he chapter was very active in the recently-concluded national conference. BDPA Charlotte chapter president Charles Moore shared some insights on the 30th annual BDPA Technology Conference with his members, sponsors and supporters. Here is what he had to say:BDPA Charlotte Friends and Family,
Greetings! For those of you who had the pleasure of attending our 2008 National Conference, I am sure you will agree that our time in Atlanta was amazing! I hope you found your way back to Charlotte safe and soundly. From the technical sessions, career development seminars, to the opening and closing ceremonies, and the networking opportunities, the conference had something to offer everyone in attendance. If you take a moment to read the highlights from this year’s conference you will see why I am excited and pleased to announce that the 2009 National Conference will be held in Raleigh, NC!!!!
National Board of Directors Meeting
As president of the Charlotte Chapter, I had the opportunity to participate in the National Board of Directors meeting. Chapter Presidents from around the country as well as our National President, Denise Holland, and her executive committee focused on matters related to keeping this beloved organization moving forward. These topics ranged from redesign of the national and local websites, to the offering of new programs and services. Expect great things to come out from our national leaders over the next few months and quarter.
Opening Ceremony – Ephren Taylor
BDPA corporation of the year, Johnson and Johnson sponsored the openingceremonies featuring the humorous Mario Armstrong as master of ceremonies. Our founder Earl Pace Jr., told us that in order to advance our careers and move our community forward, we simply need to “Cast Down Our Buckets Where We Are” in the BDPA to gain the resources needed to propel us forward. We also had the honor of hearing Ephren Taylor inspire and motivate the crowd as the key note speaker. Ephren, known as the “Wealth Engineer,” shared with us his amazing journey to becoming the youngest black CEO in history. Ephran, who created his first video game at the age of 12 and a millionaire by 17, told the 1500 in attendance that perseverance and hard work are the keys to success and to always seize opportunities when they are presented, no matter your age or situation.
Career Development & Technical Seminars
This year, the BDPA national conference offered over 50 career development and technical sessions were offered to help members advance their careers and enhance their technical capabilities. Also a 2 day PMP Certification exam preparation series was conducted. Like our monthly program meetings, all of the sessions at the national conference were eligible for continuing education credits needed to maintain professional certifications such as PMP, CISA, and CISSP. These topics included topics such as Business Intelligence, Enterprise Architecture, Off-shoring/Outsourcing, Career Networking, and The Art of Persuasion.
I want to extend a word of thanks and appreciation to our presenters from the Charlotte Chapter who presented excellent topics:
- Kimberly Green – ADKG Worldwide
- John Hoffler –Wachovia Corporation
- Evan Hilliard – Novant Healthcare
High School Computer Competition
Several HSCC teams assembled in Atlanta to participate in the 23rd year of this esteemed competition. Students from around the nation participated in a 2day competition where they were quizzed on several technical topics. They were also given 7 hours on Friday to build an online banking program from the ground up using ASP.NET. I want to thank our local Charlotte team for their hard work, participation, and effort. They continued the legacy here in Charlotte of participation in this marquee event. The team members listed below were led by Aaron Johnson and Markus Beamer as trainers and sponsored by Wachovia:
Women in IT Breakfast – Sponsored by Wachovia
- Trevor Williams (captain) - Vance High School
- Mykel Pendergrass - Sequoia Academy
- Sheldon Abrams - Harding University High School
- Jerron Jamerson - Berry Academy of Technology
- Brett Bailey - Berry Academy of Technology
On Saturday morning, the women of BDPA had the privilege to join Wachovia’s Sharon Murphy for breakfast to discuss the issues and challenges facing women in the field of Information Technology. Sharon is the newly appointed director of finance technology for Wachovia. This session was inspiring and gave women the opportunity to converse on issues and tactics used to overcome issues faced in our industry. This was also a great beginning of a strong network that will yield wonderful benefits to the women members of the BDPA. I am proud to announce that the Charlotte chapter will be launching quarterly lunch and learn seminars to continue this initiative locally. Please stay tuned for more details!
Technology Career Fair
Top employers from around the country assembled in Atlanta to recruit top IT talent at this year’s national conference. Several companies were pleased with quality of candidates attending the career fair. It is obvious that members such as yourselves should be among those advancing their career at such a wonderful event. Let’s be sure to take advantage of this in Raleigh during 2009!
Awards Gala – Dr. Randal Pinkett
The week’s activities were closed on Saturday evening with our annual gala and awards ceremony. During the evening’s events, we honored top achievements in the field of Information Technology. Our keynote speaker was the winner of NBC’s Apprentice, Dr. Randal Pinkett. His topic for the evening was “Is Success Your Objective, or is Greatness Your Goal?” This excellent speech reminded us all of the differences between success and greatness and that while completing a task is the definition of success; greatness comes from going above and beyond the call of duty. Success is quickly forgotten, but Greatness endures the test of time. Join BDPA Today!!!
Dr. Pinkett, and Ephren Taylor are 2 of the BDPA’s newest members. They see the value in belonging to this esteemed organization, and we ask that you take the time to join them. Membership is a simple 2 step process!
Take a moment to review our benefits, programs, and services. Once you are ready to become a member, you may do so by clicking here to join the BDPA!
Over the next few weeks, you will be receiving communications about events, activities, and opportunities that have been planned for you as members going forward. As always, we look forward to serving you and continuing to meet your professional and technical needs as well as having you involved in any capacity you wish to serve. If there is anything myself or anyone else in the chapter can do for you, please do not hesitate to contact me and using the information below.
Thanks,
Charles Moore, President
BDPA Charlotte
Phone: 704-654-8114
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