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NEW YORK, Jan. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Black Enterprise hosts its 12^th annual Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit on Thursday, March 9^th to Sunday, March 12^th at the Arizona Grand Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. The Summit, hosted by ADP, is the leading executive development conference for women and annually welcomes more than 1,000 mid- to senior-level power players and C-suite executives from across the country.

This year's conference highlights include:

• The Women of Power Legacy Awards dinner honoring those who blazed trails and redefined the standard of success for women of color. This year's recipients are Ursula Burns, Chairman of Xerox Corp.; Phylicia Rashad, Tony Award-winning actress, singer, and stage director; Pastor Shirley Caesar, Grammy Award-winning singer; and gender and race activist Marcia Ann Gillespie.
• Ursula Burns, the first black woman to become CEO of a Fortune 500 company, and Ann Fudge, former chairman and CEO of Young & Rubicam Advertising, will talk candidly about the clearest paths to corporate power for black women, the realities of life at the top, and what they wish they'd known then that is crystal clear now.
• 45-minute Executive One-on-One coaching to sharpen attendees winning edge
• From the Corner Office: Kaiser Permanente Chairman & CEO Bernard Tyson will be interviewed by Black Enterprise President and CEO Earl "Butch" Graves Jr. Their discussion will engage and inspire Women of Power attendees and is sure to assist them in developing their own actionable plan to carve out their path to the corner office.
• The Women of Power Concert & Dinner

Now in its 12^th year, the Women of Power Summit features influential speakers and one-on-one keynote sessions with top executives—many of whom are women of color themselves. In addition, the Summit offers more than 20 hours of lifestyle, leadership, and professional development workshops with countless opportunities to network with like-minded peers. Attendees will be empowered, inspired, and equipped with the necessary tools to implement a strategy for success beginning the moment the conference concludes.

"Every year, the Summit offers plenty that's new: speakers, sponsors, topics that tap into emerging issues, and the unique challenges we face," says Editorial Director of the Women of Power Summit Caroline V. Clarke. "What never changes is our commitment to this audience's success and their need for greater connection with each other. This event is relevant, resonant, and unparalleled, and we are so excited about this year."

Confirmed speakers and awardees include:

Ursula Burns, Chairman, Xerox Corp.
Phylicia Rashad, Award-winning Actress
Pastor Shirley Caesar, Grammy Award-winning Singer
Marcia Ann Gillespie, Gender and Race Activist
Audra Bohannon, Senior Partner, Korn Ferry
Valorie Burton, Author, Founder, The CaPP Institute
Debra Ann Chase, Producer, President, Martin Chase Productions
Tiffany Dufu, Chief Leadership Officer, Levo
Matrice Ellis-Kirk, Managing Director, RSR Partners
Michelle Fisher, Founder & CEO, Blaze Mobile 
Ann M. Fudge, Former Chairman & CEO Young & Rubicam Brands
Cheryl Grace SVP, U.S. Strategic Community Alliances and Consumer Engagement, Nielsen
Jamila Hunter, SVP, Comedy Development, ABC Entertainment
Elisa Leary, VP, Human Resources, Macy's 
Dee Marshall, Certified, Trainer, Coach, Consultant, Raise The Bar L.L.C.
Candace Matthews, Regional President – The Americas, AMWAY
Christina Norman, CEO, Water Cooler Group
Bozoma Saint John, Head of Global Consumer Marketing, Apple Music and iTunes
Sandra Sims-Williams, Chief Diversity Officer, Publicis Groupe
Birame Sock, President & Chief Operating Officer, Function(x) Inc.
Lauren Wesley Wilson, President, ColorComm Inc.
Elaine Welteroth, Editor-in-Chief, Teen Vogue
Bernard J. Tyson, Chairman & CEO, Kaiser Permanente
Maya Harris, Senior Policy Advisor for Hillary Clinton

The host sponsor of the 2017 Women of Power Summit is ADP. Presenting sponsors include AT&T, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Dell, Macy's, PepsiCo, Walmart and The Walt Disney Co. Platinum Sponsors are Southwest Airlines and State Farm; and Corporate Sponsors are The Islands of the Bahamas, Carnival Corp. & PLC, and FedEx Express.

The Summit begins Thursday, March 9 and concludes Sunday, March 12. To register and find out more information, visit www.blackenterprise.com/wps and follow @BlackEnterprise on Twitter.

Black Enterprise, your ultimate source to build Wealth for Life, is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Since 1970, BE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Every month, Black Enterprise magazine provides 6 million readers with information on entrepreneurship, careers, and financial management. A multimedia company, BE also produces television programming, business and lifestyle events, Web content, and digital media. Visit www.blackenterprise.com for more information.

SOURCE Black Enterprise