helps us retain talented professionals and help them achieve their maximum potential. We are proud of the inclusive atmosphere at Mitchell &Titus, and of the successes we have achieved together.
