BDPA Announces Annual Awards Luncheon to Honor Members & Sponsors

BDPA Cincinnati Chapter is pleased to announce the 10th Annual Awards Luncheon (THEME: 'Embracing the Digital Future') to be held at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber (3 E. 4th Street; Cincinnati 45202) on April 10, 2015. BDPA plans to recognize its outstanding volunteer members and corporate sponsors. The chapter is a professional organization that seeks to advance the careers of African Americans in the information technology industry from the classroom to the boardroom via its programs and services.

“BDPA Cincinnati is a safe place to volunteer and sharpen corporate leadership skills”, said Awards Luncheon chairperson Janice Lee. “This luncheon lets us thank the volunteers who ‘do the work’ and the corporate sponsors who provide financial support and advice to the chapter’s board of directors.”

The luncheon will honor five individuals and one corporation for the chapter’s highest honors. The following awards will be presented: Community Service Award, Corporate Sponsor of the Year, Director of the Year, Executive Officer of the Year, Member of the Year and Spirit Award

“The luncheon is a wonderful opportunity for us to express our appreciation to the corporate sponsors and hard working volunteers that make the BDPA Magic happen year over year,” said BDPA Cincinnati president Dalric Webb. “Through the financial, in-kind, and volunteering efforts of our sponsors and supporters, the chapter is able to make a difference each year in the lives of underserved students and individuals focused on STEM careers. We hope all who attend find this brief ceremony to be enjoyable and empowering.”

Your attendance is requested to support the program. Tickets for the luncheon are $25.00. Proceeds from the banquet will underwrite scholarships and educational opportunities for area youth. For more information on the luncheon or BDPA Cincinnati chapter, call (513) 549-6991, email luncheon.cincy@bdpa.org or log on to http://bdpa-awardslunch-2015.eventbrite.com/.

IT-oLogy Renews Bronze Level Sponsorship

BDPA Greater Columbia chapter proudly announced the renewal of its Bronze-level sponsorship from IT-oLogy. IT-oLogy is a non profit collaboration of businesses, academic institutions and organizations dedicated to growing the IT talent pipeline, fostering economic development and advancing the IT profession. The organization works tirelessly to promote, teach and grow information technology with its programs and services.

BDPA Greater Columbia receives in-kind facilities donation to conduct its annual computer camp impacting 8th-thru-12th graders as well as its monthly program meetings for IT professionals in South Carolina.

Lonnie Emard

"IT-oLogy values the partnership and alliance with BDPA because combining our efforts to solve our national IT talent shortage is creating a winning formula for employers, professionals, students and ultimately for the economic condition of the USA," says IT-oLogy president Lonnie Emard.

IT-oLogy provided a college scholarship to BDPA student member Jerron Jamerson. Jerron is now an IT intern with Duke Energy as he completes work on his computer science degree from Winston-Salem State University. BDPA is very proud of its long-term partnership with IT-oLogy.

Message from BDPA Cincinnati Chapter President

Dalric Webb

As we enter the last month of the first quarter in 2015, BDPA Cincinnati is still putting the pedal to the metal! In case you haven’t been keeping up with the postings on the chapter's Groupsite page, there has been a flurry of activity in the last month and coming up as well! The BDPA Computer Camp team has rounded the corner and is now going into week #11 of its schedule.

The students have done EXCEPTIONALLY well in absorbing the teachings from BDPA volunteers. Many of the students have already completed interactive webpages. We are looking forward to our students competing in the upcoming BDPA Midwest Regional High School Computer Competition on June 20th. BDPA will use the regional competition to finalize on the members of the HSCC team that we plan to take to the 37th Annual BDPA Technology Conference in Washington DC. We are counting on the support of family, friends, sponsors and volunteers as these students move on their journey 'from the classroom to the boardroom'.

Rodney Swope

Our 2nd Annual IT Recruiters Roundtable was held on one of the coldest nights of the year. However, the energy in the room heated everyone up! Our chapter's VP-Member Services, Karen Lipscomb, led the panel discussion focused on hiring tips, job opportunities and timely resources. Our March 2015 program meeting will feature Rodney Swope, Minority Business Accelerator director, who will share key insights on being an entrepreneur and connecting to the vibrant economic and innovation ecosystems within Cincinnati. We hope spend the evening with us to learn from Rodney, network with like-minded professionals and enjoy some light refreshments.

BDPA Cincinnati encourages you to join us on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 at 6:30 pm for island-style dining and salsa dancing at Margaritaville in downtown Cincinnati. Enjoy a one-of-a-kind tropical experience at the Margaritaville Restaurant at the Horseshoe Casino. The fun really starts at 7:30 pm when BDPA member Malik Spencer gives us lessons on Salsa dancing! Malik has taught dance workshops all over town and we look forward to seeing the improved Salsa techniques of our guests on March 25th!

Finally, we hope that all of our supporters, sponsors and volunteers will make plans to join us at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber for the 10th Annual BDPA Awards Luncheon being held on Friday, April 10, 2015 @ 11:30. We will recognize both the 'Member of the Year' and the 'Corporate Sponsor of the Year' at this celebration. Tickets are only $25.00 and you are encouraged to RSVP right away!

2015 is off to a FANTASTIC start! Our chapter membership grew to more than 200 in February! We hope to continue that trend with the active engagement of our members. Remember, this is YOUR organization. What are you looking to get out of it? What are you putting into it to obtain those results? Are you engaged? Did you attend the last program meeting? The last social? The last computer camp session? The chapter is ACTIVE in our communities – we’d love to have you join us.

Looking forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events!

Sincerely,
Dalric Webb, President
BDPA Cincinnati Chapter

BDPA Cincinnati Chapter Selects Its Future President - Na'Shawnda Peterson

Na'Shawnda Peterson

BDPA Cincinnati chapter, a nonprofit organization made up of racially diverse information technology professionals, announced a new member of its executive team. Na’Shawnda Peterson was named President-Elect and will become the chapter’s president in 2016-2017. Na’Shawnda is a business solutions manager at GE Aviation. She is responsible for maintaining IT infrastructure for a world-leading provider of jet and turboprop engines. Na’Shawnda attended both the College of Wooster and the University of Cincinnati.

"I am very excited to be a part of this wonderful organization and use my expertise to support its mission. I look forward to a great year and making a difference in our community," says Na’Shawnda Peterson.

In her new role, Na’Shawnda coordinates the activities of the chapter vice presidents with an emphasis on chapter operations, corporate sales and marketing. Also, she serves as the assistant vice-president of the finance business area.

“We are very excited to have Na'Shawnda join the BDPA Cincinnati Chapter Board of Directors”, said BDPA chapter president Dalric Webb. “Na'Shawnda brings over 15 years of technical experience and professionalism to the team. Her engagement is a key pillar in our long-term strategy to advance the careers of technology professionals from the classroom to the boardroom.”

BDPA Cincinnati chapter is the second-largest chapter in the nation. The chapter meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. In fact, the chapter meets next on Wednesday, March 18th to discuss ‘Innovation and Minority Entrepreneurs’ at Brown Mackie College (1011 Glendale Milford Road; Cincinnati OH 45215).

Message from BDPA Atlanta Chapter President

The motto of BDPA is 'from the classroom to the boardroom'. BDPA Atlanta’s motto is 'Learn, Grow, and Achieve'. Our local motto supports the educational cycle that we apply to our members and anyone we encounter. It most especially applies to our kids, the young men and women who join our programs seeking to grow in technology.

This past Saturday we again firmly committed ourselves to living up to our motto and forging a legacy of growth and innovation. BDPA Atlanta hosted it High School Computer Competition kickoff at Microsoft.  Microsoft is committed to supporting efforts at community uplift. They allowed us to use their meeting rooms. They supplied computers, surface tablets, and software that served as an introduction to computer programming.

Even my daughter found it incredibly exciting and had her first introduction to the world of coding. I’m getting her started early. When the time is right she will definitely be in Black Girls Code, BDPA, and in completing the cycle by joining the Information Technology Senior Management Forum as she journeys to the boardroom ... if she doesn’t decide to be veterinarian. She loves animals.

This weekend’s event was the result of a strong team, communication, engagement and the power I believe is truly inherent in us all when we come together to accomplish great things. And understand this is a GREAT thing. I firmly believe in building a network, leveraging a network, and creating an opportunity. Connections made during Saturday’s kickoff possible. Growing those relationships made it successful. Continuing to nurture these relationships will expand our efforts and positively impact the lives of more youth.

BDPA Atlanta will continue its tradition of educating students in IT, and will broaden that mission by working with partners like Microsoft. This is exciting and necessary work. However we cannot do it alone. If you think you can help us engage our youth in technology then please, join us.

The Aspiring Critical Thinker,
D.S. Brown, president
BDPA Atlanta

BDPA iRadio Show: February 24, 2015 (Harold Frazier, Lewis Newton, Deena Pierott)

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!

Check Out Technology Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with BDPA on BlogTalkRadio

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The guest on the February 24th show:

Deena Pierott

Deena Pierott - chief networking officer, Mosaic Blueprint - Deena Pierott is the president of Mosaic Blueprint. She has an extensive career in both the public and private sectors and was always the "change agent". Not until later in life did she realize that all that changing up and creating things was actually someone with an entrepreneurial spirit. Now as an entrepreneur she has several businesses running at the same time. Mosaic Blueprint is a boutique firm located in the Pacific NW specializing in recruiting and on-boarding, multicultural communications, outplacement services and career counseling. One of her major programs is the iUrban Teen Technology program focuses on "non-traditional" STEM learners ages 13 to 18. The teenagers in this program are exposed to the world of technology careers. Our target demographic are African American males and Latino males. However, the program is inclusive of all and we have almost equal parity of girls that participate as well. Learn more at www.iurbantech.com. This program was a nominee for the 2013 Rockefeller Innovation Award and recently selected as the White House Champion of Change for Technology Inclusion. Deena has a lot to share with the BDPA iRadio Show audience.

Harold Frazier, Jr.

Harold Frazier, Jr. - director, Vertical Computer Systems - Harold Frazier is the director of mobile software development for Vertical Computer Systems. He is an example of what BDPA means when it says that we provide programs and services from the 'classroom to the boardroom' for its membership. Harold was a member of the 1995 High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship team that was trained by our BDPA Detroit chapter. He earned a computer science degree from the University of Michigan and has advanced to being a co-inventor of patented application called, 'Mobile Web-Based Interpreter'. He has an interesting story to share with BDPA iRadio Show of his journey in the IT industry over the past 20 years! You can follow Harold on Twitter: haroldfjr.

Lewis Newton

Lewis Newton - account manager, Digital Management Inc. - Lewis Newton participated in the National BDPA High School Computer Competition team trained by BDPA Washington DC chapter in 1990 ... 25 years ago. His team won the national championship! We seek to celebrate the winners from that 1990 HSCC championship team on the BDPA iRadio Show. Any life lessons from the experience? Any words of advice for the 2015 HSCC students?

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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!

Grant Declination: Nissan Foundation (Los Angeles)

BDPA Los Angeles chapter (president, David Malonson) and BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF)  learned that our $2,000 grant proposal to the Nissan Foundation has been turned down. The declination letter read as follows:

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Mr. Hicks,

Thank you for submitting your grant application to Nissan Neighbors on behalf of BDPA Education and Technology Foundation. We regret that Nissan will be unable to fund your program in the fiscal 2014 grant year, which ends March 31, 2015. Nissan's educational funds are fully allocated to other programs in this fiscal year.

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation provides a valuable service to the community. We wish you continued success in your endeavors.

Thank you again for your interest in Nissan Neighbors.

Sincerely,
Nissan Neighbors

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BETF will continue to seek out funding opportunities for our west coast chapter. We encourage you to help by making a secure online donation to the BDPA Los Angeles Scholarship Fund.

HSCC Testimonial: Jonathan Hernandez (Philadelphia, 2003-2004, 2006)

Jonathan Hernandez is a three-time participant in the National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC). He and his teammates were trained by BDPA Philadelphia chapter. We asked him about his experiences and he wrote:

"During my time with the BDPA's HSCC program as a teenager, I earned deep skills in web, application, and database technologies which have served me to this day. The experience from my teens endowed me with an edge over my competition right out of college, allowing me to find more innovative, competitive, and empowering offers from the biggest players across industries. These skills allowed me to broaden my degree in Political Science, into an active position where I make equitable change on a daily basis to my clients and stakeholders as a technology consultant and project manager.

Jonathan (standing, 2nd-from left)

Additionally, the BDPA has empowered me with the ability to socially engage and manage cross-functional technical roles with a high level of effectiveness, building consensus and clarity across the organization, and in the direction of any goal. I would not be so fortunate without the help of the BDPA, and its most brilliant group of supporting members. Furthermore, as an adult within my career, the BDPA's dividends continue to provide me with access to mentors and leaders, who have given me invaluable advice in the direction of my dreams."

Jonathan graduated from Temple University and he's now working for Accenture as a data center migration consultant. He believes in the power of technology and the real social impacts it can make across organizations and borders. His work at Accenture allows him to provide technical project management services to businesses to realize best value and technical support. Jonathan has come back to serve as a volunteer with BDPA ... particularly with young people seeking to learn programming and professional skills before they ever enter a college lecture hall.

You can learn more about Jonathan from his website. You can support Jonathan's passion for BDPA by making a secure online donation for the BDPA Philadelphia HSCC Scholarship Fund.

Message from the BDPA Cincinnati Chapter President

Dalric Webb

Love is in the air...

February brings to mind all the excitement and joy of being close to those you love and care about, like your BDPA family! Within your BDPA family we have share a love and passion for seeing our youth gain traction in the world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. We get excited when our young people get the “bug” for learning and see college not as a challenge outside of their reach, but as a stepping stone to further their own aspirations for greatness. We feel a certain warmth when one of our peers or colleagues advances their career, receives that promotion, takes that new job, or completes a major milestone. The BDPA family love is undeniably in the air and it is a feeling we want to grow within our communities and circles of influence.

February brings us into week five of our computer camp at Cincinnati state! The 20 students in attendance are digging deep and staying focused as they enter their second month of Saturday instructions. We are excited to have three members of the GE Information Technology Leadership Program joining the team this year, Jarad Torrence, Bobby Richardson and Kadre Roberts bring additional technical, personal and professional skill-sets to the team and will be a part of the WINNING team we take to Washington DC this summer for the 37th Annual BDPA Technology Conference!

Our next program meeting is on February 19th and will feature our second roundtable with IT recruiters from Fifth Third Bank, L3-Communications and SmartIT. In case you missed the exceptional roundtable held last year, you do not want to miss this one. Be sure to bring several fresh copies of your resume. Opportunities present themselves at our meetings each month. The one that is right for you could be at this month’s meeting! Register today by clicking this link.

While our board of volunteers is strong and working well together, there are still volunteering opportunities that can use your support if you are still considering how you can help out. Won’t you step forward to join the team? Please take a look at the vacant positions listed on our chapter landing page. Additional, we have several volunteering opportunities within each of the board committees that might be more of a match for your particular interest in giving back. Send me an email and let’s chat about it.

2015 is off to a FANTASTIC start! Last year we grew membership by over 127%! We hope to continue that trend with the active engagement of our members. Remember, this is YOUR organization. What are you looking to get out of it? What are you putting into it to obtain those results? Are you engaged? Did you attend the last program meeting? The last social? The last computer camp session? The chapter is ACTIVE in our communities – we’d love to have you join us.

Looking forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events,

Sincerely,
Dalric Webb, president
BDPA Cincinnati Chapter

Rest In Peace: Jim Cunningham (1946-2011)

BDPA Cincinnati chapter member James M. ("Jim") Cunningham lost his two-year battle with cancer on February 11, 2011. Jim represented BDPA on Ohio's Third Frontier Initiative when it was being crafted by the governor. Jim also served as a director of the BDPA Cincinnati Entrepreneur Special Interest Group and was moderator of the BDPA-Telecommunications YahooGroup.

Jim had a long career with Cincinnati Bell and served as the Information Technology department director at National College in Cincinnati. Jim's skills, knowledge and talents will be missed by BDPA and the IT industry in southwest Ohio.

Rest in peace Jim.

Related articles

• Rest In Peace: Brandon Berry (1984-2008)

BDPA Seeks Students for Mobile Application Showcase

BDPA is excited to announce that the 2nd annual Mobile Application Showcase sponsored by State Farm is expanding as a national student program! Last year's pilot of this program was a great success with over $19,000 in college scholarships being handed out!

BDPA needs your support to spread the word about this great program. Do you know any high school or undergrad college students with programming experience who can work independently and interested in developing native iOS and Android mobile applications. This program is completely virtual! However, BDPA will provide weekly training sessions and mentors for students during the application development portion of the showcase.

• Overview of the showcase - http://www.bdpa.org/?page=MobileApplication
• Register to participate - http://www.bdpa.org/?page=MobileAppShowcase

If you have questions or wish to discuss further, please reach out to National BDPA Mobile Application Showcase coordinator, Tonji Zimmerman, by email (mobileapps@bdpa.org) or by phone (301.584-3135).

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!

Related articles

• Testimonial: BDPA Summer Internship (Hadiya Harrigan, Cincinnati)
• Cincinnati.com, 1/6/2014 (Hadiya Harrigan)

Grant Proposal: Gannett Foundation (Milwaukee)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation worked in collaboration with BDPA Milwaukee chapter (president, Carmen Giles) to submit a $5,000 grant proposal to the Gannett Foundation. We requested funding to support the chapter's Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) project. The chapter seeks to train 25 students in STEM-related curriculum over the course of the year. BDPA Milwaukee chapter has already won a $5,000 grant award from the Helen Bader Foundation.

BDPA Milwaukee Leadership Team

BDPA Milwaukee was recently named 'Comeback Chapter of the Year' for its accelerated growth and commitment to students, members and corporate sponsors. Last year, BDPA Milwaukee sponsored local high school students to compete in the National BDPA High School Computer Competition. Successful funding from the Gannett Foundation will allow them to bring another team to Washington DC later this year.

We encourage all BDPA chapters to reach out to us if they need funding support for the SITES program in their area. Our process is well documented. For now, let's all simply wish 'good luck' to BDPA Milwaukee chapter!

Message from National BDPA President

Pamela Mathews

Hello everyone! Can you believe that we are already in the month of February? Time flies when you work with a controlled sense of urgency! This phrase best summarizes how your national and regional leadership performed in the month of January -- accelerating efforts around the following key activities:

• Appointed Coram Rimes as Vice President of Finance;
• Brand rejuvenation focused on visual optics and updating programming that will increase our member value proposition for current and prospective members, corporate partners, sponsors and students;
•  Registration or training opened for the High School Computer Competition, Mobile Application and IT Showcase programs. I encourage all students, trainers and sponsors to engage in one of these signature programs;
• Reviewed and confirmed organizational finances, including evaluation of 2014 Conference expenses and our plan of action to retire this debt; and
• The 2015 Technology Conference and Career Fair planning is underway and the team is positioned to deliver our best Conference ever. The discount conference registration rate of $300 has been extended until February 28th.

As you can tell, we are not just planning or talking about the tactics that bring our strategy to life, but we are EXECUTING. 2015 is most definitely all about execution and I hope that this energy transcends the entire organization, especially as we celebrate our 40th Anniversary.

In that same spirit, February is also the month we celebrate Black History. Our legacy is one that we can all be proud of and commemorate every day, but especially over the next twenty-six days. In addition, I am encouraging everyone to participate in local Black Family Technology Awareness Week activities.

Furthermore, please remember to renew your membership, register for the Conference and get busy with your local chapter. As a reminder, your local, regional and national leadership stand ready to listen, learn and lead based on your feedback and participation. Thank you in advance for your continued support and collaboration.

In closing, I want to THANK YOU again for the opportunity to serve our great organization as President and please feel free to contact me at info@bdpa.org if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

Sincerely,
Pamela L. Mathews, president
National BDPA

GSK Joins a Growing List of BDPA Corporate Sponsors

GSK purchased a basic corporate sponsorship package as part of the 40th anniversary celebration of BDPA. The purchase will provide GSK with unlimited access to the BDPA Job Board for the next year as well as corporate memberships for up to ten (10) employees.

GSK is a science-led global healthcare company that researches and develops a broad range of innovative products in three primary areas of pharmaceuticals, vaccines and consumer healthcare. As one of the few healthcare companies researching both medicines and vaccines for the World Health Organization’s three priority diseases – HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, they are very proud to have developed some of the leading global medicines in these fields.



GSK operations in America cover a diverse range of business functions. As well as corporate headquarters in Philadelphia and North Carolina, they have three separate research centers, two focusing on biologicals, as well as many more focusing on consumer healthcare and manufacturing. We anticipate that IT-related career opportunities will be consistently posted on the BDPA Job Board. BDPA members and supporters are encouraged to upload a current resume so that they are prepared for the opportunities as they arise.

Please contact the BDPA corporate sales team on (301) 584-3135 x108 if you would like to learn more about sponsorship opportunities for your company!

BDPA Cincinnati Announces New VP-Finance – Jessica Waddell

BDPA Cincinnati chapter, a nonprofit organization made up of racially diverse information technology professionals, announced a new member of its executive team. Jessica Waddell was named the Vice President of Finance. Jessica is a financial analyst at GE Aviation. She handles financial planning, cash forecasting, billing and project management in her current position. She has been working for almost nine years at GE Aviation, one of the largest corporations in Cincinnati. Jessica was vice president of the National Black MBA Association chapter on the campus of Ohio State University, where she earned her degree in Finance.

“I’m excited to join and provide finance support to an organization with such a great mission and am looking forward to getting involved this year,” says Jessica Waddell.

In her new role, Jessica works with a team of volunteers to develop and maintain the BDPA Cincinnati financial processes. Her responsibilities include maintaining complete financial records of all monies received and disbursed by the organization and issuing periodic financial reports.

"We are excited to have Jessica join the BDPA Cincinnati Chapter Board of Directors in the volunteer role of Vice President of Finance”, says BDPA Cincinnati chapter president Dalric Webb. “Jessica brings an energetic and professional outlook to our high energy team. She is committed to making a positive impact in the lives of our youth, our members, and our communities."

BDPA Cincinnati chapter is the second-largest chapter in the nation. The chapter meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month.

Mayo Clinic Supports Diversity IT Hiring via BDPA Career Fair

Mayo Clinic has been coming to the annual BDPA career fair for over a decade. They do so because it works! Mayo Clinic agreed to renew its commitment to the 2015 National BDPA Career Fair being held on August 21-22, 2015 in Washington DC. BDPA seeks to have over 60 companies in attendance at the career fair this year.



You can get a glimpse of the types of jobs being offered on the BDPA Job Board. What are you waiting for? Add your current resume to the BDPA Job Board today!

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.

Message from BDPA Cincinnati Chapter President

Dalric Webb

Happy New Year wishes to all our BDPA Cincinnati chapter members, their families and friends. Fresh off the successes of an OUTSTANDING year in 2014 serving the needs of our members and our communities, the team of volunteers that comprise the BDPA Cincinnati Chapter Board of Directors is EXCITED at the potential greatness we plan to accomplish in 2015!

Kicking this year off we first welcome NaShawnda Peterson (GE Aviation) to the BDPA Board as our incoming President-Elect! NaShawnda brings a wealth of expertise and experience to the board and will help steer the organization toward even greater success in the years ahead. Be sure to say hello and welcome her at our next program meeting. Speaking of which, have you registered to attend the next DYNAMIC program meeting on January 21st? The topic is 'Electronic Publishing'!

We kicked off our annual Computer Camp program on Saturday, January 10th at Cincinnati State. Please stop by and say hello to the eager students we will train in our weekly Computer Camp ... these young people will impact the world of tomorrow! Share with them some of your personal and professional experiences as we prepare them with instructions on coding, web development, professional development and improving their confidence levels on the journey BDPA takes them 'from the classroom to the boardroom'!

Steve Gutter

Steve Gutter (The Kroger Co.) stepped down after over a decade of service in a variety of leadership positions including both VP-Strategy & Planning and VP-Finance. Steve contributed his time and expertise as a speaker on Mobile Applications Development at program meetings and chapter camp sessions. Steve was an exceptional example of the professional volunteers that have joined the BDPA team over the years to further the organizational mission and make a positive difference in the lives of our youth, our members and within our communities. Steve will certainly be missed on the board of directors!

The incoming VP-Finance is Jessica Waddell (GE Aviation).  Jessica is a financial planning analyst by trade. She is eager and energized at the opportunity to volunteer in support of the BDPA Cincinnati Chapter. Please join me in welcoming Jessica to the team!

There are still several opportunities to join the BDPA Cincinnati Board of Directors and volunteer your time and energy towards making a positive difference in the lives of others. Won’t you step forward to join the team? Please take a look at the currently vacant positions listed on our chapter landing page. Also, we have several volunteering opportunities within each of the board committees that might be more of a match for your particular interest in giving back. Send me an email and lets chat about it.

2015 is going to be a FANTASTIC year! We have several social events planned including the upcoming 'Meet & Greet at Nada Restaurant' on January 22nd. Please take a look at our GroupSite calendar for more information and to register to attend.

Take a moment to complete the online Membership Satisfaction Survey. We plan to use your feedback to improve on the ways that we engage with you in the future. Please show your support by participating AND providing feedback on what is or is not working for you in the chapter operations. We value your input and participation.

Looking forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events!

Sincerely,
Dalric Webb, President
BDPA Cincinnati Chapter

KPMG Renew Its Commitment to Diversity Recruiting via BDPA Job Board

BDPA is pleased to announce that KPMG agreed to renew its access to the BDPA Job Board - www.ITDiversityCareers.com - in its continuing effort to recruit diverse information technology talent from all over the nation! KPMG is a global network of professional firms providing audit, tax and advisory services. The company operates in 156 countries and has 150,000 people working in member firms around the world. With a worldwide presence, KPMG continues to build on its successes thanks to clear vision, defined values and, above all, its people.

BDPA provides remarkable return-on-investment to our sponsors who purchase access to the BDPA Job Board. We will continue to report on those companies who renew their commitment to BDPA via this remarkable asset. This tool also benefits our members who are unemployed, under-employed or simply seeking to determine their marketability in the IT industry!

Please contact the BDPA corporate sales team on (301) 584-3135 x108 if you would like to learn more about sponsorship opportunities for your company!

Message from the National BDPA President

Greetings! I pray that all of you had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed your time with family and friends. 2014 has been an incredible year for BDPA. As I mentioned in my December 1st update, we experienced transition, celebration and collaboration. In addition, through the generosity of our corporate partners and sponsors, we awarded over $120,000 in scholarships to our students! Talk about making a difference in the lives of our student members. But the best is yet to come…

I am very excited about 2015 and hope you share my enthusiasm. 2015 represents the 40th year of existence for our beloved BDPA! The vision of our Founders is alive and well. We have over 30 active chapters, 100 corporate partners and sponsors, and 2,100 members who comprise the largest minority Information Technology organization in the world! This is something that we can all be proud of and celebrate. However, we are not done and have much work to do.

In 2015, we begin year two of our 2014-2018 National Strategy. As a reminder, we are focused on:

• BDPA 2.0, specifically brand rejuvenation;
• Organizational growth and efficiency; and
• Enhancement of our member value proposition.

We have a very strong national and regional leadership team in place to bring this strategy to life across the organization. The team and I look forward to working and visiting with all of you throughout the year and celebrating our accomplishments. Please know that in order to realize our National Strategy, we need your help.

We need your active participation, teamwork, input and support to achieve our strategic and growth goals. As we begin a new year, I encourage each of you to partner with your regional and local leadership on the development and execution of your respective plans. Finally, please remember to renew your membership, visit bdpa.org on a regular basis to stay abreast of organization activities, AND register for our 2015 Technology Conference and Career Fair (early bird registration is extended until January 31, 2015) as soon as possible.

In closing, THANK YOU again for the opportunity to serve our great organization as President and please feel free to contact me at info@bdpa.org if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

Sincerely,
Pamela Mathews, president
National BDPA

Grant Award: Sempra Energy Foundation ($2,500)

The Sempra Energy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private foundation based in San Diego, California, USA. The foundation was founded by Sempra Energy, a Fortune 250 energy services company that serves the largest customer base of any energy utility in the United States. With 13,800 employees worldwide, the Sempra Energy companies develop energy infrastructure, operate utilities, and provide related products and services to more than 29 million consumers worldwide.

We recently learned that our $2,500 grant proposal made to the Southern California Gas Company, subsidiary of Sempra Energy, has been approved. The proposal was submitted jointly by BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) and BDPA Los Angeles chapter president David Malonson.

The approval letter partially read:

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Dear Mr. Malonson,

On behalf of all of us at SoCalGas, thanks for all you do in the community. We are proud to provide a $2,500 grant to BDPA Education and Technology Foundation in support of the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program. We are pleased to support!

We would appreciate any communications you can send to highlight our partnership in the community. Any additional recognition on newsletters, websites or social media (Facebook and Twitter) would be appreciated. We have thousands of followers who will have the opportunity to learn about your program if you are able to tag us. You can find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SoCalGas) and follow us on Twitter (@socalgas). Please also keep us informed of these communication activities so that we can pass it onto our leadership team.

At SoCalGas, we believe that supporting local organizations like yours helps us create meaningful and important community partnerships. We look forward to working with you!

Best wishes,
Carolyn Williams
Community Relations Manager

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BETF hopes that we can replicate this success with all local BDPA chapters. There are many funding sources out there. You can learn more from our website or by reaching out to the BETF executive director.

Top 10 BDPA Chapters (Membership, December 2014)

The lifeblood of any nonprofit association is its membership.  BDPA membership grew by 23% in 2014.   December 2014 marked the first time in a year that our membership total declined.  However, it is likely that the growth will continue in 2014 under the leadership of National BDPA VP-Membership Management Mildred Allen.  She works with local, regional and national leaders to provide a value proposition to members (and potential members) with robust BDPA programs, scholarships and services.

Beverly Moore

One of the largest membership moves in December came from our BDPA Detroit chapter (president, Beverly Moore).  The chapter grew by over 66% in the past year to become the 8th largest chapter in the nation.  The chapter effectively used its monthly program meetings to introduce itself to the community. 

We believe in the management maxim -- you get what you measure.  Let us assess the numbers in order to honor those local BDPA chapters who are demonstrating success in their efforts to recruit and retain members. Let's take a look at the ten largest chapters in BDPA-Nation:

1. Chicago - president, Reggie Rush
2. Cincinnati - president, Dalric Webb
   
3. Washington DC - president, Perry Carter 
4. Philadelphia - president, Eileen Gadsden (up 1 spot)
5. Atlanta - president, Derrick Brown (down 1 spot)
6. Southern Minnesota - president, Will Smith
   
7. New Jersey - president, Goldie Bonney (up 1 spot)
8. Detroit - president, Beverly Moore (up 2 spots)
9. Dallas - president, Chad White (down 2 spots)
10. Los Angeles - president, David Malonson (down 1 spot)

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The top five chapters on the list remain in the 'BDPA Century Club'! The benefit of having powerful leadership is obvious when we see that Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Washington DC each have over 100 members. One of the common denominators for each of these chapters is that they place a high premium on the delivery of quality programs and services to their members. These chapters work hard to ensure that there is a strong return on the $100 investment that each member makes thru annual dues.

What are your thoughts about the value of BDPA membership? What can your local chapter do to improve the value-proposition for you on a personal or professional level?

Happy New Year, BDPA!