Black Enterprise's XCEL Summit has been recognizing honorees for a decade.

For the past decade, the prestigious BLACK ENTERPRISE XCEL Summit has been shining a light on the trailblazers, leaders, and visionaries who are reshaping the landscape of business, technology, media, and culture. And as the summit celebrates its 10th anniversary of recognizing excellence, we take a look back at the remarkable individuals who have left an indelible mark on their industries and paved the way for future generations. From the boardroom to the startup world, from the entertainment industry to public service, these extraordinary individuals embody the determination, resilience, and forward-thinking spirit that continue to drive Black excellence.

And we invite you to join us at the BLACK ENTERPRISE XCEL Summit in Orlando, Florida, at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress from October 21st to 23rd, 2026. In 2025, we honored George C. Fraser, the founder of FraserNet Inc., for his outstanding contributions.

Rev. Dr. W.

Franklyn Richardson, the senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church, was also recognized for his exceptional leadership. We also celebrated Larry Fitzgerald Jr., the chairman and CEO of the Larry Fitzgerald Foundation and former NFL player, who has also made his mark as a philanthropist and investor. John Hope Bryant, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE, Inc.

and Bryant Group Ventures L.L.C., was also among the esteemed honorees. And we cannot forget Troy Taylor, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, and Robert Smith, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners. In 2024, we honored Ed Gordon, the president of Ed Gordon Media, who moderated several panels at the 2025 National Urban League Conference.

We also recognized Steven Williams, the chief executive officer of PepsiCo Foods North America, R. Donahue Peebles, the chairman and CEO of The Peebles Corporation, and D.L. Hughley, the actor, comedian, and author of The D.L.

Hughley Show. The 2023 honorees included Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actor Anthony Anderson, Chris Womack, the president and CEO of Southern Company, David Grain, the CEO of Grain Management L.L.C., and Shannon A. Brown, the president and CEO of BCS Consulting Services and retired senior vice president of Eastern Division U.S.

Operations and chief diversity officer of FedEx Express. In 2022, we recognized civil rights attorney Ben Crump, Arnold W. Donald, the president and CEO of Carnival Corporation & PLC, Kirk McDonald, the CEO of GroupM North America, Ray Robinson, the chairman of Citizens Bancshares Corporation, and Grant Hill, the owner and vice chairman of the board of the Atlanta Hawks.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the XCEL Summit was put on hold in 2021 and 2020. Like the rest of the world, BLACK ENTERPRISE adapted to the new normal and hosted a virtual summit featuring one-on-one interviews and panel discussions to provide the same valuable experience as the in-person event. In 2019, we honored Marc H.

Morial, the president and CEO of the National Urban League, and Rev. Jesse Jackson, the founder of Rainbow PUSH Coalition. We also recognized Jerome "The Bus" Bettis, the philanthropist, entrepreneur, and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, and Eddie Levert, the lead singer, songwriter, and founding member of The O'Jays.

In 2018, the honorees included Kenneth Chenault, the chairman and managing director of General Catalyst and former chairman and CEO of American Express Co., Tommie Smith, the U.S. Olympic gold medalist, and Bishop T.D. Jakes, the bishop of Potter's House Ministries, CEO of TDJ Enterprises L.L.P., and founder of The Potter's House of Dallas.

The 2017 honorees were Congressman John Lewis, the civil rights leader and congressman, John W. Rogers Jr., the chairman and CEO of Ariel Investments, Robert Townsend, the award-winning TV and film director, actor, and comedian, and Lonnie Bunch, the founding director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. To witness the 2026 BLACK ENTERPRISE XCEL Summit honoree ceremony, we invite you to join us in Orlando, Florida, at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress from October 21st to 23rd, 2026.

And we are excited to announce that BET founder Robert L. Johnson will receive the XCEL honors at the summit. See you there!