Long Story Short: Mike Williams (National BDPA President)

Mike A. Williams * National BDPA President

Mike A. Williams is ending his first year as National BDPA president. He is an experienced senior information technology executive who has over twenty-nine years of technology management and executive experience. Williams has been employed by Fortune 500 companies in the financial services, insurance, outsourcing and transportation and logistics industries.

Williams has used his diverse technology, process, and business skills to transform and optimize operations within internal technology teams and IT Outsourcing client organizations. He has also held P&L responsibilities and lead strategy and product develop initiatives that provided value-added services to clients and increased revenue and earnings within their respective lines of business.

Williams is a passionate supporter and participate in local and national nonprofit organizations. Through his foundation Thinknext, Williams and his team enable people and organizations with great ideas to do amazing things to serve their communities. Williams has a passion for developing young professionals, enabling and advising new community organizations, and assisting aspiring entrepreneurs.

Williams serves as the National President of BDPA, Founder and Chairman of the Thinknext Foundation, and member of Association of Black Foundation Executives, an organization that advocates for responsive and transformative investments in Black communities. Williams is also a published author, speaker, mentor and passionate supporter and advocate of Millennials in the technology industry.

This blog wanted to get a more personal look into the personality of this rising BDPA leader. We asked Mike to give brief answers to some odd questions. We hope you enjoy this new feature that we simply call, 'Long Story Short...'

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Mike and his daughter!

1. Craziest thing you've ever done? Snorkeling when I couldn't even swim
2. Favorite food you'd take with you on a desert island? Shrimp, Fish and any a variety of fruits (Island may provide those) but throw in some gummies bears
3. Favorite way to exercise? Lifting weights
4. Least favorite chore? Folding clothes
5. Simple things that make you happiest? My daughter's smile and the hugs and kisses she gives me (both physical and virtual ones when we are on the phone)
6. Who You'd Like to Meet? Robert Smith of Vista Equity Partners

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You can follow Mike on Twitter: @itMikeWilliams

Long Story Short: Monique Berry (VP-Finance)

Monique Berry is our National BDPA VP-Finance. She has been a member of the BDPA Philadelphia Chapter since 2003. She finished her 2-year term as National BDPA president in 2013.  

Anyone that knows Monique is aware of her passion for BDPA. Monique is a committed community advocate serving on the boards of community organizations, family and children's services, and faith based community ministries. She's been a volunteer elementary school instructor for Junior Achievement and a computer instructor for Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in Philadelphia. Monique is a member of several professional and civic organizations, including the American Society for Training & Development, Project Management Institute, Network of Women in Computer Technology, Society for Human Resource Management and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Monique Berry

This blog wanted to get a more personal look into the personality of this rising BDPA leader. We asked Monique to give brief answers to some odd questions. We hope you enjoy this new feature that we simply call, 'Long Story Short...'

1. Craziest thing you've ever done? Hang out with George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic
 
2. Favorite food you'd take with you on a desert island? Hot sauce
 
3. Least favorite chore? Laundry
 
4. Simple things that make you happiest? Cooking for my family
 
5. Who You'd Like to Meet ? Alive: Warren Buffet, Barack Obama, Oprah and Jeff Bezos. Dead: Jesus, Harriett Tubman, Madame CJ Walker, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Ghandi and Huey Newton
 

Monique is an interesting person ... but, you gotta have faith in desert island food to simply bring some hot sauce!

Happy Birthday: Monique Berry (National BDPA President)

Today, we celebrate the born day of Monique Berry! Monique is our National BDPA president. She has been a member of the BDPA Philadelphia Chapter since 2003. Currently, she finished her 2-year term as National BDPA president in 2013. Anyone that knows Monique is aware of her passion for BDPA. In her own words,

"As anyone who knows me can attest, I am and have always been very passionate about BDPA. I can remember when I was elected president of the Philadelphia chapter people telling me that I would get tired and burnt out and that my passion would wear off over time. Well, it hasn't. I'm in my second year as a chapter president and as passionate as ever."

Monique is employed by Vanguard; a mutual fund company located in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Her background includes experience in ERP systems, LMS systems and software development.

Monique is a committed community advocate serving on the boards of community organizations, family and children's services, and faith based community ministries. She's been a volunteer elementary school instructor for Junior Achievement and a computer instructor for Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in Philadelphia.

Monique is a member of several professional and civic organizations, including the American Society for Training & Development, Project Management Institute, Network of Women in Computer Technology, Society for Human Resource Management and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Her experiences in a variety of boards and organizations bode well for BDPA.

"I can promise that I will conduct myself with civility and respect for others, discussing differences in an open and honest manner. Moreover, I promise to remain passionate about BDPA. I am looking for your passion and committed support of BDPA. Think you are up for the challenge? I urge you to join our conversation here. We are going to change the game."

I join with all of BDPA-nation is wishing national president a truly magnificent birthday!

BDPA Birthday Love for Ollie Morgan

Please join us in remembering Ollie Morgan on his natal day! Ollie served on the national BDPA board of directors for a number of years as BDPA Chicago chapter president, national president and immediate past president. At the time of his passing he was an author and photographer living out his dreams in New Mexico.


Ollie was a key player in the growth of corporate sponsorships. He created the concept known as 'Corporate Advisory Councils'. We now have active CACs in many of our larger and more successful chapters around the nation. Ollie was the first to understand the importance of developing a 'return on investment' value proposition. Ollie's vision turned into the record-setting corporate sales revenue coming into the BDPA Chicago and National BDPA treasury over the past decade.

Ollie was a prolific writer. His articles about BDPA regularly appeared in the National JOURNAL and the BDPA Chicago PROFESSIONAL newsletters.

I appreciate the powerful legacy of Ollie Morgan ... particularly in the 1993-1995 era. Ollie should be a member of the BDPA Hall of Fame. For now, we honor him here in cyberspace.

Please share your memories of Ollie and think a good thought of him on his date of birth!

Wordless Wednesday: Gerard Anderson (National BDPA President, 1985-1988)

Mike Williams Selected for National BDPA Vice President

Mike Williams

National BDPA announced the appointment of Mike Williams as its National Vice President and member of its National Board of Directors. Mr. Williams is an experienced senior information technology executive, mentor and leader that is passionate about the development of future leaders and aspiring young professionals. Williams is currently the Senior Vice President and Head of Global ITO services for FIS. Williams is an author and leader with more than 27 years of management and executive experience in Information Technology.

“I am very excited about BDPA’s future and its continuation of building on the 40-year legacy of developing future technology talent. This year, which is our 40th Anniversary, will be an exciting time for BDPA members, students and sponsors. I am looking forward to helping grow our membership while expanding and developing quality programs for our members, as well as preparing our future digital leaders of tomorrow,” said National Vice President Williams.

A proud native of Paterson, New Jersey, Williams discovered his desire to give back in 1997 when he opened an Internet Café and began to provide free access to computers for disadvantaged youth. He taught them basic computer and Internet skills. Because of his commitment to community, mentorship and technology, Williams contributes his time, treasure, and talents to support local and national nonprofit organizations that align with his personal mission and values. Williams is a former board member of the National BDPA, Paterson YMCA, Greater Paterson OIC, Urban League of Bergen County and many others.

“We are very excited and pleased that Mr. Williams has accepted this leadership position at BDPA. He has proven to be a results-oriented leader and BDPA looks forward to his guidance with our ongoing efforts of membership growth, corporate sponsorship solutions and operational excellence,” said Pamela Sexton, National BDPA President.

Founded in 1975 by Earl Pace and the late David Wimberly, BDPA is a global member-focused organization that serves the professional well-being of its stakeholders. BDPA remains committed to excellence and providing a wide spectrum of resources to members, corporate sponsors, businesses, educational institutions and the African American community. The organization is a catalyst for professional growth and technical development for those in the IT industry. With over 40 chapters across the United States, BDPA is the premier organization for African Americans in technology. For more information please contact the National BDPA Office at (301) 584-3135 or Email: info@bdpa.org.

Where Are They Now: 2003 BDPA Leaders

One of the things that I love to do with this blog is highlight the legacy of our organization. In the past, we have asked 'Where Are They Now?' about:

• 1996 national BDPA leaders
• 1999 BDPA chapter presidents
• 2001 national HSCC champions
• 2005 Northern Virginia charter members
• BDPA Member-of-the-Year award winners

Today, we ask the question about the brothers and sisters who served as BDPA leaders in 2003. I would love for these powerful brothers and sisters to come visit with us on this blog. Perhaps we can get them to POST A COMMENT to let us know what they are up to now. Here are those 2003 leaders:

• Vercilla Brown, executive director
• Milt Haynes, national president
• Wayne Hicks, national president-elect
• Rick Giraudy, national VP-Finance
• Donna McKay, national VP-Strategy & Planning
• Reggie Gardner, national VP-Member Services
• Brooks Baker, national VP-Membership Management
• Renee McClure, national immediate past president
• Earl Pace, founder
• Bob Blackwell, outside director
• Will Bundy, outside director
• Michael McCrimmon, outside director
• Anita Vega, national conference treasurer
• Janice Coleman, national conference planner
• Cris Levy, national conference planner
• Jeffry Kimble, national parliamentarian
• Ricky Penick, chapter president liaison

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These are remarkable brothers and sisters. I hope that you will share your thoughts and rememberances on the 2003 BDPA leadership team down in the POST A COMMENT link down below. What say u?

Related articles

• Where Are They Now? BDPA Atlanta Chapter Presidents

Happy Birthday: Diane Davis (Past National BDPA President)

Today is the birthday of past national president Diane Davis!

Diane Davis will be one of the charter members of the BDPA Hall of Fame when it is created. I went to my first BDPA program meeting in 1988 while living and working in Detroit. Diane Davis was president of the BDPA Detroit chapter. She sat up in the front of the meeting and shared her insights on BDPA. I was hooked. I joined BDPA that day ... attended my first national conference later that year in Chicago. Diane appointed me as Program Committee Chairperson for the BDPA chapter ... and recommended me for National BDPA Membership Director a few months later. BDPA Detroit chapter won back-to-back Chapter of the Year Awards under her leadership. Suffice to say I think Diane is a major part of the BDPA story...

Diane has over 25 years experience in the technology industry. Her work as a consultant with Hewlett-Packard’s Managed Services Division utilized her knowledge of local and global engagements in the manufacturing, government, and health care industries. She advised C level management teams of Fortune 500 corporations on infrastructure support practices, organization design, and the implementation of strategies, technology and principles to meet their specialized business requirements. Before this position, Diane was a Program Manager for multi-million dollar worldwide accounts and served as the CIO for a major automotive supplier.

Diane has lived and traveled throughout the United States, Canada, and South America as a software engineer and consultant in the design and implementation of management systems. Her technical career began developing robotic systems for the automotive industry. Later, she led the artificial intelligence development and implementation teams responsible for the support of corporate executives with “state of the art” technology including voice activation and annotation.

In 2003, Diane established her own consulting firm that provides strategic, organizational, and leadership services. In 2004, she expanded her business to include a robust Wellness Program established to help people improve their health, quality of life, and become financially independent. Diane has volunteered her time and supported several professional, community based, and educational organizations during her career, including BDPA. She has worked as an instructor at University of Detroit Mercy, led numerous strategic, leadership, quality, and team building workshops internationally for both profit and non-profit organizations.

Diane Davis was ol' school BDPA. Please share your remembrance of this powerful sister if you have time or inclination to do so.

Wordless Wednesday: National BDPA Board of Directors (2012-2013)

This Week in BDPA (November 10-16, 2013)

BDPA offers strong programs in 46 cities around the nation. Are you taking advantage of these programs? Here is a weekly preview of upcoming events gathered from the centralized BDPA calendar :

• Nov 10: BDPA Chicago - Workshop, 'Virtualization, Linux, Security and Cisco'
• Nov 12: BDPA Education and Technology Foundation - Webinar, 'BDPA iRadio Show'
• Nov 13: BDPA New Jersey - Webinar, 'How Cloud Computing Can Cut Your IT Costs by Half'
• Nov 14: BDPA Dallas - Program Meeting, 'Text Marketing is Taking Technology to the Next Level'
• Nov 14: BDPA Atlanta - Fundraiser, 'Awards & Recognition Banquet'
• Nov 15: BDPA Dallas - Workshop, '3D Printing & Robots'
• Nov 15-16: National BDPA - Meeting, '4Q-2013 National Board of Directors'
• Nov 16: BDPA Dallas - Workshop, '3D Printing & Robots'

Please let us know of other BDPA events 

that we may have missed! 

You can always find BDPA programs, services or networking activity online at places such as:

• BDPA Facebook Group
• BDPA Foundation Facebook Page
• BDPA Foundation Twitter Account
• BDPA LinkedIn Network Group

BDPA supports your efforts for career advancement in the IT industry. Our hope is that you find reasons to provide tax-deductible support to our Causes, our HSCC Scholarship Funds or Your Causes! We encourage all BDPA leaders to take advantage of the centralized BDPA Groupsite Calendar to post your upcoming events.

Wordless Wednesday: National BDPA Officers (1993-1994)

Message from BDPA Chicago Chapter President

Greetings,

I am seeking your support to become your next National Vice President of BDPA. I am passionate about the organization and know that I have what it takes to move us forward. My key focus areas will be Brand Rejuvenation, Member Value Proposition and Cultural Transformation of National BDPA.

Please review the attached brief summary and also share with your delegates to gain a little more insight about me.

Pamela Sexton, Candidate, National BDPA Vice President (2014-2015) from Wayne Hicks

I am looking forward to meeting you and your delegates next week to discuss any suggestions or concerns you may have going into 2014. Thanks for your support.

Thanks & Regards,
Pamela Sexton
BDPA Chicago Chapter President
National BDPA VP Strategy & Planning
2013 National BDPA Conference Director
Email pamela.sexton@bdpa.org

BDPA iRadio Show: May 14, 2013 (Khalia Braswell, Craig Brown and Derrick Brown)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very proud to be the creator of the BDPA iRadio Show. You can listen to the archive version of the show using the widget shown in the right-hand sidebar of this blog. FREE download from the iTunes Store is also available for our listeners!

Listen to internet radio with BDPA on BlogTalkRadio

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The guests on the May 14th show:

Khalia Braswell - 2007 HSCC Alumni, BDPA Charlotte Chapter - Khalia competed in the 2007 national BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship as a member of the team trained by BDPA Charlotte chapter. Her team finished in 6th place. Khalia earned a Eli Lilly Scholarship for BDPA Students in 2008. She used that scholarship to help offset the costs for college studies at North Carolina State University (NCSU). She plans to graduate with a Computer Science degree in 2013. She can share some excellent insights in the impact that BDPA had on her college and career choices. It is worth noting that BDPA and Eli Lilly are accepting applications for the 2013 Eli Lilly Scholarship right now. Also, Khalia was recently featured for her work at NCSU. Her twitter handle is @KhaliaBraswell.

Dr. Craig Brown - Vice President, National BDPA - Dr. Craig Brown was elected to be National BDPA Vice President (2012-2013). He works with national president Monique Berry and the regional officers to ensure that BDPA is moving towards its vision. Dr. Brown has a 25 year career serving as an expert systems and database architect within leading technologies like Oracle, Oracle-PeopleSoft, SAP, IBM and Microsoft. His experiences are more particular to the Enterprise Resource Planning, Decision Support and Relational Database Management Systems technologies. He earned over 20 certifications within these technological areas and currently provides implementation and integration expertise along with a variety of other technological disciplines. He holds a BS in Computer Science as well as a Master's in Business and a Doctorate in Management Information Systems. He has over 1 million followers on Twitter and thousands of followers on his Facebook page. Dr. Brown should be able to share with our iRadio Show audience his vision for the future of BDPA. His twitter handle is @craigbrownphd.

Derrick Brown - President-Elect, BDPA Atlanta Chapter - Derrick Brown is the president-elect of the BDPA Atlanta chapter. As such, he has been part of the leadership team in Atlanta that has rocked the BDPA-nation over the past two years with its new programs, new energy and remarkable new results. Derrick is poised to take on the chapter presidency in 2014-2015. Our listeners will be intrigued to get the inside scoop on the magical journey of BDPA Atlanta chapter from one of its architects.. His twitter handle is @DSBrown3000.

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We hope you enjoy the insights and commentary on the show from each of these guests. Please take a moment to post a comment to let us know that you care!

BDPA iRadio Show: March 26, 2013

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very proud to be the creator of the BDPA iRadio Show. You can listen to the archive version of the show using the widget shown in the right-hand sidebar of this blog. FREE download from the iTunes Store is also available for our listeners!

Listen to internet radio with BDPA on Blog Talk Radio

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The guests on the March 26th show:

Dr. Craig Brown - National Vice President, BDPA - Dr. Craig Brown was elected to be National BDPA Vice President (2012-2013). He will work with incoming national president Monique Berry and the incoming regional officers to take BDPA to the next level. Dr. Brown has a 25 year career serving as an expert systems and database architect within leading technologies like Oracle, PeopleSoft, SAP, IBM and Microsoft. His experiences are more particular to the Enterprise Resource Planning, Decision Support and Relational Database Management Systems technologies. He earned over 20 certifications within these technological areas and currently provides implementation and integration expertise along with a variety of other technological disciplines. He holds a BS in Computer Science as well as a Master's in Business and a Doctorate in Management Information Systems. He has over 1 million followers on Twitter and thousands of followers on his Facebook page. Dr. Brown shared his vision for the future of BDPA with our BDPA iRadio Show audience. His twitter handle is @craigbrownphd

Beverly Allen - High School Computer Competition coordinator, BDPA Los Angeles - Beverly Allen has been the HSCC coordinator for our BDPA Los Angeles chapter for a number of years. She watched her son, Terell, participate in national HSCC championships in 2007-2009 before going off to college at Morehouse College. The computer camp program in Los Angeles is making remarkable progress under its leadership … including winning the bronze medal at the 2012 National HSCC championship. The 2013 computer camp program is underway with over 35 students. Beverly has a unique way to look at the BDPA Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program that will be of interest to BDPA-Nation. Her chapter's twitter handle is @bdpala

Jacqueline Sanders - VP, Education & Professional Development, BDPA Atlanta - Jacqueline is part of the BDPA Atlanta leadership team that is shaking up the nation. Her chapter won numerous honors at the 2012 national conference … and they have their eyes set on the largest prize of all – ‘Chapter of the Year’ – right now. A major part of that success can be found in the education and professional development programs that Jacqueline is providing for IT professionals in Atlanta. This includes an ambitious professional development boot camp. The boot camp provides an intense all-day interactive series of exercises to test and challenge participants soft skills. Participants leave with a personalized assessment, mentoring and a career roadmap. Her twitter handle is @RequirementsPro

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We hope you enjoy the insights and commentary on the show from each of these guests. Please take a moment to post a comment to let us know that you care!

BDPA Seeks Nominations for 2014-2015 Leadership Positions

BDPA Needs You. BDPA is looking for technology professionals that want a chance to make their voice heard and to effect change for the betterment of the technology profession. Good news is that nominations have been received, but the organization needs MORE.

If you are one of those individuals or know someone who is passionate about driving BDPA to higher level, please consider joining the National BDPA Board of Directors.

National BDPA is now accepting nominations for positions at the regional and national level. In accordance with the National BDPA Bylaws (dated August 6, 2010) Article 5 Section 4, nominations for the following national offices must be submitted no later than midnight on Saturday, April 13, 2013.

In accordance with its by-laws, the National BDPA's Election and By-laws Committee (EBC) is seeking BDPA members to serve on its Board of Directors, with a term beginning on January 1, 2014 and ending in December 31, 2015. The Committee invites those seeking to serve on the association's Board of Directors to declare their candidacies no later than midnight on Saturday, April 13, 2013.

Judaea Lane

Also, in accordance with the National BDPA Bylaws Article 12 Section 1, proposals for amendments of the Bylaws must be submitted no later than midnight on Saturday, April 13, 2013.

If you have questions or wish to discuss further please contact Judaea Lane, EBC Chair via email (ebc@bdpa.org) or phone (301.584-3135) *or* you can visit the BDPA website on http://www.bdpa.org/?page=Election2013 for more information or to make a nomination.

Who Am I? - Craig Brown (National BDPA Vice President)

BDPA and the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation strive to make a difference in both the Black community. We have some serious people who volunteer to implement programs that will advance the careers of African Americans in the IT industry. We don't always get a chance to know our BDPA leaders in a personal way. This blog decided to try and provide you with a different perspective ... a different look ... at our BDPA leaders.

Who Am I?

Dr. Craig Brown

IF I WERE A...

• MONTH, I would be... May
• COLOR, I would be... Blue
• TIME OF DAY, I would be... 5:00 AM
• SUPERPOWER, I would be... Green Lantern
• FLOWER, I would be... Tulip
• SONG, I would be... Kiss by a Rose (Seal)
• CAR, I would be... Volkswagen Bug (Original)
• ITEM OF CLOTHING, I would be... Suspenders
• ANIMAL, I would be... Rhino
• FOOD, I would be... Steak - Filet (Medium Well)
• MOVIE, I would be... Top Gun
• CITY/TOWN, I would be... Chicago
• SPORT, I would be... Motorcycle Racing

You can find Dr. Brown on Facebook, LinkedIn Network or Twitter.

Our hope is that Dr. Brown will join us here on the blog to share deeper insights into these things via the COMMENTS feature! What did you learn about our national vice president via this blog post that you may never have known otherwise?

Curtis Jenkins Accepts Appointment as National BDPA Vice President of Membership Management

Curtis Jenkins

National BDPA president Monique Berry proudly announced a new leadership appointment,

"Curtis Jenkins will be joining our team, as the National Vice President of Membership Management. Please join me in welcoming Curtis to the national executive committee and provide him with your support as he assimilates onto our team."

Jenkins joined BDPA Philadelphia chapter in 2002. He served in a number of leadership positions within the chapter including VP-Business Management, President and chair of the Corporate Advisory Council. This won't be the first time that Jenkins has accepted leadership challenge at the national level. He served as the National Vice President of Strategy & Planning in 2010-2011.

Curtis has an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Temple University and a graduate degree in Management of Technology from the University of Pennsylvania – School of Engineering and Applied Sciences & Wharton Business School.

"I am certain that, given his experience and overall skills, Curtis will be a great addition to our team," added Berry.

There are two primary membership management goals in 2013:

1. Retain/Renew 80% of expiring members
2. Increase new members by 25%

Jenkins understands that a major benefit of BDPA membership is the opportunity to network with others in the information technology industry. He said,

"People for years have gone by the statement 'It's not what you know but who you know.' That statement has much less power than 'Who knows you!' Joining and working in BDPA allows people to showcase their value with those in decision-making positions. People that 'know you' will call you when there is a job or need to fill. My last four jobs were as a result of 'who knows me'. That's the power of a network and the power of BDPA."

Please reach out to the new vice president by email (vpmm@bdpa.org) if you want to help recruit and retain BDPA members!

Fact Sheet: 4Q-2010 National BDPA Board of Directors Meeting

Fact Sheet: 4Q-2010 Nat'l BDPA Board of Directors Mtg

View more documents from BDPA Foundation.

Seeking Volunteer Leaders for BDPA Strategic Management Office

One of the most accomplished leaders in BDPA-nation is Curtis Jenkins. BDPA Philadelphia earned its first 'Chapter of the Year' victory under the leadership of Curtis who served as its president at the time. Curtis accepted a new leadership role as national BDPA VP-Strategy & Planning earlier this year.

Curtis is looking for three people interested in demonstrating leadership abilities to work with him in the BDPA Strategic Management Office. Sometimes African American IT professionals don't have a chance to demonstrate their leadership ability within Corporate America. That is one of the most powerful membership benefits of BDPA ... the ability to show your stuff in a national organization on a volunteer basis makes you invaluable as an employee within your company.

Anyhow, Curtis is looking for three department directors that will report directly to him:

1. Director, Chapter Compliance
2. Director, Intake and Analysis
3. Director, Strategic Methodologies and Metrics

Reply to this message or reach out to Curtis on (800) 727-2372 if you are interested in learning more about any of these three volunteer vacancies. In the meantime, you can learn more about the strategic plans and operations of BDPA by viewing the following slideshow:

BDPA Strategic Management Office (2010)

View more presentations from Wayne Hicks.

What are your thoughts on the BDPA Strategic Planning Office?

Message from National President

Yvette Graham begins her term as National BDPA President this month. She wasted no time in sharing her thoughts with members and other BDPA stakeholders around the world.

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As we enter into 2010 with a new administration and a strong vision, I am so excited about the many opportunities that we have in store for BDPA! During my term as president-elect, I closely observed our organization’s current state and listened to you, the many voices of BDPA.

I heard your passion about what makes BDPA wonderful, as well as feedback on how BDPA can be so much better. Over the coming months, you will hear from me on a timely basis about the objectives and programs my administration is tasked to deliver. Simply put, Taking Membership to the Next Level, is what we are about as we re-establish and re-engineer our BDPA priorities.

We have a strong legacy of achievement established by our BDPA Founders, Earl Pace Jr. and the Late David Wimberly, and our best appreciation of their life’s work is our collective dedication to ensure that BDPA continues to evolve in strength and in unity to reach higher heights.

Our call to action is evident with today’s economic and job market realities. We must ensure BDPA is well positioned as THE “go-to” diversity supplier of highly skilled IT and entrepreneur talent. We are clear in the understanding that in order for BDPA to remain viable in today’s global society we must continuously seek to operate more efficiently, and provide our stakeholders with a clear return on investment as we set out to reach our goals.

Standing with me to accomplish our overall mission is a team of dedicated and equally engaged leaders. I am pleased to introduce our elected and appointed officers who are joining me in taking our organization to the next level. Please see officers listed [on our website] and take a moment to click on the links to read their awesome bios.

We’re off to a great start to the year with our First Quarter Board Meeting in Philadelphia, where I look forward to meeting all of our chapter presidents and leaders across the nation to hear the input and experiences that will enhance the fabric of BDPA. All of our 2010 Quarterly Board Meetings have been scheduled with dates and locations to be published this month. Also, we have an outstanding national conference planned for 2010, and we will provide you with timely details and communications to ensure our success. I know we will set the pace early for accomplishing our target goals, and I thank everyone in advance for being up for the task!

Dr. Maya Angelou said, “Nothing will work, unless you do”, and I invite everyone across BDPA to join me as an ambassador committed to take our wonderful organization to the next level!

Best wishes to you and your families for a wonderful New Year!

Yvette Graham, president
National BDPA

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I hope that BETF-Blog readers will take a moment to use the COMMENTS option below to respond to this message from national president Yvette Graham!