Organization of top global black executives joins founding donors with its $1 million gift to the museum and issues record number of scholarships in its 30th Anniversary year
The Executive Leadership Council (ELC), the pre-eminent organization of current and former black CEOs, senior executives, top-tier entrepreneurs, global thought leaders and board members of Fortune 1000 and equivalent companies, has given a donation of $1 million to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). The donation was made in commemoration of The ELC’s 30th Anniversary this year.
“The Executive Leadership Council has been at the forefront of advocating for black leadership in business and we welcome the participation and support of the organization and its members,” said Lonnie G. Bunch III, director of the museum.
The ELC is committed to increasing the number of global black executives in C-Suites, on corporate boards and in global enterprises. The organization’s mission is to increase the number of successful black executives, domestically and internationally, by adding value to their development, leadership and philanthropic endeavors, thereby strengthening their companies, organizations and communities across the lifecycle of their careers. Through its Institute for Leadership Development & Research it conducts more than a half dozen programs to develop the pipeline of global black leaders, including Leadership Development Week and the Mid-Level Managers’ Symposium, while also aiming to further prepare senior leaders through the CEO and C-Suite Academies. The Institute also tracks the progress of blacks in leadership positions through its research initiatives.
“Over the past 30 years, members of The ELC have made significant contributions to strengthening and advancing the roles of black global business executives in Fortune 1000 and Global 500 companies,” said Ronald C. Parker, president and CEO of The Executive Leadership Council. “It is fitting that we devote some of our resources to support an institution that documents and displays the full African American experience, from slavery to the C-Suites and Board Rooms of America. We are proud to support this exceptional tribute to our past, present and future as African Americans.”
In its 30th year, The ELC is also awarding the largest number of scholarships the organization has ever given in a calendar year to black students attending the nation’s top colleges and universities. The mission of The ELC’s Scholarship Programs is to build a pipeline of black corporate talent by supporting the academic achievement and development of black undergraduate and graduate students.
