McGowan Fund Announces Inaugural ’Ethical Leader of the Year’ Award at SHRM Annual Conference & Expo (SHRM 2022)

The William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, dedicated to furthering the compassionate philanthropy and ethical leadership of William G. McGowan, in partnership with SHRM (the Society for Human Resource Management), today presented the first‑ever “Ethical Leader of the Year” Award to Charles F. Lowrey, Chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, during SHRM’s Annual Conference & Expo (SHRM22) in New Orleans. More than 15,000 attendees are attending this year’s Annual Conference & Expo, in person and virtually.

“The McGowan Fund works diligently to spotlight and advance the Principles of Ethical Leadership that Bill McGowan, the legendary Chief Executive Officer of MCI, sought to live by, and to help future business leaders embody those same principles,” said McGowan Fund Executive Director, Diana Spencer. “In selecting Charles Lowrey as our first ’Ethical Leader of the Year,’ we are recognizing someone whose track record at Prudential reflects a deep commitment to high ethical standards, a purpose-driven approach to business, and to the advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion. Charles leads by example in his role at the helm of one of the world’s most iconic and respected companies.”

SHRM, the world’s largest trade association of HR professionals, is committed to ensuring the highest principles of ethical leadership are maintained.

“The SHRM Annual Conference & Expo is the largest convening of HR professionals in the world. We wanted to use this opportunity to showcase SHRM’s commitment to more than just the words, but the actions of ethical leadership,” said Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, SHRM president and chief executive officer. “We at SHRM believe that better workplaces lead to a better world, and that it is important to use our stage to demonstrate HR’s dedication, as a profession, to ethical leadership. As a judge on the committee for the Ethical Leader of the Year Award, I am pleased to acknowledge Charles Lowrey, Chairman and CEO of Prudential, as his commitment to ethical leadership has helped establish Prudential as a company to look up to both for success in business and a commitment to values-based decision making.”

The William G. McGowan Ethical Leader of the Year Award was initiated in 2022 to shine a light on and encourage principled leadership. Each candidate was nominated by a colleague, assessed by a selection committee of peers, and then evaluated on their ethical leadership.

“I’m honored and humbled to receive this award, which I accept on behalf of everyone at Prudential,” Lowrey said in accepting the award. “The McGowan Fund is to be applauded for its efforts to spotlight the enduring importance of ethical leadership in business, particularly as people’s trust in leaders and institutions continues to erode around the world.”

Lowrey also received $25,000 to donate to a nonprofit of his choice. Lowrey donated the funds to the Newark Alliance, a leading nonprofit dedicated to the ongoing economic revitalization of Prudential’s home city of Newark, New Jersey, and a longtime partner of the company.

Thirteen years ago, the McGowan Fund’s Board launched the McGowan Fund Fellows Program, in concert with ten of the nation’s leading universities, to infuse MBA and other leadership programs with the “Principles of Ethical Leadership” - Character and integrity, alignment between deed and rhetoric, resiliency in the face of challenge, accountability, self-awareness, and creative inquiry.

About the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund

The William G. McGowan Charitable Fund has, since its inception, maintained a vision to impact lives, to create sustainable change, and to empower future generations to achieve their greatest potential. The Fund brings that vision to life through grant-making efforts in three program areas: Education,

Human Services, and Healthcare & Medical Research. They prioritize programs that have demonstrated success, have measurable outcomes, plans for sustainability, and aim to end cycles of poverty and suffering.

Resolute in the belief in the power of partnerships or collaborative efforts to maximize impact, the Fund embraces opportunities to work with other partners such as SHRM across their key program areas, looking for funding opportunities that share their philosophy and exploring the possibility of joint projects with other nonprofit organizations.

The Fund is managed in accordance with values deeply held by its benefactor, William G. McGowan. Among these are ethical leadership and the belief that every life has equal value.

For more information, please visit https://williamgmcgowanfund.org and learn more on Twitter.

About SHRM

SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, creates better workplaces where employers and employees thrive together. As the voice of all things work, workers and the workplace, SHRM is the foremost expert, convener and thought leader on issues impacting today’s evolving workplaces. More than 95% of Fortune 500 companies rely on SHRM to be their go-to resource for all things work and their business partner in creating next-generation workplaces. With 300,000+ HR and business executive members in 165 countries, SHRM impacts the lives of more than 115 million workers and families globally. Learn more at SHRM.org and on Twitter @SHRM.

About Prudential Financial

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a global financial services leader and premier active global investment manager with more than $1.5 trillion in assets under management as of March 31, 2022, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees help to make lives better by creating financial opportunity for more people. Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit http://news.prudential.com.

Contact Information

Samuel Amsterdam

McGowan Fund Media Contact

McGowan Fund Fellows Program

Contact via E-mail