Brandon Gilchrist is dedicated to promoting an inclusive environment that brings the best out of LPL employees. As a leader on LPL’s Employee Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team, Brandon’s focus is on growing and increasing representation for women and people of color, particularly Black employees, especially in leadership roles. Fulfilling that goal requires an innovative approach to staffing that transcends traditional boundaries. 

“We’re looking for talent within our existing networks and with new networks and organizations that we may not have necessarily thought of previously,” he says. “And that’s one of the key things around diversity: When you say you want to find top talent, where are you looking for that top talent?”

The 10-year LPL veteran draws on experience from LPL’s Service, Trading & Operations department as well as leading teams in its Compliance, Legal & Risk division, where he served advisors, supported various areas of the firm, and helped LPL employees in countless ways. Recognizing his talent and impact on those two teams, he was nominated to represent LPL by serving on SIFMA’s Future Leaders Committee, which included a sharp focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, gaining experience that eventually led to his current role.
 

A diverse group of people


Brandon also shares the way his group’s approach has evolved in light of our current environment and recent events. While the death of George Floyd this past summer elevated racial injustice to the forefront of public consciousness, it laid bare both the importance of his professional efforts addressing diversity, equity and inclusion — and the work that has yet to be done.

“After the tragedy of George Floyd, it caused us to pause and really assess what we were focused on when it came to our strategy,” he says. “The [George Floyd] video impacted everybody, and you saw an immediate call for people to talk and understand what they were seeing and experiencing.”
 

Opening the dialogue

Brandon helped organize several public forums, providing LPL employees with the opportunity to address diversity, equity and inclusion issues and concerns. “Many people weren’t even aware that this type of stuff happens,” he says. “So we organized community conversations, bringing in an expert who helped facilitate a series of discussions.”

More than 800 people attended 9 community conversations — unscripted talks that included LPL’s CEO, managing directors, and senior leaders — which created a top-down engagement that continues to resonate throughout the organization.

“It was so successful that there were requests for follow-up conversations,” Brandon says.

While Brandon embraces his leadership role with LPL’s Employee Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team, he attributes its impact and success to a collective effort. “No lasting impact is created by one person,” he says. “It’s through a partnership with different people from different backgrounds and different experiences, all aligned on the same mission, that really creates sustainable impact.”

Progress continues to be made, an enterprise-wide commitment that Brandon attributes to LPL’s intentional culture. “We’re a large company serving over 16,000 advisors and we have nearly 5,000 employees, but it still feels like a small community,” he says. “And that’s a great thing to have at the center of your culture.”