The 38^th Annual Wharton Whitney M. Young, Jr. Memorial Conference

Nadeen Matthews, WG ’07

Assistant General Manager, National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited

Nadeen Matthews is an Assistant General Manager at National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited, Jamaica’s largest and most profitable financial services group. As Assistant General Manager, Ms. Matthews is responsible for Strategic Planning and Product Development. Prior to returning to Jamaica, Ms. Matthews was a Senior Associate at McKinsey and Company where she primarily focused on Marketing and Strategy for consumer product goods companies. Ms. Matthews started her career at JPMorgan Chase in the Middle Market Banking Group as a Credit Analyst and was later promoted to the role of Relationship Manager.

Ms. Matthews graduated cum laude from Binghamton University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Financial Economics with a minor in Spanish and an Adjunct in Business Management. She later pursued her Masters in Business Administration at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, where she was a Howard E. Mitchell fellow. Her Wharton experience was pivotal in her transition to living and working in Jamaica. Ms. Matthews migrated from Jamaica to the United States at eleven years old but always dreamed of returning to work in the region and contribute to its development and growth. At Wharton, Ms. Matthews explored her interests in international business and emerging markets development. She participated in the Global Consulting Practicum where she worked with a team of Wharton and Universidad del Pacifico (Peru) students to develop a U.S. market entry strategy for a Peruvian company. Ms. Matthews also spent a month in both South East Asia and Africa through Wharton’s Global Immersion Program, and coordinated the Emerging Markets panel for the 32nd Annual Whitney M. Young Jr. Memorial Conference. While at Wharton, Ms. Matthews completed an internship with The OTF Group in Jamaica. She was also actively involved in the Caribbean Business Club (CariBiz), the Wharton International Cultural Show, the Wharton African Student Association, and served as President of the African American MBA Association during her second year. Since graduating from Wharton, Ms. Matthews has continued to mentor current and aspiring Wharton students.

Outside of work Ms. Matthews is very active in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a private non-profit organization that provides assistance and support through established programs in local communities throughout the world. She currently serves as President of the Jamaica Alumnae Chapter of the sorority. Ms. Matthews also enjoys dancing, travelling, dining out and running. Since moving back to Jamaica she has participated in several 5-Ks and intends to participate in a 10-K in the near future.

Lisa W. Pickrum, WG ’98

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, The RLJ Companies

Lisa W. Pickrum is chief operating officer of The RLJ Companies, a diversified holding company with portfolio companies in the financial services, asset management, real estate, hospitality, professional sports, film production, and gaming industries. As COO, Ms. Pickrum is responsible for managing The RLJ Companies portfolio, including strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, business strategy, operations and finance.

With significant experience in structuring and negotiating private equity deals and mergers and acquisitions, Ms. Pickrum was a key member of the team that led the formation of RLJ McLarty Landers Automotive and Harley-Davidson dealerships, now the largest minority automotive dealership in the U.S. with more than $600 million in annual revenues. RLJ McLarty has successfully acquired $35 million of additional dealerships since inception. Ms. Pickrum played a key role in the creation of RLJ Equity Partners, LLC, a private equity fund formed in association with The Carlyle Group. Ms. Pickrum serves as key RLJ fundraiser and Treasury Department liaison for RLJ Western Asset Management’s $610 million PPIP fund. In 2008, Ms. Pickrum directed an international team that developed and currently manages RLJ Kendeja Resort and Villas, a 78-room villa style luxury hotel in Liberia, West Africa, which opened in June, 2009 and was the first new hospitality construction in Liberia in 25 years.

Prior to joining The RLJ Companies, Ms. Pickrum was a Principal at Katalyst Venture Partners, a private equity firm that invested in start-up technology companies in the media and communications industries from 1999 to 2003. Ms. Pickrum conducted deal sourcing, negotiations and closings, as well as served as interim management in several early stage ventures. From 1998 to 1999, Ms. Pickrum worked as a senior consultant for Accenture, a global management consulting company in the company’s communications and technology strategic services practice where she assisted with development of new business architecture based on opportunities that internet technologies and convergence enabled for telecommunications providers.

Ms. Pickrum earned her bachelor’s degree from Vassar College and her law degree from Stanford Law School. She earned her master’s degree in finance and entrepreneurial management from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

In 2010, Ms. Pickrum was named by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the “75 Most Powerful Women in Business” and has previously been recognized by the publication in their “Most Powerful Players under 40” in December 2007 and “Top 50 Women of Power in Business” in February 2006. In 2010 Ms. Pickrum was also featured as one of UPSCALE magazine’s business leaders. Ms. Pickrum was also named in ESSENCE Magazine’s 2008 “Power List” for women in business.

Ms. Pickrum has been a featured speaker at events including the Opportunity Funding Corporation’s 2008 and 2009 Forums; the 2009 Corporate Council on Africa’s U.S.-Africa Business Summit and KPMG’s 2009 diversity forum. Ms. Pickrum’s most recent award was the 2011 NV Magazine award.

Currently, Ms. Pickrum serves on the following boards: DeVry, Inc. (NYSE: DV); Christopher and Banks (NYSE: CBK); RolloverSystems, Inc.; American International Automobile Dealers (AIADA), the RLJ McLarty Landers Automotive Group. Ms. Pickrum also serves on the Federal Communications Commission Diversity Committee.

Dale G. Caldwell, WG ’88

CEO, Strategic Influence

Dale is the CEO of Strategic Influence, LLC which is utilizing his trademarked Intelligent Influence® framework to transform the way senior executives view leadership. He is also on the Board of Directors of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) which owns the US Open (the largest annual occurring sporting event in the world). Dale is the first African American to serve as a USTA Section President prior to serving on the USTA Board of Directors. He succeeded former New York City Mayor David Dinkins on the USTA Board.

Dale graduated from Princeton University with a BA in Economics in 1982 and from Wharton with an MBA in Finance in 1988. He is one of the few people that has had senior executive roles in the private, public and nonprofit sectors. His professional experience includes being the Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships for Scholastic; Senior Manager at Deloitte Consulting; Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs; and, Executive Director of the Newark Alliance.

Dale has done a great deal for others while working full-time in very intense senior executive positions. As the Founder of the National Association of Black Management Consultants (NABMC) in 1995 and the Co-Founder of first magazine in the profession (Management Consulting Magazine) Dale was one of the most influential African Americans in the management consulting profession. In addition, he created the “Take Your Community To Work Day” in 1996 where students from poor communities visited corporate offices and received valuable mentoring by business executives. Under his leadership this program took place for five years in 80 US cities and 11 countries. The program was sponsored by United Airlines and was ended because of the September 11, 2001 tragedy.

Dale was also President and CEO of Crossroads Theatre Company in 1999 where he was on stage to accept a Tony Award® for the best regional theater in the country (the first Black theater to win this prestigious award). He has also been Chairman of the Asbury Park Housing Authority and a member of the New Brunswick Housing Authority. He founded the nonprofit Residential After-School Program (RASP) which has become one of the most influential providers of after-school programs in Newark; Orange and Asbury Park.

Dale has been the President of two public School Boards and in 2010 was named the New Jersey School Board Member of the Year. Dale is also the author of the books “School To Work To Success” and “Tennis in New York.”