Ernesta G. Procope
Ernesta Gertrude Procope | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ernesta Gertrude Forster 2 September 1923 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | 30 November 2021 (aged 98) Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Investment banker, insurance executive |
| Known for | Managing the largest insurance agency under Black female ownership; founder of E. G. Bowman, Inc. |
Ernesta Gertrude Procope (born Forster; September 2, 1923 – November 30, 2021) was a prominent American figure in investment banking and insurance, recognized for managing the largest insurance agency under Black female ownership. Raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant after being born in Brooklyn, she demonstrated notable musical ability early on, including a performance at Carnegie Hall.
In 1953, she established E. G. Bowman, Inc., a commercial insurance brokerage named in honor of her deceased husband. By 1977, this company became the pioneering African American–owned enterprise situated on Wall Street. Procope also held the position of chairperson on the board of Adelphi University, but an inquiry uncovered a conflict of interest related to E. G. Bowman’s role as a vendor for the university, resulting in her and several fellow board members being dismissed.
In 1972, First Lady Pat Nixon honored her with the Woman of the Year Award. Procope died in Queens, New York, at the age of 98.