Month: July 2023

By Candace Higginbotham

A unique summer program for law students working at local Birmingham law firms hits several sweet spots for Tara Plimpton, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Regions, and her team.

Since her arrival at the bank in 2020, Plimpton has established a few key priorities that have become mantras in her organization: talent development; diversity, equity and inclusion; and collaboration within the local legal community.

In law school you learn the law, but you don’t necessarily learn how to be a lawyer. I think it’s important to expose these future lawyers to as many areas of law as possible, so they’ll have a better understanding of what career opportunities they have after graduation.

Tara Plimpton, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Regions

The Legal team recently hosted a group of seven law school students who are spending their summers as law clerks for Birmingham firms for a corporate law ‘mini term’. The students were paired with Regions Legal mentors for a crash course in life as an in-house lawyer.

“In law school you learn the law, but you don’t necessarily learn how to be a lawyer,” Plimpton said. “I think it’s important to expose these future lawyers to as many areas of law as possible, so they’ll have a better understanding of what career opportunities they have after graduation.”

Mission accomplished, according to Megan Wong, a student at the University of Alabama School of Law who is a summer clerk at Baker Donelson. “In-house is a really good option. I really didn’t understand this was a viable route you can take in your legal career,” she said.

During their time at Regions, she and the other students sat in on meetings that included many business and support groups across the bank. They enjoyed learning how different areas of the bank collaborate with Legal. “I had no idea how critical the Legal department is in a corporate environment,” said Alisha Clay, a clerk at Burr Forman who also attends the University of Alabama School of Law.

When it comes to recruiting, hiring and developing legal talent, a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, is paramount to the Regions Legal team. With Plimpton’s leadership, they are pursuing Mansfield Rule Legal Department certification, which is modeled after the Mansfield Rule for law firms, a well-known national movement to increase diversity in legal recruitment and promotion practices.

“It’s especially important in the legal profession that lawyers reflect our community,” said Andrew Nix, Chief Governance Officer at Regions and leader of the Legal department’s Culture & Equity team. “The Regions Legal team is committed to expanding opportunities for groups who have been underrepresented in the legal profession, including women, racial and ethnic minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and people with disabilities.”

I enjoyed having a woman mentor at Regions and learning about her career experience.

Naomi Migoya, a student at the University of Mississippi School of Law

The seven law clerks who did a stint at Regions are from historically underrepresented groups, which was meaningful for many of the students.

“I enjoyed having a woman mentor at Regions and learning about her career experience,” said Naomi Migoya, a student at the University of Mississippi School of Law serving as a clerk for Baker Donelson. “She was open and honest about the highlights and the challenges of being a woman in a historically male-dominated field and it was helpful to hear her perspective.”

Other participants noted how much they enjoyed similar conversations with their mentors, including tips on balancing career and motherhood.

Besides their mentors and Legal department leadership, the students enjoyed some face time with company executives, including Kate Danella, head of the Consumer Banking group at Regions, and Kimberly Robichaud, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program manager.

Spending time with Head of Community Affairs Leroy Abrahams was a particular treat for these community-minded students.

“Learning about Regions’ commitment to the community was a highlight,” said Lizz Campbell, a student at Cumberland School of Law working at Maynard Nexsen this summer. “The intentionality of the programs the bank supports and the impact – that was really impressive to hear.”

Even though it’s only two weeks, this program makes such a positive impact.

Katie Loggins, Regions Legal Services manager

Tionna Tate, a University of Alabama School of Law student also clerking at Maynard Nexsen, agreed. “I enjoyed hearing about the work of the Regions Foundation, especially around their investment in education. I was also interested in Regions Bank’s participation in The Birmingham Promise. It really made an impression on me and made me realize the importance of pro bono work.”

Clearly the brief time at Regions was a positive experience for the students, but the Legal team also benefitted.

“Even though it’s only two weeks, this program makes such a positive impact,” said Katie Loggins, Regions Legal Services manager who works closely with the law firms to manage this program. “Our Legal team is made up of lawyers with such varied backgrounds and experiences. Most of us never thought when we were in law school that we’d end up working for a bank. But the work Legal does is interesting and really diverse – I love that we get to share that and introduce these future lawyers to what it’s like to practice law at a company like Regions.”

Loggins and the team plan to stay in touch with the students and make themselves available for additional career advice as they continue their education. The team will also be refining the program and begin preparing for next year’s participants.

Comcast is proud to be recognized on Fast Company’s 2023 ‘Best Workplaces for Innovators’ list for the second time, ranking #38 and moving up six spots from its inclusion in 2021. It is an honor to be named one of the top companies that demonstrate an inspiring commitment to encourage and develop innovation at all levels.

Developed in collaboration with Accenture, the 2023 Best Workplaces for Innovators ranks 100 winners from a variety of industries, including entertainment, biotech, consumer packaged goods, marketing, education, healthcare, and many more. Fast Company editors and Accenture researchers collaborated together to score nearly 1,000 submissions, and a panel of eight distinguished judges reviewed and endorsed the top 100 companies. The 2023 awards feature workplaces from around the world.

Entrepreneurial enthusiasm drives our company today, through our leadership and our employees, who strive to revolutionize, discover, and create innovative technology and entertainment in their jobs, in their communities, and for our customers. Through hardware like our Xfinity Large Button Voice Remote and initiatives like our startup programs, including LIFT Labs and SportsTech, and Lab Week, where teams ideate and collaborate to develop technical passion projects that are outside their normal work streams, our workforce is driven and inspired by our inclusive and innovative culture.

From advising on Canadian legislation to creating organization-wide environmental initiatives, I am appreciative for the experiences and opportunities Covia has encouraged me to pursue throughout my eight years with the company. Looking back, I am so grateful I was given the chance to make real, impactful change in the lives of Covia Team Members and in communities across the globe.

A Catalyst for Change

Back in the 90s, I was a self-proclaimed “tree hugger.” I wanted to change the world and build a sustainable future. If you told me back then that I would end up working for a company that mines, I would have called you crazy. I would never work for a company that would make me compromise on my beliefs. Thankfully, when I met the incredible Environmental Team at Covia, I found that I could work for a mining company that does right by the environment and cares about the communities in which it operates.

My journey to where I am today was slightly unconventional. My college experience started at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, and after completing my Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology, I became a stay-at-home mother to two amazing boys. After nine years, I decided to go back to college to gain some new skills and completed my Ecosystem Technologists diploma at Fleming College in Lindsay, Ontario. This experience was transformative, it gave me the opportunity to meet and communicate with a wide array of unique people – one of which I am now married to all these years later.

After graduation, I landed at a consulting firm that developed rules and regulations around for the protection of drinking water for the Great Lakes. It was at this firm that my passion for environmental protection developed. During that time, I was able to further hone the skills that I later brought to my position at Covia.

I made the transition to Covia in 2015 as an Environmental Specialist. Throughout the last eight years, I have been promoted to Senior Environmental Specialist and have had the privilege to be the Corporate Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) Coordinator. My current role includes permitting and compliance for 10 Covia plants, located in the southern United States and the Province of Ontario in Canada. During my time at Covia, I have been able to develop great relationships with state regulators and plant managers – helping plants go beyond the basic level of compliance.

By developing positive relationships with environmental regulators, my team and I try to stay ahead of any upcoming policy changes that might impact Covia’s plants. For instance, the Tri-Colored Bat is planned to be listed as a protected species by the U.S. Government later this year. By working closely with regulators and plant managers, we can proactively ensure our plants are meeting updated regulations and stay in compliance by staying in constant communication with regulators.

Since day one, I have continued to grow and thrive at Covia – gaining my footing and confidence to speak on topics with authority. This growth has helped me become an even stronger advocate, guiding Covia to enact progressive environmental policies throughout the organization. I value the relationships that I have built and the role that I play to help our plants go above and beyond regulatory minimums. Together, we make a real difference in the communities in which we operate.

Wildlife Habitat Certification (WHC)

My role as Covia’s Corporate Wildlife Habitat Council Coordinator gives me the unique opportunity to work with various plants to create well-rounded conservation certification programs. These programs meet the Wildlife Habitat Council’s criteria for broad-based biodiversity enhancements and conservation education. One of my favorite programs is the Turtle Conservation program at our NSO plant in Canada. This program and several others have received praise and recognition from WHC for their impact on the preservation and improvement of biodiversity at our sites.

Looking ahead, I am excited for the opportunity to increase the number of Covia sites that are WHC certified. By 2030, Covia’s goal is to have 50% of our mining and processing sites achieving and maintaining WHC certification. I’m excited to help more sites build programs and initiatives that support biodiversity.

World Environment Day

The other project that I’m proud of is the creation of World Environment Day at Covia. The first year we participated in World Environment Day, there was opportunity for the Environmental Team to create a more informative and impactful program. Covia listened to my feedback and guidance to improve the event into what it is today. I like to think that you don’t have to be in the environmental department to love World Environment Day. Four years into this project, and I can confidently say that my sentiment rings true.

World Environment Day has turned into an organization-wide celebration that’s hosted by the Environmental Team. Each year, in alignment with the United Nations’ yearly theme, the Environmental Team hosts a virtual event that features environmental and ESG updates as well as guest appearances from well-known environmental advocates. We’ve had speakers such as Steve Adair, Ducks Unlimited’s Chief Scientist, and Wildlife Habitat Council’s President, Margaret O’Gorman.

Following the event, the environmental team invites Team Members to participate in a scavenger hunt that reinforces the WED topic. Last year, in conjunction with the UN’s theme – Only One Earth – the Biodiversity Scavenger Hunt encouraged Team Members to safely explore their neighborhoods to complete tasks such as litter clean up. This year, the Team visited the Houston Audubon Raptor Education Center to film the event that premiered on June 5.

Lifetime Learner and Advocate

One of the things I really appreciate about Covia is that they encourage us to pursue our interests outside of the office. I like to spend that free time learning new things, solving puzzles, advocating for environmental protections, and relaxing with my husband and our dog on our boat.

Currently, I am a sitting member of the Ontario Mining Association’s Environmental Committee. There, I help review and provide feedback on legislation that that may impact the mining industry. I think it’s critical that members of Covia are a part of the conversation on mining legislation and environmental protection. Not only do we have proper insight to give feedback, but it pushes us to be a leader in our industry when it comes to environmental conservation.

I am always trying to learn something new. Whether that stems from attending the Wildlife Habitat Council Conference every year or taking ongoing education courses – I love to learn. In my field, it’s important to stay up to date on regulations and best practices so that we can pivot quickly and effectively when the need arises.

ESG: More Than a Talking Point

I’m looking forward to what comes next for Covia and its ESG goals. The ESG conversation has been advancing rapidly over the last few years and I cannot wait to see our goals come to fruition. From reclamation and water conservation to species management, there are a ton of initiatives right now that are making a real difference. The data so far has been phenomenal, and I can’t wait to be a part of what comes next.