KeyBank To Sponsor Black Economic Success Trust (B.E.S.T.)

DENVER, June 9, 2023 /3BL Media/ - KeyBank announced a sponsorship of the Black Economic Success Trust (B.E.S.T.) in downtown Denver on June 9-10. The event provides the opportunity for entrepreneurs, business leaders and other professionals to access resources focused on helping them grow their careers and businesses. The two-day event includes sessions, such as the State of Black Business in Colorado, and Diversity is Not Enough: How Inclusion and Equity Drive Lasting Change.

“KeyBank is proud to support B.E.S.T. this year,” said Mike Katz, KeyBank Colorado market president. “Gathering like-minded leaders and business owners to talk about topics that matter in our community is going to help create lasting change and build new relationships.”

The conference will focus on four economic development focus areas including small business, workforce, leadership development, and youth economic empowerment.

Helena Haynes-Carter, KeyBank’s executive vice president chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, will facilitate a panel discussion with Anthony W. Wade, Ph.D., M.J. Ivy, and Regina Richards. Additional speakers include President and CEO of Sony Music Publishing, Jon Platt, and many others. The event will be emceed by Emmy-award winning news anchor for NBC affiliate KUSA (9NEWS), Alexandra Lewis.

“The last several years have been difficult for the Black Community, and this event brings together many from different cultural and business backgrounds,” said Carla Ladd, founder and executive director of B.E.S.T. “We are excited to bring B.E.S.T. back to Denver and hear from this great line-up of professionals. Our guiding principles are simple, community development and economic self-sufficiency for historically disadvantaged communities of color.”

The mission of B.E.S.T. is to minimize the traumatic effects of racism in BIPOC communities by strategically leveraging partnership in an effort to dismantle systemic barriers that impede building wealth. B.E.S.T. is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. More information on B.E.S.T. can be found here.

CONTACT: 
Laura Suter | Regional Communications Manager | 206.343.6953 | laura_suter@keybank.com

ABOUT KEYBANK 
KeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $198 billion at March 31, 2023. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

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