Pennsylvania will be the first state in the nation to create an Office of Diversity Management, Democratic Gov. Edward G. Rendell announced Thursday. Rendell signed an executive order creating the framework for the office, which will be led by a chief diversity officer. "This is an important step forward for Pennsylvania," Rendell says. "Establishing this office underscores my commitment to creating a culture of inclusion that values and promotes diversity and equal opportunity throughout state government."

The chief diversity officer, Trent Hargrove, will have oversight authority to fully integrate and transform diversity principles relating to employment opportunities, recruitment, placement, retention and contracting. Pennsylvania's model will combine portions of the models of numerous public- and private-sector corporations that have already established diversity programs.

Hargrove, an attorney, previously served in Pennsylvania's Department of General Services and has spearheaded civil-rights enforcement and hate-crime-awareness programs for the state.

Click here to read the full press release on breitbart.com.