Napoleon Brandford III, Distinguished Lecturer, Speaks at NSU’s Huizenga Business School

Vice President for Advancement and Community Relations Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, Ph.D; Napoleon Brandford III, co-founder and chairman of Siebert Brandford Shank & Co., LLC; Huizenga Business School Associate Professor Jack Pinkowski, Ph.D.

The H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship welcomed Distinguished Lecturer Napoleon Brandford III, co-founder and chairman of Siebert Brandford Shank & Co., LLC, the nation’s only minority/woman owned investment banking underwriting firms. NSU’s Vice President for Advancement and Community Relations Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, Ph.D., conducted the Q&A session held in the Julian and Ellen Knight Lecture Hall of the Carl DeSantis Building.

Since 2002, Brandford has served as project manager or lead banker on many of the firm’s senior managed accounts leading large-scale financing projects for state, city and local governments throughout the country. In Southwestern and West Coast states, he has served as project manager on senior and sole-managed financings exceeding $5.9 billion. The company has received numerous awards, including Black Enterprise Magazine’s 2002 “Top 50 Wall Street All-Starts,” “Top 50 on Wall Street” in 2006 and “Financial Services Company of the Year” in 2010.

Brandford stated that he always had an interest in public service. When asked what advice he had for students, Brandford remarked “Live within your means.” Brandford also suggested viewing the entrepreneurial movie, We Bought a Zoo, to understand what it takes to be successful. When asked about his experience with obstacles, Brandford said that he views obstacles as part of the everyday journey to accomplish lifelong missions – a perspective which reflects his mission-driven characteristic.

Brandford created a foundation to help children, targeting groups to assist financially as well as through mentorship. His firm also provides internships, starting at the high school level through college.

The lecture was sponsored by the John H. Schnatter Family Foundation. The John H. Schnatter Family Foundation was established in 1997 and has provided support to numerous charitable causes across the country since its inception.