Inaugural Colin L. Powell Distinguished Leadership Award In April 2023, Cesar Conde, chairman of NBCUniversal News Group, became the inaugural recipient of the Colin L. Powell Distinguished Leadership Award. The award recognizes individuals who have reached the highest level in their fields, and who embody the leadership values that General Powell, a 1958 graduate of City College, demonstrated throughout his career: integrity, humility, humor, pragmatism, and common sense. These values were articulated most famously in Powell’s Thirteen Rules of Leadership, which culminate with “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” These words are memorialized on the award medallion.
In presenting the Award to Conde, Linda Powell, Chair of the Colin Powell School’s Board of Visitors, cited Conde’s professional accomplishments, his commitment to excellence, and his dedication to raising up others.
“Cesar Conde is a visionary and innovative leader who has dedicated his career to shaping the future of media and empowering diverse voices in the industry. He has made it his mission to create a more inclusive and representative media landscape.”
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THE CITY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK
Before becoming the first Hispanic to lead a major Englishlanguage television news organization, Conde held numerous positions within NBCU, including Chairman of NBCUniversal International Group and NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, and President of Univision Network. Conde served as a White House Fellow for then-Secretary of State Powell in 2002-03. An honors graduate of Harvard University, he also holds a master’s degree in business administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Conde is a member of the Colin Powell School Board of Visitors. The ceremony included a conversation between Conde and NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs and Chief Washington Correspondent Andrea Mitchell,
