
Ernest G. Green
Member of the "Little Rock Nine"
Ernest G. Green currently works at Matrix Advisory, an institutional asset manager. Mr. Green is currently serving as a partner of this asset management firm which has offices in New York and Washington, DC. His long involvement in helping states, cities, municipalities and governmental authorities finance their needs throughout the United States has led to…
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Full Bio
Ernest G. Green currently works at Matrix Advisory, an institutional asset manager. Mr. Green is currently serving as a partner of this asset management firm which has offices in New York and Washington, DC. His long involvement in helping states, cities, municipalities and governmental authorities finance their needs throughout the United States has led to him helping to lead Matrix into a new era of public private partnerships. As the former chairman of the African Development Foundation, he uses his international contacts to assist international leaders with their needs, particularly in the area of infrastructure.
Mr. Green was appointed to Chairman of the African Development Foundation by President Clinton. He was also appointed by Secretary of Education, Richard W. Riley, to serve as Chairman of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Capital Financing Advisory Board.
Mr. Green served as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training during the Carter Administration. During his tenure with the Labor Department, he formulated U.S. Presidential Policy and directed implementation of a vast range of activities. These activities included federally funded comprehensive training, public service employment, employment security programs, apprenticeship programs, research and development, alien worker certification, work incentive programs for the disadvantaged and technical assistance for labor market information for the nation’s employment and training efforts. Prior to his appointment as Assistant Secretary, Mr. Green served as Executive Director of the Recruitment and Training Program, Inc. (RTP, Inc.), an organization that recruits minorities for apprenticeship programs in the building trades.
Mr. Green was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, September 22, 1941. He earned his high school diploma from Central High School in Little Rock. He and eight other black students were the first to integrate Central High following the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education that declared segregation illegal. They later would become known as the “Little Rock Nine”. He received a B.S. in social science and a Masters in sociology from Michigan State University. He also received honorary doctorates from Michigan State University, Tougaloo College and Central State University.
Mr. Green presently serves on the Board of Directors of Fisk University, Quality Education for Minorities (QEM) Network and Clark Atlanta University Board of Trustees. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Executive Leadership Council and the National Association of Securities Professionals (NASP) of which he served as chairman for two consecutive years. He has also served on the Board of Directors for the March of Dimes Foundation and the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation.
Hundreds of organizations have honored Mr. Green during his career and he is the recipient of numerous awards. These awards include the Urban League’s Frederick Douglass Freedom Medal and the John D. Rockefeller Public Service Award. At the age of seventeen, he was the youngest recipient of the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal. In 1957 the Boy Scouts of America honored Mr. Green and two other African Americans for their achievement with the BSA’s highest rank and award—that of an Eagle Scout. He was also awarded the Silver Beaver, the highest distinction from the Boy Scouts of America. In November of 1995, the Boy Scouts of America awarded Mr. Green the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. On November 9, 1999 Mr. Green, along with the other eight students, was presented by President Clinton with the highest honor this nation gives to a civilian—the “Congressional Gold Medal”—for his outstanding bravery during the integration of Little Rock Central High School in 1957. On August 20, 2005 they were honored with a commemorative stamp by the United States Postal Service, and in 2007 President George Bush signed an Executive Order authorizing the U. S. Mint to issue a one-dollar coin commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the “Little Rock Nine.”
Several books, movies and documentaries have been produced chronicling Mr. Green and his eight classmates’ historic year at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas—the most recent being The Ernest Green Story, produced and distributed by the Walt Disney Corporation. The October 1996 issue of Black Enterprise Magazine featured Mr. Green as one of the top 25 African Americans on Wall Street, again in the October 2002 issue as one of the top 50 African Americans on Wall Street, and again in 2006 as one of the “75 Most Powerful Blacks on Wall Street.” Additionally, Ernest Green is a founding charter member of the Sigma chapter of Omega Psi Phi, as well as past Sire Archon of Sigma Pi Phi.
Mr. Green and his wife Phyllis live in Washington, D. C. He is the proud father of Adam, Jessica and MacKenzie.
Testimonials
Ernie was perfect for our Elders Conference at Little River Casino Resort in Manistee, Michigan. We will definitely be using PDA again!

LITTLE RIVER BAND OF OTTAWA INDIANS
Our speaker was great and the crowd enjoyed her! She was very engaging. Thank you again PDA for the great list of suggestions!

MEDTRONIC
Everything went great! and our speaker was wonderful! Thank you so much for all your help PDA! Looking forward to the next one.

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI – KANSAS CITY
I hope that this message finds you well. We had a phenomenal time with Atsuko this past Thursday. We wanted to just let you know how amazing she was. All those that were in attendance thoroughly enjoyed her and had nothing but amazing things to say about her. Thank you for working with us to make sure this happened!

BAYLOR UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
We had a fantastic day with Inge! She was very engaging with all those that attended. Her personal stories about the holocaust were very special and we were moved that she was willing to share them with everyone. Thank you again, PDA for all your hard work and dedication to make this program such a success!

SALT LAKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Dear PDA Group, Thank you so much for your hard work in scheduling our speaker! From the moment we reached out to you the first time, you worked with us on all details and logistics and kept us up-to-date on the progress. Thank you for all your hard work on making our event such a success! We couldn't have done it without you and your team!

SAP COMPANY
Thank you again, Dr. Kimbrough, for a great presentation, our attendees are still talking about it!

CAMPUS LABS
Dr. Henry Lee's presentation was entertaining, insightful and wise. I, and everyone at Pfizer, especially appreciate the remarks you directed about following your passion and preparing yourself to excel. Thank you, everyone, at PDA for helping to make this happen!

PFIZER
The event was successful! I received many messages expressing how awesome, outstanding and inspiring Ms. Webb-Christburg's speech was."

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL BREAKFAST, BOSTON, MLK SPEAKER
Everything went well. Atsuko was very easy to work with and the students enjoyed her performance! Thank you again for your recommendation and I hope to work with you again in the future!

CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Dr. Novello left this morning after a very successful event on our campus! Thank you PDA Group for your help from the first phone to the last you were with us every step of the way.

GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
Jordan Carlos was very very entertaining! A majority of students who answered the event survey indicated they really enjoyed Jordan and definitely will bring him back!

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
On behalf of myself and my organization Entertainment Unlimited the Campus Programming Board of Ferris State University, we thank you PDA and Dan for a successful event!! Dan was magnificent! Students really enjoyed the presentation. I know I did. Can't wait to bring in more programs with PDA Group.

FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY
It was a great pleasure to work with PDA Group! The communication was always prompt, friendly and helpful. We loved the speakers and events we booked through Mr. Peter Walker (PDA Group).

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Thank you, Peter, for all your help, you'll be happy to know that the event went incredibly well! Aneesa Ferreira was by far one of the best speakers we've ever had!

FURMAN UNIVERSITY
Topics
The Ernest Green Story
Lesson from Little Rock
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Videos
Ernest Green: Civil Rights
Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
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