We were pleased to be a Platinum Sponsor of the 16th Annual Conference of African American Financial Professionals (CAAFP) held in Washington, D.C. This is the third consecutive year NGL has sponsored the event with it being the first time NGL employees were able to attend in-person since the pandemic began. Hosted by The American College of Financial Services, the conference was August 8-10 and is the largest gathering of African American financial professionals that provides an opportunity for education, networking, and engagement.
“The CAAFP was one of the best conferences I have attended,” shared Christin Blotz, Talent Development & DEI Partner at NGL. “At NGL, we are committed to supporting diversity, equity and inclusion and we are proud to be an ally and help foster change in the financial services industry that create opportunities and lead to economic empowerment for Black communities.”
In addition to attending the conference, Christin introduced keynote speakers, George Nichols, President & CEO of The American College of Financial Services and Jacob Pruitt, President of Fidelity Charitable. During their keynote session they highlight family inspiration and values, philanthropy, and business and community leadership.
“I was inspired by the comradery of everyone at the conference. Every attendee was there with the purpose of growing both professionally and personally,” said Tammy Turner, Assistant Vice President, Human Resources at NGL. “The sessions were entertaining and educational. I was able to make great connections and I look forward to taking what I learned and applying it with my team and throughout our company. It was a privilege to represent NGL and even better to have the opportunity to share our story with so many people at CAAFP.”
“Most of my life memories are related to traveling and meeting extraordinary people. I believe there is an importance to being exposed to different places and cultures, exploring areas around you, talking to people and really absorbing this into your life. The conference sessions were interesting and relevant to our industry,” said Tlacaelel Contreras, Contracting Administration Representative at NGL. “I’m grateful to be a part of the conference. It was valuable for me personally and professionally. I was proud to represent NGL.”
“It was an incredible experience, one of my favorite speakers was Carla Harris who opened the event and shared her experiences as a black woman on Wall Street in the early 90s. Carla explained the importance of not just having a mentor but a sponsor in the room that you aren’t in as a professional,” shared Christin.
As part of NGL’s sponsorship two members of our team met with a student who was able to attend the Conference of African American Financial Professionals because of NGL’s sponsorship. Diana is originally from the Bahamas and is looking forward to joining the financial professionals when she graduates. “I met Diana a student from Central State University in Ohio. She was grateful for the opportunity to attend and mentioned that she wouldn’t be at the conference if it wasn’t for NGL’s sponsorship,” shared Tlacaelel. “It makes me really proud to work for a company that cares.”