NEW YORK (PRWEB) December 17, 2020
The Money Management Institute (MMI) announced the recipients of its inaugural Opening Doors Awards yesterday during a virtual event to support social justice initiatives within the financial services industry. Designed to recognize and celebrate outstanding efforts in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion, the awards honored three distinct categories:
- Opening Doors Champion (individual): Mimi Wang, Macquarie Investment Management
- Opening Doors At the Front (program): Philadelphia Financial Scholars Program
- Opening Doors Breaking Barriers (firm): RBC Wealth Management
“MMI congratulates our Opening Doors Award recipients for their impactful work in raising awareness about diversity and inclusion as well as making concerted efforts to address both,” said Craig Pfeiffer, MMI President & CEO. “These recipients represent the leadership, innovation and proactive commitment that we need to make progress within financial services and in our society as a whole.”
The awards are part of MMI’s Opening Doors social justice initiative which seeks to help, welcome, educate and advance people of color throughout the financial services industry. Envestnet was the event’s premier sponsor and all Opening Doors proceeds benefitted MMI’s Gateway Foundation.
“In coming together, we can engage the collective capabilities of our industry to accelerate progress in diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Fran Cashman, President of The Gateway Foundation and MMI Social Justice Director. “While there is much to be done, we are proud to recognize the good work of so many that set examples, lead the way and make a difference.”
Senior industry leaders submitted written nominations on behalf of their peers and colleagues for the awards. The judging panel consisted of members from the MMI Board of Governors, the Gateway Foundation Board of Trustees and the MMI Social Justice Advisory Council.
Other Opening Doors highlights included senior industry leaders--Darnell Azeez of Lord, Abbett & Co., Bjorn Haines of BlackRock and Karen Heath-Wade of American Century Investments, sharing their personal journeys in a particularly authentic discussion. MMI also launched three strategic campaigns for industry awareness and preparation programs for university students, performance and professional development programs for mid-career professionals and financial literacy programs for our communities.
Additional sponsors for the Opening Doors Initiative include AIG Life & Retirement, Clark Capital Management Group, Schroders and Voya Investments.
About Money Management Institute (MMI):
Established in 1997, the Money Management Institute (MMI) is the industry association representing financial services firms that provide financial advice and investment advisory solutions to investors. Through conferences, educational resources, and thought leadership, MMI facilitates peer-to-peer connections, fosters industry knowledge and professionalism, and supports the development of the next generation of industry leadership. MMI member firms are dedicated to helping individual and institutional investors, at every level of assets, plan for and fulfill their financial goals. For more information, visit http://www.MMInst.org.
About Gateway
Gateway, a 501c3 organization administered by the Money Management Institute, supports a variety of programs to foster career awareness and workforce readiness for students of color from historically underrepresented communities, particularly African Americans and Hispanics, seeking internships and entry-level employment opportunities in the financial services industry.