Prudential Financial hosts NextGen Network’s newest class of members

NEWARK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Last month, Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU) hosted an orientation meeting to welcome 39 new members of the NextGen Network, an organization of African American leaders in business and the community. The orientation meeting was held at Prudential’s Newark headquarters.

As part of the firm’s ongoing commitment to diverse talent, Prudential is the lead sponsor of NextGen Network, which helps assist mid-career African Americans prepare to compete for business leadership positions in the global marketplace.

“Talent is an essential part of our value story,” said Sharon C. Taylor, senior vice president of human resources and chair of The Prudential Foundation. “Partnerships with organizations like NGN help us to identify our high potential employees and fuel our succession planning programs to ensure the company has a steady pipeline of rising leaders.”

This year’s larger-than-average class includes 39 new members from various industries ranging from financial services, to hospitality and media. The full-day program was intended to provide the newest members with information about the organization, and opportunities for team building and networking. The meeting preceded NGN’s spring meeting, which this year was held in San Francisco in early June.

“Our corporate partners view the focus on talent as an investment in the future success of their firms,” said Oral Muir, vice president, Strategic Partnerships and Business Development at Marriott International and president of NGN. “In turn, we continue to focus on strengthening the African-American corporate leadership pipeline through programming and peer mentoring that helps our members to advance in their careers and succeed in their personal pursuits.”

A listing of the new 2012 NGN members is attached.

NextGen Network was founded in 1999 as an affiliate of The Executive Leadership Council™, the nation's premier leadership network of the most senior African American corporate executives in Fortune 500 companies. NextGen Network is a membership organization that offers career and professional development and points of connectivity for mid-career African-American professionals.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, investment management, and real estate services. In the U.S., Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit http://www.news.prudential.com/

2012 Professional Class Membership

• Amelia Hardy - Global Portfolio Business Manager, 3M
• Angela Clarke - Senior Director, Marriott International
• Apoorva Gandhi - Vice President, Marriott International
• Brian Jack - Assistant Vice President, The Federal Reserve Bank of New York
• Catherine Morris - Executive Director, JP Morgan Chase
• Charles Hawkins - Area Supervisor, Verizon
• Chidi Afulezi- Product Director, Turner Broadcasting
• Dannielle Hawk – Director, Marriott International Inc.
• Darien Wright- Vice President, Marriott International
• Demetria Elmore - Director, Marriott International
• Divina Gamble - Managing Associate, Korn/Ferry International
• Ernest Boye- Senior Director, Marriott International, Inc.
• Eugene Waiters - Executive Director. JPMorgan Chase and Company
• Franklin Reynolds - Communications Lead, General Electric
• Heidi Obie - Department Manager, CH2MHILL
• Ivan Francis-Internal Consultant, Xerox
• Jacqueline Grace - Director of Marketing, Caesars
• Jalil Dawson- Assistant Vice President, New York Life Insurance Company
• Judy Hopkins - Assistant General Counsel, New York Life Insurance Company
• Julius Robinson - Vice President , Marriott

• Karin Kimbrough – Director, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
• Keisha Taylor - Senior Marketing Manager, Turner Broadcasting
• Kendra Mathias– Associate, Credit Suisse
• Kenny Anderson - Senior Director, HUGO BOSS Fashions
• LaKeitha Anderson - Senior Manager, Reynolds American, Inc.
• Leslie Banks - Senior Manager, CDW LLC
• Marilyn Arbuthnott- Supervising Officer, The Federal Reserve Bank of New York
• Marvin Spears – Director, Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Michelle Thornhill - Senior Vice President and African American Segment Manager, Wells Fargo
• Nancy Northern- Vice President, JPMorgan Chase Bank
• Quincy Weatherspoon– Director, Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Rona Bunn- Program Manager, BAE Systems
• Sheila Anderson - Assistant Vice President, New York Life Insurance Company
• Sybil Baffoe- Vice President , Chubb Group of Insurance Companies
• Tara Harrison - Assistant Vice President, New York Life Insurance Company
• Terri Snowden– Area Director, Marriott International, Inc.
• Tory Ragsdale - Assistant Vice President, New York Life Insurance Company
• Warren Wells - Senior Bank Examiner, The Federal Reserve Bank of New York
• Yoshino Woodward- Innovation and Product Development Manager, Accenture LLP

Prudential Financial, Inc.
Alicia Rodgers Alston, 973-802-4446
[email protected]

Source: Prudential Financial, Inc.