Page 116 - Forbes - USA (December 2019)

PROMOTION

Leading With Purpose

I N S I D E C O R P O R AT E A M E R I C A A N D B E Y O N D

In October The Executive Leadership difference for the black community in areas
Council (The ELC) held its 2019 Annual where we and our families work and live.”
Recognition Gala in Washington, D.C. A The longtime ELC goal is increas-
capacity crowd of 2,300 corporate, entre- ing black representation on corporate
preneurial, political, media and academic boards and in the CEO offices, and
luminaries lit up the Marriott Marquis Ball- the past decade has seen changes.
room to honor Robert F. Smith, founder, “But when the data is disaggregated,”
chair and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, observes Skip Spriggs, the former
as he accepted the 2019 Achievement president and CEO whose term ended
Award, and UPS received the 2019 Cor- on December 31, 2019, “there’s one
porate Award. UPS CEO David Abney underrepresented group that’s barely Best Buy Board Director and ELC member Cindy
accepted the award in person. moving at all, and that’s black – men Kent facilitated the discussion at The ELC’s CEO
and women.” GameChanger Conference in Washington, D.C.
Now The ELC is going directly to
CEOs to press its specific case: inclu- A second forum for direct appeals
sion for black executives across the to corporate leadership is The ELC’s
talent pipeline. On the day of the Gala, partnership with the African American
The ELC hosted more than 40 CEOs and Directors Forum (AADF). The ELC’s Cor-
their ELC members at its inaugural CEO porate Board Initiative has been for some
GameChanger Conference. years creating a supply of board-ready
members. Now, with AADF, The ELC is
creating demand through intentional
networking with decision makers, urging

Former ELC CEO Skip Spriggs and Board Chair them to create a more inclusive leader-
Tonie Leatherberry, a principal at Deloitte & Touche ship pipeline to the boardroom.
LLP and president of the Deloitte Foundation,
present the 2019 Achievement Award to Robert
F. Smith, founder, chair and CEO of Vista Equity
Partners, along with Kevin Frazier, Gala host.

The ELC comprises more than 800 senior
black corporate executives, all within two
reports of their companies’ CEOs, and a JLL Americas CEO Greg O’Brien; JLL Americas
new cadre of very successful black entre- Vice Chair Herman Bulls, an ELC member; Lowe’s
preneurs. The newly formed ELC purpose CEO and ELC member Marvin Ellison; and JLL
Global CEO Christian Ulbrich at the 2019 CEO
statement, rooted in the organization’s
GameChanger Conference, where The ELC
renewed commitment to philanthropy, presented research about black executives with
now guides The ELC “to open channels of CEO-ready experience. ELC Interim President and CEO Crystal E. Ashby
(r.) joined ELC member Tracey Gray-Walker and
opportunity…for impact on business and ELC Institute alumna Juliette Mayers to share their
our communities.” Reports The ELC’s new Groundbreaking research from Korn career experiences with mid-level managers.
interim president and CEO Crystal E. Ashby, Ferry identifying the skills and competen-
former executive vice president, Govern- cies of black corporate C-suite executives The pilot event was held in November
ment and Public Affairs, BP America, “Our framed the discussion. It’s no surprise that 2019 in Atlanta. Atlanta-area CEOs, lead
purpose shines a light on the enduring black executives share the same skills, directors and other board members met
excellence of our valued members, as they competencies and experiences as their with a select group of nearly 50 board-
share their gifts to shape the world. We are white counterparts. Attendees explored ready ELC members. They received a
committed to making an impact on cor- that research and applied it in a deep %LR %RRN RI PHPEHU SURŻOHV DQG WKHQ
porations, on corporate boards and in the and open discussion around black talent after a formal presentation, had oppor-
advocacy space through education and in the workplace, from recruiting to suc- WXQLWLHV WR EXWWRQ KROH VSHFLŻF PHPEHUV
research. The ultimate result is to make a cession planning. “We don’t know anybody” is no longer

1 | DIVERSITY