Wednesday, February 29, 2012

BDPA iRadio Show: Angela Bryant (BDPA Indianapolis)

Angela Bryant
BDPA iRadio Show interviewed BDPA Indianapolis chapter president Angela Bryant on October 25, 2011.

BDPA Indianapolis chapter is one of the best-run chapters in the nation. They quietly have built a very effective organization that regularly competes in the National BDPA High School Computer Competition championship. The chapter has a strong program that attracts a large number of students (especially young women) and members into leadership positions. Also, the chapter has a very strong partnership with Fortune 100 company Eli Lilly. Eli Lilly provides scholarships, funding and mentorship for Angela and her chapter. These are all 'best practices' that Angela shared in her interview on BDPA iRadio Show.





The host of BDPA iRadio Show is Franne McNeal. Episodes of the BDPA iRadio Show are now available for immediate and FREE download from the iTunes Store.

The show is sponsored by the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation. This particular video clip was put together by BETF volunteers Gerald Belton and Michele Ortmann.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

PCs and Tablets and Smartphones, Oh My!

by Rudy Duke
Born to Move Magazine

So you want an iPad? Do you need it? Don’t buy technology for technology sake unless you got it like that! When it comes to technology equipment needs, you need to know what to expect from each type. For those of us on a budget, we should acquire our equipment in the following sequence:

PC (Laptops and Desktops)

When it comes to a PC, the only reason to buy a desktop is if you are in the graphic design business – and can use a 24” – 30” wide-screen monitor. For the rest of us, get a really good laptop first. The PC is for all your heavy duty computing needs: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc. Toshiba is my favorite. At time of this post, a good Toshiba 15.6” with i3 chip can be purchased between $300 – $350.

Tablet

Once you have a good laptop, you are now ready to add a tablet to your tech toolbox. Tablets will help check emails, browse the Internet, take notes, use apps for a wide range of needs, read e-books, etc. While there are lots of good competitors, the iPad is still the best in my book. I recommend waiting for the iPad 3 which comes out around March 2012.

SmartPhone

We all need a mobile phone these days. If you have a laptop and a tablet, a decent phone for calls is enough. If possible, step up to a smartphone, getting a good one with an affordable data plan. Here again, I would stay in the “iDevice” family with the iPhone – especially if you have an iPad tablet. You can now backup your data in the iCloud (Internet) for both your iPhone and iPad and access it wherever you are. Here too, there are lots of excellent options but try pairing your tablet and your smartphone as much as possible.

Rudy Duke
I know people who have bought a tablet to use in place of a PC or a smartphone and have been sorely disappointed. Buy in the order suggested here based on availability of funds and you won’t be disappointed.

Tell me what do you think? Drop me a comment about your experiences at rduke@nextiumsolutions.com

BDPA iRadio Show - February 28, 2012

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very proud to be the creator of the BDPA iRadio Show. Our Internet Radio Show has been up and running for seven months with over 70 guests. You can listen to the archive version of the show using the widget shown in the right-hand sidebar of this blog.

Episodes of the BDPA iRadio Show are now available for immediate and FREE download from the iTunes Store.


The guests on the show:

Janice Coleman - president, Janice Coleman Corporation - Janice Coleman, is President and CEO of Janice Coleman Corporation (JCC), a company that helps companies and individuals achieve their goals by maximizing the human resource potential through mind, heart, and action-provoking keynotes, training, and career management services. JCC also is an excellent choice for corporate event planning/management. She currently provides a monthly Career Triage webinar for BDPA members. You can follow Janice on Twitter - @JaniceMColeman

Dr. Jesse Bemley - HSCC and IT Showcase founder, National BDPA - Jesse is the director of the Joint Educational Facilities (JEF). JEF provides a wonderful service, giving High School students the ability to build and use sophisticated technology resources. His program makes his students attractive to colleges, universities, and employers and provides his students with the skills and confidence they need to succeed. Jesse is the inspiration behind over a quarter-century of the High School Computer Competition (HSCC) program as well as a decade of the BDPA IT Showcase. There are literally thousands of BDPA students that have benefited from the genius of Dr. Bemley. It should be interesting to learn about the history of his involvement with BDPA as well as with the future direction that he would like to see BDPA take with its student programs.

Pamela Sexton - chapter president, BDPA Chicago - Pam Sexton was recently re-elected to a second term of office as president of the largest BDPA chapter in the nation – BDPA Chicago. BDPA Chicago chapter earned the 2011 ‘Outstanding Community Service’ award under Pam’s leadership. Also, Pam served for the past three years as the national BDPA conference director. Pam can share some remarkable ‘best practice’ ideas because of her unique perspective as both a chapter president and conference director. It is also worth noting that Pam recently agreed to move up to the national level in a new leadership position as our national BDPA vice president, Strategy & Planning in 2012-2013.

What questions would you like to see answered by these guests?

Monday, February 27, 2012

BDPA iRadio Show: Dr. Stephanie Parson (Crowned Grace)

BDPA iRadio Show interviewed Crowned Grace owner Dr. Stephanie Parson on November 22, 2011.

Stephanie reported to the Walt Disney chief information officer when the 2002 national BDPA conference was hosted at Walt Disney World in Orlando. She served on the national BDPA board of directors in 2003-2005 as both an outside director and vice president (strategy & planning). She was founder of the BDPA Rocky Mountain chapter. She started her own company (Crowned Grace) in 2005. Her company provides leadership development training to managers and executives around the world. She gave great insights in a number of areas to our iRadio audience.





The host of BDPA iRadio Show is Franne McNeal. The show is sponsored by the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation. This particular video clip was put together by BETF volunteers Michele Ortmann and Nicholas Scott.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Where Are They Now: 1991 BDPA Technology Conference Team

Our 13th annual BDPA Technology Conference was held August 14-18, 1991 in New York City. The conference theme was 'Getting to the Core of Technology'. It's been over 20 years since that major conference.

Here is a list of the folks who helped make the 1991 conference such a success:
  1. National President - Vivian Wilson (Ohio Bell Telephone Company)
  2. BDPA New York Chapter President - Antonio Codrington (Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company)
  3. Honorary Chairman - J. Bruce Llewellyn (The Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company)
  4. Keynote Speaker - William Brown, Jr. (Mutual of New York Company)
  5. Conference Chairperson - Thelma Gattis (New York Telephone Company)
  6. Conference Team Leaders
    • George Baker
    • Roxanne Burrus
    • Kelvin Diamond
    • Roger Dunn
    • Deborah English
    • Sandra Gallier-Philpotts
    • Carol Jennings
    • Ena Malone
    • Mitchel Messer
    • David Miller
    • Julia Seymore
    • Stanley Seymore
    • Janice Todman
    • Nathalie Vargos
  7. Conference Workshop Speakers
    • Joe Arrington (UNISYS), 'OSI Overview'
    • Dr. Alan Beckels, 'AI Medical Applications'
    • Clayton Bell (International System Strategies), 'ISDN' and 'Seamless Computing'
    • Dr. Jesse Bemley (US Army), 'Community Computing'
    • Joe Brooks (University of South Carolina), 'Integrating DSS and ES Technology'
    • Patricia Cleveland (Dun & Bradstreet Software), 'Understanding and Managing Male/Female Relationships in the Workplace'
    • Yvonne Craycroft (Apple Computer), 'MacIntosh Connectivity'
    • Deborah Finley, 'Intelligent Tutoring with Multimedia Systems'
    • Henry Ford, 'Surviving Corporate America'
    • Leroy George, 'Future of Data Processing'
    • Midge Jennings (Booz Allen & Hamilton), 'Understanding and Managing Male/Female Relationships in the Workplace'
    • Conrad Brian Law (US Department of Labor), 'Downsizing and Client/Server Technology'
    • Keith Mantle (IMAGETEK), 'The Image Processing Frontier'
    • Greta Nashed (The Travelers), SAS'
    • Keitra Osborne (International System Strategies), 'CASE Tools'
    • Robert Ralls (CIGNA), 'DB2 Distributed Database Facility'
    • Dr. H.R. Silverstein, 'Stress Avoidance'
    • Alusani Simpson (ATS Systems), 'Bulletin Board Systems Using Novell LANs'
    • Bonnie Taylor, 'DB2: Concepts and Facilities'
    • Stan White, 'IBM RS/6000 - AIX and AIX Windows Technology'
    • Pam Williamson, 'Easing the Proposal Production Process'
    • Daisy Yarbrough (Newark Board of Education), 'Learning Styles'
Do you know if these folks are still active with BDPA? Any feedback you can share would be very much appreciated!

Asante sana to long-time BDPA member Sandra Talley for sharing her copy of the 1991 BDPA Conference Guide with us.  This information came from that document.  I have great memories from the 1991 BDPA Technology Conference. How about you?

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Grant Declination: Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities (BDPA Dallas)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is disappointed to report that our grant proposal to the Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities on behalf of our BDPA Dallas chapter has been turned down.

The declination letter read as follows:

Dear Mr. Hicks,

Thank you for your recent grant request to Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities. The decision-making process for the Executive Board was a difficult one, with many worthwhile organizations vying for a limited amount of grant dollars.

Unfortunately, your organization was not selected for funding at this time. However, we appreciate your efforts in the community and wish you much success in the future.

Sincerely yours,
Lara Ashmore, executive director
Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities

BETF will continue to work with BDPA Dallas chapter to locate funding in support of their youth education programs. Of course, you can help right now if you are so inclined.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Grant Proposal: The Harley Davidson Foundation (National BDPA)

National BDPA vice-president (member services) Allison Aheart worked with the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) to submit a $36,000 grant proposal to The Harley Davidson Foundation. We understand that our request is a long-shot ... but, our need to fully fund the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program is a good one ... so we're taking our shot!

We will keep you informed of the results of this effort.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

BDPA iRadio Show: Hayward West (Philadelphia)

BDPA iRadio Show interviewed BDPA Philadelphia chapter president Hayward West on August 9, 2011 by Franne McNeal.

Hayward served as BDPA Philadelphia chapter president in 2010-2011. His chapter hosted the national conference in 2010. His chapter earned 'Chapter of the Year' honors from 2007-2010 ... reflecting sustained excellence in terms of community service, professional development, membership growth and financial management. He shares some outstanding 'best practices' culled from experiences with his local chapter.





The show is sponsored by the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation. This particular video clip was put together by BETF volunteers Bridgette Rolle and Michele Ortmann.

Community Foundations

Did you know that there are over 400 community-based foundations in America?

BETF is willing to work with any BDPA chapter interested in applying to a community foundation in your area. Just take a moment to visit the online searchable database of 400+ community foundations in the U.S. sponsored by the Council of Foundations.

We can work this issue with multiple chapters at the same time. Next step is yours. Interested?

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Payroll Pledges: United Way of Metro Chicago

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very pleased to report that there are five donors making payroll pledges to support BDPA programs and services through the United Way of Metro Chicago (UWMC).


All five donors are employed with BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois (a subsidiary of Health Care Service Corporation). Share some BDPA-Love with:
  1. Sterling Blackmon
  2. Diane Harrison-James
  3. Sheila Marionneaux
  4. Tanshaneika Swire
  5. Kimberly Turner
Our goal is to have an increasing number of donors that take steps to make payroll pledges in support of BDPA programs, scholarships and services. Have you considered it?

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Grant Proposal: Milken Family Foundation (BDPA New York)


BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) worked with BDPA New York chapter on a grant proposal seeking $5,000 in funding support from the Milken Family Foundation. The funds are needed to support the youth education programs implemented by BDPA New York chapter in 2012.

BETF worked closely with BDPA New York chapter president Renetta English and the chapter's BETF liaison Shawn Reid to complete the grant proposal. We are not sure how Milken Family Foundation will respond. However, we would love your support. Won't you consider making a small donation in support of the BDPA New York HSCC Scholarship Fund?

Monday, February 20, 2012

Message from National BDPA President

Monique Berry

Volunteering Counts


Your volunteer BDPA hours COUNT and so we want to count your hours...we will use this information to report to federal, state and local governments and for grants and other funding sources. Locally, by tracking the volunteer hours generated by BDPA volunteers, we demonstrate where the community needs are by your time and the dollar equivalent of your volunteer service. Collectively, these hours demonstrate what an asset BDPA volunteers are to their community.

We understand that reporting your volunteer hours may be a nuisance, but it is necessary and tells a meaningful story about all of you. Please click here to submit information and give the best estimate of the number of BDPA volunteer service hours for 2011 (last year).

Thank you!
Monique Berry, president
National BDPA

Sunday, February 19, 2012

HSCC Testimonial: Bikram Sapkota (Cincinnati, 2011)

Bikram Sapkota joined BDPA Cincinnati chapter in 2011 as part of its Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program. He participated in the chapter's computer camp and competed in the 2011 national BDPA High School Computer Competition championship here in Chicago.


He shared his testimonial on the experience with us:

Most people gain skills from their education as a child. My situation was unique. My parents were Bhutanese. They were forced to leave their country because of ethnic cleansing. Our family was forced to move to Nepal, a landlocked country, where we settled for 17 years as refugees. We had few opportunities to develop our skills in various fields because our life was always in exile and in debt. We lived under United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) support while in Nepal.

My life as a refugee was not satisfying. I could never explore my interest in computer technology because my family couldn’t afford the money to do so. Fortunately, we were able to re-locate in the United States a few years ago. I am now at high school in Ohio and I am able to learn what it takes to be successful in computer technology world. Also, I want to be able to do something for the community and my new country in the future.

Many people would fear a move to a place where they have few acquaintances.
However, I am confident in my ability to make a valuable contribution because of my experiences in meeting new people in the past. I hope that my experiences in America will continue to be free from prejudice and premature judgments. I do my part by pulling together groups of people into leisure activities and outings that provide an incentive for people to learn about each other and be nice to each other.

I think that my best assets are my communication skills and various computer skills. I gained most of my computer skills from BDPA Cincinnati chapter when I participated in their 2011 computer camp. I plan to use many of the skills that BDPA taught me to eventually study interactive web multimedia when I go to college.
 My skills in multimedia, web design and teamwork improved during my time with BDPA. I was proud to be selected on the High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team that represented Cincinnati in the 2012 national HSCC championship in Chicago. It was my first computer competition. It was a friendly environment and our coaches and judges cared about us at every step as we tried to find success. I had fun while in Chicago, but it was also very challenging.

I think that my BDPA experiences have also made me want to become an entrepreneur in the future. Entrepreneurs tend to demonstrate a driving ambition to succeed. I want to go college and setup my future so that I have choices. Mostly, I want to be a great person in the future.

Bikram has a unique story ... however, it is a story that is shared by hundreds of young people every year who participate in BDPA programs around the nation. It is the reason that BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) works so hard to raise the money to increase the number of students engaged with BDPA chapters around the nation.

You can make a difference by donating to any of our BDPA scholarship programs. Share some BDPA-Love for Bikram and other HSCC alumni by replying to this message or making a donation or both!

This Week in BDPA (Feb 19-25)

BDPA is a strong offering of programs in 45 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, February 18, 2012

Book Shelf of BDPA Authors

This will be a recurring post sharing information on BDPA members that have authored books. BDPA members come from a diverse background. As such, we should not be surprised to see our members writing fiction and non-fiction books on a wide variety of topics.

  1. Choose to Lead (Paperback) - by Deborah Chima (BDPA Chicago), Business Growth Publications, May 2006, 168 pages.

    Are you doing all you can to become a leader? This book that will show you the path to leadership and how to make a conscious choice to lead rather than falling into a leadership role by chance. This book is for women who want to learn to lead in powerful and effective ways. Choose to Lead addresses the main issues that challenge women such as constant pressure to achieve a manageable work/life balance. You learn how to determine "what matters most" in the ongoing quest for managing a career and personal life.

    Deborah Chambers Chima, president and CEO of Chambers Consulting Group (CCG) is passionate about helping leaders unleash their leadership potential. She is a longtime member of our BDPA Chicago chapter. Among the high profile clients signing on to her high-energy organizational consulting programs are Navistar International, Ortho- Biotech (J&J), Shell Oil, Alltel Wireless, Pro-Line International, Sears Holding Company, CSL Behring, Lowes and McDonald’s Corporation.
  2. Due North (Hardback) - by Jylla Foster (BDPA Chicago), Crystal Stairs, November 2002, 180 pages.

    Jylla Moore Foster shares her leadership journey in Due North! through stories about her life experiences as a corporate executive, entrepreneur, community activist and mother. The roadmap she offers those who join her on this journey includes mile markers of Coachable Moments, masterfully intertwined with elements of her professional training as an executive coach. She provides a Coach Approach for you to develop greater self-awareness, achieve professional breakthroughs and reach personal goals.

    Jylla Foster is a former BDPA Chicago chapter member. She is founder, president and CEO of Crystal Stairs. She is also a nationally renowned business executive, whose corporate, entrepreneurial, and coaching experiences, as well as her expertise in marketing, sales, channels, operations and technology across multiple industries and various customer sizes, have propelled her to the forefront of her field.
  3. Corporate Leadership Selection: Impact on American Business, Employees, and Society (Paperback) - by Dr. Reginald Gardner (BDPA Chicago), AuthorHouse, January 2009, 152 pages.

    We are watching unethical and immoral corporate leadership behavior in the current economic crisis in companies like AIG. This book strikes a nerve in those who have the moral courage to blow the whistle on their observed corporate wrongdoing; and open the hearts of those who will encounter questionable leadership activity in the future. This book is geared toward existing corporate leaders; newly selected corporate leaders; those who aspire to become corporate leaders; and students who study and research corporate leader selection. The U.S. remains the greatest country in the world. It is fueled by successful American corporations. However, like any other entity or process, there is always room for improvement.

    Dr. Gardner is a long-time BDPA leader. He served as president of our Chicago chapter, national vice-president, and director of BDPA Education & Technology Foundation. Gardner obtained his Ph.D. after a long career in corporate America. He currently serves as CIO for a family-owned business in the Chicago area.
  4. Read Between the Lines: Principles of Communicating and Facilitating (Paperback) - by Andree Justin (BDPA Los Angeles), Unlock Publishing House, November 2010.

    It is not just the spoken words that complete the communication; it is your entire being that is presented to the receiver of your words, expression and emotions that complete the process. Successful meetings occur when you know how to plan an agenda, understand the communication process and possess skills to keep you on the path to achieving your goals. Use this book as a handy guide to give yourself a tune-up when preparing for meetings, small or large. Use it as a refresher course in years to come and you will find that facilitating successful meetings is one of your better skills, and a skill that allows you to be successful in many other endeavors.

    Andree Justin is past president of BDPA Los Angeles chapter and a certified project manager with extensive experience in software development projects in a variety of industries. It is wonderful that she has taken her experiences and placed them into a book for the rest of us!
  5. New Science of Success: How to Outsource Proof Your Job and Prosper in a Web 2.0 Economy (Paperback) - by Frank Shines (BDPA Greater Tampa Bay), Skill of Success Publishing, April 2007, 155 pages.

    We stand at the brink of a new era of wealth creation in which India, China and other emerging countries are positioned to outpace the economic growth of the U.S. By mid-century China will become the largest economy in the world. For the USA, this brings with it the growing fear of American jobs being outsourced en masse to low-cost labor markets. This book outlines what you can do to survive -- and thrive -- in the new DIY Web 2.0 economy.

    Frank Shines is president of our Tampa Bay chapter. Currently, Frank serves as the Director of Business Development at Industriaplex, a next generation global sourcing and consulting firm, where he focuses on the intersection of business, technology and organizational change. He holds a BS in Management from the US Air Force Academy and MBA in Marketing Statistics from National University of Sacramento.

Please let us know if there are other current or former BDPA members who have published a book. We would love to add them to this recurring blog post.

Do you have any books that you recommend for BDPA members? What are you reading now?

Grant Disbursement: BDPA Los Angeles ($1,778)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) approved a grant disbursement of $1,778 to the BDPA Los Angeles chapter this month. The chapter wants "to fund our beginning-of-the year initiatives." The funds would be used on radio advertising to raise awareness of the SITES program, school supplies, lunch and books.

BDPA Los Angeles took advantage of the grants and funding process used by BETF to enhance the Student Information Education & Scholarship (SITES) program. Our hope is that the other 44 local BDPA chapters will contact BETF if they are interested in getting funding support!

This particular grant disbursement was direct result of the good works of BDPA Los Angeles chapter president John Malonson and the chapter's BETF liaison David Malonson.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Should BDPA Change Its Name?

BDPA was founded in 1975 under the name, 'Black Data Processing Associates'. Not long afterwards folks began to wonder if the name should be changed. Would we offend people by having 'Black' in the name? Would we be seen as old and outdated by having 'Data Processing' in the name?

BDPA Chicago member Ricky Penick shared with us the challenges of changing the BDPA logo ... and he noted that the issue of changing the name would be much more difficult.

My response has been simple -- I just use the acronym, 'BDPA' in all of my written and spoken discussions about our organization. As such, I was pleased to see how our national president, Monique Berry, responded to the question, 'Should BDPA Change Its Name?:

  • American Telephone & Telegraph, who still uses a telegraph?
  • National Cash Register, still in use but no longer manual.
  • International Business Machines, what are they and who makes 'em?
Whatever the reason for the renaming, engineering a successful name change is hard work, and it can cost a bundle. Many companies enlist the expertise of a branding agency - a service that usually costs between $30,000 and $150,000. For that price, agencies typically provide detailed market research and a list of about 60 possible new names. To make the exercise more realistic, many shops also produce "demos" of the best potential names, including mock-ups of annual reports, business cards, and websites.

The process should also include legal and URL vetting - a serious headache when trying to navigate the 11.8 million active trademarks and 83 million registered domain names around the world.

Once a new name has been chosen, the practical mechanics of the switch begin. Selling the new name and explaining its rationale to workers is the first step. Suppliers, clients, and customers should be the focus of a similar effort. Then comes the most expensive part: introducing the new name to the world. In addition to buying new letterhead and business cards or altering logos and signs, many companies also launch a formal marketing campaign - advertising and promotions that call attention to the new identity.

At the end of the day, we've got to deliver a great-quality chapter programs and member benefits. That's what members buy.


What's your thought on the issue. Should BDPA change its name?

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Entrepreneurs Discuss 'How To Avoid 7 Common Traps' (BDPA New Jersey)

BDPA New Jersey chapter marketing director Derris Boomer is leading an aggressive effort to provide a monthly webinar series designed to advance the careers of African Americans in the IT industry from the classroom to the boardroom. The February 2012 webinar was focused on those BDPA members interested in moving forward as entrepreneurs or business owners. The guest speaker was Hicks Enterprises chief executive officer Wayne Hicks. The topic was 'Small Business Opportunities in a Down Market: How to Avoid 7 Common Traps'.

The back-and-forth exchange of ideas by the presenter and the online participants was both enlightening and educational. Here is the 14-page PowerPoint deck used by the presenter during the webinar:

Our hope is that BDPA members across the nation will review the webinar seminar series offered by our New Jersey chapter ... and add relevant webinars to your personal calendar. Ongoing professional education is an important part of the BDPA experience!

BDPA Cincinnati Shares a Road Map to Success: An Entrepreneur's Story w/ ConnXus CEO Rod Robinson

Our community continues to march into a brave new world. The idea of working for a large employer for 40 years to get the ‘gold watch’ at retirement seems like a nostalgic memory. The influence of entrepreneurs in the marketplace is more prevalent today than ever. Jobs continue to shift overseas and the workforce for Fortune 100 companies continues to shrink. All of these trends position the entrepreneur as a major factor in filling the gaps that now exist in the job market.

BDPA Cincinnati chapter, a nonprofit organization made up of racially diverse information technology professionals who advance the careers of African Americans from the classroom to the boardroom, wants to assist BDPA entrepreneurs with programs that allow them to grown in knowledge and influence.

The education and networking process continues on Thursday, February 16, 2012 at the Procter and Gamble Winton Hills Business Center (6105 Center Hill Drive, Cincinnati 45224), when BDPA shares the entrepreneurial story of ConnXus chief executive officer Rod Robinson. As the founder and managing partner of consulting firm Accell Advisors, Rod has worked with Fortune 100 companies to improve or create strategic sourcing and supplier diversity programs. He previously served as Chief Procurement Officer for Cincinnati Bell, where he drove more than $14 million in annual purchasing cost reductions while increasing spending with minority business enterprises by 42%.

Come hear how Rod has taken his expertise and background in corporate America to create profitable businesses as an entrepreneur. His company, ConnXus, is an online service that seeks to revolutionize supplier diversity by making it easy for minority- and woman-owned businesses to connect with corporations looking for diverse suppliers and offering real contract opportunities. Since launching in December 2010, corporate buyer members have posted more than $75 million in contract opportunities for diverse supplier members on the site.

BDPA Cincinnati chapter president Clarence Larcarte said, “There has never been more of a need for what BDPA offers; an opportunity to acquire the skills, knowledge and relationships that will enable you to prosper in this and any other economic climate.”

BDPA stays on the leading edge from innovations in technology, to influencing how businesses are managed, to mentoring a new generation of "would be" entrepreneurs. The chapter meeting on February 16th is free and open to the public. Please RSVP - http://cincy-2012feb.eventbrite.com/ and you are encouraged to bring colleagues, co-workers or friends with you as well!

For more information you can reach BDPA by email (cincinnati@bdpa.org) or phone (513.956-0636).

Curtis Jenkins Named Outstanding Member of the Year in Philadelphia


Curtis Jenkins is the recipient of the 2011 Wintino Jones Memorial Award for Outstanding Member of the Year. Curtis was awarded for his many years of dedicated service to the Philadelphia Chapter.

The award was presented to him by BDPA Philadelphia chapter president Eileen Gadsden (see photo) during the State of the Chapter Program Meeting held on Wednesday, January 18, 2012.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

BDPA iRadio Show - February 14, 2012

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very proud to be the creator of the BDPA iRadio Show. Our Internet Radio Show has been up and running for seven months with over 70 guests. You can listen to the archive version of the show using the widget shown in the right-hand sidebar of this blog.

Episodes of the BDPA iRadio Show are now available for immediate and FREE download from the iTunes Store.

If you missed the live show, then we encourage you to listen to the archived audio-clip of the show that aired on Tuesday, February 14, 2012.



Listen to internet radio with BDPA on Blog Talk Radio


The guests on the show:
  1. Keith Warrick - manager, BDPA LinkedIn Network Group - Keith is a social media expert with a nationally-recognized reputation on the LinkedIn Network. He has been a presenter at a local and national level on the tips and techniques for using social media to advance one’s career. He served as a past officer for the BDPA Atlanta chapter and now supports the marketing efforts for a number of non-profits in the greater Atlanta area. Keith recently announced that the BDPA LinkedIn Network had reached 3,000 subscribers. You can follow Keith on Twitter - @KeithWarrick
  2. Loraine Stewart-David - vice president (finance), National BDPA - Loraine joined BDPA Detroit chapter in 1992. She served in increasingly responsible leadership positions within the chapter including the past few years as the chapter’s chief financial officer. She was elected to serve for the next two years as the National BDPA VP-Finance. Loraine holds a BS in Accounting and MBA in finance. She is a contractual CFO/Financial Analyst with one of Michigan’s top fortune financial companies. She is also a contractual comptroller with two local nursing facilities.
  3. John Malonson - chapter president, BDPA Los Angeles - John is an IT Business Partner Lead at Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. He received his BA in both Psychology and Business Administration from UCLA. John is also a 2-term president of the BDPA Los Angeles chapter serving from 2009-2012. His chapter has consistently grown in terms of membership and impact in the community. The chapter had dozens of students in its 2011 SITES program and they plan on having even more in 2012. The chapter recently created a strategic alliance with Cal-State Dominguez Hills that results in use of its computer labs and such. John has strong feelings about the ways that BDPA can advance the careers of African Americans in the IT industry from the ‘classroom to the boardroom’. John is on Twitter - @Malonson

What questions would you like to see answered by these guests?

Message from Atlanta Chapter President

For our very first general monthly meeting of 2012, BDPA Atlanta will be broadcasting the meeting Live! via webcast. Going forward, this will be a members only privilege, but we wanted to share this very special first event with EVERYONE! The meeting is February 15th from 6:30pm - 8:00pm at Macy's Systems & Technology. Jambey Clinkscales of HP Enterprise Services will be leading an informative lecture and discussion on the value of cloud computing to the business technology ecosystem.





To participate remotely, you must register for the event using the link below:

https://www.123signup.com/register?id=cnxdg


Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email with the link and instructions for the webcast.

If you are located in the Metro-Atlanta area, you definitely want to attend the meeting in person to win several giveaways throughout the evening and to also talk directly with recruiters during networking from 6:00pm - 6:30pm.

Come join us, via webcast or in person, and share this exciting event with us!

We invite everyone to stay updated on the latest and greatest news/info from our chapter:
Felicia Jones, president
BDPA Atlanta Chapter

Toyota USA Foundation

Toyota USA Foundation believes that helping people improve the quality of life in their communities is an essential corporate responsibility.

Education is the focus of Toyota's giving. In addition to funding national programs, Toyota supports the social well-being of communities where it has major operations (Alabama, California, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Texas and West Virginia). This includes assistance for Arts & Culture and Civic & Community Development, Health & Human Services.

Toyota prefers to support programs, rather than sponsor events. Organizations must apply each year to the contributions program, and subsequent funding is contingent upon evaluation of previous activities.

Please read the guidelines for each Toyota affiliate company if you are interested in grant funds. Please carefully review the scope for each affiliate before beginning their application process:
  • Toyota Motor North America - For organizations in the New York City area directed at children and families and environmental education.
  • Toyota Motor Sales, USA - Nationally, Toyota focuses in 3 areas: education, environment and safety. National programs in these areas must have a broad reach by impacting several major U.S. cities, communities or groups.
  • Toyota Motor Sales, USA - In Southern California (Torrance area): Toyota primarily supports education, environment and safety, but also funds civic groups, arts and culture, health and human services. Toyota prefers to support programs, however, rather than events. Communities served must be in the Torrance area.
  • Toyota USA Foundation - The Toyota USA Foundation is committed to improving the quality of K-12 education, with a primary interest in mathematics and science. Applying organizations must be located within and serve the people of the United States. They also must be financially sound.
  • Toyota Engineering & Motor Manufacturing North America - Tri-State area of Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Southeastern Indiana. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) serves all other counties in Kentucky; Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana (TMMI) serves other counties in Indiana. Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA) primarily supports education, environment and safety, but also funds civic groups, health and human services, arts and culture. TEMA prefers to support programs, rather than events. Communities served must be in Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky or Southeast Indiana. Submission deadlines for applications are: January 1, April 1, July 1, October 1. TEMA does not donate vehicles or make grants to individuals.
  • Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing, North America, Toyota Technical Center (TTC) Michigan, specifically Washtenaw County. Nationally, Toyota focuses in 3 areas: education, environment and safety. TTC is the Research and Development arm of Toyota in North America. TTC focuses on education (specifically math and science), environment and safety as well as programs that enrich the lives of children, families and the communities within Washtenaw County. Submission deadlines for applications are: March 1, June 1, September 1, December 1.
  • Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama (TMMAL) - is geographically based in Huntsville and Madison Counties, Alabama. TMMAL believes in becoming an integral part of the community by improving the quality of life where their team members live and work. TMMAL provides funding to Education, Health & Human Services, Civic, Arts & Culture and Environmental organizations. TMMAL prefers to support programs that are sustainable, diverse, and have an educational focus. Grants are reviewed quarterly (May, August, November, February). Submission deadlines for applications are: April 15, July 15, October 15, January 15. TMMAL does not donate vehicles or make grants to individuals.
  • Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK) - provides geographic support to all counties in Kentucky, with the exception of Boone, Kenton and Campbell, which are served by Toyota Engineering & Motor Manufacturing North America (TEMA) -- TMMK is focused on the following areas: Health & Human Services, Education, Environment, Arts & Culture, Community - special consideration is given to programs with an educational focus that can show sustainability. TMMK will, on occasion, support fund-raising activities where the majority of the proceeds from the event go directly to the organization. Grants are reviewed quarterly (March, June, September, December). Submission deadlines for applications are: February 1, May 1, August 1, November 1. TMMK does not donate vehicles or make grants to individuals.
  • Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana (TMMI) - Geographic Scope: Indiana counties: Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Warrick, Vanderburgh / Illinois: Wabash, White / Kentucky: Daviess, Henderson Funding Scope: TMMI makes grants to Youth & Education, Health & Human Services, Civic & Community, the Environment and Arts & Culture. Submission deadlines for applications are: February 15, May 15, August 15, November 15, with notification of results by the end of the month following the deadline. TMMI does not donate vehicles or make grants to individuals.
  • Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas (TMMTX) - Geographic Scope: Bexar County or counties adjacent to Bexar. TMMTX believes in becoming an integral part of its communities by supporting economic growth and improving the quality of life where its team members live and work. TMMTX makes grants to support programs and events benefiting the following categories: Youth & Education, Health & Human Services, Arts & Culture, Civic & Community, and the Environment. TMMTX does not donate vehicles or make grants to individuals. Requests are reviewed quarterly. Submission deadlines for applications are: January 31, April 30, September 30, October 31 of every calendar year.
  • Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia (TMMWV) - Geographic Scope: Top priority to Putnam County; second priority to Cabell, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln and Mason counties; with a limited participation in important statewide projects.
I suspect that Toyota is looking for some good news to counter the negative publicity that they have been getting lately. Perhaps the time is right for BDPA to submit multiple grant proposals to them. What say u?

Monday, February 13, 2012

Grant Declination: Go Daddy Cares (BDPA Cleveland)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) and BDPA Cleveland chapter recently learned that our $7,000 grant proposal to Go Daddy Cares has been declined.

Go Daddy officials wrote:


Dear Mr. Hicks,

Thank you for contacting GoDaddy.com about a possible donation of funds to support SITES Program. Unfortunately, we will not be availing ourselves of your sponsorship opportunity. Please understand that our decision is by no means a negative reflection upon you or your organization. Rather, it is a matter of resources. We simply cannot grant all of the deserving applications that we receive. Although we are unable to assist with this particular program, we welcome the opportunity to review further proposals.

We appreciate the commitment involved in undertaking such an endeavor, as well as the time and effort expended in soliciting corporate underwriting and we comment your spirit. We thank you for extending us the opportunity to participate and wish you the very best.

Sincerely,
Francisca Sanchez
GoDaddy.com

BETF will continue to work with BDPA Cleveland chapter president David Ford and the chapter's BETF liaison Sylvia Calhoun on future fundraising efforts. If you are so inclined ... we encourage you to support the BDPA Cleveland HSCC Scholarship Fund.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

This Week in BDPA (Feb 12-18)

BDPA is a strong offering of programs in 45 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!

Wayne Hicks Shares 'Inspiration and Focus' on VoiceAmerica's 'What Matters' Radio Show

Former national BDPA president Wayne Hicks was interviewed last month by Certified life coach Mary Beth Lodge.  Mary Beth interviewed me on her VoiceAmerica Internet radio show, 'What Matters' in an episode title, Goals: Inspiration and Focus

The promo for the show read:
Discouraged about the impact you can have? Ever think that one person doesn’t have much influence? One person, focused and passionate, can make a tremendous difference! This week we are joined by R. Wayne Hicks, executive director of the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation. BDPA was founded in 1975 out of concern that minorities were not adequately represented in the workforce of the then emerging computer industry. BETF, the Education and Technology Foundation of BDPA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity established in 1992 to financially support student education and technology initiatives.
Wayne Hicks
An active leader in the organization since 1988, Wayne has followed his passion for education and applied his skill and dedication to expanding opportunities for disadvantaged youth across the country. Working at both the local and national level, Wayne is the embodiment of the ripple effect. Listen in and gain an inspiration for your own passion and purpose.
Click here to listen to the archived version of the radio show interview.

I was very happy to share the great works being done by BDPA under the umbrella of its Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program.  I informed Mary Beth and her audience about the great young people that BETF has been providing college scholarships over the recent years.

I found this video on Mary Beth's website and thought that you would enjoy it as well!




Anyhow, I hope y'all enjoyed the video and the radio show interview!

Friday, February 10, 2012

Grant Award: Geico ($500)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very grateful to former BDPA executive director Midge Johnson and BDPA founder Earl Pace for their part in the recent $500 donation made by GEICO to the BETF Endowment Fund. Mr. Pace was a guest at a Black History Month event held earlier this month for GEICO employees in Maryland.

The BETF Endowment fund has been created with the intent of increasing the number and size of the scholarships awarded to BDPA students. The scholarships target our young people seeking a degree in Information Technology or related discipline at accredited colleges or universities.

Message from South Region Director

Mike Williams
Cross-posted from IT Mike Williams - Technology Based Giving

After “being involved” for so many years in various community activities while also volunteering and serving as a board member for local affiliates of several national non-profit organizations, I decided to take a break back in 2006 when I moved to Atlanta. I just didn’t realize then that the break would be so long.

Although I continued to participate in community-based initiatives and joined several professional associations in Atlanta during that time, I never actually got involved. To me, getting involved is going all in! That is contributing my Time, Talent and Treasures (3Ts).

With some encouragement from the past BDPA Atlanta chapter president Teresa Williams, I decided to seek election to become the very first South Regional Director and National Board member for BDPA. I was elected in the summer of 2011 during the BDPA National Conference that is held every year. Today, I believe my decision to get involved and go all in with BDPA was clearly one of the best decisions I made all year.

For me the decision was not difficult. BDPA’s mission and values easily aligned with my own. BDPA is a technology focused organization with a commitment to developing its IT professional members and young minorities while promoting and caring about community based initiatives. There could not be a better fit for me.

BDPA is a national organization which was founded in 1975 by two very visionary men: Earl Pace and the late David Wimberly. They both shared a common interest of wanting to insure that minorities were fairly and adequately represented in the Information Technology field. Today, BDPA has a large membership base through its 40+ local chapters located throughout the United States. The organization prides itself on developing current IT professionals and helping them advance their careers while introducing our youth to technology and other soft skills that not only prepares them for today, but tomorrow as well. BDPA’s leadership and members include some of the best and brightest African American IT professionals from Fortune 500 companies across the country.

Through its Student Information Technology Education and Scholarship (SITES) and National High School Computer Competition (HSCC) Programs, BDPA introduces minority students to Information Technology at an early stage in their lives while providing marketable web development and other computed related skills. Every year, close to 1000 students learn Java, PHP, CSS and other web programming skills while participating in the SITES and HSCC programs. As a bonus for all of their hard work throughout the year, students also get to test their skills against other chapter HSCC programs through regional and national computer competitions. Additionally, through its fiscal sponsor: BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF), BDPA provides scholarship grants to the winning HSCC teams that can be used for post-secondary education. More gratifying is that many of the HSCC students go on to become successful IT professionals and even local and national leaders of BDPA.

Led by Executive Director Wayne Hicks, BETF has been able to provide close to $400K in funding to local BDPA chapters over the past three years alone. Such contributions are made possible due to the generosity of our corporate sponsors, partners and individual donors.

So, with all the continued excitement around the standing programs like SITES and HSCC and a reinvigorated energy toward membership growth, member development, and building brand awareness for BDPA and its value proposition, there is no better time than now to become either a member of BDPA or support its mission. If you can, I encourage you to do both.

Join us. Go to BDPA and become a member today. If you can’t join, consider making a donation.

For me, based on BDPA’s commitment to African American IT professionals, youth development and community in general, I am all in!

Mike Williams, Director
BDPA South Region

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Computer Science Collaboration Project


The Computer Science Collaboration Project (CSCP) is offering mini-grant funding as an incentive for collaborative projects to efficiently increase the participation of African American K-12 youth in computer science. These mini-grants are designed to build collaboration between participants from K-12 settings, community-based organizations, higher education, and industry to encourage African American youth to explore and/or pursue computer science educational programs and careers. In addition to awarding mini-grants, CSCP activities include in-person and online collaboration opportunities, dissemination of exemplary practices via a website, webinars, and professional development events.

  • Mini-Grant Amounts: The mini-grants are considered seed funding and are not intended to fully fund on-going projects. There are two funding levels: 1) up to $1,000 and 2) $1,000 to $5,000. Collaborating partners can be from K-12 settings, community-based organizations, higher education, and industry.
  • Use of Mini-Grant Funds: Funds must be used for direct programming needs for projects that occur within the period of April 2, 2012 to October 31, 2012. Allowable uses of funds are: essential project/activity supplies, transportation for participants, food for events/meetings, and stipends. Funds cannot be used for expenses such as, but not limited to, alcoholic beverages, indirect charges/administrative overhead, capital expenditures and computer hardware (servers, desktops, laptops, etc.). Expenses must be detailed in the project budget.
  • Cost-Sharing: When cost-sharing (e.g., with a corporate partner or school districts) assess what your partner(s) can contribute and the in-kind donations that can be obtained to ensure that you provide an accurate and detailed budget projection and funding request on the application form. The total amount of contact hours with youth will also be taken into consideration. The higher the amount of funding requested, the higher amount of contact hours will be expected.
Project activities must occur between April 2, 2012 and October 31, 2012.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

SITES Testimonials from BDPA Twin Cities Chapter

Please take a moment to listen to these wonderful testimonials from young students that participated in the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program hosted by the BDPA Twin Cities chapter. The interviews took place during the chapter's recent awards banquet.






The students interviewed in this video include:
  1. Unknown
  2. Cedric Cyrus, Jr. (Como High School)
  3. D Ephraim (University of Minnesota)
  4. Ken King
  5. Jorian Wulf (St. Paul Central High School)
Powerful statements from some remarkable young people! Don't you agree?

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Message from Atlanta Chapter President-Elect

BDPA Atlanta chapter president-elect Derrick Brown welcomes new volunteers and members to the community outreach and collegiate liaison teams that he is leading this year.





BDPA Atlanta chapter is one of the first to seek out a foothold on YouTube as a platform to reach out to current and future members. Will it be long before other chapters follow this 'best practice'?

I encourage you to subscribe to the YouTube channel created by Derrick.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Grant Award: Sempra Energy Foundation ($5,000)


BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) teamed up with BDPA Los Angeles chapter to submit a grant proposal to the Sempra Energy Foundation. We are pleased to report that our grant proposal was approved and a $5,000 check has been received in support of the BDPA programs and services offered in Southern California.

Angela White-Parker (c)
Sempra Energy employee Angela White-Parker, who is also a past president of the BDPA Los Angeles chapter, was our 'internal champion' on this funding effort.

Sempra Energy Foundation executive director Beatriz Young wrote,

Dear Wayne,

On behalf of the Sempra Energy Foundation, I'm pleased to enclose a contribution in the amount of $5,000 in support of the Student Information Technology Education and Scholarship (SITES) program in Los Angeles, CA. The Sempra Energy Foundation is proud to support this program. Please continue to work with Carolyn Williams to coordinate the details surrounding our support of this program in partnership with your organization.

We are pleased to join you in this worthwhile cause.

Best Regards,
Beatriz Palomino Young, executive director
Sempra Energy Foundation

BDPA Los Angeles chapter president John Malonson and the chapter's BETF liaison David Malonson have been a pleasure to work with over the past weeks and months. They aggressively seek out funding opportunities in concert with BETF and as such it is a pleasure to be able to report on this 'success story' in their fundraising efforts.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Generation Google Scholarship

The Generation Google Scholarship is currently being offered to graduating high school seniors from an underrepresented group in computer science. Specifically, this scholarship is being offered to enable “aspiring computer scientists to excel in technology and become active role models and leaders in the field.” Winners will receive either $10,000 each year for up to four years! In other words, this scholarship is renewable, and can be worth as much as $40,000! [SOURCE]

To be fully eligible, applicants must plan on being full-time students at a university in the US or Canada for the 2012-2013 school year. Students must be planning to go into a baccalaureate Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or related program. Applicants should exemplify leadership and demonstrate a commitment to and passion for computer science and technology through involvement in their community. In addition to this, applicants should have a strong record of academic achievement, be from an underrepresented group in computer science (African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Female, or a Person with a Disability) and should demonstrate financial need.

To apply, fill out the online application. The application involves the completed online form (includes contact information, intended university, leadership information), academic transcripts (from your high school), two letters of reference, three essays (200 words each), and three short answer questions.

This scholarship application is due on February 20, 2012. For more information (esp. about how one goes about renewing the scholarship), check out Google’s page for the Generation Google Scholarship, and direct all questions to generationgoogle@google.com. Good luck!