Purdue University Northwest alumni Napoleon Brandford III and DeJon Gonzalez share their personal stories, lessons in becoming successful financiers

On Monday, Sept. 14, Purdue University Northwest (PNW) students gained valuable career advice as esteemed alumni Napoleon Brandford III and DeJon Gonzalez shared their personal stories of grit and determination to become high-achieving finance professionals.

Brandford and Gonzalez joined “American Dream Realized,” a fireside chat-style conversation moderated by PNW Chief Engagement Officer Matthew Wells. Through stories of perseverance, career growth and success – whether it was on the basketball court or Wall Street – students learned the value of networking, support systems and taking initiative.

“The experience, the knowledge and the wisdom that they bring to our students from many facets of their lives was fantastic,” said Rick Costello, director of athletics at PNW. “The students were able to learn a lot.”

Brandford, an East Chicago native, was the starting center for the Roosevelt High School boys’ basketball team that won the 1970 state championship, posting a perfect 28-0 record. Brandford was selected for the Indiana All-State team and went on to play at the University of Nevada, where he earned freshman All-American honors.

After suffering a career-ending injury during his sophomore year, Brandford returned to Northwest Indiana, enrolled at Purdue University Northwest and earned his bachelor’s degree in political science in 1974. His professional interests, however, shifted to finance. Through his dogged work ethic, Brandford grew his profile and co-founded Siebert Brandford Shank, Inc., which eventually rose to become the No. 8 public finance firm on Wall Street by 2010. The firm was then the largest Black-and woman-owned investment firm.

Gonzalez, of Gary, attended Andrean High School and earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from PNW in 2016. He currently serves as a principal and equity portfolio manager at Mercer’s Chief Investment Office in New York. Brandford became a valuable mentor and professional networking connection for Gonzalez while he was a student at PNW. This punctuated Gonzalez’s advice to students in the audience to take initiative in building connections with others, from faculty members to industry professionals. 

Both Brandford and Gonzalez credited their personal drive to go the extra mile in networking with other professionals as one of the keys to their earned successes. Building relationships with others not only provided possibilities for finding new clients, but also formed networks for mentorship and mutual support. PNW students were able to find commonalities with their personal experiences and see how they can begin those early networking steps during their academic careers.

Later that afternoon, Brandford and his wife, Sharon, were honored with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and lobby dedication in the PNW Fitness and Recreation Center for their extraordinary support of opportunities for PNW student-athletes. Sharon Brandford is also an accomplished professional, having built a career as an attorney and administrative law judge.

“Napoleon and Sharon Brandford’s transformational support of the PNW Lions helps build opportunities for intercollegiate athletics and education at Purdue Northwest that will impact generations for years to come,” Costello said. “We’re excited to name the lobby in their honor.”

By inviting university alumni back to campus, PNW provides students opportunities to learn from others’ personal examples of persistence in college and their careers, and add connections for their own developing networks.

Interested in learning more about Purdue University Northwest and its degree paths? Visit pnw.edu to learn about becoming a student, paying for college and more.