by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors
George C. Fraser: Founder, FraserNet Inc.
Source: photo credit: BE
Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson: Senior Pastor, Grace Baptist Church
Source: Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson
Larry Fitzgerald Jr.: Chairman & CEO, Larry Fitzgerald Foundation; Former NFL Player, Philanthropist, Investor
Source: photo credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
John Hope Bryant: Founder, Chairman & CEO, Operation HOPE, Inc.; Bryant Group Ventures L.L.C.
Source: (Photo: Jay Godwin/LBJ Library)
Troy Taylor: Founder, Chairman & CEO, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida
Source: TROY TAYLOR
Robert Smith: Founder, Chairman & CEO, Vista Equity Partners
Source: Robert Smith (Photo by Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images)|
Ed Gordon: President, Ed Gordon Media
Source: Ed Gordon, President of Ed Gordon Media, moderated multiple panels at the 2025 National Urban League Conference.
Steven Williams: Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo Foods North America
Source: photo credit: BE
R. Donahue Peebles: Chairman & CEO, The Peebles Corporation
Source: photo credit: BE
D.L. Hughley: Actor, Comedian & Author, The D.L. Hughley Show
Source: photo credit: BE
Anthony Anderson: Emmy & Golden Globe Nominated Actor
Source: Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images
Chris Womack: President & CEO, Southern Company
David Grain: CEO, Grain Management L.L.C.
Shannon A. Brown: President & CEO, BCS Consulting Services; Retired SVP, Eastern Division U.S. Operations and Chief Diversity Officer, FedEx Express
Source: photo credit: BE
Ben Crump: Civil Rights Attorney
Source: (Photo: Jemal Countess/Getty Images for NOBCO)
Arnold W. Donald: President & CEO Carnival Corporation & PLC
Source: Arnold W. Donald, former President and CEO of Carnival Corp (Image: Black Enterprise)
Kirk McDonald: CEO, GroupM North America (NA)
Source: Kirk McDonald, CEO
GroupM North America (NA) (Image: Black Enterprise)
Ray Robinson: Chairman, Citizens Banchares Corporation
Source: Ray M. Robinson, Chairman, Citizens Bancshares Corporation (Image: Black Enterprise)
Grant Hill: Owner, Vice Chairman of the Board, Atlanta Hawks
Source: Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images
The XCEL Summit was paused during the COVID19 pandemic. Like the rest of the world, BE pivoted to an online presence, hosting a virtual summit featuring one-on-one interviews and panel discussions to compensate for the in-person experience.
Marc. H. Morial: President & CEO, National Urban League
Source: photo credit: BE
Rev. Jesse Jackson: Founder, Rainbow PUSH Coalition
Source: WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 22: Jesse Jackson poses for a portrait during the 55th Anniversary of Ben’s Chili Bowl on August 22, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images)
Jerome “The Bus” Bettis: Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Source: photo credit: BE
Eddie Levert: Lead Singer, Songwriter, Founding Member of The O’Jays
Source: Photos By Denise Truscello
Kenneth Chenault: Chairman and Managing Director, General Catalyst; Former Chairman & CEO, American Express Co.
Source: photo credit: BE
Tommie Smith: U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist
Source: photo credit: BE
Bishop T.D. Jakes: Bishop, Potter’s House Ministries; CEO, TDJ Enterprises L.L.P.; The Potter’s House of Dallas
Source: (Photo: Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)
Congressman John Lewis: Congressman, Civil Rights Leader
Source: Photo by Jeff Hutchens/Getty Images
John W. Rogers Jr.: Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Ariel Investments
Source: photo credit: BE
Robert Townsend: Award-winning TV/Film Director, Actor, Comedian
Source: photo credit: BE
Lonnie Bunch: Founding Director, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Source: photo credit: BE
Source: Black Enterprise
