John Strangfeld is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader with operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

With over 135 years of life insurance and asset management expertise, Prudential is focused on helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth. Prudential's businesses offer a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, and investment management.

Since 2010, Prudential has held one of the top two spots in FORTUNE® magazine's ranking of the "World's Most Admired Companies®" in the “Insurance: Life and Health" category. In addition to its financial strength, Prudential has a strong reputation in social responsibility, and a long-standing commitment to diversity and workplace inclusion.

Before Mr. Strangfeld was named Chairman and CEO in 2008, he was Vice Chairman responsible for Prudential's U.S. Businesses, which include both the Investment and the Insurance Divisions. Prior to his position as Vice Chairman, Mr. Strangfeld held a variety of senior investment positions at Prudential Financial, both within the United States and abroad, including six years in London.

Mr. Strangfeld received a B.S. in Business Administration from Susquehanna University, and an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, where he is a member of the Raven Society, UVA's oldest honorary society. Mr. Strangfeld also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

Mr. Strangfeld is very involved with both of his alma maters. He is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Susquehanna University and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Darden School Foundation. In 2005, Mr. Strangfeld initiated, and is an ongoing sponsor of, a recruitment and scholarship program for military officers seeking to transition into leadership roles in civilian life via an MBA at Darden. He is actively pursuing additional ways for Prudential and other corporations to support returning Veterans as they re-enter civilian life.

Mr. Strangfeld is a member of the Financial Services Forum, the Geneva Association, and the American Council of Life Insurers. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Edward P. Baird is executive vice president and chief operating officer of Prudential's international businesses, which include Prudential's life insurance companies outside of the United States and Canada, as well as the company's in-country asset management activities, offshore funds, international securities, and futures business.

In his previous position as president of Prudential's Group Insurance business, Mr. Baird was responsible for Group Life and Disability Insurance, Group Nonqualified Benefit Funding programs, and Group and Individual Long Term Care Insurance. Prior to that, he held the position of chief representative of Prudential Investment Management, Inc., overseeing Prudential's Retail and Institutional Asset Management businesses in Japan.

Mr. Baird joined Prudential as a group sales manager in the Los Angeles Group Office in 1979. Since then, he has held a variety of positions within the organization. In 1990, he served as president of Pruco Life Insurance Company and Chairman of Pruco Securities, Inc., the broker/dealer responsible for annuities and variable life products. In 1991, he held the position of senior vice president for Agencies, Individual Insurance. In 1996, he served as senior vice president, sales and marketing, for Prudential Healthcare.

Mr. Baird holds a BA in Economics from Harvard University, an MBA from Columbia University, and a J.D. from Southwestern Law School.

Susan L. Blount is senior vice president and general counsel at Prudential Financial, Inc., responsible for overseeing the company’s Law, Compliance and Business Ethics Department. She also is a member of Prudential’s Senior Management Committee.

Ms. Blount joined Prudential in 1985 as an attorney in the company’s commercial real estate operations. Since then, she has held a variety of leadership positions, including vice president and secretary when the company demutualized in 2001 and chief counsel for the Investment Division.

Ms. Blount is active on issues related to higher education. She serves on the boards of Montclair State University and she previously served on the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education. She also serves on the board of trustees of NJ LEEP, a high school enrichment program in Newark, and is a founder of the Center for Women in Law at the University of Texas.

In 2011, Ms. Blount received the “Women of Power and Influence Award” from the New York City chapter of the National Organization for Women. In 2010, Profiles in Diversity magazine recognized her as one of its “Women Worth Watching.” Under her leadership, Prudential’s Law Department has been recognized as an “Employer of Choice” by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association; a “Legal Department of the Year” by the New Jersey Law Journal; and the “Corporate Law Department of the Year” by the NJ Hispanic Association. It also received special recognition by the New York City Bar Association’s Committee on the Recruitment and Retention.

Ms. Blount is a frequent speaker on diversity in the legal profession and corporate governance.

Prior to joining Prudential, Ms. Blount was an associate at the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis.

Ms. Blount graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. degree in history and a J.D., with honors.

Robert Falzon is executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO) of Prudential Financial, Inc.

Prior to his appointment to this position in March 2013, Mr. Falzon was senior vice president and treasurer of Prudential Financial, Inc., responsible for management of the company's capital, liquidity and borrowing.

Before being appointed treasurer in 2009, Mr. Falzon served as managing director at Prudential Real Estate Investors (PREI), head of PREI's Global Merchant Banking Group and CEO of its European business. He was also a senior portfolio manager, a member of PREI's Global Investment and Management Committees, chairman of the Global Real Estate Securities Investment Committee and the Currency Hedging Committee, and a member of the Investment Committee for Prudential Investment Management.

Before joining PREI in 1998, Mr. Falzon was a managing director in the investment banking group at Prudential Securities Incorporated (PSI) in New York where he managed numerous public and private equity offerings and worked extensively in mergers and acquisitions.

Previously, Mr. Falzon worked for nine years in the private placement area at Prudential, eventually rising to head of the Northeast Regional Investment Group.

Mr. Falzon holds an M.B.A. degree in Finance and Accounting from Columbia University and graduated a Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. degree in Economics from Rutgers University. In addition, he is a CFA charterholder, a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the CFA Institute and the New York Society of Security Analysts (NYSSA).

Mark B. Grier, a member of Prudential Financial’s Office of the Chairman and of its board of directors, oversees the Finance, Risk Management, Chief Investment, Corporate Actuarial, Investor Relations, Global Business & Technology Solutions, Audit and Global Marketing and Communications functions. In addition, Mr. Grier leads Global Strategic Initiatives, which oversees Prudential’s international retirement and China strategies.

Mr. Grier joined Prudential as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in May 1995, with responsibility for oversight of Treasury, Controllers, Tax and business line CFO functions. In 2002, he was named Vice Chairman, with responsibility for Financial Management.

Before joining Prudential, Mr. Grier was co-head of Chase Global Markets and an Executive Vice President of The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A. In 1987, he was named Individual Banking Financial Management executive for The Chase Manhattan Corporation’s Retail Banking businesses. He was also previously responsible for Chase’s Business Policy, Asset Management and Financial Control and Analysis Divisions.

In 1983, Mr. Grier served as senior vice president of Lincoln First Bank, N. A., a forerunner of Chase Lincoln First Bank, N.A. He also served as Global Risk Management executive and treasurer of the bank and its parent company, Lincoln First Banks, Inc. In 1981, Mr. Grier assumed the position of economic and financial policy manager for the bank. He continued in these positions after The Chase Manhattan Corporation acquired Lincoln First in July 1984. Mr. Grier began his career at Lincoln First in 1978 as an economic analyst.

Mr. Grier was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He attended Eastern Illinois University where he received a B.A. and an M.A. in economics. Mr. Grier also earned an M.B.A. in finance and corporate accounting from The University of Rochester.

Barbara G. Koster is senior vice president and chief information officer for Prudential Financial, head of Global Business and Technology Solutions and a member of Prudential's Senior Management Committee. She has oversight responsibility for information technology at all Prudential locations worldwide and ensures the privacy and integrity of Prudential's information. She formulates policies, establishes standards and architectures and develops guidelines and management practices. She also manages the company's global networks and data centers and other technology infrastructure.

In addition, Ms. Koster is chairman of the boards of Pramerica Systems Ireland, Ltd. and Prudential Systems Japan, Ltd., both technology subsidiaries of Prudential Financial.

Ms. Koster joined Prudential in November 1995 as vice president and chief information officer in Individual Life Insurance Systems where she was responsible for a wide range of technologies, including those that support distribution, policy administration, customer relationship, business strategy, call centers, service delivery, financial systems, information security, business continuation and architecture.

Prior to joining Prudential, Ms. Koster held several positions with Chase Manhattan Bank, including that of president of Chase Access Services.

In 2011, NJ Biz newspaper named Ms. Koster one of the "Fifty Best Women in Business." She was named CIO of the Year in 2008 by the Executive Council and listed among the top Executive Women of New Jersey. She also has been named among the Premier IT Leaders by Computerworld magazine; the Top Twenty Financial Management Technologists by the CIO Forum; and the Elite Eight by Insurance & Technology magazine. Ms. Koster received the 1999 Women in Science and Technology award from the Smithsonian Institute. She has been a featured speaker at dozens of national and international industry conferences.

Ms. Koster is a member and past chair of ACORD (a standards body for the life insurance industry) and currently serves on the boards of trustees of Liberty Science Center in New Jersey and St. Francis College. She also is a member of Executive Women in NJ and Research Board, an international think tank.

Ms. Koster has a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and an Associate of Science degree in computer technology from St. Francis College.

Charles F. Lowrey is executive vice president and chief operating officer of Prudential's U.S.-based businesses, comprising Prudential Investment Management, Prudential Retirement, Prudential Annuities, Individual Life Insurance and Group Insurance, which together had approximately $1.04 trillion in assets under management as of December 31, 2012.

Before he assumed his current role, Mr. Lowrey was president and chief executive officer of Prudential Investment Management, Prudential Financial's asset management business. Previously, he was chief executive officer of Prudential Real Estate Investors. He joined the company in March 2001.

Before joining Prudential, Mr. Lowrey was a managing director and head of the Americas for J.P. Morgan's Real Estate and Lodging Investment Banking group, where he began his investment banking career in 1988.

Before joining J.P. Morgan, Mr. Lowrey spent four years as a managing partner of an architecture and development firm he founded in New York City. During this time, he became a registered New York architect.

Mr. Lowrey received an MBA degree from Harvard University, an MA degree in architecture from Yale University, and an AB degree in architecture from Princeton University.

Sharon C. Taylor is senior vice president, Human Resources, chair of The Prudential Foundation, and a member of Prudential's Senior Management Committee. Ms. Taylor is the top human resources (HR) officer reporting to the chairman and is accountable for HR policies, strategies, programs, and infrastructure that support Prudential's domestic and international businesses.

She chairs several key committees, such as the Human Resources Policy Committee and the Investment Oversight Committee. She is also accountable for Community Resources, which includes oversight of The Prudential Foundation, and the company's social investments, local initiative, and business diversity programs.

Prior to Ms. Taylor's current appointment, she served as corporate vice president, Human Resources, accountable for leading Human Resources' 13 centers of excellence. Ms. Taylor's tenure in this role was marked by improved operating efficiency, customer services and significantly reduced expenses. She has also served as corporate vice president, Human Resources, and ethics officer for Prudential's domestic insurance group and vice president, Human Resources, for Prudential Financial's Operations and Systems group.

Ms. Taylor has held leadership roles in Prudential Financial's Minority Interchange and is a founding member of the company's Black Leadership Forum. She serves as chair of the Human Resources Outsourcing Association and the Newark Regional Business Partnership, and also sits on the boards of the American Repertory Ballet, the Human Resources Policy Association, and the advisory board of the National Council of LaRaza. Ms. Taylor has received numerous awards for her high level of both business success and community service.

Ms. Taylor is a magna cum laude graduate from Temple University, where she earned a BA degree in foreign languages.