August 1, 2025
Unsure why you should join other corporate and entrepreneurial professionals at the 2025 XCEL Summit For Men? Here are 8 reasons.
The XCEL Summit For Men is taking over the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Orlando. From Oct. 15-17, Black men in corporate America will gather for a weekend of growth, professional development, and more.
BLACK ENTERPRISE will honor trailblazers in business and Black culture. Simultaneously, a bevy of workshops, panels, and fireside chats will take place.
The XCEL Summit For men is structured to lift Black men in business by growing their personal and professional skill sets. As diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are stripped from corporate America, it is more important than ever to invest in self. Entrepreneurs, C-suite executives, and up-and-coming businessmen serve to gain tactical and practical tools to thrive in the office. If you want to know more, check out these eight reasons to attend the 2025 XCEL Summit For Men.
Panel discussions
Engage with professionals as they guide you through the steps to advancement in corporate settings. Furthermore, panels will explore the importance of seeking opportunities in traditionally Black spaces and money management.
Panel discussions include:
- Leveraging Your Performance Review for Career Success
- Get What You Deserve: How to Negotiate Your Compensation Package
- Started at the Bottom: From the Frontline to the Executive Suite
- Success is Academic: Career Opportunities at HBCUs
- Financial Planning: From Making Money to Making Your Money Work
XCEL Awards
Celebrate the achievements of trailblazers whose leadership and influence have paved a path for other Black men to follow. Honorees include Larry Fitzgerald Jr., philanthropist and investor, and founder of the Larry Fitzgerald Foundation; John Hope Bryant, CEO of Operation HOPE, Inc., and Bryant Group Ventures LLC; George C. Fraser, founder of FraserNet Inc.; and Rev. Dr. Franklyn Richardson, chairman of the Conference of National Black Churches.
Executive coaching
Gain one-on-one guidance from top executives and seasoned professionals. These sessions are designed to help you develop leadership skills, navigate your career path, and create a strategic plan for achieving personal and professional excellence.
AI In Corporate
Explore the future of work with sessions like A.I. at Work: Essential A.I. Tools for Busy Executives and How to Master AI for Career ROI. Learn how to leverage AI for career success, understand its impact on various industries, and stay ahead in an evolving digital world.
Cliff Wolery, head of portfolio marketing at Kapor Capital, will lend his expertise to the conversation as the featured speaker.
Social Awareness: Mobilizing For Progress
Ed Gordon, veteran journalist and 2024 Excel Honoree, will lead a candid discussion on the future. The current government administration is growing increasingly aggressive in its resistance to Black progress. As a result, political and economic leadership from the communities’ best and brightest is needed. Gordon will helm the discussion, with George C. Fraser, as Black men set the agenda for themselves professionally, personally, and politically.
Guest Speakers
David Banner has been confirmed as a guest speaker for the summit. The producer and activist has enjoyed a career spanning over two decades. The businessman is poised and ready to share his story and the lessons he’s learned along the way.
Mental Health
BLACK ENTERPRISE knows that health is wealth. To thrive and build generational wealth, both physical and mental health must be nurtured. The mortality rates for men due to self-harm are staggering. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “males make up 50% of the population but nearly 80% of suicides.” The mental health discussions are geared toward creating balance in a hectic world.
Networking: Cigar Bar
XCEL Summit For Men’s organizers acknowledge that all work and no play is not the best way. That’s why rest is built into the agenda. Take some downtime to explore Orlando or wind down in the after-hours Cigar Bar. If maximizing time is the goal, take the opportunity to network with other cigar aficionados.
The XCEL Summit For Men is an event that will leave your mind ripe with ideas, fill your professional toolbox full, and rejuvenate your mental and physical well-being. Visit the official event website for more information.
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