Denny's officials to discuss diversityTop officials of the Denny's restaurant chain will be among the speakers in a community discussion on building racial understanding, to be held at Arizona State University West.A year-long program, titled "Racial Legacies and Learning: An American Dialogue" begins Tuesday, Oct. 6, with a forum including John A. Romandetti, president of Denny's restaurants, and Rachelle Hood-Phillips, the company's chief diversity officer. Denny's has received several awards from the NAACP for leadership in diversity management, and in August of this year the company was ranked number two on a Fortune magazine list of the "Best 50 Companies for Asians, Blacks and Hispanics." The local presentation will describe how Denny's dealt head-on with difficult diversity issues, including lawsuits that alleged discrimination against customers at some of the national chain's restaurants. The community forum will include audience participation through a "town hall" question-answer session; skits that address issues concerning race and diversity; and a concluding reception featuring multicultural music. ASU West is the only institution in Arizona selected to participate in the national "Racial Legacies" initiative, and one of only eight in the nation designated as a regional site by the Association of American Colleges and Universities. The free program is scheduled for 1 p.m. in the University Center Building La Sala at ASU West, 4701 W. Thunderbird Road in Phoenix. For more details, call 543-4566. 
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