Chicago United’s Bridge Awards Celebration Honors ComEd, An Exelon Company
and Cabrera Capital Markets; Presents 2023 Business Leaders of Color
Annual Celebration highlights 55 years of “Elevating Equity”
CHICAGO, IL – October 19, 2023 – Chicago United will hold its annual Bridge Awards Celebration, recognizing excellence in corporate diversity, equity and inclusion, Thursday, November 16, 2023. Themed “Elevating Equity,” the Bridge Awards convenes Chicago’s most influential business executives, small and mid-sized business owners, emerging leaders, and civic leaders to honor exemplary diversity within corporate governance and foster multiracial leadership across the talent pipeline of Corporate America. BMO is the Presenting Sponsor of Chicago United’s 2023 Bridge Awards Celebration.
This year, Chicago United proudly presents the 2023 Chicago Bridge Award to ComEd, An Exelon Company, led by Gil Quiniones, Chief Executive Officer. Established in 2004, the Chicago Bridge Award honors a company that has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion across its organization. ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation, a Fortune 200 energy company with approximately 10 million customers. ComEd provides service to more than four million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population.
“For more than three decades, ComEd has partnered with Chicago United in supporting our vision to create a Chicago region that is the most inclusive business ecosystem in the nation,” said Tiffany Hamel Johnson, President and CEO of Chicago United. “Recognizing its hard work and initiatives around DE&I, it is notable ComEd has been named recipient of the 2023 Chicago Bridge Award.”
In addition to the Chicago Bridge Award, Chicago United will present the CU Impact Award, introduced in 2022, to Cabrera Capital Markets. This award honors a small or mid-sized minority-owned business working towards inclusion and economic parity within their company and community. Cabrera Capital Markets, led by Founder and CEO Martin Cabrera, Jr., is a financial services firm that provides investment banking and full-service institutional brokerage services worldwide to a substantial and diversified client base.
“Cabrera’s outstanding history and unwavering dedication, reflective of Chicago United’s mission, is well-deserved of the CU Impact Award,” noted Hamel Johnson. “The Firm has consistently served as a partner and a supporter of Chicago United, and its footprint within Chicago’s communities, across the country and around the globe reflects its exemplary dedication to inclusion.”
During the celebration, Chicago United will recognize two major milestones: its 55th Anniversary and the 20th year honoring the talented individuals named as Business Leaders of Color. Biennially since 2003, Chicago United has identified 470 board-ready leaders of color ready for corporate board service. During the 2023 Bridge Awards Celebration, 45 diverse leaders of color will be presented, bringing the total identified by Chicago United to 515 since 2003.
The 2023 Bridge Awards Celebration will be held from 5:30-9:00 p.m. at the Marriott Marquis Chicago. Sponsorship opportunities are available; for details, contact Gail Arrigo, Executive Vice President, at garrigo@chicago-united.org or 312.977.3066.
About Chicago United
Chicago United is a corporate membership organization, advocate, and thought leader committed to advancing multiracial leadership in corporate governance, executive level management and in minority business partnerships. Our vision is to transform the Chicago region into the most inclusive business ecosystem in the nation. Founded in 1968, the organization engages the top publicly and privately held corporations in leading talent management and inclusive diversity practices. Chicago United’s signature programs include the Business Leaders of Color honor and publication, showcasing a diverse pool of corporate board of director candidates; the Minority Business Partnership Program featuring the Five Forward Initiative™, designed to invigorate job creation in communities of color by increasing the scale of Minority Business Enterprises in the Chicago region; Inside Inclusion featuring the Corporate Diversity Profile; and the Corporate Inclusion Institute (CII), the first-ever citywide business talent development program. Visit www.chicago-united.org.
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