EVAN FRAZIER, president and CEO of The Advanced Leadership Institute. (Photo by Brian Cook Sr.)
by Rob Taylor Jr.
Courier Staff Writer
Just in time for the “initiative” to officially become the “institute,” a huge donation was made by a local foundation to a local organization that prides itself on cultivating African American executive talent.
The BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania awarded The Advanced Leadership Institute (formerly The Advanced Leadership Initiative) $1 million, it was announced on June 23, to support TALI’s mission, one that’s been heralded across the country.
“We were so excited to receive the news,” TALI President and CEO Evan Frazier said on News Radio KDKA (100.1 FM, 1020 AM), June 24. “It came at such a critical time as we’re moving from initiative to institute, and we couldn’t be more pleased with their ongoing commitment that they’ve (BNY Mellon) continued to demonstrate.”
DIAMONTE WALKER, Deputy Executive Director, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, is part of the current cohort for TALI’s Executive Academy.
As we speak, the third cohort of TALI’s Executive Leadership Academy is learning the ins and outs about corporate leadership, taught by leading professors from Carnegie Mellon University. The seven-month training program ends in July, which will be followed by a graduation ceremony, of sorts. Some of the members of the third cohort are: Diamonte Walker, deputy executive director, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh; Olivia Benson, chief operating officer, The Forbes Funds; Michael Crawford, managing director, finance and administration, FedEx Ground; Darnell Grinage, environmental services director, UPMC; Rebekah Hughey, medical director, Gateway Health; Cynthia James, president and CEO, YouthPlaces, Inc.; and Thomas Powell, financial solutions advisor, Merrill Lynch.
ONYEKA EGBUNA, Audit Director, FHLBank Pittsburgh, is part of the current cohort for TALI’s Executive Academy.
Frazier, himself well-versed in the corporate arena as the longtime senior vice president of community affairs for Highmark Health, has told the New Pittsburgh Courier over the years his desire to create a program that would exponentially help African Americans get prepared for C-Suite level positions at corporations.
It’s not just Pittsburgh where there’s a dearth of African Americans in executive positions. A 2019 report from the Center for Talent Innovation, referenced by CBS News, said that Blacks made up just 3.2 percent of the senior leadership roles across the U.S., and less than 1 percent of all Fortune 500 CEO positions.
In the history of the popular “Fortune 500” companies listing that is released annually since 1999, there’s been only 18 Black CEOs of those companies. Currently there are four Black CEOs of Fortune 500 companies—Marvin Ellison, Lowe’s; Roger Ferguson, TIAA; Kenneth Frazier, Merck; Rene Jones, M&T Bank.
“It’s embarrassing because there are thousands of Black people who are just as qualified or more qualified than I am who deserve the opportunity, but haven’t been given the opportunity,” retired American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault, who is Black, said to those at the Center for Talent Innovation, reported by CBS News.
“Companies are missing out on amazing talent at the top of their organizations, and Black professionals are not given the opportunity to fulfill their aspirations,” said Julia Kennedy, the Center for Talent Innovation executive vice president, reported by CBS News.
Frazier has proven that there isn’t a problem getting qualified African American candidates in Pittsburgh who want to move up the corporate ladder and be part of the Executive Leadership Academy. The first two cohorts have produced 51 graduates, and the current cohort has 28 members. Frazier said it’s more about making sure Pittsburgh’s top companies are on board with committing to financially investing in its Black mid-level employees to get them prepared for the executive level positions. Most of the cohort members are “sponsored” by the current company of which they’re employed, while TALI has been attaining funding from various for-profit and nonprofit entities to operate as a whole.
TALI’S EXECUTIVE TEAM—Shelly Hammond, Evan Frazier, Jeanean White, Gerard Adore, Dr. Mitchel Nickols. (Photo by Courier photographer Brian Cook Sr.)
In February, Highmark Health announced it was granting TALI $1.5 million over five years to support the institute’s mission.
“We will be persistent in our objectives to increase inclusion and representation across our organization and within the communities we serve,” said Daniel Onorato, EVP of corporate affairs at Highmark Health, in a release obtained by the Courier. “Our continued support of TALI, and now the TALI Institute, is a natural next-step and will remain an important piece of our strategic DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) framework.”
In December 2020, the Richard King Mellon Foundation announced it was granting TALI $1 million.
“Supporting Black leadership has been an ongoing focus for us,” said Richard King Mellon Foundation Director Sam Reiman, in a statement. “That’s why we seeded TALI with its first six-figure grant in 2018. And now, we are making an even larger grant…in hopes that TALI can seize this remarkable societal moment to generate even greater private-sector enthusiasm for its important work.”
“We have been very fortunate to have wonderful corporate support from when we started the initiative several years ago,” Frazier said on News Radio KDKA. “…It really does take both investment and engagement in an initiative like this where we’re looking to help invest in diverse talent for our region.”
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