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IT Industry Lags Behind Nation in Hiring Blacks


Zollar's CEO slot a symbol of success for African-American IT leaders


By Lee Copeland <mailto:lee_copeland@computerworld.com>
(Jan. 31, 2000) African-American information technology professionals lauded
IBM's appointment of fellow African-American Al Zollar to the top spot at
Lotus Development Corp. But they also said there's still work to be done
before there is adequate representation of African-Americans in IT's ranks.
Zollar, an executive at IBM for 23 years, will take over as CEO for
departing chief Jeff Papows this week.

"The fact that I happen to be African-American is a positive sign, relative
to demonstrating a commitment to diversity (on IBM's behalf). But I hope
it's the talent of individuals that are allowed to shine without any
blockage or barriers that are artificial," Zollar told Computerworld.
"Technology is one of those industries where it's easy to become
color-blind, because it's about the skills that you bring to the table."
African-American IT professionals at Lotusphere 2000 last week said Zollar's
appointment is encouraging.

Freeman Fridie, Lotus Notes architect at PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York,
praised IBM but said he would like to see more minority hiring at all levels
in the IT industry. "Obviously, it's a great start. There is very little
color in the high-tech industry," said Fridie. "In general, there are very
few blacks in information technology, and there needs to be more. But to
have someone black at the top is a great start."

"I see (Zollar's hire) as a stepping-stone for more African-Americans to
enter the IT field and to have someone there as an example to lead the way,"
said Catherine Moore, Lotus Notes administrator at insurance broker Aon
Corp. in Chicago.

Optimistic sentiments aside, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
shows that the hiring of African-Americans in high technology has improved
only slightly during the past decade and lags behind total U.S. employment
rates for African-Americans. From 1989 to 1999, African-American employment
in high tech increased from roughly 5.6% to 7.1%. But African-Americans made
up 11.4 % of all U.S. employees last year, up from 10.3 percent in 1989.
The biggest hiring gain in the high-tech sector came from Asian, Pacific
Islander, American Indian and Eskimo groups. This category more than doubled
from 6% of high-tech hires in 1989 to 12% in 1999.

In the executive suites of high-profile IT companies, African-Americans are
still rare, but are becoming less so.

Last April, Symantec Corp. hired John W. Thompson, 50, a former IBM
executive who is African-American, to head the antivirus software firm.
Symantec, in Cupertino, Calif., posted $634 million in revenue last year.
Other African-American CEOs include Dwayne Walker at ShopNow.com Inc. in
Seattle, Curtis Crawford at Zilog Inc. in Campbell, Calif., and E. David
Ellington at NetNoir Inc. in San Francisco.

Looking back on 20 years in the industry, the career paths of minority job
candidates has improved greatly, said Denise Street-Robb, president of
Mitchell Street Associates Inc., an IT recruiting firm in Atlanta. "It used
to be hard to find minority candidates at the executive level, but the
situation is improving."

Street-Robb has urged high-tech companies to form closer ties with and
recruit candidates from colleges and universities with a strong track record
in educating minority students.