Showing posts with label popular posts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label popular posts. Show all posts

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Introduce Yourself

Wayne Hicks, BETF Exec Director
Hotep! My vision for the BDPA Foundation blog is simple. I want you to feel that you learn about the vibrant programs and services offered by BDPA on a global basis. I want our blog to become a welcoming and interactive place for BDPA members and supporters to come together and share information with one another. Just relax for a moment in your hectic surfing through cyberspace ... relax and enjoy the vibe of our BETF-Blog.

We hope that our voice is a worthy one in the blogosphere. The BETF-Blog strives to share information that uplifts people of African descent throughout the information technology industry. There are a number of ways that you can stay connected in a timely manner. However, we realize that it is your voice that makes us better. Please comment freely on any post that you read here in the BETF-Blog.

If you have any questions, or want to promote your chapter or your technology-based blog then you can do so right here! Just leave a 'comment' to this post.

Friday, November 13, 2015

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!

Monday, November 9, 2015

Happy Birthday: Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806)

Benjamin Banneker was born on this date in 1731. He was a self-taught, Black astronomer and mathematician.

He was born in Ellicott, MD. At the age of 22, Benjamin Banneker created a working clock from wood after studying the watch of a friend. It took him two years to finish the clock, which kept accurate time in hours, minutes, and seconds until his death.

Banneker became interested in astronomy through a local surveyor named George Ellicott, who loaned him astronomy books. In 1791, George Washington commissioned George Ellicott and French engineer Pierre L'Enfant to help plan the construction of the nation's capital on a ten-square-mile area of land. Ellicott asked Banneker to be his assistant. A dispute between some Americans and Frenchmen led L'Enfant to abandon it and take the drafted plans with him. Over the course of two days, Banneker reproduced the intricate plans from memory, preventing a major delay.

Shortly after returning to his farm in April 1791, Banneker issued his first of some ten annual almanacs, which were published by several printers and sold widely in both England and the United States. Banneker charted the movement of heavenly bodies and successfully predicted several solar eclipses. Farmers and navigators relied on this important information.

Banneker and his sisters were born free and grew up on a self-sufficient, 100-acre tobacco farm. Growing up, he spent much of his free time devising and solving mathematical puzzles. It was not until after his retirement from farming at the age of 59 that Banneker began to study astronomy through borrowed books, becoming a man of science and mathematics through unassisted experimentation and close observation of natural phenomena.

Benjamin Banneker died in 1806.

Thursday, July 16, 2015

36-Year History of BDPA Conference Themes

One of the beautiful things about being a past national BDPA president is that you have a treasure chest of history in your files. One of the beautiful things about having a blog is that you can create a repository for an organization's history. No other excuse is necessary!

Please enjoy this documentation of the 36-year history of BDPA Conference themes and locations:

  • 2015, Evolution of IT: Embracing the Digital Future, Washington, DC
  • 2014, Race to Innovate, Indianapolis, IN
  • 2013, Diverse Opportunities in the Age of Convergence Washington, DC
  • 2012, Transforming the IT Professional,  Baltimore, MD
  • 2011, Ignite, Inspire & Empower: The GPS of Future Technologists, Chicago, IL
  • 2010, Access for All, Philadelphia, PA
  • 2009, Challenges for Today; Strategies for Tomorrow, Raleigh, NC
  • 2008, Harnessing Emerging Technologies to Advance IT Careers, Atlanta, GA
  • 2007, Global Strategy for the IT Professional, Washington, DC
  • 2006, Picturing the Future of Information Technology, Los Angeles, CA
  • 2005, Driving Innovation, Bringing Value and Embracing Change, Detroit, MI
  • 2004, BDPA: Securing Our Future Through Technology, Dallas, TX
  • 2003, Information Technology: From the Classroom to the Boardroom, Philadelphia, PA
  • 2002, Changing the Culture of IT: From Access to Ownership, Orlando, FL
  • 2001, Empowering the Nation Through Information, Chicago, IL
  • 2000, Taking IT to the Net: From High-Tops to High-Tech, Washington, DC
  • 1999, Closing the Gap in Information Technology, Atlanta, GA
  • 1998, Unveiling the Magic of Emerging Technologies, Orlando, FL
  • 1997, Looking at Tomorrow, Today, Houston, TX
  • 1996, Building World Class Skills for Information Technology, Atlanta, GA
  • 1995, Linking Business, Education and Technology, Philadelphia, PA
  • 1994, Unleashing the Power of a Creative People, Cleveland, OH
  • 1993, Cultivating Tomorrow's Leaders in the Heart of America, Kansas City, MO
  • 1992, Shaping the Information Technology Professional: Current and Future, Detroit, MI
  • 1991, BDPA Getting to the Core of Technology, New York, NY
  • 1990, Education and Technology Bonding for Excellence, Washington, DC
  • 1989, Ideas in the Making, Los Angeles, CA
  • 1988, Growth and Success by Designs, Chicago, IL
  • 1987, A Bridge to Success, New Orleans, LA [photo to the right shows young Earl Pace, Norman Mays and others at 1987 conference]
  • 1986, Securing Your Professional Future, Atlanta, GA
  • 1985, A Decade of Professional Growth, Philadelphia, PA
  • 1984, Information Processing: A Vote for the Future, Cleveland, OH
  • 1983, Rise to the Challenge, Newark, NJ
  • 1982, Entrepreneurship: A Successful Attitude, Detroit, MI
  • 1981, Growth Through Professional Association, Philadelphia, PA
  • 1980, A New Era of Minority Involvement in Data Processing, Washington, DC
  • 1979, The Role of the Black Technical Organization, Washington, DC

My Conference Memories: I've attended 23 of these conferences. I remember being blown away by the massive gathering of African American IT professionals when I attended my first national conference in Chicago (1988). I was amazed at the passion and energy displayed at the national BDPA board of directors meeting. I met Vivian Wilson at this meeting. Vivian is one of the best people that I've ever known and I am grateful to have served as her national BDPA vice president when she was the National BDPA president.
My favorite conference was the one held in Detroit (2005). It was my final year as national president. My mom and oldest daughter both were in attendance ... and we were able to bring together many of the past national presidents for recognition at the Awards Gala. Yep ... that was my favorite BDPA conference!

How many of these conferences have you attended? What is your favorite memory from these past four decades of national BDPA conferences?

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Rest In Peace: Brandon Berry (1984-2008)


BDPA lost a young legend on February 3, 2008 when Brandon T. Berry died much too soon. Brandon was born March 20, 1984 in Viscenza, Italy. He traveled all around the world. He recently graduated from Ohio State University with a Computer Science degree. He was working on a Master Degree at the time of his death.

Brandon's dream was to become an entrepreneur with computer sales and internet services business. In fact, he demonstrated his entrepreneurial skills with a business that he started in high school and continued while in college.

I served as BDPA Cincinnati chapter president in 1999-2001. I knew young Brandon throughout my 3-year team as chapter president. I first met him in 1999 while he was attending Cincinnati's Hughes High School. He served as president of the 'Future Educators of America' in high school. However, his love of information technology led him to the BDPA Cincinnati chapter computer camp that we created in 1999. His talents were self-evident during the computer camp. In fact, Brandon ended up being a member of the national High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team from Cincinnati in both 1999 and 2000.


His teammates in 1999 were Tiara Bonner, Jarelle Marshall, Kelly Robinson and Calvin Shaw, III.

His teammates chose Brandon to be their captain at the 2000 national competition held in Washington DC. The team confidently called themselves 'Team CHAOS (Cincinnati Holds All Opposition Speechless)'. Brandon and his teammates (Raven Chambers, Jarelle Marshall, Terris Poole and Stephanie Ross) in 2000 brought home the silver medal in the national competition. It remains the highest level of success for BDPA Cincinnati in over 20 years. Brandon used the Bemley Scholarship that he won in 2000 towards his educational expenses at Ohio State University.

Brandon loved C/C++ Programming and he came back in 2001 as a HSCC alumni to help coach the team that year. He served as a 'technical representative' for the Cincinnati HSCC team that traveled to the 2001 national competition held in Chicago.

Brandon Berry had an immeasurable impact on the members, supporters and sponsors of BDPA Cincinnati chapter.  He is part of our history and his impact as a role model can never be underestimated.

You can help us celebrate his life by making a donation to the Brandon Berry Memorial Scholarship Fund!
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Monday, November 24, 2014

Happy Birthday: George Williams, Past National BDPA President

Please join us in wishing a wonderful birthday to our past national president -- George Williams. I've known George since I first joined BDPA back in the late 1980s. He was a powerful figure in the BDPA Cleveland chapter before he set a record for the longest-tenured national president in BDPA history.

George has an information technology and business career background that spans thirty years of professional experience in marketing, sales and management within corporate, small business, non-profit and civic organizations. A number of major accomplishments occurred under George's leadership of the national organization in the late 1990s:
  • implemented a new national Corporate Alliance program that increased annual sponsorship revenue
  • implemented a comprehensive Enterprise Transformation Plan that completely reorganized the national organization
  • inspired major annual conference events in Philadelphia (1995), Atlanta (1996), Houston (1997), Orlando (1998) and Atlanta (1999)
  • signed Memorandum of Understanding to promote joint technology projects between BDPA and National Urban League
As a life-long Cleveland native, graduate of the Cleveland Public School System, John Carroll University and Leadership Cleveland, George understands the intricacies of doing business and volunteering time in the Northeast Ohio community. George was a co-founder of the Consortium of African America Organizations (CAAO). He has actively served on the Board of the Cleveland Education Fund, the Cuyahoga Community College Unified Technologies Center and the John Adams High School Vocational Education Advisory Group.

George is a father of two daughters and grandfather of four children. He is a remarkable role model for his family ... and for BDPA. I encourage you to share some BDPA-love with George as he celebrates his born-day! Happy Birthday George!

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Happy Birthday: Earl Pace (BDPA Founder)

I join BETF-Blog readers in wishing a glorious birthday to our visionary leader and founder -- Earl A. Pace, Jr. All current BDPA members and leaders should take a moment today to reflect on our organizational legacy ... the shoulders on which we stand today ...


I don't know the year of birth for Mr. Pace. I do know that National BDPA only had one president in the 1970s...

Earl Pace served as our national leader from 1976 thru 1980. Earl has been in the Information Technology (IT) industry since 1965. He began as a computer programmer trainee at the Pennsylvania Railroad. He left the PRR in 1967. Over the next ten years, he rose through the ranks of programmer, programmer analyst, programming manager to Vice President of a financial telecommunications company in Philadelphia, PA.

Earl Pace became a business owner in 1976 when he incorporated Pace Data Systems for which he is still president. Pace Data Systems is a full service information technology firm providing services through its Philadelphia, PA and Washington, DC offices primarily to banks.

In 1975, he co-founded BDPA in Philadelphia and operated as its president for two years. In 1978, he coordinated the formation of BDPA into a national organization and functioned as its first National President until 1980. BDPA has grown into the largest national professional organization representing people of African descent in the IT industry.

In 1997, he received the National Technical Association’s National Technical Achiever Award as Computer Scientist of the Year.

In 2001 and 2002, Black Money Magazine named him as one of the 50 Most Influential African Americans in Information Technology.

Within BDPA and on a broader national scale, Earl Pace has been a vocal advocate for business ownership. His primary message since starting BDPA has been that African Americans should strive to rise above "just a job" to membership on the Board of Directors and beyond that to owning and operating their own business. Earl continues to be very active in the business and education community in Philadelphia, Washington DC and Baltimore, MD.

He is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University and pursued graduate studies at Temple University in Philadelphia. He is married and has one daughter, one son and one granddaughter.
BETF-Blog readers, care to share your favorite memory about Bro. Pace?

Monday, September 15, 2014

OURstory: Jan Matzeliger (1852-1887)

I agree with President Obama ... Kanye West is a 'jackass'. However, he seems to be a cultural icon for African American youth. Perhaps it is time for us to get busy providing some alternative icons for our youth. We have large numbers of Black and Brown students with little or not preparation in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) subjects. Without STEM background in the future, these students may find themselves with no employment opportunities.

Jan Ernst Matzeliger realized as much. Did you know that Jan Matzeliger was born on this date in 1852. He used STEM knowledge to create a shoe-lasting machine that mechanically shaped the upper portions of shoes.

Matzeliger was born on September 15, 1852 in Suriname (South America), the child of a biracial marriage. His father was a white engineer from Holland and his mother was a Black woman in the Dutch colony. By his third birthday Matzeliger was sent to live with his father’s sister. By the time he turned 10 years old, Matzeliger became a worker in the machine shop that his father owned. It was at this time that he quickly became aware of his talent for working with machinery.

Although he was skilled in this area, Matzeliger did not initially pursue a career in engineering or inventing. In 1871 at the age of 19 he left Surinam and worked as a sailor for two years. By 1873 he settled in Philadelphia where he worked in a variety of trades.

In 1876 he moved to Lynn, Massachusetts. Matzeliger arrived in Lynn barely able to speak English. Nonetheless he began working in a shoe factory. Despite his language difficulties, Matzeliger began working on various innovations that would improve shoe manufacturing productivity. Working alone and at night for six months, he produced a model in wood and on March 20, 1883, received a patent. The patent number is 459,899.

His patent was subsequently bought by Sydney W. Winslow, who established the United Shoe Machine Company. The continued success of this business brought about a 50% reduction in the price of shoes across the nation, doubled wages, and improved working conditions for millions of people dependent on the shoe industry for their livelihood. Winslow’s corporation made $50 million in the next dozen years and put Lynn, MA on the map as the shoe capital of the world.

Matzeliger’s work habits and his neglect of his health, however, soon took a toll. In the summer of 1887, he caught a cold then developed tuberculosis. Jan Matzeliger died on August 24 of that year in his mid-30s, long before he had the chance to realize a share of the enormous profit derived from his invention.

Matzeliger is not a household name but it should be. He was honored on a 29 cent first class U.S. postage stamp in 1991.

I hope that he included in the 2010 history portion of the BDPA high school computer competition! Jan Matzeliger should be discussed with our young people ... not Kanye West.

Friday, September 12, 2014

Rest in Peace: Tim Benson (1960-2009)

Tim Benson was a founding member of our BDPA chapter in Lansing, MI. He passed away on September 12, 2009 at the age of 48.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

OURstory: Lewis Latimer (1848-1928)


Lewis Howard Latimer was born on this date in 1848. He was an African American inventor and innovator in the electric lighting industry. [SOURCE]

As a boy Latimer worked in his father’s barbershop in Chelsea, Massachusetts. He joined the Union Navy during the Civil War and after an honorable discharge in 1865 he found work with a firm of patent lawyers. Although Latimer was hired as an office boy, he cultivated drafting skills in his spare time until he was qualified for blueprint work. Latimer brainstormed his own work, patenting in 1874 a "pivot bottom" for water closets on trains. His high-caliber draftsmanship impressed Alexander Graham Bell, whose 1876 telephone blueprints were drawn up by Latimer.

In 1880 Latimer went to work for the inventor Hiram Maxim, who ran the United States Electric Lighting Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut and was one of Thomas Edison's prime competitors in the institutionalization of electric light. Under Maxim, Latimer supervised the installation of electric light in New York, Philadelphia, London, and Montreal. He also developed other inventions of his own, co-patenting an electric lamp with Joseph V. Nichols in 1881, and, most important, refining light-bulb technology in 1882. In 1884 he was invited to work for Maxim's arch rival, Thomas Alva Edison, in New York.

An expert electrical engineer, Latimer's work for Edison was critical for the following reasons: his thorough knowledge of electric lighting and power guided Edison through the process of filing patent forms properly at the U. S. Patent Office, protecting the company from infringements of his inventions; Latimer was also in charge of the company library, collecting information from around the world, translating data in French and German to protect the company from European challenges. He became Edison's patent investigator and expert witness in cases against persons trying to benefit from Edison's inventions without legal permission.

Edison encouraged Latimer to write the book, Incandescent Electric Lighting: A Practical Description of the Edison System. Published in 1890, it was extremely popular as it explained how an incandescent lamp produces light in an easy-to-understand manner.

On February 11, 1918, Latimer became one of the 28 charter members of the Edison Pioneers, the only African American in this prestigious, highly selective group. [photo: Latimer is standing left; Edison is the one with the cane]

After leaving Edison, Latimer worked for a patent consultant firm until 1922 when failing eyesight caused an end to his career. His health began to fail following the death of his beloved wife Mary Wilson Latimer in 1924. To cheer and encourage him to carry on, his children, two daughters, had a book of his poems printed in 1925 in honor of his 77th birthday.

The poems are beautifully sensitive, and complement Latimer's designation as a "Renaissance Man" who painted, played the flute, wrote poetry and plays. Lewis Howard Latimer settled in Flushing, New York and lived there until his death in 1928. He was an active member of the local community, teaching English and drafting to immigrants at the Henry Street Settlement in 1906. In 1968, Latimer was posthumously honored by the borough of Brooklyn when a public school was named after him.

It is important that we tell OURstory ... we cannot rely on his-story!

Friday, August 22, 2014

Rest in Peace: Brandon Robert Gardner (1984-2009)

All members of the BDPA Education & Technology Foundation (BETF) family were saddened to learn of the death of Brandon Robert Gardner (1984-2009).

Brandon attended at least five national BDPA technology conferences ... including the 1999 conference in which he participated as a member of the Los Angeles chapter high school computer competition (HSCC) team.

Brandon helped to coach and chaperone the LA chapter HSCC team the next year when the national championship took place in Chicago. He is also remembered for making outstanding program meeting presentations on the Internet for his west coast chapter.

Brandon's dad, Robert, served as BDPA Los Angeles chapter president in 1999-2000. The entire Gardner family dealt with the rare disease, San Joacquin Valley Fever, for many years. Brandon lost his battle with the disease on August 22, 2009.
To the Gardner family, we say, "Hold tight to memories for comfort, lean on your friends for strength and always remember how much you are cared about."
To our young prince, Brandon Robert Gardner, we say, "Rest in peace."
BDPA Los Angeles chapter created the Brandon Gardner Memorial Scholarship Fund to honor the memory of this young man.   Contact BETF by phone (513.284-4968) or email if you would like to make a tax-deductible pledge to the BDPA Los Angeles Chapter Fund in Brandon's memory.

Friday, August 15, 2014

Rest in Peace: Wintino Jones (1958-2009)



Wintino Jones passed away in August 2009 at a Philadelphia hospital. I last saw Wintino the week before his death in Raleigh NC for the national BDPA conference. Tomorrow is not promised to any of us.

Wintino is one of the most loyal and devoted BDPA brothers that I ever met. He never sought fanfare. You were as likely to see Wintino in the back of the room or on a lobby couch as you were to see him on stage. However, his warm and welcome greeting whenever you saw him was not to be missed or forgotten. I worked with Wintino back in the day on BDPA membership issues. He always brought a smile to my face with his humor and with his ability to 'cut to the chase'.

In recent years I would see Wintino at the annual conference. He was a wonderful bid whist partner if you were lucky enough to sit across from him. I will miss Wintino. My prayers go out to his wife, children and family.



Rest in peace Bro. Jones...

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Fundraising Tip: Hard Truths Your Board Members Must Face If They Want to Raise Big Money

Do your board members want to raise big money? Then it's time to discuss the facts of life with them. Fundraising facts of life, that is.

"You can't handle the truth!" is Jack Nicholson's memorable line in A Few Good Men.

Fortunately, your board members are a hardier lot than Tom Cruise's character. They can in fact accept the truth—in this case, three fundraising truths -- if you carefully explain the validity of each.

1. Go Figure

Say you're approached by a fellow worker and asked to pitch in for the comptroller's wedding gift. The first question you typically ask is, "How much do you have in mind?" or "What are others giving?"

What you're seeking is a frame of reference.

The same dynamic plays out when you approach prospects. They want a sense of what you're looking for or what their peers are giving.

Are you talking $500, $5,000, or $50,000, they want to know.

You need to be specific. To many, that can be unnerving. Heck, it's hard enough to ask for "any amount you can give" or "whatever you can afford," but the temerity of naming a number—that's like asking "How much do you make a year, bud?"

But if you've done your homework—which is to say, you haven't plucked a figure from thin air—then you won't upset your prospect, especially if you phrase the request tactfully: "We're hoping you'll consider a gift in the range of $50,000" or "Will you consider joining me in giving $25,000 to this worthy cause?"

Another way to frame your request is to mention what others are giving, naming names if you've been given permission. Or, you can stress how your campaign needs several friends to contribute at a certain level and you're hoping the prospect will be among them. Here, you might actually share the gift table you developed.

When you bring your car in for service, the mechanic diagnoses the problem and gives you a quote. What if instead he said nothing? You wouldn't know whether you could afford the repair, or even if your car is worth fixing. It would make you uncomfortable—you'd also question the mechanic's ability.

Don't put your prospect in a similar position. Suggest the amount you have in mind, a "quote," if you will. No one's going to slam the hood on your fingers.

Read the rest of this GuideStar article and learn about the other two fundraising truths!

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Fundraising Tip: Never Apply for a Grant Without Contacting the Foundation First

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) spends a good deal of time writing grant proposals. Our success rate isn't very high. I think that the following fundraising tip may be helpful to us as we move forward in our grant-writing campaign.

Never Apply for a Grant Without Contacting the Foundation First:

As much as you might want to believe that grants are awarded simply due to the fit of the program and the excellence of the application, it simply isn't true. In fact in our experience, the odds of getting a grant that you send in without contacting the foundation are about 5 percent-10 percent. Just as in individual (and all!) fundraising, developing relationships is critical. There are people at these foundations, called program officers, who are directly responsible for deciding who gets money and who doesn't. They care deeply about the work they are funding, and consider it an advantage to be able to scope out potential grantees. In-person meetings with program officers are ideal, but even a short phone call with a grant manager or administrator can still yield the basic information you need as well as getting your name in the mind of someone at the foundation.

Sometimes these initial conversations can save you valuable time in applying for a grant program that was not a fit -- always do your homework on their funding goals ahead of time! But often, they are valuable knowledge-gathering sessions: use the call or meeting to identify the funder's key priorities and desired language, which many times cannot be found on the organization's Web site; figure out which of your programs or initiatives is the best fit;, and determine how much money you should request.
Finally, go out on a limb and ask if they would be willing to preview your LOI (Letter of Intent) or proposal before you submit it officially. This advance look will give them a sense of ownership over your request and provide you with valuable feedback. Start today by calling the offices of your top foundation prospects and seeing if you can get on a relevant program officer's schedule.

I must admit that the two largest grants that BETF received in the past year came after face-to-face meetings with the funding source.

This tip is inspired by Darian Heyman's new book, 'Nonprofit Management 101: A Complete and Practical Guide for Leaders and Professionals'.

Does this tip seem like one that you might use for your local chapter or nonprofit? If not, do you have a fundraising tip that you would like to share with us?

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Message from National BDPA President

Greetings BDPA Family!

It’s been a few months since my last report to you. We are halfway through the 2014 BDPA year and the leadership team has been busy at work. I wanted to stop and share with you a few highlights of what has been happening thus far. The following are a list of initiatives, requests and accomplishments that the team is very proud of. We are continuously moving forward and the organization is already showing favor based on these items.
  1. The leadership team has been asked to review and update all of the Standard Operating Procedures of the organization. This is important because most of these documents have not been updated since 2005. This means that the organization has been operating following the same procedures for almost 10 years! By updating these procedures, we can incorporate more efficient ways of providing better services to our local chapter leadership and membership.

  2. The decision has been made to reorganize the National Office. The objectives of this reorganization is to identify areas where improvements can be made to accomplish the following:
    • Better support a Volunteer Leadership Team
    • Generate data that can be used long term to maintain quality control
    • Improve efficiency of day-to-day operations
    • Improve overall customer service (internally and externally)
    • Lower costs wherever possible

  3. The CIO has been reviewing the organization’s technological needs and looking for solutions to balance workloads and increase productivity/efficiency. The following solutions have been implemented and are being rolled out for utilization:
    • Bizzabo Event Mobile Application (www.bizzabo.com) – This technology will make BDPA events and networking even better than before. It offers a wide range of configurable components that will help to captivate, motivate and inspire BDPA conference attendees like never before when it is launched at the 2014 National Conference! The following are a few benefits that will be available:
      • Conference agenda will be at the participant’s fingertips throughout the conference.
      • Conference attendees will be able to network and interact with each other through the app (shared feedback) and via social media.
      • Conference attendees will have access to venue maps and location finders at all times.
      • Conference speaker profiles will be available for review 24x7.
    • Smart Sheets (www.smartsheet.com) – This is a collaboration tool that will assist the leadership team with improving its management responsibilities.

  4. During this year’s national conference, in addition to the High School Computer Competition (HSCC) program that showcases the talents of our students so successfully, students will have the opportunity to compete in a Mobile App Showcase sponsored by State Farm. This year’s showcase will act as a pilot and will be conducted with a small group of students. The results will help the leadership team determine the best way to implement the program full-scale during future conferences.

  5. The leadership team is working towards building strategic partnerships with other organizations to help strengthen the BDPA programs and member services, bringing a stronger value proposition to its members. Partnerships with the following organizations are being considered:
    • BEYA
    • CODE2040
    • HBCU Career Development Marketplace
    • ITSMF
    • MainStreet Inclusion Advisors
    • NSBE
    • PEM
    • TechGirlz

  6. The leadership team is looking for ways to increase the awareness of BDPA member services, attacking the 'best kept secret' scenario that has existed for many, many years. The team is looking into ways to:
    • Increase collaboration with similar organizations (Strategic Partnerships)
    • Increase use of social media
    • Re-brand the organization (coming /soon)
    • Improve the BDPA Website

  7. The leadership team has developed and implemented a new BDPA Social Media Strategy and Policy that is currently available for chapters to implement locally. It was created to increase the organization’s social media presence and promote its messages. Analytics already show that interest in BDPA has increased.
RECRUITMENT of volunteers has been the key to success within BDPA. As a team, recruiting volunteers with the skill sets needed to keep progress going has made all the difference. Stay tuned for more information on how to recruit for success within BDPA! I am writing a series of documents that will show you how this can work on the chapter level.

We all have a responsibility to increase awareness of the BDPA Brand. The benefits are wide spread. We can vastly improve the BDPA member value proposition through improved services, stronger programs and collaborative initiatives.

Please visit the BDPA website (www.bdpa.org) and meet the National Leadership Team. Thanks for your support and it continues to be a pleasure to serve as your National President!

Sincerely,
Craig Brown, PhD, President
National BDPA

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Unum Seeks to Recruit Diverse IT Talent via BDPA Job Board

National BDPA is pleased to announce that one of the nation's largest insurance companies, Unum, agreed to purchased access to the BDPA Job Board for the next year. The company seeks to recruit diverse information talent from within our BDPA members and supporters.

Unum is a company of people serving people. A Fortune 500 company, Unum is a market leader in disability, group life, and voluntary benefits. Their products and services meet the needs of a diverse workforce that includes four generations, growing ethnic diversity and changing family dynamics.

A strong commitment to social responsibility is one of Unum's core values. In fact, they place particular emphasis on contributing to positive change in the communities in which they live and work. Helping communities become better is a natural extension of the commitment they make each and every day to their customers — to help employers manage their businesses and employees protect their families and livelihoods.

BDPA is very grateful to Unum vice president Sydney Crisp for his personal efforts in creating this corporate partnership. Sydney has been a BDPA supporter for the past decade ... working with us while working for major corporations like Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase. Sydney proves again the power of relationships as you strive to move forward in the nonprofit world.

Please contact the BDPA Corporate Sales Team by email or phone (301.584-3135, ext. 108) if you have interest in learning more about partnering with BDPA on a corporate level.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Wells Fargo Foundation

The Wells Fargo Foundation seems to have a much more regional focus in the areas they have traditionally served. Wells Fargo is proud to support organizations working to strengthen their communities. Through the efforts of their enthusiastic team member-volunteers and their contributions, they share their success within our communities by giving back to non-profits and educational institutions that address vital community needs and issues.

Where They Give - They direct their giving to areas that they believe are important to the future of our nation's vitality and success: community development, education, and human services.

Does your BDPA chapter have an account at Wells Fargo? Does your chapter have BDPA members that work for Wells Fargo? If so, then you should consider working with BETF to submit a grant proposal for your Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship program. BETF operates on a first-come, first-served basis.

Let me know if your chapter are interested in pursuing this funding opportunity.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

This Week in BDPA (May 4-10, 2014)

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:
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 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.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Rockwell Collins Charitable Corporation

Rockwell Collins is known around the world for its quality, reliable aviation products. They are also known as a corporate citizen with a commitment and involvement in education, especially supporting science technology, engineering and mathematics. Whether it's mentoring a FIRST LEGO League team, tutoring a disadvantaged student or donating computers, Rockwell Collins and its employees are making their communities better places to live and work. They believe in inspiring the next generation of engineers and innovators and building strong, vital communities as a way to ensure the success of our business.

Rockwell Collins makes charitable contributions to a variety of nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and around the world. The Rockwell Collins Charitable Corporation was established for the exclusive purpose of supporting qualified non-for-profit organizations in the communities where their employees live and work. These grants are targeted for major projects and programs and generally total $5,000 or more. Priority funding areas include Education, especially Math, Science, Engineering and Technology, and Arts & Culture, especially projects involving youth.

Grants are available in geographic areas of the United States where Rockwell Collins has facilities and a substantial number of employees (generally 100 or more). All grant requests submitted for regions outside of Rockwell Collins' headquarter community should be coordinated though the local Rockwell Collins Human Resources manager.

Budgeting for these grants is done annually, with approval in October. They request that grant applications are submitted prior to September 1, preceeded by an email or phone call notification or inquiry. Approved grants are paid quarterly.

My research of Rockwell Collins locations shows that they are co-located with BDPA chapters in Atlanta, Bay Area, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, No. Virginia, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Seattle, So. Florida, St. Louis, Triangle (Raleigh), Twin Cities and Washington DC.

Is your chapter interested in partnering with BETF on a grant proposal to Rockwell Collins Charitable Corporation? Are there any Rockwell Collins' employees active in BDPA?
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Friday, April 11, 2014

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.