Black and Hispanic MBA Associations Host the 10th Annual William D. Bradford Awards Banquet

Approximately 100 students, faculty, administrators, alumni, and honored guests attended the 10th Annual William D. Bradford Awards Banquet. The Black MBA Association (BMBAA) and Hispanic MBA Association (HMBAA) hosted the banquet, held on April 11, 2003, at the Greenbelt Marriott (Greenbelt, Md). The event promotes networking among Smith students, corporate sponsors, and distinguished alumni. This year's theme centered on the impact of diversity on corporate leadership.

The banquet honored Dr. William Bradford, who was a professor of finance at the Smith School from 1980-94. During his time at Smith he also served as acting dean and associate dean for academic affairs. Bradford left the Smith School in 1994 to become dean of the University of Washington School of Business. Currently, Bradford is an endowed professor of business and economic development, and professor of finance and business economics at the University of Washington. During his remarks at the banquet, Bradford highlighted the need for a forum to facilitate networking and advancement among minority professionals.

The keynote speaker, Fernando Murias, highlighted the significance of diversity in corporate America, the strides taken, and the road ahead. Murias is managing director of the Greater Washington Area Practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers, and he serves as the U.S. National Practice Leader for Business Compliance Services (BCS).

The BMBAA and HMBAA presented awards for Entrepreneurial Excellence and Community Leadership to Adrian G. Washington and Albertina Ponce, respectively. Washington founded The Neighborhood Development Company, LLC, which specializes in urban infill residential projects. Ponce is a communications manager at Fannie Mae, responsible for leading corporate social responsibility initiatives.

"Our distinguished guests challenged each of us to ensure that our professional and social achievements contribute towards collectively improving the impact of diversity on corporate leadership," said BMBAA President-elect Wadiya Penn.

This year's banquet was sponsored by KPMG, LLP; Bank One; Citigroup; PepsiCo; and Fannie Mae.