ronald adams

vice president, field diversity & inclusion, northwestern mutual

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Ron is the Vice President of Field Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) at Northwestern Mutual where he leads a team of diversity practitioners responsible for the creation and execution of D&I strategies for the organization's career distribution system. In this role, Ron co‐leads the Northwestern Mutual D&I Corporate Committee and serves on the Field Experience Talent Management Leadership Team focused on developing and delivering core components of the overall field talent strategy to ensure the industry‐leading Northwestern Mutual career distribution system is strong and vibrant.

Ron joined Northwestern Mutual in January 2015 after a 26‐year military career where he served in many roles, including the Wisconsin National Guard’s diversity officer, equal employment manager, human resources branch chief, public affairs officer, and completed two successful commands. He retired from the Army Reserves as a field grade officer in August 2020.

He was recognized as one of North America’s Most Influential D&I Leaders – 2020. He serves on the CFP Board Diversity Advisory Group and is a member of the national diversity committee for the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (Finseca). He was a key advisor for the African American Leadership Program and African American Leadership Alliance Milwaukee. He serves as a member of the advisory committee and mentor for the MKE Fellows program creating a pipeline of African American male college graduates ready to return to Wisconsin to excel in their careers, build wealth, and become engaged leaders. Ron is a founding board member and immediate past president of the Wisconsin Veterans Network (VetsNet) ‐ a nonprofit organization serving veterans and their families throughout Wisconsin. He serves as the current founding board president for the Sherman Phoenix Foundation ‐ established to build on and support the efforts of the Sherman Phoenix to uplift, engage and transform the community, and the city of Milwaukee. Ron is an executive coach certified in brain‐based coaching through the Neuroleadership Institute and a qualified administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory.
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Ron is a recipient of the Army’s General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award, the NAACP Roy Wilkins Renown National Service Award, a member of the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara, and numerous military awards and decorations. He is a member of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). He is a past president of the board for the Greater Madison Federal Agency Association and past vice president of the board for the Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative (MHVI). Ron holds a BS in Business Management and earned a Master of Arts in Strategic Communications and Leadership (MASCL) from Seton Hall University.
Ron and his wife, Angela, reside in Mequon, Wisconsin, and they have one son and three daughters. He is originally from Brooklyn, New York, where his enthusiasm for sports, music, and culture began.