Northwestern Mutual Continues its Commitment to Diversity by Supporting The 2016 National Black MBA Association Conference and Expo

Company welcomes ESPN commentator and former NFL MVP, Desmond Howard, to speak at conference

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Oct 11, 2016, 08:00 ET

MILWAUKEE, Oct. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwestern Mutual continues its ongoing commitment to growing educational, professional and financial opportunities for African Americans with its sponsorship of the 2016 National Black MBA Association, Inc. (NBMBAA) Conference and Expo, October 11-15, in New Orleans, La.

This year the company will host a "meet the experts" session on Thursday, October 13, featuring Desmond Howard, ESPN College GameDay Analyst and College Football Hall of Famer, and moderated by Kimberley Goode, vice president of communications and corporate affairs for Northwestern Mutual. Howard and Goode will discuss themes such as sustainability through career transformation, differentiation in a competitive marketplace, innovation in the workplace and leadership styles.

According to proprietary research* conducted by Northwestern Mutual, African Americans are significantly more likely than the general population to see career success tied to financial success. However, 6 in 10 African Americans view their current employment as "just a job" and are looking for meaningful career opportunities in the near future. Northwestern Mutual hopes to connect qualified African American professionals with viable career opportunities through organizations like NBMBAA.

"We want to help create brighter futures for African Americans, both professionally and financially," said Raymone Jackson, director of diversity and inclusion for Northwestern Mutual. "People want to build careers with us because we believe in fostering a culture of inclusion and respect, powered by diversity. Our differences are our competitive advantage, and this allows us to attract the best talent and be the best in our industry."

The recruitment of talented and diverse job candidates is vital to Northwestern Mutual and the company partners with associations such as NBMBAA that focus specifically on disciplines that are ideal for careers in the financial industry. In addition to being a long-time sponsor of NBMBAA, the company supports a variety of programs and organizations that help career growth, networking and educational opportunities for African Americans, including National Association of Black Accountants, Harlem Fine Arts Show and recruiting at diverse colleges across the nation.

*Survey Methodology
Harris Poll conducted over 4,300 interviews in June 2015. The interviews were completed among U.S. adults age 18+ and included members of the general population.

About NBMBAA
The idea for the National Black MBA Association, Inc. (NBMBAA) was conceived in 1970 and for early members – in many cases Blacks coming into the corporate sector, largely for the first time – it was a way to share experiences and insights to help make a difficult journey easier. By nurturing these early professionals, the organization helped early members navigate and, ultimately, succeed in an unfamiliar and frequently hostile environment. And it has been those professionals who have risen up and reached back to bring up the next generation of Black business professionals, not just mentoring them but also growing the ranks. This has carried through the decades as the members who have followed found the same sense of connection and camaraderie among their colleagues, and have continued to reach back and uplift new generations.

About Northwestern Mutual
Northwestern Mutual has been helping families and businesses achieve financial security for nearly 160 years. Our financial representatives build relationships with clients through a distinctive planning approach that integrates risk management with wealth accumulation, preservation and distribution. With $238.5 billion in assets, $27.9 billion in revenues and more than $1.6 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than 4.4 million people who rely on us for insurance and investment solutions, including life, disability income and long-term care insurance; annuities; trust services; mutual funds; and investment advisory products and services. Northwestern Mutual ranks 100 on the 2016 FORTUNE 500, and is recognized by FORTUNE as one of the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies in 2016.

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI, and its subsidiaries. Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a comprehensive approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability income insurance, annuities, life insurance with long-term care benefits, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company (NMWMC), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC).

SOURCE Northwestern Mutual