75 Most Powerful Blacks on Wall Street

They’re Wall Street’s billion-dollar players. Some raise capital to build or improve schools, hospitals, airports, and railroads from Los Angeles to London. Others have been responsible for financing the next generation of entrepreneurs and the products that will change the way we live, work, and play.

Whether they are engaged in investment banking, sales and trading, asset management, or private equity, those who wield power on Wall Street know that success is about more than negotiating money-making deals — it’s also about brokering relationships. “So much revolves around opportunities to bring in business,” says John W. Rogers Jr., chairman and CEO of Ariel Capital Management L.L.C. (No. 2 on the BE ASSET MANAGERS list with $19.3 billion in assets under management). Bottom line: being a power player means having the right connections.

In Ariel’s case, it’s also about branding — an art that Rogers and President Mellody Hobson have mastered. Once one sees the company’s logo — the turtle — you instantly know Ariel’s reputation for steady returns and profitability. The dynamic duo made the cut among the most powerful African Americans on Wall Street not only because of their negotiation, money management, and relationship-building prowess but, like the turtle, their longevity at the top.

BLACK ENTERPRISE’s listing is a compilation of the best and brightest investment bankers, traders, asset managers, CEOs, and venture capitalists. Some physically operate on Wall Street while others ply their trade in cities across the globe. Pick a spot on the map — Chicago, San Francisco, London — and you’ll find one of our 75 power brokers in action.

Roughly 30 are top-tier professionals at financial behemoths. Another 33 are entrepreneurs who head the largest black-owned investment banks, asset management companies, and private equity firms. Whether they are heading major departments, managing core businesses, or running their own firms, these executives all have an impact on their companies’ bottom lines.

Our team of editors and reporters spent six months engaged in extensive research to identify the financial elite. This year’s roster outnumbers previous lists, growing to 75 members. One reason: the growth of private equity, the sector in which 18 of the power hitters operate.

Fourteen individuals who appeared on our 2002 list did not make the cut this time around. Some, such as C. Kim Goodwin, former chief investment officer at State Street Research & Management Co., retired from the industry. Some moved into different industries: For instance, top analyst Charles Phillips Jr. assumed the role of co-president and director of tech giant Oracle Corp.

The list includes seven professionals who have appeared on all three of our previous lists: They include Citigroup’s James F. Haddon, Bear Stearns’ William H. Hayden, Citigroup’s Raymond J. McGuire, Lazard’s William M. Lewis Jr., Merrill Lynch’s E. Stanley O’Neal, Utendahl Capital Partners’ John O. Utendahl, and Morgan Stanley’s George L. Van Amson.

Over the years there have been radical changes in the gender composition. In 1992 and 1996, only two women made our list — one of whom was William Blair principal Michelle L. Collins. In 2002, six women made our roster. This year’s listing features 11 women, including Collins, who resurfaced as co-founder of the private equity firm Svoboda, Collins L.L.C., and newcomer Amy Ellis-Simon, head of multiproduct sales for Merrill Lynch. She appeared on our “Up and Coming African Americans on Wall Street” list in 2002.

The pool of talent is impressive. Unfortunately the number of African American financial managers remains relatively small, and allegations of racism are still leveled at major firms. Despite being run by an African American, Merrill Lynch is being sued by 70 former and current employees who charge that it engages in discriminatory hiring and promotion practices. “African American movement within the industry has seen slow and steady progress, with incremental increases in minority recruitment,” says P. Michelle Holton, manager of inclusion at Edward Jones and chairwoman of the Securities Industry Association’s Diversity Committee. She concedes movement within the pipeline into senior management has remained inert. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, representation of African American officials and managers is the highest in the areas of banking/credit, at 7.0%, and the lowest in the securities industry, at 4.4%.

Those numbers speak volumes. Wall Street is still viewed a club steeped in exclusivity — a bastion of white male privilege. But Rogers says it’s not so much that African Americans are intentionally being kept out of the industry, but that “when deals are being cut we just aren’t even thought about.”

However, the impact of our 75 power players on the financial markets — and the world — has not gone unnoticed.

Selection criteria for the most powerful African Americans on Wall Street

• Those chosen are investment bankers, traders, asset managers, venture capitalists, or top executives with management responsibilities over these areas.
• They are responsible for the companys’ bottom line and execute transactions on a national or global scale.
• They have achieved the status of chief executive, president, partner, managing director, or other top-ranking position at their firms and have significant management duties.
• They demonstrate significant influence within their company and throughout their industry.
• Entrepreneurs who own their own firms must operate investment banks that have managed more than $10 billion in total issues, asset management firms with at least $2 billion under management, private equity firms with at least $100 million in capital commitments, or perform as a leading firm that engages in unique or complex transactions.
• Candidates must work for a U.S.-based company or the U.S. operations of a foreign-based company.
• Candidates must have at least 10 years of experience in the financial services industry.

 

Gilbert E. Ahye. SVP, Business Development and Mergers & Acquisitions American Express Co. New York, NY. Age: 59.Bottom Line: Ahye is a key adviser to the American Express Global Leadership Team, developing new international business partnerships and executing mergers and acquisitions. Since assuming his current role three years ago, Ahye successfully led the acquisition of Threadneedle, a U.K.-based asset management company, which was recognized by Institutional Investor as the Asset Manager Deal of the Year for 2003. He also led AMEX’s efforts to dispose of several high-profile businesses, including the sale of the company’s ATM business to 7-Eleven in 2003 and the tax-free spin-off of Ameriprise Financial to shareholders in 2005.

Shawn D. Baldwin. Chairman & CEO. Capital Management Group. Chicago, IL . Age: 40. Bottom Line: Baldwin is a Wall Street fast- tracker who has built his asset management and investment banking firm one acquisition at a time. The first possession was MuniDirect, an Atlanta-based domestic broker-dealer. Next, he acquired KCM Capital Management, an Anguilla-based offshore broker-dealer. A BE 100S company, CMG has been involved in the General Electric spin-off of GenWorth Financial and Google’s IPO. Baldwin has participated in more than 72 transactions totaling more than $63 billion in value.

Bernard Beal. CEO. M.R. Beal & Co.New York, NY Age: 51. Bottom Line: Beal is at the helm of the sixth-largest black-owned investment bank with more than $42 billion in managed issues for 2005. Since its inception in 1988, M.R. Beal has grown to 45 professionals based in offices throu

ghout New York; Sacramento, California; Chicago; Dallas; an
d Atlanta. Beal leads a team that has participated in $29.9 billion of municipal bond underwritings in 2005 and continues to rank among the top 20 underwriters of municipal securities worldwide.

Ronald E. Blaylock. Chairman & CEO. Blaylock & Co.. . New York, NYAge: 46. Bottom Line: Blaylock’s firm holds the No. 3 spot on the BE INVESTMENT BANKS list with $82.7 billion in total managed issues. The one-time Georgetown University hoops star garnered an industry-wide reputation in 1996 when the company became the first minority-owned firm to lead a corporate bond underwriting. Blaylock continues to make some eye-catching moves. In 2005, the firm served as a lead manager on a $1.6 billion bond financing for General Electric and its equity capital markets business and as a co-manager on Google’s $4 billion secondary offering.

Francisco L. Borges. Chairman & Managing PartnerLandmark Partners Inc. Simsbury, CTAge: 54. Bottom Line: The former Connecticut state treasurer has led the expansion of Landmark’s secondary market activities. Borges guided Landmark’s direct investment participation through the creation of Landmark’s co-investment and growth capital programs. Landmark has formed 20 funds focused on venture capital, buyout, mezzanine, and real estate partnerships over the last 16 years. These funds have been capitalized at more than $6.3 billion. Prior to joining Landmark, Borges was managing director of GE Capital’s Financial Guaranty Insurance Co. and capital markets subsidiaries.

Napolean Brandford III. Chairman & Founding Partner. Siebert Brandford Shank& Co. L.L.C. New York, NY. Age: 54. Bottom Line: With 25 years of experience under his belt, Brandford is a seasoned public finance veteran. The founding partner manages the Texas and Western regions of SBS. Brandford maintains an active client list that includes many city and state agencies nationwide. An astute financial strategist, he competes against giant firms. Such power moves have worked well in building SBS and helped it seize the No. 4 spot on the BE INVESTMENT BANKS list with $50.6 billion in total managed issues.

Eddie C. Brown. Founder & President. Brown Capital Management Inc. Baltimore, MD . Age: 65. Bottom Line: Regarded as an eminent stock picker, Brown still assists as a portfolio manager and analyst. Some 90% of the company’s $2.7 billion in assets under management are managed on behalf of separate client accounts. Brown’s Small Company Fund reflects a 9.81% total return performance, which more than doubles the benchmark Russell 2000 Growth Index’s return of 4.12%. A leading philanthropist, Brown and his wife created The Eddie C. & C. Sylvia Brown Family Foundation, raising and donating more than $1 million toward education.

Lloyd Campbell. Managing Director. Rothschild Inc. New York, NY. Age: 48. Bottom Line: This son of a Tuskegee Airman is flying high. Not only does Campbell chair the Compensation and Promotion Committee for the North America division, he raises institutional capital for Five Arrows, the firm’s merchant banking arm. Outside of Wall Street, Campbell is making an impact as chairman and founder of Pride First Corp., a nonprofit organization committed to improving education among New York City youth.

Michelle Collins. Co-Founder, Managing Director & Operating Partner. Svoboda, Collins L.L.C. Chicago, IL.o Age: 46 Bottom Line: Collins is the co-founder of the private equity firm with $200 million of committed capital invested in 11 companies in areas such as value-added distribution, business services, and consumer products, including Cigars International Inc. and Coffee Bean International. SC invests in leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, and growth equity opportunities. Collins co-leads the firm’s staff of eight professionals who target companies which typically have $10 million to $100 million in revenues.

Edith Cooper. Managing Director, Head of North American Hedge Fund Distribution, Fixed Income, Currencies & Commodities. Goldman Sachs & Co. New York, NYAge: 44. Bottom Line: Cooper was named a managing director at Goldman Sachs just two years after she joined the financial giant in 1996. As managing director and head of the North American Hedge Fund Distribution, Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities, Cooper is responsible for the company’s hedge fund initiatives in the securities division. She previously served as co-head of the firm’s commodity business for Europe and Asia before being tapped to head Goldman Sachs’ global futures business.

Michael L. Davis. Managing Director,Western

Region. JPMorgan Asset Management. New York, NYAge: 40. Bottom Line: Davis is one of the most senior members of JPMorgan Asset Management’s institutional business, where he oversees a team of 20 professionals in Dallas, San Francisco, and Chicago. The team is responsible for $42 billion in institutional client assets. Davis’ team handles more than 350 client relationships, many of the largest multinational corporations and some of the largest public funds in the United States. The prominent asset manager has been actively involved in diversity efforts within the firm and across the broader community through such groups as Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

Troy Dixon. Managing Director & Head of Pass-Through Mortgage Trading. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. New York, NYAge: 34
Bottom Line: In March 2006, Deutsche Bank wooed the industry expert and 10-year veteran in the pass-through mortgage market from an executive position at UBS, where he had worked since 2002. Deutsche Bank is a leading fixed-income trading house, offering financial services in 74 countries. Dixon’s product knowledge and extensive financial experience is a definite asset to the firm’s Global Markets Division. Deutsche entrusts Dixon with the trading and risk management of $25 billion to $30 billion worth of balance sheets in mortgage-backed securities.

Moctar A. Fall. Managing Director & Head of Debt Capital Market for Emerging Markets. JPMorgan Emerging Markets.
New York, NY. Age: 46. Bottom Line: A world-class financier, Fall heads the Capital Markets Group, which is responsible for the origination of debt for issuers in Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. His group also manages the Emerging Markets Debt Capital team in New York. Notable career moves: Fall headed the team that led the first Deutschmark Global Bond for the World Bank and headed a team that led the $4 billion, 30-year Brady exchange for Venezuela.

Alphonse”Buddy” Fletcher. Chairman & CEO. Fletcher Asset Management Inc. New York, NY. Age: 40. Bottom Line: Fletcher remains a Wall Street mover at the top of his game. Fletcher Asset Management recently inked a $30 million investment agreement with Input/Output Inc., a data imaging and software company. In addition, Fletcher has created megadeals worth $85 million combined with companies such as The Princeton Review Inc. and Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc. One of America’s leading black philanthropists, Fletcher launched a $50 million initiative that includes the Alphonse Fletcher Sr. Fellowship program and an endowed Columbia University Law School professorship.

Amy Ellis-Simon. Head of Multiproduct Sales. Merrill Lynch. New York, NY. Age: 34. “Just knowing that Wall Street exists is a big deal,” says Ellis-Simon, a graduate of the Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO), who credits the organization for getting her banking career started at Merrill in 1993. “I didn’t know that a trading floor existed until I walked up to Merrill’s floor that first day of my internship.” Since then, she has become the first African American woman to be named a managing director in investment banking at Merrill Lynch. This dynamo is part of a hard-driving group that generates millions each year in revenues for large institutional U.S. companies. Her division is a one-stop shop for institutional investors interested in

a spectrum of equity and debt products, including c
onvertible securities, equities, equity derivatives, and fixed income.
In the fast-paced, highly competitive sales and trading world, Ellis-Simon employs the balancing approach to attract clients by providing consistent service and making smart decisions. Her mantra: At the end of the day, you need a strong work ethic, courage, and opinion. “We provide clients with unique solutions and you have to get a prospective client to move swiftly and encourage them to make a decision that they would otherwise not have made without your assistance,” she says with conviction.
A graduate of the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in history, Ellis-Simon returned to Merrill in 1994 as an analyst trainee, after completing school. Having come through programs such as SEO, which is the nation’s premier summer internship program for gifted students of color, she is a strong advocate of giving back to the community. In fact, Ellis-Simon and her two younger sisters founded the Three Sisters Scholarship Foundation, an organization that provides assistance to college-bound African American students in Evanston, Illinois, and Montclair, New Jersey.
With hectic schedules at work and at home, Ellis-Simon, a mother of two, says that her family helps put things in perspective. “They are a great stress reliever and whatever issues you may have brought home, they can help evaporate rather quickly.”
— Hyacinth B. Carbon

Eugene Flood Jr. President & CEO. Smith Breeden Associates. Chapel Hill, NC. Age: 50. Bottom Line: After six years on Smith Breeden’s board, the former Morgan Stanley trader became its CEO in 2000. With assets around $27 billion, Smith Breeden upholds its reputation as a top-notch investment management firm that specializes in managing high-quality, fixed-income portfolios for public and private pension funds, central banks, and insurance companies around the world. About 20% of the company’s revenues are derived from institutional clients in Asia. Flood travels to the region four to six times a year. Since 2004, the firm has incorporated innovative strategies for clients seeking higher risks and profits.

Vicki L. Fuller. SVP, Director — Public Funds. AllianceBernstein Institutional Investments. New York, NY. Age: 49. Bottom Line: Twenty years with Alliance gives Fuller more than the upper hand. As the firm’s new director of public funds, she is part of a team that oversees business development and client retention for Alliance’s $95 billion public funds business, which includes city and state entities. A senior member of the institutional investment team, Fuller advises public entities on domestic and international equities and fixed income.

Gregg Gonsalves. Partner & Managing Director, Industrial Group. Goldman Sachs & Co. New York, NY Age: 38. Bottom Line: Several high-profile mergers and acquisitions helped launch Gonsalves into a partnership position at Wall Street powerhouse Goldman Sachs in 2004. He has continued to impress with his prowess at structuring billion-dollar transactions in the high-stakes arenas of aerospace, defense, and technology. Most recently, he advised Boeing on the $1 billion sale of its Wichita parts manufacturing facility (Spirit AeroSystems) to Onex Corp. Gonsalves has been involved in mergers and acquisitions activity in industries ranging from automobile manufacturing to paper and forest products.

Ernest Green. Managing Directorof Public Finance. Lehman Brothers. Washington, DCAge: 65. Bottom Line: Since joining the firm in 1987, Green has consistently taken on positions of increasing responsibility. He has served as senior investment banker on transactions for key clients such as the City of New York, City of Atlanta, State of Connecticut, and Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Current clients include the cities of Denver; Oakland, California; and Chicago. In honor of Green and his legacy, not only within Lehman Brothers but also the civil rights movement (he was one of the historic Little Rock Nine), the firm awards eight $10,000 HBCU scholarships annually bearing his name.

James F. Haddon. Managing Director, Infrastructure Finance GroupMunicipal Securities. Citigroup. New York, NYAge: 52. Bottom Line: During his 25-year tenure in the municipal finance industry at Citigroup and PaineWebber (now known as UBS), Haddon has served as senior book running manager for various municipal issues totaling in excess of $40 billion. He has been instrumental in structuring project financing to provide funds for convention centers, stadiums, transportation projects, and general municipal projects throughout the cities of New York; Detroit; Washington, D.C.; and more. Notable accomplishments include the $709 million tobacco securitization for New York City and the $515 million securitization of rum tax revenues for the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Carla Harris. Managing Director,Global Capital Markets. Morgan Stanley. New York, NY Age: 43. Bottom Line: As head of Morgan Stanley’s equity private placement and global capital markets, Harris is responsible for the structuring, marketing, and execution of public and private equity financing transactions. Harris is noted for executing initial public offerings for UPS and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia as well as the $3.2 billion common stock transaction for Immunex Corp., reportedly one of the largest biotechnology offerings in U.S. history. She has served major corporations in a wide array of sectors.

Mellody Hobson. Ariel Capital Management L.L.C. Chicago, IL Age: 37. Bottom Line: This high achiever serves as president of one of the nation’s largest African American money management firms, with more than $19 billion in assets under management. As the head of its day-to-day operations, Hobson has helped solidify Ariel’s position in the investment community. She has testified before Congress to defend mutual funds, challenging New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer’s criticism of the industry. Hobson is also the face of Ariel, appearing as a regular contributor on ABC’s Good Morning America, offering financial advice to millions of viewers.

Louis A. Holland. Managing Partner & Chief Investment Officer. Holland Capital Management. Chicago, IL Age: 64. Bottom Line: Holland and his collective team of money managers are primed to take the 100% employee-owned firm from managing $2.4 billion in assets to a goal of $10 billion by 2010. Holland also serves as investment adviser for the Lou Holland Growth Fund, a NYSE-traded mutual fund. Although short-term performance has been a bit challenging for the large-cap growth equity fund, it continues to outperform such industry benchmarks as the Russell 1000 Growth Index over five- and 10-year periods. After 37 years in the business, Holland still strives to be the best of the breed.

Ronald Holt. President & Directorof Research. Hansberger Global Investors Inc. Fort Lauderdale, FL o Age: 38. Bottom Line: Holt works with a team that manages $4 billion of Hansberger’s $8.1 billion in assets under management. The globetrotter has traveled to an array of countries on six of the seven continents to research new stock ideas and business ventures as well as meet with government officials. Holt also oversees the management of the investment, research, and marketing activities for Hansberger Global Investors Inc.’s growth and value fund products.

Marc James. Managing Director, Global Rates High-Grade Derivative Sales. Wachovia Securities. New York, NY Age: 45. Bottom Line: James has spearheaded several blockbuster deals during his career, including the structuring of the then-largest equity derivative-linked loan for one of the largest holders of Microsoft (a $2.8 billion transaction) and executing the hedging program for the $4.5 billion acquisition of ABC-Capital Cities by Disney. James was also on the team that created Ford Motor Co.’s Global Landmark Securities, the inaugural sale of which was an $8.6 billion debt transaction, th

e largest corporate debt offering ever at the ti
me.

Melissa James. Managing Director, Relationship LendingBusiness, Loan Products Group. Morgan Stanley. New York, NYAge: 41. Bottom Line: James manages the origination of more than $ 30 billion in loan commitments. She is responsible for determining whether or not to extend millions of dollars in capital to clients as well as structuring those transacti

ons. Her international capital markets experience includes a $1.8 billion acquisition for the Port Authority of Singapore. That deal was arranged earlier this year to finance the authority’s $4.4 billion acquisition of a 20% stake in Hutchinson Whampoa’s ports business, Morgan Stanley’s first loan to Singapore. James also completed an intricate debt-for-equity swap in connection with a $4 billion IPO for Agere Systems, the largest U.S. tech IPO in history.

Edward Johnson Jr. COO Advent Capital Management L.L.C. New York, NYAge: 50. Bottom Line: Johnson began his career on Wall Street at Salomon Brothers. He then joined Merrill Lynch, where he served as managing director and global product coordinator for the mortgage and securitized real estate business and went on to become a first vice president in Merrill’s Managed Solutions Group. As COO of ACM, Johnson is involved in all aspects of the business and has been instrumental in helping build up the firm’s convertible and high-yield securities businesses. ACM manages close to $3 billion for several multinational companies, foundations, endowments, and public pension plans.

Terry Jones. Founder/General Partner. SYNCOM Management Co. Inc./ Syncom II, Syncom III, Syncom IV. Silver Spring, MD. Age: 60. Bottom Line: Applying decades of experience and an indomitable entrepreneurial spirit, this financier has helped build a telecommunications and media private-equity giant with capital in excess of $225 million. His efforts have helped facilitate the introduction of cable television to underserved markets. Through his stewardship of SYNCOM, he has provided critical financing for companies such as media powerhouse Radio One Inc. (No. 12 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 list with $371 million in sales).

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. Senior Managing Director Lazard Fréres & Co. L.L.C. New York, NY Age: 71. Bottom Line: Since 2000, Jordan has helped Lazard achieve record heights. Annual operating revenues in 2005 increased 22% over 2004, while M&A revenues increased by 40%. Jordan was also a senior executive partner with the law firm Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld L.L.P. from 1982 to 1999, where he remains as senior counsel. The longtime friend of former President Bill Clinton sits on several boards including American Express Co., Xerox Corp., and Howard University. He also serves on the international advisory board of Barrick Gold Corp.

William H. Hayden. Senior Managing Director. Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. New York, NY. Age: 65. “I’m a Yankees fan,” says Hayden, with a heavy Boston accent that would suggest an affinity for the Bronx Bombers’ archrivals. “Because when I grew up in Boston, we were Brooklyn Dodger fans and the Red Sox had no blacks and no Hispanics and the black kids had nobody to root for.”
Hayden, who grew up about an hour outside of Boston in New Bedford, Massachusetts, has long been an advocate for diversity. Starting out on Wall Street in the early 1970s, there were virtually no other African Americans in investment banking. But a combination of smarts and know-how helped him rise up the ranks. While he secured loads of business because of his acumen, he also got a little help here and there. In 1977, he was named senior banker of a $305 million offering used to finance construction of what is now Hartsfield/Jackson Airport in Atlanta after then-mayor Maynard Jackson insisted that black bankers be part of the city’s bond offerings.
At 65, he’s long been a mainstay on Wall Street. After all, he’s helped fund billions of dollars in construction projects over his 30-plus year career. As senior managing director for Bear, Stearns & Co., Hayden oversees and develops ways of financing large government projects. His career highlights include developing financing strategies to construct the U.S. Open Stadium in New York and the Atlanta Hawks’ arena for Time Warner-Turner Broadcasting.
While those were high-profile transactions, it’s not as well known that the 1962 graduate of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is an avid African art collector. “I arrived here in New York almost 30 years ago. A friend, Eric Robertson, quit being a lawyer and went to Africa and brought back some art that I bought from him,” Hayden recalls. “And over the years he became one of the most well-known black African art dealers in the world.”
Hayden is no slouch in the art world either. In fact, he’s had his works displayed in museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim. When he auctioned off roughly half of his 70 pieces, it was the first time an African American’s art collection was sold at the prestigious Sotheby’s. Much of his collection hails from the Yoruba people of West Africa. — Alan Hughes

William E. Kennard. Managing Director The Carlyle Group Washington, DC. Age: 49. Bottom Line: Carlyle is the largest and one of the most successful private equity firms in the world. Kennard, the former chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission has helped orchestrate multibillion dollar transactions involving Dex Media Inc., one of the nation’s leading phone directory publishers; Casema Holdings BV, one of the Netherlands’ leading cable operators; and Insight Communications, America’s ninth-largest cable company. He was also instrumental in Carlyle closing on the $1.5 billion deal to acquire Hawaiian Telcom in 2005.

William M. Lewis Jr. Managing Director & Co-Chairman, Investment Banking. Lazard Fréres & Co. L.L.C. New York, NY Age: 50. Bottom Line: Lewis joined the investment banking arm of this global financial services firm in 2004. By year-end 2005, M&A revenues at Lazard increased by 40% to $674.5 million. He spent the majority of his career at Morgan Stanley, where he was elected managing director in 1989, becoming the first African American to do so. Co-head of the Global Banking Department, Lewis’ department accounted for more than $2 billion in revenues.

William E. Lighten. Managing Director, Mortgage Capital Division/ Chairman & CEO, Lehman Brothers Bank FSB. Lehman Brothers Bank New York, NYAge: 42. Bottom Line: As global head of Lehman’s Mortgage Capital Division, Lighten has been instrumental in building the firm’s securitization and mortgage loan origination businesses worldwide. The industry veteran also serves as chairman and CEO of Lehman Brothers Bank FSB and a member of the firm’s powerful management committee. Over the course of his 15-year career at the investment bank, Lighten helped to build one of Wall Street’s leading structured finance franchises and remained as global head of the business for over a decade. Lehman Brothers has $20.6 billion in assets under management as of March 2006.

James Mason. Managing Partner Parish Capital Advisors L.L.P. Chapel Hill, NC. Age: 37. Bottom Line: In just three years, Mason and his partners have raised more than $1 billion and closed the first private equity fund. Set up as a fund of funds, Parish pumps money primarily into early-stage venture capital funds and small- and middle-market buyout funds. Parish’s portfolio includes Ascend Ventures, which has about $160 million in capital under management. Some of Mason’s experience stems from serving as an M.B.A. adviser. He was formerly director of private investments for Duke University Management Co., where he oversaw $2 billion in private equity.

Wendell McCain. Managing Partner Parish Capital Advisors L.L.P. Chapel Hill, NC. Age: 36. Bottom Line: McCain is recognized as a leader among emerging private equity managers. He has spent the last 10 years focused on alternate asset cla

sses. In his current position he seeks not only
to create wealth among institutional investors but to ultimately influence public policy decisions. The 2005 Eisenhower Fellow went to China to learn firsthand about the country’s economy. Prior to founding Parish Capital, McCain served as vice president of BancBoston Ventures, where his group managed a $600 million diversified private equity portfolio.

Reuben R. McDaniel III. Co-Chairman & President Jackson Securities Atlanta, GA. Age: 44. Bottom Line: With McDaniel at the helm, Jackson Securities has sustained double-digit revenue growth and diversified revenue streams by establishing a corporate finance group, an institutional sales and trading group, and a wealth management group. In June 2005, Jackson Securities, which ranked No. 7 on the BE INVESTMENT BANKS list that year, merged with Berean Capital Inc. to form a firm with greater geographic coverage. The result: a more than 13% increase in revenues.

Raymond J. McGuire. Managing Director &Co-Head, GlobalInvestment Banking Citigroup New York, NY. Age: 49. Bottom Line: McGuire joined Citigroup in July 2005 to co-head the firm’s global investment banking business. He oversees billions of dollars and more than 2,000 people — the most of any African American on Wall Street outside of Merrill Lynch CEO Stanley O’Neal. The veteran has spearheaded a number of multibillion-dollar deals, including the $20 billion sale of Nabisco Holdings to Philip Morris and the $21 billion acquisition of wood and paper processor Georgia-Pacific by Koch Industries Inc. McGuire began his career in 1984 at First Boston Corp.

Philip McNeal. Managing Director, Senior Private Banker JPMorgan Private Bank New York, NY. Age: 48. Bottom Line: McNeal recently sealed his position as private banker of choice among America’s wealthiest families when he landed a new private client with a net worth exceeding $700 million. As senior private banker, McNeal delivers wealth management solutions to individuals and families with an average net worth of $100 million. He even boasts a few billionaires among his clients. McNeal joined JPMorgan Private Bank seven years ago, after stints as an investment banker in the company’s Natural Resources and Power Group and the Syndicated Loan Origination business.

Rodney Miller. Managing Director, Mergers & Acquisitions Group, Investment Banking Credit Suisse First Boston New York, NY. Age: 47. Bottom Line: Miller is responsible for the Financial Sponsor Mergers and Acquisitions effort at Credit Suisse. With more than 18 years of experience in financial advisory services, Miller has advised a host of domestic and international clients in a wide variety of areas, including mergers and acquisitions, hostile transactions, and proxy contests. Prior to his current position, he was Credit Suisse’s head of mergers and acquisitions for North America.

Laurence C. Morse. Co-Founder &Managing Partner Fairview CapitalPartners Inc. Farmington, CT Age: 54. Bottom Line: Morse helped spearhead one of the first black private equity firms to create a fund of funds, which focuses on ethnically diverse and underserved markets. As a general partner of Fairview’s 12 managed funds aggregating close to $2 billion, he has participated in the investment of more than 100 venture capital and private equity limited partnerships. The average investment is $10 million with investments from a minimum of $5 million up to $25 million. The financier holds seats on the advisory boards of private equity funds sponsored by SYNCOM, Opportunity Capital Partners, MedVenture Associates, and Ascend Venture Group.

Valerie Mosley. Partner & SVP Wellington ManagementCo. L.L.P. Boston, MA. Age: 46. Bottom Line: Since becoming a partner in December 2005, Mosley has yet to slow down — and with good reason. Mosley continues to manage the firm’s Fixed Income portfolios for corporate and public pension funds, endowments, and mutual funds. Approximately 32% of the $529 billion in Wellington’s assets under management is invested in Fixed Income Portfolios. She and a handful of people establish the strategy for the Core Bond and Corporate Bond strategy groups. She also chairs an industry strategy group.

Colbert G. Narcisse. COO, Global Private Client Group Merrill Lynch New York, NY. Age: 40. Bottom Line: Narcisse was tapped by Global Private Client president Robert McCann to fill his current role. Narcisse manages several concerns in his division, including business risk management, diversity, and technology to deliver integrated solutions for various strategic business initiatives. In the wake of allegations of racial discrimination, Narcisse has also been charged with leading the firm’s diversity efforts for the Global Private Client group. GPC provides investment, insurance, banking, and retirement services for individuals and businesses through 15,000 financial advisers. Assets in GPC accounts totaled $1.5 trillion in 2005.

J. D. Nelson. Founder & CEO RhumbLine AdvisorsBoston, MA Age: 66. Bottom Line: Nelson has built his firm

into the nation’s third-largest black-owned asset manager since its inception in 1990. Nelson and his team manage more than $13 billion in domestic equity assets for 96 clients nationwide. What makes Nelson’s firm unique is that it focuses exclusively on passive base strategies. His financial prowess dates back to his days as senior vice president and the first director of Public Funds Services at State Street Bank in Boston as well as a stint as the administrator and chief budget officer for the Democratic National Committee.

E. Stanley O’Neal. Chairman, President & CEO. Merrill Lynch New York, NY Age: 54. Bottom Line: Since 2002, O’Neal has maintained his stature as the top-ranking African American in finance by overseeing the financial services giant. Merrill Lynch has offices in 36 countries and territories as well as total client assets of approximately $1.8 trillion. Firm-wide assets under management total $581 billion. O’Neal recently hired two high-profile individuals to help strengthen the firm’s relations with foreign governments and investors: William McDonough, former New York Federal Reserve president, who was brought on as a vice chairman and special adviser earlier this year, and former U.S. ambassador Richard McCormack, brought on as a vice chairman.

Tracy V. Maitland. Founder, President & Chief Investment Officer Advent Capital Management L.L.C. New York, NY Age: 46. Maitland is the powerhouse behind the $3 billion asset management firm that several multinational companies, foundations, and public pension plan managers call on to invest their money. Since its inception in 1995, Advent Capital Management’s investment strategy has successfully centered on an attractive asset class that is often overlooked: convertible securities. The firm also invests in high-yield and equity strategies. It offers clients a unique platform made up of customized separate accounts, hedge funds, and two closed-end mutual funds listed on the New York Stock Exchange: the Advent Claymore Convertible Securities & Income Fund (AVK) and the Advent/Claymore Enhanced Growth & Income Fund (LCM).
Maitland says the hedge fund business is about high performance. To that end, Advent has been expanding its international reach. He recently opened a London office to support European investments. There is also an Asian investment team that invests during Asian market hours out of the New York office. Maitland recently entered into a $100 million joint venture with a private bank in the Netherlands to focus on global investments. “We’re competing on a global basis,” he asserts. “We have to be able to invest 24/7 and generate returns 24/7.”
With 45 employees, Maitland strives to recruit and retain self-motivated professionals in order to maintain ACM’s “effectively aggressive” culture. This formula has helped grow assets fairly dramatically to more than $3 billion since the firm’s inception. Maitland expects assets to grow

10% to 15% by year’s end. When not on the t
rading floor or cutting deals, Maitland collects works of art at gallery exhibits and donates funds to support organizations such as the Studio Museum in Harlem and the Apollo Theatre Foundation. Furthermore, his commitment to philanthropy has resulted in Advent Capital’s donation of $150,000 via the Red Cross toward the relief efforts in New Orleans. — Tennille M. Robinson

J. Derek Penn. Head of Equities Pershing L.L.C. Jersey City, NJ Age: 49. Bottom Line: The former head of equity and debt trading at Fidelity Investments joined Pershing in May. He currently manages more than 100 people involved in several trading floor operations and broker-dealer intermediaries, including NYSE, AMEX, NASDAQ, and NASDAQ International trading desks in New Jersey and London. His division primarily provides products for sell-side clients to use in their investment process. Penn notes Pershing’s equity division is $50 million and on its way to becoming a $100 million business. With an existing client base of 1,200 financial organizations, Penn’s agenda is helping the firm stretch into new territory.

JoAnn Price. Co-Founder & Managing Partner Fairview Capital Partners Inc. Farmington, CT Age: 56. Bottom Line: Considered one of the preeminent forces in minority venture capital investing, Price has been instrumental in investments for more than 100 venture capital and private equity limited partnerships. Fairview holds the coveted No. 1 spot on the BE PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS list with close to $2 billion in capital under management. With 20 years of experience, she is an integral member of Fairview’s investment team and is considered the go-to source for raising capital in the fund of funds arena.

Michael Ray. VP, Head Equity Trader Legg Mason Capital Management Baltimore, MD Age: 41. Bottom Line: Ray is responsible for the trading of all of the Legg Mason Capital Management equity mutual funds and oversees the trading of the Value Equity and Legg Mason Mid-Cap separate account products. Over the last two years, through investment gains and client contributions, Legg Mason Capital Management has grown its assets under management from $40 billion to roughly $61 billion. A key transaction included Legg Mason Inc. swapping its capital markets division for Citigroup’s Asset Management division for a reported $3.7 billion. The deal was announced in June 2005 and was completed in the first quarter of this year.

James Reynolds. Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO Loop Capital Markets L.L.C. Chicago, IL Age: 52. Bottom Line: Under Reynolds’ leadership, and after only eight years in business, Loop has risen to No. 2 on the BE INVESTMENT BANKS list with $33.8 billion in managed issues. He administers all banking, trading, and institutional sales. Loop has served in significant underwriting roles, including co-managing a $1 billion bond deal for the Citizens of Louisiana Self Insurance Fund, the proceeds of which were used to replenish existing reserves and pay claims for Hurricane Katrina victims. The deal was the first post-Katrina financing. Reynolds has also been involved in a $300 million debt offering for DaimlerChrysler.

John B. Rhea. Managing Director & Co-Head of Global Consumer and Retail Investment Banking Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.
New York, NYAge: 41. Bottom Line: Rhea oversees Lehman’s investment banking group. Notable recent transactions for the global consumer retail group include the $3.5 billion Reynolds American Inc. acquisition of Conwood, one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of smokeless tobacco products. Lehman also participated in the $17.4 billion acquisition of Albertson’s Inc. by SUPERVALU, CVS, and an investment group led by Cerberus Capital Management L.P. Prior to Lehman, Rhea worked at JPMorgan Chase & Co. where he served as a managing director and co-head of the North American Consumer Group.

J. Donald Rice Jr. President Rice Financial Products Co. New York, NY Age: 47. Bottom Line: Rice’s firm is one of the oldest municipal derivative shops in the business, specializing in developing and executing traditional bond and derivatives-based transactions for state and local governments. The industry innovator is responsible for several financing coups, including interest rate swaps with Miami-Dade, which have saved the Florida county more than $50 million, and the first swap executed by the City of Houston. His total transactions represent more than $40 billion.

John W. Rogers. Founder, Chairman, CEO& Chief Investment Officer Ariel Capital Management Chicago, IL Age: 48. Bottom Line: Rogers founded the country’s first African American-owned money management firm in 1983. Today, Ariel has over $19 billion in assets under management. The firm manages accounts for institutional clients and serves individual investors and 401(k) plans through the Ariel Mutual Funds. In addition to being chairman and CEO, Rogers manages the firm’s small and mid-cap portfolios as well as the Ariel Fund and Ariel Appreciation Fund. Roger’s financial dexterity as a stock picker has proven that patience wins over flash. Ariel Fund ranks as one of the top performers in the mutual fund industry with a 13.6% 10-year annual total return.

Derek E. N. Saleeby. Executive Managing Director & Chief Investment Officer RLJ Select Investments L.L.C. Bethesda, MD Age: 41. Bottom Line: Saleeby was handpicked by BET founder Robert Johnson as a major player on RLJ’s hedge fund of funds. Created jointly with Deutsche Bank’s asset management division, RLJ seeks to build a world class, black-owned and -controlled hedge fund of funds. Saleeby worked previously for Citibank, Smith Barney, and PaineWebber in investment banking and capital markets. Saleeby is poised to drive fund value and company revenues.

Suzanne Shank. President, CEO & Co-Founder Siebert Brandford Shank & Co. L.L.C. Oakland, CA. Age: 44. Bottom Line: A municipal finance specialist, Shank has been lead financier on projects for issuers across the country including the state of Connecticut and cities such as Detroit, Chicago, and New York. She has overseen transactions for the state of Connecticut for more than $981 million and for more than $3 billion for the Detroit Water Board, including the largest deal ever for Detroit Water — $1.14 billion — issued in August.

Dwight A.L. Skerritt. Director, U.S. Headof Institutional Coverage Credit Suisse First Boston New York, NY Age: 45. Bottom Line: Since the elevation to his current post in 2004, Skerritt has overseen the U.S. asset gathering efforts for Credit Suisse’s Prime Services securities lending business where he and his team have doubled assets under management to $130 billion in the past 12 months. Joining in 1999, Skerritt was part of the original team in New York that was formed to expand Credit Suisse’s third-party securities lending business. Prior to that, Skerritt was the chief operating officer of Lehman Brothers Trust. Co., where he developed a lending base of $20 billion in assets.

Maceo Sloan. Chairman, CEO & Chief Investment Officer NCM Capital Durham, NCAge: 58. Bottom Line: Sloan is the man behind the seventh-largest African American-owned asset management firm, with approximately $2.4 billion in assets under management. NCM’s clients include MARTA Union Employees’ Retirement System, Toyota Motor Sales, and California State Teachers’ Retirement System. Before founding NCM Capital, Sloan worked with North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Co. and its subsidiary, NCM Life Communications Inc., for 13 years. He currently serves as a Trustee of TIAA-CREF Funds Boards which includes the CREF, TIAA-CREF Mutual Funds, and TIAA-CREF Institutional Mutual Funds.

Eric L. Small. President & CEO SBK-Brooks Investment Corp. Cleveland, OH Age: 52. Bottom Line: Under Small’s stewardship, SBK-Brooks is one of the Midwest’s leading investment banking firms, holding at No. 8 on the BE INVESTMENT BANKS list. The firm is heading toward dominating the Ohio municipal debt marke

t. SBK-Brooks services municipal and corporate iss
ues and executes bond and equity trades for institutional investors including Fannie Mae, Fidelity Investments, and Oppenheimer Funds. Small’s investment prowess has helped sustain his reputation for picking companies that consistently outperform the competition. Within the past five years, he has participated in structuring over 300 municipal and corporate transactions totaling over $34 billion.

Gerald Smith. Chairman & CEO Smith, Graham & Co. Investment Advisors L.P. Houston, TX Age: 56. Bottom Line: Smith has established his company as the go-to investment management firm for value-added partnerships and superior equity investment products. He has propelled the firm to No. 8 on the BE ASSET MANAGERS list with more than $2.4 billion in fixed income and equity assets for 27 institutional clients globally. As one of the nation’s largest minority-owned fixed income investment firms, Smith, Graham specializes in managing portfolio strategies for institutional clients.

Gwendolyn Smith-Iloani. Chairwoman, President & CEO Smith Whiley & Co. Hartford, CT Age: 49. Bottom Line: The 24-year veteran specializes in buyouts, recapitalizations, acquisitions, growth capital private equity, and mezzanine debt investments. Smith-Iloani directs the firm’s investment advisory and asset management business. She has

helped bolster the firm to $222 million in capital under management, a portfolio of 25 companies, and several private equity and mezzanine debt funds. Before forming Smith Whiley, she was a managing director at Aetna Inc., where she invested in excess of $4 billion and managed a $9.2 billion portfolio.

Kneeland Youngblood. Co-Founder & Managing Partner Pharos Capital Group Dallas, TX Age: 50. Calling Youngblood a jetsetter would be putting it lightly. All within the span of a week, Youngblood has conducted business on a global scale. First, he went to Spain, to greet a former foreign ambassador to the United States. Then, France, to meet with an entrepreneur that Pharos is considering doing business with. And finally, Greece, for a Starwood Hotels board of directors meeting. In terms of frequent-flier miles, it doesn’t hurt that Youngblood is chairman of the board of the American Beacon Fund, a subsidiary of American Airlines that manages $20 billion in assets.
It was the lure of a private jet that led to Youngblood’s transition to becoming a financial power broker. At the time, “I was involved in politics. I raised campaign funds for people like Bill Bradley, Ron Brown, and Ann Richards,” he explains. Youngblood received a phone call from a CEO who was also serving on a governor-appointed commission. “He wanted us to fly down to a board meeting together,” recalls Youngblood. “When I asked for the time of the airline flight, he said, ‘No, hang with me on my corporate jet.’ I had no idea people operated like that.”
That was in 1990. Since then, Youngblood has charted the course of Pharos, with $500 million in capital under management, through three private equity funds. The firm ranks No. 2 on the BE PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS list, focusing on growth and expansion capital primarily in healthcare, business services, and applied technology in underserved markets. Pharos likes to commit $10 million to $15 million and have on average 20 deals. Current investments include Windsor Health Group, Converge, Clearwire, and Reel FX.
“We look for entities where Pharos can add value,” says Youngblood. “We leverage our relationships with members in the corporate community.” Pharos’ investors include corporate giants such as Verizon, Nokia, Walt Disney, and John Deere. “We try to have companies invest not only in our funds but also provide strategic partnerships with our portfolio companies,” he adds.
Youngblood enjoys his job, but he is most passionate about his six children, who range in age from 10 to 26. His eldest daughter, Annina, is involved in fixed-income trading at Lehman Brothers.
— Carolyn M. Brown

J. Peter Thompson. Managing Partner Opportunity Capital Partners Fremont, CA. Age: 64. Bottom Line: Thompson is a seasoned private equity investor with a 35-year history of providing financing to minority- and women-controlled businesses. He has guided the firm’s successful positioning of its four private equity funds with capital under management of $135 million. Thompson directly manages several of the firm’s investments including Access 1 Communications Corp. and Bustos Media L.L.C. Opportunity Capital Partners, which seeks to make investments in the $3 million to $10 million range; has 20 companies in its portfolio; and invests primarily in media, communications, information technology, and manufacturing ventures.

Lauren M. Tyler. Partner CCMP Capital Advisors L.L.C. New York, NY. Age: 44. Bottom Line: Tyler is a partner of CCMP Capital, a private equity fund with $8 billion under management. Tyler left the $170 million private equity fund Quetzal/JP Morgan Partners (No. 10 on the BE PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS list) to join JPMorgan Partners. CCMP was then created by the company’s former buyout/growth equity investment team. Using Tyler’s deal-making prowess, JPMorgan Partners was the driving force behind CBS’ $325 million acquisition of College Sports Television (CSTV) in January.

John O. Utendahl. Founder, Chairman & CEO Utendahl Capital Partners New York, NY Age: 48. Bottom Line: A respected Wall Street veteran and industry leader, Utendahl has redefined the meaning of power broker. He has differentiated himself with his innovative vision, creating five financial affiliates in various asset classes. Utendahl Capital Partners ranks No. 5 on the BE INVESTMENT BANKS list; Utendahl Capital Management, ranks No. 9 on the BE ASSET MANAGERS list. The other affiliates are UrbanAmerica I & II, commercial real estate funds; United Enterprise Fund, a private equity fund; and Praesidian Capital Investors, a mezzanine financing fund.

George L. Van Amson. Managing Director, Institutional Equities Morgan Stanley Inc. New York, NYAge: 54. Bottom Line: This 25-year Wall Street veteran oversees the Retail Block Trading Desk, which is responsible for all equity transactions within the firm’s Global Wealth Management Division. Van Amson also does double duty in that he is responsible for all recruiting, hiring, and training for Morgan Stanley’s Institutional Equity division within North America. For his new hires, getting the job is half the battle. Once in, Van Amson looks for employees to uphold three R’s: strong client relationships, revenue generation, and enhanced reputation — both personal and that of the Morgan Stanley franchise.

Paul Viera. CEO Earnest Partners L.L.C. Atlanta, GA. Age: 48. Bottom Line: As the powerhouse behind an investment management firm that advises on more than $20 billion in investment products, Viera oversees transactions for states, corporations, and municipalities. Under his leadership, the firm snagged the position of No. 1 black-owned asset management firm. An investment strategist with more than 25 years of industry experience, Viera developed the Return Pattern Recognition, a proprietary investment methodology used at Earnest to select equities. Viera is a commentator for CNBC, Radio Wall Street and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Jacob “Jake” Walthour. Managing Director Quellos Group L.L.C. Seattle, WA. Age: 38. Bottom Line: With over $16 billion in assets under management, Quellos Group is the world’s largest privately held hedge fund of funds. A forward thinker, Walthour surmised the financial potential of the lucrative hedge fund market light years ahead of his contemporaries. In his capacity as managing director, he advises major institutions on asset allocation and alternative investment implementation and raises capital for a number of the firm’s hedge fund programs.

John Ware. President & CEO 21st Century Group L.L.C. Dallas, TX. Age: 58. Bottom Line: Wa

re co-founded the 21st Century Group, which has mo
re than $80 million of institutional capital under management, with partners HM Capital in 1998. He leads its strategic direction, investment strategy, and fundraising. Ware is also actively involved in originating, structuring, and monitoring investments. In addition to his private equity/leveraged buyout experience, Ware has served more than 10 years as either the chief executive officer or chief operating officer of two $1 billion municipalities. Previously, Ware served as city manager of the City of Dallas and initiated several ventures that created more than $7 billion in public and private business partnerships. Under his leadership, Dallas was cited by Financial World as one of the best-managed U.S. cities.

Lewis Warren Jr. Managing Director, Deputy Head of Global Investment Banking Banc of America Securities L.L.C. New York, NY. Age: 43. Bottom Line: Warren, working with the head of global investment banking, is charged with ensuring that Bank of America’s investment banking arm, part of the company’s $21 billion Global Corporate and Investment Banking division, provides a comprehensive array of products and services to U.S. and global corporate clients. He helps the Global Investment Banking group continue to show strong gains in capital raising and mergers and acquisitions.

Darryl E. Wash. Managing Partner Ascend Venture Group L.L.C. New York, NY. Age: 40. Bottom Line: Wash is a principal force behind Ascend, which manages more than $150 million through various partnerships. Ascend focuses on young companies and has supported numerous minority-owned entrepreneurs. Typical investments range from $2 million to $8 million. Since its beginnings, Ascend has invested in more than 30 companies in the applied technology and for-profit education industries. Investments include StarMedia Network, Snap Appliance, and Tabula Digita.

Thurman V. White Jr. CEO Progress Investment Management Co. L.L.C. San Francisco, CA. Age: 55. Bottom Line: White has led the firm’s fund of funds investment strategies in public markets and private equity, both of which focus on niche, first-time, and minority- and women-controlled venture capital and buyout funds as well as emerging investment management firms. Progress manages more than $5.5 billion in assets in public equities and fixed income securities as well as private equity partnerships. White recently led the firm’s management buyback, making Progress once again a minority-owned business enterprise.

Raymond A. Whiteman. Managing Director& Co-Head of Distressed Investing The Carlyle Group Washington, DC. Age: 46. Bottom Line: Whiteman is involved in Carlyle’s distressed investment fund. For more than a decade, Carlyle has been a leading private equity investor in the aerospace and defense industries. The group has completed 23 transactions representing a total purchase price of more than $7.4 billion. Whiteman was a founding principal of the Carlyle Management Group from 2000 to 2003. He previously served as a principal in Carlyle’s U.S. Buyout group.

Herb P. Wilkins Sr. Founder/Managing General Partner SYNCOM Management Co. Inc./Syncom II, Syncom III, Syncom IV Silver Spring, MD. Age: 62. Bottom Line: As founder of Syncom (No. 6 on the BE PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS list with $200 million in capital under management), he has built a company that specializes in providing early-stage growth capital primarily to entrepreneurs targeting underserved markets. Syncom manages a group of telecommunications venture capital funds that have capital in excess of $225 million. Wilkins has created a blueprint from which fledgling firms can follow.

Christopher Williams. Founder, Chairman & CEO The Williams CapitalGroup L.P. New York, NY. Age: 49. Bottom Line: Since its 1994 inception, Williams Capital has underwritten $365 billion of corporate asset-backed and commercial paper securities for more than 30 multinational corporations. The firm has managed 512 corporate debt offerings totaling $603 billion, including over $5 billion in transactions where it served as lead manager, and $117 billion in equity offerings. In 2005, Williams played an integral role in a $1 billion benchmark debt financing for GE Capital.

Ed A. Williams. Managing Director Black Enterprise/Greenwich Street Corporate Growth Partners New York, NY. Age: 48. Bottom Line: Williams manages the $91 million private equity fund backed by Citigroup and Earl G. Graves Ltd. (the parent company of this magazine). The firm which ranks No. 9 on the BE PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS list, invests in established minority-owned, managed, or targeted businesses such as Glory Foods, that have annual revenues ranging from $10 million to $100 million. Williams is charged with identifying investment opportunities, advising and monitoring portfolio companies, and managing investor relationships.

Willie Woods Jr. President ICV Capital Partners New York, NY. Age: 43. Bottom Line: The former investment banker at Deutsche Bank aided ICV’s rise from ranking No. 8 to No. 4 on the BE PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS list with more than $440 in million capital under management. Stand-out business ventures contributing to such success include the sale of two of its portfolio companies, Chung’s and Marshall Retail Group; several add-on acquisitions; and the close of over $255 million in commitments on its new fund, ICV Partners II L.P. (Fund II).
— Additional reporting by Denise Campbell, Hyacinth B. Carbon, Sonya A. Donaldson, Alan Hughes & Tennille M. Robinson