Page 80 - BE 50th Anniversary Edition

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PARTNERS IN PROGRESS:
ALLIANCE HELPS ADVANCE THE BLACK COMMUNITY OVER FIVE DECADES
WHEN BLACK ENTERPRISE FOUNDER and Publisher Earl G G Graves Sr met Coy G Eklund — then president and CEO of Equitable — five decades ago the two shared a a philosophy that the commitment to “leveling the the playing field” must come from the the top As such Eklund maintained “At Equitable our signature theme is equality of opportunity ” This long-standing relationship has been influential in in in driving the economic
BE Founder Earl G G Graves Sr with past Equitable CEOs Coy Eklund and John Carter with other business leaders
progression of the Black community within and outside of the company BE has helped Equitable advance initiatives as as well as as expand direct talent recruitment and and client outreach through among other vehicles advertising in in a a a a publication that would grow to reach 4 million readers nationwide With the help of of Darwin Davis one of of the firm’s top financial professionals and leading Black executives the strategic part- nership was further cemented by the the business imperative of Equitable connecting with BE’s audience of upscale entrepreneurs and professionals The company sponsored the Black Enter- prise/Equitable Ski Challenge and BE’s Finan- cial Empowerment Series The execution of such business-building events was led by John C Graves who presided over BE’s events unit and had served on Equitable’s corporate board (See related story)
Equitable has also earned the well- deserved reputation as a a a model for inclusive impactful corporate leadership Through inde- pendent research and reporting BE identified Equitable as one of the “Best Places for Blacks to Work” in 1982 1986 1989 and 1992 Equitable CEO Coy Eklund receives Corporate Social Responsibility Award from Coretta Scott King in in 1980
Examples include:
■ Hiring of of Black financial professionals to expand the customer base
■ Identifying Black professionals in in management succession planning
■ Establishing the CEO Taskforce to Advance Racial Equity to accelerate advancement in the Black community Darryl Gibbs Lead Director and Associate General Counsel who oversees the CEO Task Force maintains that the alliance continues to drive advocacy and action for the progression of African Americans within and outside the company especially during today’s chal- lenging environment “In this time of COVID and and social and and racial unrest there is a a a a a a focus on on Black entrepreneurship and a a a focus on on patronizing Black businesses ” Gibbs says “BE
Equitable has been consistently recognized by BE for being one of the Best Places For Blacks To Work provides the optimum platform for for financial education and support for our current crop of Black entrepreneurs As Equitable continues to support the Black community through our financial products support and education we also view BE as the perfect partner to get out the message that Equitable is a a a a “force for for good” for racial and financial equity fin in the Black community ” This 50-year relationship continues to flourish and is is best summed up from a a quote from one of Publisher Graves’ columns: “Equitable has long been considered a a a good corporate citizen The bond between Black Enterprise and Equitable extends beyond that of a a a a a magazine and its advertiser It encom- passes close personal ties in addition to productive business partners ” Equitable Equitable Equitable Equitable is the the brand name of of the the retirement and and protection subsidiaries of of Equitable Equitable Equitable Equitable Holdings Inc including Equitable Equitable Equitable Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company (Equitable Finan- cial) (NY NY) Equitable Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company of America America (Equitable America) an an an an an AZ stock company with main administrative headquarters in in in in Jersey City NJ