Repaying the community

The Bank of America’s vice president/business partner relationship manager, supplier diversity and development (SD&D) group in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, Rustam Wadia advises minority business enterprises: "Don’t be content with merely being a supplier — position your company as a partner; forge an alliance,” as notes the Minority Business News USA (November 15-December 15, 2001). The article further observes that Wadia provides leadership expertise, information and solutions to SD&D "champions” and their teams to help them achieve the Bank’s goal of spending at least 15 percent of its procurement dollars with minority owned businesses.

Reinforcing a corporate culture that "welcomes, values and promotes diversity,” Wadia serves on the finance group’s diversity business council which provides information, arranges forums and makes recommendations to senior management "on how to achieve the Bank’s associate diversity goals,” as per the publication.

The son of Shirin and the late Noshir Wadia, Rustam schooled at St Mary’s, Bombay and acquired his commerce graduation from Sydenham College before proceeding to Lynchberg University in Virginia for his MBA. Wadia has been with the Bank of America since 1986 when he joined as a management associate in Virginia. As a relationship manager in 1991 for the Community Development Banking Group, he successfully executed the Bank’s community development initiative for the western and south western regions of Virginia, notes the report. Moving to Charlotte in 1997 as a product specialist, Wadia assisted relationship managers oversee several national, non-profit alliances.

Strongly motivated to help others, Wadia has been active in the non-profit, affordable housing and community services areas. Besides housing, his focus of attention has included the environment, a museum of African-American culture and the local chapter of the American Red Cross. He was a full-time loaned executive with the United Way of Roanoke Valley’s 1987 campaign. Married to Farida who shares his community concerns, Wadia enjoys reading and listening to western classical music, says his mother.