24th Annual Dusable Conference 2008
Keynote Speaker

Carl BrooksCarl Brooks
President & CEO
The Executive Leadership Council
The Executive Leadership Foundation


Carl Brooks is the President & Chief Executive Officer of The Executive Leadership Council and its 501 (c) 3 affiliate, The Executive Leadership Foundation. He became President in 2001 after a 25 year career in the energy industry, becoming CEO September of 2005. He performs his duties as CEO of the two organizations in accordance with their budgets, by-laws and policies. Since assuming leadership, Mr. Brooks has provided strategic direction that has led to increased membership and a realignment of the organization’s programs to help create a comprehensive inclusive leadership pipeline that develops senior corporate leaders from the classroom to the boardroom. He has also been instrumental in establishing fiscal policies that have solidified the organization’s financial position while securing millions of new dollars in funding to support the organization’s strategic goals and day-to-day operational needs.

Mr. Brooks has focused on building the image of the organization on a national and international level. He has launched a series of new program initiatives, while reinvigorating some of the Council’s traditional program offerings. He launched The Executive Leadership Council’s Institute for Leadership Development & Research, an initiative developed to provide cutting-edge training and research for African American senior executives and high potential corporate and non-profit leaders to reach career breakthrough performance. Mr. Brooks served as Chairman of The Executive Leadership Foundation’s Board of Directors (1999-2001) before becoming President of the organization.

About the Organizations
Founded in 1986, The Executive Leadership Council is the nation’s premier leadership organization representing the most senior African-American corporate executives in Fortune 500 companies. The Executive Leadership Council is an independent, non-partisan, 501 (c)(6) organization whose mission and leadership initiatives provide African-American executives with a network and leadership forum to promote excellence in business, economic and public policies for the African-American community, their corporations and the community at large. Established in 1989, The Executive Leadership Foundation is the 501(c) (3) charitable affiliate of The Executive Leadership Council established to accept contributions to fund The Council’s mission, initiatives and programs.

Education and Honors

Professional Background
Prior to his position with The Executive Leadership Council and The Executive Leadership Foundation, Mr. Brooks was Vice President of Human & Technical Resources at GPU Energy. He was responsible for the business process that provided the people, services, materials and technology which enabled the success of GPU Energy’s infrastructure business. Within this process, he was responsible for Human Resources, Labor Relations & Safety, Materials & Services and Information Technology and providing a documented savings of over $396 million dollars. He spearheaded the complete restructuring of GPU’s administrative and supply chain processes which resulted in significant cost savings, enhanced service delivery and greater customer satisfaction.

Prior to that, he served as CFO of GENCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of GPU. While there, he helped reorganize the company and build an assets portfolio of over $3.5 billion dollars while reducing overhead costs significantly. Additionally he was Chairman of the GPU Diversity Action Council, which was responsible for the development and implementation of GPU’s diversity strategy, winning the EEI Award for Diversity. While serving as Vice President – Materials & Services at GPU from 1990-‘95, he managed over $4.5 billion in capital assets and had achieved cost savings in excess of $350 million over his five year tenure in that position. He also established a best-in-class minority/female procurement program within GPU. He served as Division Director – Shore Division for Jersey Central Power & Light, a GPU System company, where he lead it to win Division of the Year honors at GPU three of his four years.

Public Service/Community Affairs
Mr. Brooks currently serves on the Board of Directors of the following organizations:

Ameristar Casinos Inc.; DaimlerChrysler Financial Services Diversity Council; The Executive Leadership Council & The Executive Leadership Foundation; National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC); National Urban League’s Best Diversity Practices Study Advisory Council; Howard University Board of Visitors - Vice Chair; Hampton University Board of Advisors - Vice Chair; and the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). He is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA). Mr. Brooks was a 2007 recipient of the National Eagle Leadership Institute’s Golden Eagle Award and 2004 recipient of the EEOC’s Spirit of Partnership Award.