The Executive Leadership Council Hosts 2017 Recognition Gala

-- Annual Event Pays Tribute to Individuals and Corporations for their Support of Diversity, Inclusion and Achievement in Business -

-- 2017 ELC Honorees to be Recognized During Celebration on Oct. 26th at the Gaylord National Hotel in National Harbor, MD --

News provided by

The Executive Leadership Council

Oct 25, 2017, 11:43 ET

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) will host the 2017 Recognition Gala celebrating outstanding business leaders and corporations for their support of diversity, inclusion and achievement in business. More than 2,000 guests, including many of corporate America's leading CEOs and senior executives, thought leaders, and politicos, will gather on Thursday, October 26^th at the Gaylord National Hotel in National Harbor, MD to pay tribute to this year's honorees.

"Since 1989, The ELC has hosted this annual event celebrating black executive leadership and achievement on a global stage and demonstrating the impact and value of diversity and inclusion in business today," said ELC President & CEO Ronald C. Parker. "Our theme for 2017 – Own The Future…Now, More Than Ever – provides a bold call to action and message that The ELC's work in developing future black business leaders is more important than ever."

The ELC will present James H. Lowry, Senior Advisor at The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), with the 2017 Alvaro L. Martins Heritage Award for his significant contributions toward supporting the achievement of black executives. The award will be presented to Mr. Lowry by singer/songwriter John Legend. Lowry is a longtime friend and mentor to Legend who began his career as a management consultant at BCG where he and Mr. Lowry first met. Lowry was responsible for guiding the firm's workforce development, which included hiring diverse talent such as Mr. Legend, and promoting the growth and development of minority business enterprises.

Former ELC Board Chairs Carla A. Harris, Vice Chairman, Managing Director and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley, and Bernard J. Tyson, Chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente, are recipients of the 2017 Achievement Award honoring both Harris and Tyson for their long and distinguished careers. Ms. Harris was named to Fortune Magazine's list of "The 50 Most Powerful Black Executives in Corporate America," while Mr. Tyson was included on the TIME 100 list of most influential people in the world.

The ELC will present PwC with the 2017 Corporate Award. This honor is given to a corporation that has made significant contributions to the advancement of black corporate executives. PwC U.S. Chairman and Senior Partner Tim Ryan will accept the award on behalf of PwC. Mr. Ryan is a founding member of the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion™ Steering Committee. This initiative calls on America's corporate leadership to rally the business community to advance diversity & inclusion within the workplace.

As one of the most highly coveted invites in Washington, D.C., this annual event raises funds to support The ELC's scholarships, community investment grants, leadership development programs and educational initiatives.

Sponsors of The ELC's 2017 Recognition Gala include: Presenting Sponsor, Genesis Motor America; Leading Sponsor, JPMorgan Chase & Co.; Pre-Gala Networking Reception Sponsor, P&G; Post-Gala Networking Reception Sponsors, P&G and Carnival Corporation & plc; Supporting Sponsor, Capital One; and Contributing Sponsor, Nationwide.

About The Executive Leadership Council:
The Executive Leadership Council, an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation founded in 1986, is the pre-eminent membership organization committed to increasing the number of global black executives in C-Suites, on corporate boards and in global enterprises. Comprising more than 600 current and former black CEOs, senior executives and board directors at Fortune 1000 and Global 500 companies, and entrepreneurs at top-tier firms, its members work to build an inclusive business leadership pipeline that empowers global black leaders to make impactful contributions to the marketplace and the global communities they serve. For more information, please visit www.elcinfo.com.

SOURCE The Executive Leadership Council