Washington, D.C. (June 26) -- Howard University received the 2002 Pacesetter Award at the National Association of Security Professionals (NASP) annual conference on June 20 in San Francisco for its accomplishments in encouraging and promoting women and minorities in the investment industry. The Chairman of the Finance and Administration Committee of Howard's Board of Trustees, Mr. Gregory A. White, accepted the honor on behalf of President H. Patrick Swygert.
Organized in 1985 to help ensure equal opportunities for minorities and women in the securities industry, NASP's membership today numbers more than 500 and includes the industry's top minority and women professionals.
In his remarks, Trustee White stated that he and the President were pleased that the University's efforts to promote minority participation in the investment industry have yielded recognizable progress and success. He further stated that the University has demonstrated and would like to report that the utilization of women and minorities in the management of the University's portfolios has not required any compromise of manager standards or performance results. In fact, for calendar year 2001, the University's Retirement Plan portfolio posted the number one performance in the Washington, DC Area Investment Forum, a consortium that includes most local governments and universities, as well as several area union pension fund portfolios.
Trustee White added that receipt of the Pacesetter Award and the results achieved by the University in promoting the principles of the NASP award encouraged a redoubling of the University's efforts. In particular, he and the President are exploring ways in which historically black colleges and universities and other institutions might pool their endowments or otherwise bundle their resources in order to provide greater professional money management opportunities for groups underrepresented in the industry, especially emerging managers.
President Swygert and Trustee White issued a challenge to the NASP membership to continue its efforts to provide opportunities for women and minorities in the industry with the confidence that performance results need not be compromised. President Swygert sent a note of thanks to the membership in which he assured them that his commitment to the principles of the Pacesetter Award are supported and embodied in all facets of Howard University's operations.
Howard University, one of only 48 U.S. private, Doctoral/Research-Extensive universities, comprises 12 schools and colleges. Founded in 1867, the University continues to attract the nation's top students and produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D.s than any other university in the world. Since 1998, the University has produced a Rhodes Scholar, a Truman Scholar, six Fulbright Scholars and nine Pickering Fellows.
In addition to President Swygert, Howard's notable alumni include: the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall; the first African-American governor L. Douglas Wilder; Savage Holdings LLC CEO and Howard Board of Trustees Chairman Frank Savage; actress, producer and director Debbie Allen; the first African-American president of the American College of Surgeons, Dr. LaSalle Leffall, Jr.; attorney, civil rights leader and Wall St. executive Vernon Jordan; former mayor of New York, David Dinkins; and the first female mayor of Atlanta, Shirley Clarke Franklin.
For information on Howard University, call (202) 238-2330, or visit the web site at www.Howard.edu.
