The Newton-Needham Regional Chamber is forming a strategic partnership with Colette Phillips Communications and Get Konnected! to celebrate, document and encourage a diverse workforce in Greater Boston’s western suburbs.

The collaboration’s first joint project will be to publish a list of 50 Influential Business People of Color who are making a positive contribution to the economic and social fabric of Greater Boston’s west suburban businesses and nonprofits.

The list is modeled after similar lists Phillip’s company has been producing to great acclaim in the Boston market since 2016, only this time it will be focused exclusively on the western inner suburbs.

Get Konnected!’s prior lists include the historic GK100, Boston’s first comprehensive list of the 100 Most Influential People of Color; the GK 50, Boston’s Most Influential People of Color in Healthcare and Life Sciences; the GK25, Boston’s 25 Most Influential Millennials of Color; the GK50 Attorneys, Boston’s 50 Most Influential Attorneys of Color and the GK25LGBTQ+ The 25 Most Influential LGBTQ+ People of Color.

“Colette Phillips is widely recognized as one our region’s most extraordinary leaders in building and championing diversity, equity and inclusion through her networking, consulting and marketing efforts,” said Chamber President Greg Reibman. “Her famous GK lists of leaders have done wonders to shine the spotlight on those who contribute so much to our economic and cultural vitality but also to expose our gaps. The Newton-Needham Regional Chamber is thrilled to be partnering with Colette and her team to shine a light of the people of color in our region.”

“I am excited by this partnership with the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber to both help celebrate and spotlight diverse business leaders from the Newton-Needham and Metrowest business community and introduce Get Konnected! to this community,” said Phillips.

“Working closely with Greg Reibman and his team at the chamber I have been truly impressed by his genuine commitment and dedication to racial equity, inclusion and diversity. I am enthusiastically looking forward to more opportunities to collaborate with the chamber,” she added.

Nominations will open soon to identify The Newton-Needham MetroWest 50 Most Influential Business People of Color. To qualify, nominees must work and/or sit on a board for a business or nonprofit that is physically located in Newton, Needham, Watertown, Waltham, Wellesley, Natick or Framingham. A seven-member committee, appointed by Get Konnected! and the chamber, will review all nominations and select the honorees.

The final list will be published this fall. There will also be a virtual event to celebrate the honorees and the region’s diversity.

Phillips and Reibman hope the media, corporations, and nonprofit institutions will tap this list for boards, expert commentators, thought leaders and panelist speakers.It is also hoped that publication of the list will celebrate the region’s most inclusive businesses and nonprofits, while encouraging other employers to strive to see their employees on future lists.

The Newton-Needham Regional Chamber and Get Konnected! are seeking business partners to sponsor the 50 Influential People of Color in Greater Boston’s Western Suburbs list. For more information contact Lise Elcock.