Walker & Dunlop has announced the appointment of Jason Golub as Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I). Golub will be responsible for creating new programmes and enhancing existing initiatives that reinforce DE&I as pillars of the company’s recruitment, retention, engagement and development practices. The new role is part of Walker & Dunlop’s long-term commitment to foster an inclusive environment that benefits from diverse backgrounds and ideas. The firm also plans to build a pipeline of diverse talent that will positively impact the entire commercial real estate industry.
“Walker & Dunlop’s goal is to continue to be a leader in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the commercial real estate industry, and we are investing in that commitment by bringing on Jason to lead our efforts,” commented Chairman and CEO Willy Walker. “We have set long-term objectives to nearly double female and minority representation in management positions and top company earners by 2025. We are excited to begin tracking towards these goals under Jason’s leadership.”
EXPANDING PERSPECTIVES
Adding to his comments, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Paula Pryor stated, “Fostering a workplace that is diverse, equitable and inclusive has been a defining characteristic of Walker & Dunlop’s culture, and we are thrilled to continue driving this commitment forward under Jason’s leadership. Jason’s track record in compliance and talent development made him a great fit to build upon the DE&I efforts that we currently have underway and to develop new programmes to expand the range of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences at W&D.”
Commenting on his new role, Golub stated: “Walker & Dunlop’s commitment to leading the DE&I space, both within the company and across the commercial real estate industry, is what attracted me to this role. The senior management team has demonstrated a real commitment to not only leading by example, but also innovating and building a transparent, industry leading DE&I programme. Diverse and inclusive teams are critical to truly developing innovative solutions to complex problems, and I am confident our commitment will translate into better results for our clients. I am excited to work with our employees across the country on these efforts and to be part of a company committed to pushing the envelope on both internal DE&I, but also supporting the diverse communities and clients we serve.”
DE&I EXPERTISE
Golub will partner with Walker & Dunlop’s Council for DE&I and will work closely with other employee resource groups, including the Women of Walker & Dunlop and the Minority Employees Resource Group for Empowerment/Engagement/Elevation. As part of Walker & Dunlop’s ongoing DE&I efforts, the company has set goals to nearly double both female and minority representation in management positions and top company earners by 2025.
Prior to joining Walker & Dunlop, Golub was a senior leader at GE legal, where he focused on high-risk investigations, workplace culture and training, and compliance, while also serving as a senior member of the company’s DE&I Council for five years. Earlier this year, he was appointed the chair of the Police Reform and Re-imagination Task Force in Saratoga Springs, NY. It’s a Governor Cuomo mandated task force aimed at police reform and reducing racial inequality. Golub holds a Bachelor of Arts from Connecticut College and a Juris Doctorate from Columbia University, School of Law, where he focused on human rights law.