Panelists at this morning’s “Diversity in the Workplace” Power Breakfast called for easing immigration restrictions, urged local businesses to take part in job training programs and agreed that top executives have to set the tone for cultural awareness in their companies.

The third and final session in the 2007 breakfast series presented by the Des Moines Business Record drew about 150 people to listen and ask questions. The panel consisted of moderator Preston Daniels, diversity program director at Employee and Family Resources; Lori Chesser, an attorney with the Davis, Brown law firm; J. Barry Griswell, chairman and CEO of Principal Financial Group Inc.; Kerty Levy, a vice president at Kemin Industries Inc.; Vincent Lewis, principal of North High School; and Paul Rottenberg, president of Orchestrate Management.

Griswell predicted that Des Moines will see a significant increase in minority group members filling top business positions. Women are attaining those jobs already because of the “feeder groups” that exist in business, he said. When it comes to minorities, however, “we have such a small feeder group,” he noted. “We can jump-start that process by bringing people in.”

The event was sponsored by Nationwide Insurance, Des Moines Area Community College and Carrier Access Inc.