Martina Edwards Will Share her Experience In NYSE Wall Street At Pennsylvania State University
One of only three Black women who have ever worked on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), Martina Edwards is ready set an example.
Martina Edwards, the first Black woman to hold a seat on the 1,366-member NYSE, will be the featured speaker at the next Behrend Speaker Series event on Nov. 10 at Pennsylvania State University (PSU), according to a press release. According to the institution, guests will hear about Edwards’ work on Wall Street as she gets ready to speak about issues like the racial wealth gap.
The Tuskegee University graduate in finance joined the NYSE as a trader for Merrill Lynch, a division of Bank of America that specializes in investment management.
She wrote on her website, “It was a whirlwind for me working in a dynamic, fast-paced, predominantly male atmosphere with high stakes trading activity, a steep learning curve, and little to no room for error.
PSU discovered that Martina Edwards started working at the Exchange during the first week of the September 11 terrorist strikes.
The university statement from Edwards stated, “What I am most proud of during my time at the NYSE was advocating for a mock trading night for approximately 70 Scholars from SEO.
Access, Exposure, and Mentorship are factors when considering the Dearth of underrepresented talent on Wall Street. I believe firmly that talent is broadly distributed, but not always evenly developed.” she stated
Edwards serves as the chief of strategic partnerships for Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs, a Georgia nonprofit where she reportedly raised $25 million to fund underserved businesses, in addition to her position at the NYSE. In this capacity, she offers capital, coaching, and connections to underserved entrepreneurs.
According to Edwards’ website, “My professional experience has brought me to several places, from Merrill Lynch to business school to US Trust.”
She continued, “One of the most rewarding positions I have ever held was as SEO’s Senior Director, Alternative Investments Program, where I hosted conferences in NYC with capital allocators for emerging managers and managed an Alternative Investment Fellows program designed to help underrepresented first and second-year investment banking analysts more effectively compete for roles in private equity.”
The public is welcome to attend her discussion, which will start at 7:30 p.m. in McGarvey Commons in the Reed Union Building.
