Computer Science Education Week (Dec 7-13, 2015)

Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) takes place December 7-13, 2015 to coincide with the birthday of Admiral Grace Hopper, a pioneer in the field of computer science who was born on December 9, 1906. CSEdWeek was first recognized in 2010 when the 111th Congress passed House Resolution 1560. The goal of CSEdWeek is to introduce students to computing and show them that the world of technology is for everyone.

Computer science is often present in informal curricula but is absent from mainstream education. Additionally, according to Code.org, "25 states still don't allow students to count computer science courses toward high school graduation." These facts impact all students, and especially girls.

As noted in one of NCWIT's most popular resources, 'Girls In IT: The Facts,' "girls comprise 56% of all Advanced Placement (AP) but only 19% of AP computer science test-takers."

Exposure to computer science is critical, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor predicts that in the coming decade some of the best and highest-paying jobs will be in IT. For these reasons and more, CSEdWeek provides an opportunity to introduce students to computer science, using fun and engaging activities.

Grant Proposal: American Airlines (BDPA New York)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation collaborated with BDPA New York (president, Tyrone McKinney) to submit a $7,500 grant proposal to American Airlines. Our request seeks out funding or in-kind air travel for the 2016 Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship program hosted by BDPA New York. We should have an answer on our request in January.

Halliburton Foundation

Established in 1965, the Halliburton Foundation supports education at all levels and charitable organizations through employee matching gifts, direct grants and scholarships. The Halliburton Foundation is a domestic foundation. Requests for grants in non-U.S. locations should be made directly to the Halliburton office doing business in that part of the world.

Employee Matching Gifts Program -- This program includes the matching of U.S.-based employee donations on a two-for-one basis, up to $20,000 annually per employee for accredited junior colleges, colleges and universities. Additionally, U.S.-based employee donations to accredited elementary and secondary schools are matched by the Foundation on a one-for-one basis, up to $500 annually per employee.

Halliburton supports primarily tax-exempt non-profit organizations dedicated to education, health, the environment and health-related community programs. Support for civic issues, arts and cultural programs may also be considered in areas where there is a significant presence of Halliburton employees and operations. In 2008, the company donated more than $2.2 million to support community initiatives.

Contribution requests are reviewed on a quarterly basis by a Community Relations Review Board (CRRB). The deadlines for submitting requests are Jan. 31, April 30, July 31 and Oct. 31.

All requests for cash or in-kind donations should be sent in writing to:

Halliburton
Community Relations
10200 Bellaire Boulevard
Houston, TX 77072-5206

This appears to be a good source of funding for national BDPA programs.

On the other hand, the Halliburton Foundation will accept grant proposals from U.S. based non-profit organizations that provide support in the area of Education. Strong preference is given to organizations in areas where Halliburton has a significant presence as measured by facilities, employees and customers. It appears that the only two BDPA chapters that are co-located with Haliburton are: Dallas and Houston.

Requests for contributions from the Halliburton Foundation should be sent to:

Halliburton Foundation
Program Administrator
10200 Bellaire Boulevard
Houston, Texas 77072-5206

BETF is willing to partner with either BDPA Dallas or BDPA Houston chapter if they are interested in seeking funding for their annual SITES program.

Election Results: BDPA Chicago (2015-2016)

BDPA Chicago, 2nd-largest chapter in the nation, announced the results of its leadership election for 2015-2016.   The winners were:

President: Reggie Rush (DivIHN Integration)

Vice President: Rene' Yarborough (Baxter International)

Treasurer: Damond Singleton (Kellogg Company)

Recording Secretary: John Hopkins III (Veredus)

BDPA Chicago Chapter was chartered on March 15, 1986 as the 14th chapter nationwide with eight founding members:

1. Marvin Walker, President
2. Hazel Beason, Vice President
3. Anthony Pittman, Treasurer
4. Michelle Walker, Recording Secretary
5. Wallace Neal, Education Chairperson
6. Roy Peeples, Public Relations Chairperson
7. Greg Walker, Finance Chairperson
8. Fidelis Umeh, Member

The first monthly program meeting was held April 18, 1986 at the Palmer House Hotel. BDPA Chicago Chapter is renowned for its delivery of programs and services to its membership. As a result the success of the chapter is measured by its membership and its network of the most talented professionals servicing all aspects of information technology. Over one hundred companies and government agencies are represented by its membership. Chapter activities include technical workshops and seminars, monthly presentations, membership drives and social events.

In 1988, 2001 and 2011, BDPA Chicago hosted the National BDPA Technology Conference. For three consecutive years (1991, 1992, 1993) BDPA Chicago was named Chapter of the Year by the national association. The chapter sponsors a city-wide high school computer competition team open to all metropolitan area students. These students are enrolled in a 33-week program where they are instructed in computer programming and professional presentation. Five of these students are selected to represent Chicago at the national BDPA High School Computer Competition at the national BDPA Technology Conference. Chicago has sponsored a team each year since 1988.

We encourage you to support the BDPA Chicago Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program! Your secure tax-deductible donation can make a difference!

Message from BDPA Cincinnati Chapter President (November 2015)

Dalric Webb

Greetings!

We start the month of November having just completed the 2016 Strategy and Planning session. The volunteer leaders of the chapter have a clear vision and focus on delivering programs and engaging opportunities for BDPA members and the communities in which we live! The 2016 strategic plan was thoroughly vetted by the volunteer leaders and agreed upon as a solid plan to execute in delivering greater value to our members and the community at large.  Next year is going to be just as exciting if not more so than 2015! Staying connected to the chapter is the watchword of the day!

BDPA Cincinnati Chapter continues to be the LARGEST BDPA Chapter in the nation for its 7th consecutive month! Congratulations to each of you that helps make this chapter great. I do hope you are engaged with the chapter in not only your membership, but what you desire from the chapter. We are only as strong as each of your engagement efforts – so let us know how we can help you get more engaged!

Speaking of engagement, if you missed our 19th Annual Education Banquet, you missed a real treat as we recognized our hard working students from the BDPA computer camp as well as the incredible volunteers who make the program happen. The hard work of past chapter president Brenda Hogan produced an exceptionally well executed program that received many complements on its setup, layout, flow, and engaging opportunities. We had almost 100 registrants and the speaker, LISNR chief executive officer Rodney Williams, was phenomenal!

As we turn head towards the end of the year, we enter into our bi-annual election cycle! All members should have received an email indicating the nomination and election cycle. I encourage members to submit nominations for positions if interested and VOTE for the candidates when the election window opens. Stepping forward to lead such a strong organization as BDPA Cincinnati speaks volumes to the type of leaders you have within our ranks and within the local community. Thank you for being an active participant in the process.

Our engagement opportunity this month takes place at our November 2015 program meeting. Barb Kruetzkamp, Data Management Leader at GE Aviation, will lead an interactive discussion entitled 'Big Data - Friend or Foe?'. BE SURE TO BRING YOUR RESUME! There are always two or more recruiters in the room ACTIVELY seeking candidates for employment. Attending a program meeting could be just the game-changing activity you have been looking for!

Dr. Tyra Oldham, LANDsds chief executive officer, will host a special interest group discussion on SMARTGrid Technologies. Are you interested in participating in the discussion and getting in on the ground floor to this dynamic shift in digital engagement? Are you looking for an entrepreneurial opportunity? Be a part of the discussion and contribute to the future direction of the group. Reply to PM-SIG.cincy@bdpa.org to receive more information about this session.

Finally, how are you feeling about your membership? Did you receive your most recent issue of Diversity at your home address? Have you had a chance to read through some of the articles? Which article struck a chord with you? Didn’t get your copy? Reach out to our VP-Membership Management to make sure we have your correct mailing address in the database. Do you know who the Vice Presidents are for your Chapter? Do you know how to reach any of the board members? When was the last time you visited the National BDPA website? Do you like the changes you see? Do you have any recommendations on how to improve the site or provide more information to our members?

We need your engagement! Everyone has something they can contribute to making our chapter even better! Have a little time on your hands (say, 4 hours a month)? Consider joining the board. There are still a few openings available and we can certainly use your help. Take a look around the chapter landing page and read some of the job descriptions for the positions listed. You will find we are a fun group of professionals that are committed to making a difference in our local communities.

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

Sincerely,
Dr. Dalric Webb, President
BDPA Cincinnati Chapter

Happy Birthday: Monique Berry (National BDPA President)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where Are They Now? Hercules

What it was: An extremely popular line of graphics cards for IBM PCs and compatibles. Hercules first appeared in 1982, the year after the IBM PC was launched, and was known for its high-quality text; it was as synonymous with graphics in the 1980s as Creative’s Sound Blaster was with audio a decade later.

What happened: When fancy color graphics replaced Spartan text displays, Hercules continued to be a prominent brand for years, though it never dominated as it did in the early years. But in 1998, it was bought out by competitor Elsa, which then went bankrupt and sold the Hercules brand to French tech company Guillemot. (In researching this article, I’ve come to the conclusion that one sale or merger is usually bad news for a venerable brand, and a second one is usually near-fatal.) Guillemot continued to make cards under the Hercules name for several years. But industry consolidation in the graphics biz was ongoing and brutal, and in 2004 it ceased production of them.

Current whereabouts: The Hercules name lives on, but in an array of tech gadgets that doesn’t include graphics cards: Guillemot uses it for notebooks, Wi-Fi and powerline networking gear, sound cards, speakers, iPod accessories, laptop bags and more. I wish them luck. But it’s a little as if McDonald's stopped selling burgers to concentrate on tuna salad, Philly cheese steaks, BLTs and Reubens.

SOURCE: 'Where Are They Now? 25 Computer Products That Refuse to Die' by Harry McCracken.

BDPA Members Honored on Veterans Day

Guest Blogger: Perry Carter, president
BDPA Washington DC

Here are some little known facts about veterans in BDPA:

Did you know?

... that Dr. Jesse Bemley founded both marquee programs for National BDPA (IT Showcase and High School Computer Competition) and served in Vietnam?

... that Dr. Will Bundy, co-founder of the BDPA IT Institute with Dr. Juan Gilbert,  was a submarine driver (both diesel and nuke) and is one of the Centennial Seven African American submarine skippers who served during the first 100 years of the Submarine Service?

... that Lt. Col. Joseph Carpenter was the Marine Corps' first African American Data Systems Officer and is a Montford Point Marine?

... that Terry Halvorsen and Mark Di Francisco were Army Intelligence and Special Operations officers, respectively?

... that Joseph McMahon was a Naval Flight Officer; co-founded two BDPA Chapters and was instrumental in securing Navy leadership and involvement with National BDPA to include the Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations, and Department of the Navy's CIO?

... that Felicia Jones and Eileen Gadsden, two of BDPA's strongest leaders are Army veteran "Black Girls who Lead and Code?"

... that Army veteran José Márquez-Leon, President & Founder of Latinos in Information Sciences and Technology Association (LISTA) was a BDPA Member when he founded LISTA?

Perry Carter - Marine Corps
August 1985

BDPA iRadio Show: November 10, 2015 (Lynn Bonner, Timothy Butts)

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!

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The guest on the November 10th show:

Lynn Bonner

Lynn Bonner - engagement manager, Deloitte - Lynn Bonner is an engagement manager for Deloitte and a member of the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF). She is an IT leader using discipline and accountability into program delivery leading to increased innovation and return on investment to the business. She is a trusted business advisor supporting Fortune 100 clients overseeing global initiatives to improve top-line revenues and decreasing operational costs. Lynn is known for her coaching leadership style that motivates teams to be fully engaged in delivering their best work, leading courageously and with high integrity. ITSMF asked her to lead a training session entitled 'Managing High Performing Teams'. She will focus on team development, build rapport and like mindedness within the team, accelerate performance of the team to realize its potential and to create a high performing team. BDPA iRadio Show listeners will learn more about team and personal action plans necessary to create and work on a high performing team.

Timothy Butts

Timothy Butts - chapter president, BDPA Houston - Timothy Butts is working hard to rejuvenate BDPA Houston chapter. It will be an added step on his journey from Indianapolis to Rochester to Philadelphia and now Houston. BDPA iRadio Show listeners will enjoy hearing about Timothy's journey. You can follow Timothy on Twitter: @TEB1Consulting

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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!

BETF Approves $900 Grant to BDPA Seattle for Kickoff Event

Ann Robinson

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) approved a $900 grant disbursement to BDPA Seattle chapter.  BDPA Seattle chapter president Ann Robinson requested the funding for the kickoff event to rejuvenate BDPA programs and services in the Pacific Northwest area. The event takes place on November 19, 2015 at the African American Museum in Seattle.

BDPA Seattle is the most prestigious IT organization in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the technology industry. It is very important that Seattle residents are plugged into a nationwide network of IT entrepreneurs, executives, professionals and students throughout the industry. BDPA Seattle seeks to advance the careers of its members in the technology industry from the classroom to the boardroom.

Ann Robinson noted, "As the President, I am here to support and help you with anything that you need to support your future endeavors. We provide professional development programs, workshops, IT career pathway, online resume service, career fairs, entrepreneurial opportunities, high school and college programs and many other services that will help you in your success. BDPA shifts your career into overdrive."

BETF is very proud to provide the funding to get the BDPA message out to our Pacific Northwest stakeholders.

Happy Birthday: Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806)

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

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

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

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

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

Benjamin Banneker died in 1806.

Harsh Patel Uses Johnson & Johnson Scholarship at Temple University

Harsh Patel

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that Johnson & Johnson awarded a $2,500 college scholarship to eight (8) students. One of those students is Harsh Patel of Temple University.

Harsh recently joined our BDPA Philadelphia chapter. When asked to share his thoughts on being a Johnson & Johnson scholar, Harsh wrote,

"I am currently a student at Temple University pursing a degree in Information Science & Technology. I plan to put in all my effort and determination for the four years I will be in college. The market is really competitive in today’s day and age and I am working hard to stand out amongst the crowd.

My passion for technology began when I was a little kid playing computer games. Here I am today pursing my dream of working with technology as a career. I want to obtain this degree not only for the job and money I will make but for my parents who currently work labor jobs. My parents moved to America for me and my brother to be successful and I owe my whole life to them. I want to make them proud and make sure they do not have to work labor jobs like they do right now. Furthermore, I want to give back to the society and take technology to places where people have not seen it.

Currently I volunteer at many different places and it varies, no set contract. Any time I get I try to give back to the community. In the future I want to travel to countries who are not fortunate enough to use technology. However, all this is a dream but dreams come true when you are consistently taking little steps and progressing in life. I work as a tech support in our university library but one day I want to work for the company that creates the technology."

BDPA is blessed to have such a young and talented technology student on board as both a member and as winner of the Johnson & Johnson Scholarship. We look forward to supporting Harsh's career as he seeks to advance in the technology industry!

Daniel Nfodjo Uses Johnson & Johnson Scholarship at University of Cincinnati

Daniel Nfodjo

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce that Johnson & Johnson awarded a $2,500 college scholarship to eight (8) students. One of those students is University of Cincinnati (UC) sophomore Daniel Nfodjo.

Daniel is majoring in Information Technology at UC. He is a software developer intern with a focus on mobile application development. He is making sacrifices today so that he can achieve success in the future. Daniel is a member of the math honor society called Mu Alpha Theta. He tutors students who struggle with math. One of the valuable lessons that he learned as a tutor is that it is imperative for him to share his talents and strengths with others around him. Daniel realizes that teaching and learning work hand-in-hand. He strives to grow through his tutoring efforts.

Daniel wrote, "My most memorable BDPA moment was being awarded this scholarship. It was a great moment for my family. It was a great feeling to know that I would receive financial assistance towards my education. Participating in BDPA has taught me the values of leadership, integrity, and perseverance. I have enjoyed my experience with BDPA and would like to continue doing so." Daniel continued, "I have one motto by which I challenge myself "do it with passion or not at all." I push my body and mind beyond its limits. Throwing in the towel and giving up is a luxury I cannot afford, because at the end of the day, I have a goal to reach and a dream to make a reality."

BDPA is blessed to have such a young and talented technology student on board as both a member and as winner of the Johnson & Johnson Scholarship. We look forward to supporting Daniel's career as he seeks to advance in the technology industry!

Message from National BDPA President (Nov 2015)

Pamela Mathews

Hello everyone! Since my last update, we have continued to plan and execute strategy and tactics that will enable BDPA to thrive for the next 40 years. It has been a whirlwind to say the least, however your leadership completed or engaged in the following activities:

1. Completed our 37th Annual Technology Conference & Career Fair which included celebrating the 40th anniversary of our illustrious organization. The feedback from the Conference has been incredible and we saw a lot of “old faces” who have resumed their membership and commitment to BDPA;
2. Attended and spoke at the O’Reilly Media Velocity Conference in New York. BDPA was selected as the diverse association they chose to recognize this year. My talk focused on the purpose of BDPA, our desire to partner with like-minded organizations and how the participants should not take their ability to pursue and thrive in the technology profession for granted; and
3. Attended and represented BDPA at CompTIA’s annual ChannelCon conference in Chicago. During the Conference, we hosted a reception and participated in various leadership meetings and seminars aimed at strengthening our partnership and understanding of each other.

Our 37th Annual Technology Conference was absolutely incredible. The Opening Session featured General Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State, sharing his life lessons with the conference attendees. Over the course of the week, several competitions took place including a Hack-a-thon, High School Computer Competition, Mobile Application Showcase and IT Showcase. BDPAConnect, our college engagement program, was successfully launched to cater to our college students and their specific needs.



In addition, there were a number of general sessions and adult professional workshops that educated and inspired our membership. A number of the presenters will be sharing their content in future webinars hosted by National BDPA. Finally, congratulations to our award and scholarship recipients that were presented during the Awards Gala and throughout the week of the conference.

I would like congratulate and welcome our newest chapter, BDPA Kansas City, on the activation of their chapter during the Conference. 2015 was an election year and the following individuals were elected to lead BDPA nationally and regionally in 2016-2017:

• Mike Williams (National President)
• Pamela Mathews (National Vice President)
• Coram Rimes (VP-Finance)
• Midwest Region: Michael Wulf (Vice President), William Smith (Regional Director)
• Northeast Region: Curtis Jenkins (Vice President), Hayward West (Regional Director)
• South Region: Felicia Francis (Vice President), Markita Payne (Regional Director)
• West Region: John Malonson (Vice President), Kirk Williams (Regional Director)

Please be advised that preparations are already underway for the 2016 BDPA Technology Conference and Career Fair. The event will occur from August 10-13 at The Westin Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta, GA. The reduced member rate, through January 1, 2016 is $350. Please visit www.bdpa.org to register and take advantage of this incredible reduction.

As we continue our brand rejuvenation efforts, we are evaluating all of our programs to determine what changes are required to ensure they stay or become more relevant to our members. To that end, our Programs Committee has begun to have weekly meetings to support this effort.

Our 4th Quarter Membership Drive Campaign is underway. We are soliciting everyone this quarter to become a Lifetime Member. The cost is $1,000 and payment options are available.

As you know BDPA is a volunteer organization, our membership has a vast skillset. We invite all members to get engaged! We need your support to continue making BDPA a success. Numerous volunteer opportunities exist locally and nationally, send a message to info@bdpa.org and tell us what area you would like to be involved with.

In closing, THANK YOU again for the privilege to serve our great organization as President. Please feel free to contact me at president@bdpa.org if you have any questions or comments.

Sincerely,
Pamela L. Mathews, president
National BDPA

Top 10 BDPA Chapters (Membership, October 2015)

The lifeblood of any nonprofit association is its membership.  BDPA Cincinnati remains the #1 BDPA chapter in the nation for the seventh month in a row.   The chapter ... led by its president, Dalric Webb ... continues to amaze others by its consistent growth.   The chapter seeks to reach its goal of 300 members by the end of the year!

National BDPA VP-Membership Management (VPMM) Mildred Allen meets on a monthly basis with the local chapter VPMMs.    Her efforts have allowed BDPA to continue to grow.  Currently BDPA has higher level of membership then it did coming into the calendar year.   We need to work hard to keep membership growth and retention higher.

Michael Wulf

BDPA Midwest Region (vice president, Michael Wulf) is dominating the Top 10 list this month. Five chapters in that region are in the top 10 (Cincinnati, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee). BDPA Northeast Region (vice president Fred Smith) is also doing well with four chapters in the top 10 (Philadelphia, New York, Washington DC, New Jersey). Each of these nine chapters is very strong in terms of the programs and services provided for both adult members and student members. It is no accident that active efforts within a local BDPA chapter results in more members ... more members results in more membership dues ... which makes it easier to implement more consistent and effect programs and services. How are things going in your local chapter?

BDPA believes 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. Cincinnati - president, Dalric Webb 
2. Chicago - president, Reggie Rush 
3. Atlanta - president, Derrick Brown (moved up 1 spot since last month)
4. Detroit - president, Beverly Moore  (dropped down 1 spot)
5. Philadelphia - president, Eileen Gadsden (moved up 1 spot)
6.  New York - president, Tyrone McKinney (dropped down 1 spot)
7. Washington DC - president, Perry Carter 
8. Indianapolis - president, Terry Morris 
9. New Jersey - president, Goldie Bonney 
10. Milwaukee - president, Carmen Giles 

The number of chapters now belonging to the 'BDPA Century Club' currently stands at six.  The benefit of having powerful leadership is obvious when we see that Cincinnati, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, New York and Philadelphia 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.

Our national president, Pamela Mathews, recently touted the value that organizational re-branding has made on BDPA.  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?