The anniversary gala event for One Hundred Black Men (OHBM) of New York City always spotlights leaders who have impacted the world in a profound way.
Past honorees have included change agents such as Oprah Winfrey, Dan Schulman, Michael R. Bloomberg, Muhammad Ali, Magic Johnson, Hank Aaron, CBS Sportscaster James “JB” Brown, Quincy Jones, Russell Simmons, and many others over the years. At the organization's recent 60th anniversary gala, Leo Salom, President & CEO of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, accepted on behalf of TD Bank, a recipient of the 2023 OHBM Corporate Leadership Award.
"TD Bank's leadership in promoting equity, inclusion, and supporting the next generation of diverse finance leaders, pathways for economic growth, opportunity, access to capital for minority owned businesses and social interaction," were among the reasons OBHM cited for naming TD for the award.
Leo takes pride in the bank being named for this prestigious award, which strongly reflects the values that are core to TD.
"This occasion has special meaning to me as it comes from an esteemed organization with a deeply rooted legacy of supporting our Black communities," Leo said in his remarks at the event. "We have much in common: from our early days, diversity and inclusion has been core to who we are. To be truly inclusive we must be open to talking and learning about diverse experiences. These are things we are deeply committed to at TD. That’s why, I'm fortunate to work at TD - an organization comprised of people that care, who are not afraid to challenge the status quo when it comes to recognizing and embracing the importance of an authentically diverse workplace. A workplace where we celebrate our differences and also embrace our commonality in the forms of values, hopes and aspirations."
Founded in 1963, OHBM is committed to the intellectual development of youth and the economic empowerment of the Black community. OHBM initiatives focus on education through mentoring, wealth building strategies, fostering economic development, and raising awareness of community health issues.