Successful leaders are visionaries who motivate with charisma, exercise grit, ignite passion and take calculated risks to achieve results. Effective leadership requires continuous self-evaluation and professional development to remain a peak performer who can harvest creativity in ways that positively impact the bottom line. Do you have what it takes to be a great leader? The 2017 Annual Conference & Exposition presented by NBMBAA® & Prospanica® featured an array of programming designed to help attendees expand their leadership capabilities while learning valuable information to increase marketability in a highly-competitive landscape. Entrepreneurs, students and seasoned professionals were enriched by exclusive networking opportunities and invaluable industry knowledge.

Join Us in Detroit for the 40th Annual Conference & Exposition!

Honorary Co-Chairs
- JoAnne Epps, Executive Vice President and Provost, Temple University
- Verdun Perry, Senior Managing Director, Blackstone and Co-Head, Strategic Partners
- Francisco J. Sanchez, Chairman, CNS Global Advisors
- Cid Wilson, President & CEO, Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility
Featured Speakers
- Kevin Blackistone, ESPN Around The Horn, Sports Journalist, Philip Merrill College of Journalism
- Demetria D’Oyley, Award-winning Writer & Journalist
- Tamron Hall, Award-Winning Broadcast Journalist
- Carla Harris, Vice Chairman, Wealth Management, Morgan Stanley
- Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Actress and Author
- Dan Pallotta, Founder & President, Charity Defense Council
- Symone Sanders, News Contributor, CNN
- Arne Sorenson, CEO, Marriott International, Inc
- Larenz Tate, Actor, Writer, Activist, Producer, and Director
- Eric Thomas, ETA, LLC
Additional Speakers
- Tony Aguilar, CEO, Chipper
- Tim Atwell, Senior Vice President, Technology Executive, Bank of America
- Sheryl Battles, Vice President, Communications and Diversity Strategy, Pitney Bowes Inc.
- Susana Baumann, Founder and Director, LCSWorldWide
- Dr. Joe Beasley, Board Chair and Founder, Joe Beasley Foundation
- Ray Bennett, Chief Global Officer, Global Operations Marriott International, Inc.
- Cynthia Bowman, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Bank of America
- Brian Brackeen, Founder & CEO, Kairos
- Marcie Braden, Information Designer, Braden Strategic Design
- Beth Brady, SVP & CMO, Principal Financial Group®
- Tonya Brigham, Entrepreneur
- Cassius Butts, NBMBAA® Board of Director, Chairman and Co-Founder of CFB Advisors (CFBA)
- Myla Calhoun, President, Alabama Power Foundation
- Cliff Cammock, Senior Client Serving Partner, FSO Assurance and Americas FSO Diversity & Inclusiveness Partner Champion, EY
- Jason Campbell, Director, Strategy Planning & Analysis, Information Technology (IT), FedEx
- Lalohni Campbell, President, Per Se Media Group
- Chris Carr, Executive Vice President, Chief Procurement Officer, Starbucks
- David Casey, Vice President, Workforce Strategies & Chief Diversity Officer, CVS Health
- Kerry Chandler, Chief Human Resource Officer, Under Armour
- Gerald Chertavian, CEO & Founder, Year Up
- Astrid Chirinos, Chief Development Executive, Latin American Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC)
- Lorenzo Claridy, Inclusion & Diversity Business Lead for US Pharmaceuticals & ViiV Healthcare Company, GSK
- Maurice Coleman, Commercial Real Estate Banking – CDB, Senior Vice President/Sr. Relationship Manager, Bank of America
- James Collier, Vice President, U.S. Western Field Sales Division
- Julie Coker Graham, President and CEO, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB)
- Christoper Conner, President, Franchise Marketing Systems
- Ralph Cook, Managing Partner, Handprint Group
- James Cuthbert, Global Senior Brand Manager, Coca-Cola
- Becky Davis, Chief BOSSpreneur®
- Brad Davis, AVP, Marketing Brand Strategy, Nationwide
- Jackie Del Rosario, Founder & CEO, ReCapturing the Vision International
- Erica Bennett, Co-Founder, The Dotson Group
- Rosanna Durruthy, Head of Global Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, LinkedIn
- Jotaka Eaddy, Head of Government Affairs, Lendup!
- Harold Epps, Director of Commerce, City of Philadelphia
- Stephaine Evergreen, Speaker, Designer & Researcher
- Jason Feifer, Editor-In-Chief, Entrepreneur Magazine
- Jesse Ferrell, International Speaker, Master Coach & Author JessTalk Speaking & Coaching Firm
- Stefan Frank, Director of Social Media, Wharton School of Business
- Deborah Frutos-Smith, Sr. Marketing Director, Global Recruitment Leadership Member of Conexion Latina (GSK’s Latino-Hispanic Employee Resource Group), GSK
- Michelle Fullerton, Diversity and Inclusion Executive and head of Leadership Development Programs, GWIM and Consumer Banking, Bank of America
- Apoorva Gandhi, Vice President, Multi-Cultural Affairs Marriott International, Inc.
- Dr. Lisette Garcia, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR)
- Brandon Gibson, Operator, Chick-fil-A
- Shantel Gilbert, Founder, PLI Consulting Group
- Laura Gomez, CEO, Atipica | Unlocking the World’s Talent Data
- Elise Grace, Global Supply Chain, Merck & Co.
- John Grossier, Data-Scientist & Investor
- Eric Guthrie, Founder, Better ME Better WE
- James Haile, Director, Partnership, and Outreach, Goldman Sachs 10K Small Businesses, Community College of Philadelphia
- Mia Hairston, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Nationwide
- Annette Harris, President & Founder, ShowUp!
- Doug Harris, CEO, The Kaleidoscope
- Ivory Harris, Vice President of Total Rewards & Corporate HR Services for North America, BASF
- Rhondale Haywood, Senior Investment Advisor, Vice President, PNC
- Ty Heath, President, LinkedIn’s Black Inclusion Group
- Ahmad Islam, Managing Partner, TEN35
- Stefanie Brown James, CEO & Founding Partner, Vestige Strategies, LLC
- Ousman Jobe, Strategic Partnerships Manager, LinkedIn
- Christopher Johnson, President, Global Financial Services & Payments, Pitney Bowes
- Dr. Kevin Johnson, President/CEO, Philadelphia Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC)
- Mark Johnson, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Astra Capital
- Ramon Jones, Senior Vice President, P&C Business and Personal Solutions Marketing
- Robert Jones, Managing Partner, Handprint Group
- Conrod Kelly, Executive Director, US Marketing Leader – Diabetes Franchise for Merck and Author of STAGED
- Dallas Kerley, President & COO, Benetrends Financial
- Matt Kidd, Executive Director, Reaching Out
- Gale V. King, EVP & Chief Administrative Officer, Nationwide
- John Kirk, Strategy and Business Development Manager, 3M
- Emmanuel Kolady, Area Vice President, Area 12, CVS Health
- Abim Kolawole, Vice President, Policy Benefits, Northwestern Mutual
- Bill Lacey, President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Lighting
- Casey Leonetti, Senior Vice President, PBM Product and Process Innovation, CVS Caremark
- Matthew Levy, Motivational Speaking/Training/ Coaching, Interim HR Partnering for Life Sciences
- Taariq Lewis, CEO & Founder, Bitcoin Business.com
- Anthony Lopez, CEO & Managing Director, Azzur Group
- Jonathan D. Lovitz, Senior Vice President, National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
- Latifa Lyles, Former Obama Administration Official at U.S. Dept. of Labor, Communicator, Working Women’s Advocate, Feminist Leader
- Frieda Marroquin, Operator, Chick-fil-A
- Kevin Martin, Chief Research Officer, i4cp
- Les Matthews, Senior VP, Business Development & Account Management, MasterCard
- Tim May, Compensation Senior Director, Cigna
- Dan McCardle, Co-Founder & CTO, Digital Currency Council and Volara
- Garrett Melby, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Good Company Ventures
- Zanibel Melo, President, HigherDreams
- Keith Millner, Co-Founder & Principal, Coaching Catalyst
- Tevie Monk, Learning Partner, Chick-fil-A Corporate
- Samuel Monnie, Director, Marketing Capability, Campbell Soup Company
- Kenny Moore, Brand Director – Moët & Chandon
- Jerry Nemorin, Founder & CEO, Lend Street Financial
- Uri Pierre Noel, Founder & Chairman, Neuro Native Labs
- Mark O’Brien, President & CEO, Mizuno USA & Chairman, Mizuno Canada
- Micheal Obi, Chairman, Spectrum Global Solutions, LLC
- Ramona-Ortega, CEO & Founder, My Money My Future
- Michelle Otero, Writer, Community-based artist, and Facilitator
- Christie Patterson, Director, Lodging Development – Marriott Select Brands, Marriott International, Inc.
- Jamila Payne, CEO, Ideas Action Design
- Barbara Peng, VP Research, Business Insider
- William Pickare, Chairman of Global Automotive Alliance, Co-Managing Partner MGM Grand Detroit Casino, CEO Bearwood Management Company
- Usha Pitts, Diplomat in Residence, U.S. Department of State
- Geoff Pope, Vice President, USI Insurance
- Lara Price, Chief Operating Officer, Philadelphia 76ers
- Dr. Miguel Quinones, O. Paul Corley Distinguished Chair of Organizational Behavior & Chairman of the Department of Management and Organizations at The Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University
- Rep. Chris Rabb, House Representative, Pennslyvania
- Tyrone Rachal, President, Urban Key Capital Partners
- Sulaiman Rahman, Founder and CEO, DiverseForce
- Lazetta Rainey Braxton, Founder & CEO of Financial Fountains, and Chair, Association of African American Financial Advisors
- Kimberly Reed, Chief Transformational Officer, Reed Development Group, LLC
- Tara Reed, CEO, Apps Without Code
- Rakia Reynolds, President, Skai Blue Media
- Jason Rife, Director, Graduate Business Career Services, University of Florida
- Hassan Riggs, Founder, Smart Alto
- Julius Robinson, Senior Vice President & Global Brand Leader, Marriott Hotels, Sheraton, and Delta Hotels, Marriott International
- Jakathryn Ross, Senior Director, Community Affairs, Georgia-Pacific
- Cynthia Rubio, Co-Founder & CEO, Radiant RFID
- Michael Russell, CEO, H.J. Russell & Company
- Thomas Savino, CEO, Prospanica
- Oscar Shepard, Senior Regional Director of the Southeast Region, Chick-fil-A
- Kenneth Shropshire, CEO of the Global Sport Institute and the Adidas distinguished Professor of Global Sport at Arizona State University
- Mikel D. Slater, Vice President, Human Resources, Customer Experience, Technology & Product, Comcast Cable Corporation
- Dr. Brent Smith, Business Professor, St. Joseph’s University + Founding Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Marketing and Sales Education
- Richard Snow, SBA Consultant, Benetrends Financial
- Ayanna Stephens, SVP – Talent Acquisition Strategic Initiatives and Diversity Talent Acquisition Executive, Bank of America
- Don Sutton, President, The Block Real Estate International
- Lonnie Thomas, Director, Strategic Accounts, Texcel, Inc
- Michelle Thorton, BET Network Executive, Speaker and Author of “Stratechic”
- Floyd Trotman, Founder and Managing Partner, CertifiNOW
- Gina Tucker, Senior Business Consultant in Field Operations, Chick-fil-A
- Jesse Tyson, President & CEO, NBMBAA®
- Joseph Y. Ugras, Managerial Accounting Scholar and International Business Strategists and Associate Professor at LaSalle University
- Hon. Dr. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, Member of Parliament, Ghana
- Vanessa S. Vaughn, President & CEO, Asfalis
- Felipe Vega, Field Analyst, Chick-fil-A
- Rose Velez Smith, Global Vice President, Human Resources, Business Groups & Workforce Services, Pitney Bowes Inc.
- Euclid Walker, Managing Partner at Parkway Investment Management
- Melani Walker,SVP, SunTrust Bank
- Clint Wallace, Head of Human Resources, North America Sanofi
- Marvin Washington, Director & Head of Body, Exterior & Raw Materials Purchasing, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, LLC
- Michael Wenger, Adjunct Faculty Member, The George Washington University, Senior Consultant on Race Relations, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
- Chris Whitfield, CEO, Batswadi Group
- Dr. Damon Williams Author of “Strategic Diversity Leadership”
- Julie P. Williams, Principal, Kirtan Solutions
- Kevin Williams, Head of Multicultural Marketing and Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives, BMW of North America
- Britta Wilson, VP, Inclusion Strategies, Pixar Animation Studios
- Deborah Wilson Thomas, VP of Talent Management, Comcast
- Rob Wilson, President & CEO, Rob Wilson TV
- Rich Winley, Founder and President Gnomad Writer, and Forbes.com contributor
- Rahama Wright, Founder & CEO, Shea Yaleen Health and Beauty
- Richard Wright, Director, Advanced Technology & Innovation, Lockheed Martin Corporation
- June Youngs, Vice President, Corporate Logistics, CVS Health
Programming Highlights
- Am I My Sister’s Keeper? Sponsored by Bank of America & EY
- Black Think Increasing the Number of Black Professionals in the Executive Suite
- Building Your Professional Brand on LinkedIn
- Business of Sports
- Career Expo: All Access
- Career Expo: Members Only
- CertifiNOWTM PMP®/CAPM® Prep Course
- Continuing Education Session: Creating Presentations that Deliver Results
- Crisis Management Session
- Dynamic Leadership: Female Leadership & Breaking the Glass Ceiling
- Dynamic Leadership: Keep the Torch Lit: Leading with Relevance and Cultural Authenticity Presented by Sanofi
- Dynamic Leadership: Leadership in a Difficult Climate
- Dynamic Leadership: Leading With Purpose
- Dynamic Leadership: Risk vs. Reward: High Stakes Decision Making presented by Starbucks
- Education & Workforce Development: Beyond Out: Corporate Leadership and LGBTQ+
- Education & Workforce Development: Coalition Building: The Power of Partnership
- Education & Workforce Development: Community Impact: Leveraging Foundations
- Education & Workforce Development: Getting a Job Offer Through Non-Traditional Means
- Education and Workforce Policy: Mastering the Career Pivot
- Entrepreneurship: Embracing Intrapreneurship
- Entrepreneurship: How to Make Your Side Hustle Your Main Hustle
- Entrepreneurship: Overcoming Your Fear of Entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneurship: Taking the Franchise Route
- Entrepreneurship: The Key to Building a Real Estate Empire
- Financial Prosperity: Bitcoin & the Blockchain: The Future of Money
- Financial Prosperity: How to Retire by 40
- Financial Prosperity: Private Equity 101
- Financial Prosperity: Tapping into Your 401K for your Next Business Venture
- Financial Prosperity: The Art of Negotiating
- Fitting in Fitness: Yoga Class
- Gold Key Executive Networking Sponsored by Allstate, Ally, Bank of America, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Facebook, and UPMC
- Higher Education Expo
- International Business: BRIC: Capitalizing on Burgeoning Markets
- International Business: Doing Business in Africa: Entrepreneurship Meets Social Investment
- International Business: Government Money Isn’t What It Used to Be
- International Business: Multicultural Marketing: Refining the Message
- International Business: So, You Want to be an Ex-Pat?
- Leaders of Tomorrow® 5K Charity Walk
- Leaders of Tomorrow® Charity Poker Tournament
- Marriott Ownership Session: Investment and Ownership Opportunities in the Hotel Industry
- MBA Live
- Meet the Experts: A C-Suite Master Class: Lessons in Leadership Presented by Nationwide
- Meet the Experts: Chick-fil-A: Work Full of Life – Where Innovation and Service Intersect Presented by Chick-fil-A
- Meet the Experts: Leading with Heart: Delivering Innovation that Improves Lives Presented by CVS Health
- Meet the Experts: Navigating the New Way of Working Presented by Pitney Bowes
- Meet the Experts: Passion, Pivot, Perform: Break Out and Break In Presented by Northwestern Mutual
- Meet the Experts: The Elephant in the Room: The Courageous Yet Uncomfortable Conversation Presented by Bank of America
- NBMBAA® Impact Awards
- NBMBAA® Membership Meeting
- Opening Keynote: Uncharitable
- Opening Session: The Power of Leadership
- Scale-Up Pitch Challenge Finals Sponsored by FedEx
- Technology & Digital Innovation: How to Boost Your Social Media Following
- Technology & Digital Innovation: How Your Startup Can Close the Wealth Gap
- Technology & Digital Innovation: Presenting Data Effectively
- Technology & Digital Innovation: Success in a Sharing Economy
- Technology & Digital Innovation: The Business Implications of Artificial Intelligence
- Thursday Luncheon: The CEOs Presented by Nationwide
- Wednesday Luncheon: Racial Equity by Design Supported by W.K. Kellogg Foundation
- Welcome Reception Presented by Marriott International
2017 Awards
Thanks to our Corporate Partners
Allstate Insurance Company
Ally Financial
Bank of America/DTTC
BASF Corporation
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
BMW of North America, LLC
Chick-fil-A
CVS Health
Dell, Inc.
Delta Air Lines
Ernst & Young, LLP
Facebook
FCA US LLC
FedEx Corporate Services, Inc.
Ford Motor Company
Georgia-Pacific Corporation
GlaxoSmithKline
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Lockheed Martin
Loyola University
LVMH
Marriott International, Inc.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Microsoft
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company
Northwestern Mutual
Phillips Healthcare
Pitney Bowes
PNC Financial
Principal Life
Prudential Financial
Sanofi
Starbucks
State Farm
Toyota Motor North America
University of Florida Hough Graduate School of Business
UPMC
UPS
Wells Fargo
Year Up
Special Thanks to our Conference Sponsors
2017 Annual Conference & Exposition presented by NBMBAA® & Prospanica®
Technology Partner

2017 Annual Conference & Exposition presented by NBMBAA® & Prospanica®
Academic Partner
