National BDPA Elections (2016-2017)

National BDPA conducted its bi-annual elections earlier this month.  Here are election results for the organization's board of directors. The two-year terms of the newly elected board members will begin January 1, 2016. Election results for the National BDPA Board of Directors are as follows.
 

Mike Williams National President	Coram Rimes National Vice President, Finance
Pamela Sexton National Vice President	John Malonson Regional Vice President, West
Kirk Williams  Regional Director, West	Felicia Jones Regional Vice President, South
Sharnecia Williams Regional Director, South	Curtis Jenkins Regional Vice President, Northeast
Hayward West Regional Director,Northeast	Michael Wulf Regional Director, Midwest

William Smith Regional Director, Midwest

These newly-elected officers will join with other soon-to-be appointed officers under the leadership of our incoming National BDPA President Mike Williams.  All of BDPA-Nation wishes the very best to each of these brothers and sisters for stepping up to serve as regional and national leaders for our organization. Our plan is to be the wind beneath their wings over the coming two years!

Message from the National BDPA President

Pamela Mathews

Greetings! I pray that everyone had a great Thanksgiving and enjoyed your time with family and friends. As the season changes from fall to winter, so too does the evolution of BDPA in terms achieving our vision and national strategy.

Thus far, 2014 has been a year of transition, celebration and collaboration. As we march into December and close out the year, let’s all be mindful of a few of our accomplishments:

• Established a strong, tangible framework to achieve our national strategy. Our strategy and expectations are clear and everyone is aligned on our collective and functional area objectives;
• Initiated the review and update of our standard operating procedures. As you are all aware, we have entered year three of our transition to a regionally based structure. As a result, we needed to revise our documentation to reflect this change, specifically roles, responsibilities and processes, to drive greater accountability and execution;
• Executed our 36th Annual Technology Conference and Career Fair. The Indianapolis chapter, Visit Indy, and national team did a phenomenal job of planning and executing a great conference. Similar to prior years, the conference was experienced by over 500 members, corporate sponsors and partners;
• Completing due diligence with prospective partners to enhance our member value proposition. Discussions are underway with several strategic partners to confirm the existence of a mutually beneficial partnership.

Besides the accomplishments mentioned above, I am also excited about the collaboration and execution exhibited by our Regional leadership team. I have had the pleasure to work with each of them for a few years and trust them to work across the organization to bring our vision and strategy to life. As we move into 2015, I am asking each of you to prepare for and/or focus on the following:

• BDPA’s 40th Anniversary, which will be celebrated August 18-22, 2015 as part of the National BDPA Technology Conference and Career Fair in Washington, DC.  Please register now (early bird registration expires January 1, 2015) and start making your plans to attend the Conference;
• Membership renewal. Please renew yours during the annual membership drive. Updated information regarding member benefits will be published and communicated in the near future. Also, bring a friend to the membership drive. BDPA has something to offer everyone;
• 2015 Annual Technology Conference - Call For Presenters. This is a great way to share your knowledge or expertise on a particular topic. If you are interested, please complete the online form by January 26, 2015, on the 2015 BDPA conference page at http://www.bdpa.org.

In closing, I am honored to represent and lead our prestigious organization. Thank you for your past, current and future support. Please feel free to contact me at info@bdpa.org if you have any questions or comments.

Sincerely,
Pamela Mathews, president
National BDPA

MillerCoors Sponsors BDPA for Third Year in a Row

MillerCoors is passionate about beer and the beer business. MillerCoors demonstrated its passion for BDPA programs and services when it made the commitment for the third year in a row to become a corporate sponsor ... this time at the Gold Level. The company investment in 2014 supports a number of the events at the 36th annual National BDPA Technology Conference on August 5-9, 2014 in Indianapolis.

Craig Brown

Dr. Craig Brown, National BDPA president stated, "On behalf of the National BDPA leadership team and its stakeholders, it is my honor and privilege to welcome MillerCoors as a Gold Level Sponsor. We thank MillerCoors for their commitment, continued support and contributions. It is the support of sponsors like MillerCoors that allows BDPA to continue forward with our mission to impact our members’ lives through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)."

MillerCoors has a strong leadership team and dedicated, hard-working people who are committed to building great beer brands the right way. The company is focused on creating big ideas and innovations that drive profitable growth and will help create a new era in the American beer industry. Their workplace philosophy is simple: Contribute your best with confidence, grow your career, and together help to create America’s best beer company.

Norman Fleming and past BDPA president Monique Berry

Norman Fleming, MillerCoors senior director said, "MillerCoors is committed to hiring the best multicultural talent in the market, and we know that National BDPA produces the best talent in the Information Technology field."

BDPA is the premier organization for African American professionals in the information technology industry. For almost 40 years, BDPA has fulfilled its mission by bridging the digital divide and providing career growth opportunities for its members. BDPA is also the largest national non-profit organization continually involved in training students underrepresented in STEM education across the country.

Pamela Sexton

BDPA conference director, Pamela Sexton said, "National BDPA is elated with the sponsorship renewal from MillerCoors. It's wonderful to have a company of this caliber as a trusted partner year after year. I enjoy the collaboration and support provided by MillerCoors during conference planning and throughout the year to bring BDPA forward. Thank you MillerCoors for your continued partnership."

Over 8,000 employees at MillerCoors 8,134 work together as a single team to exceed any challenges or expectations. A number of those employees are active with local BDPA chapters in both Chicago and Milwaukee.

"BDPA and MillerCoors are committed to developing the IT professional from the classroom to the boardroom. BDPA believes this is a ‘Best of Class’ professional development model that our members can benefit from,” stated Carmen Giles, BDPA Milwaukee chapter president.

To become a sponsor like MillerCoors, please contact BDPA Corporate Sales Team by email (corpsales@bdpa.org) or phone (301.584-3135 x108).

Related articles

• WellPoint Joins BDPA as Silver Level Sponsor
• Monsanto Moves Up to Silver Level Sponsor of BDPA
• For MillerCoors, It's The Charge Of The Light Brigade

Top 10 BDPA Chapters (Membership, December 2013)

The lifeblood of any nonprofit association is its membership. The streak of five straight months of membership growth ended in December.  The total membership totals only dropped by two people ... but, it means that we need to enter into the new calendar year with renewed emphasis on recruiting and retaining members!  National BDPA president Dr. Craig Brown nominated Adrienne Thomas (BDPA Baton Rouge) to serve as the incoming national VP-Membership Management.  The full board is scheduled to vote on her confirmation at the 1st quarter board of directors meeting on January 24-25 in Orlando FL.

We want to congratulate BDPA Chicago chapter for maintaining its dominance when it comes to membership size.  The chapter remained in the #1 spot throughout the two years of leadership under its president, Pamela Sexton.   The chapter earned national recognition with the presentation of the 2013 Chapter Membership Management Award announced during the national conference by BDPA founder Earl Pace!

Pam Sexton accepts award from Earl Pace

The 'secret sauce' for the success of BDPA Chicago chapter can be found in its consistent delivery of tangible programs and services.  The chapter delivers a powerful value-proposition for IT professionals, students and sponsors.  If other chapters want to ever leap-frog Chicago into that top spot ... they will need to come up with consistently powerful programs and services in 2014.

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

1. Chicago - president, Pamela Sexton
2. Washington DC - president, Perry Carter 
3. Philadelphia - president, Eileen Gadsden
4. Atlanta - president, Derrick Brown
5. Cincinnati - president, Clarence Larcarte 
6. Los Angeles - president, John Malonson 
7. Dallas - president, Stacy Stewart 
8. New Jersey - president, Goldie Bonney
9. New York - president, Renetta English
10. Detroit - president, Beverly Moore

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

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

Related articles

• Message from National BDPA President
• Message from BDPA Atlanta Chapter President
• Message from Cincinnati Chapter President

National BDPA Election Results (2014-2015)

National BDPA conducted its bi-annual elections earlier this month.  Here are election results for the organization's board of directors. The two-year terms of the newly elected board members will begin January 1, 2014. Election results for the National BDPA Board of Directors are as follows.
 

Craig Brown National President	Loraine Stewart National Vice President, Finance
Pamela Sexton National Vice President	Vacant Regional Vice President,West
Teresa Williams  Regional Vice President, South	Felicia Jones Regional Director, South
Frederick Smith, Jr. Regional Vice President, Northeast	Lilla Hunter-Taylor Regional Director, Northeast
Michael Wulf Regional Vice President, Midwest	Vacant Regional Director, Midwest

These newly-elected officers will join with other soon-to-be appointed officers under the leadership of our incoming National BDPA President Dr. Craig Brown.  All of BDPA-Nation wishes the very best to each of these brothers and sisters for stepping up to serve as regional and national leaders for our organization. Our plan is to be the wind beneath their wings over the coming two years!

BDPA iRadio Show - August 13, 2013 (Chris Jackson, Dr. Mack Joyner, Pamela Sexton)

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!

Find Additional Technology Podcasts with BDPA on BlogTalkRadio

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The guests on the August 13th show:

Dr. Mackale Joyner - software engineer, Texas Instruments - Mack Joyner is a software engineer for Texas Instruments. 17 years ago he was a high school senior trained by BDPA Kansas City chapter to compete in the National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship. He credits that BDPA experience with affirming his desire to pursue a career in software engineering. BDPA made a vital impact on his education endeavors as his participation in the national HSCC competition enhanced his college application to Rice University.

The door that the BDPA helped open at Rice subsequently led to other doors being opened, which enabled Mack to complete his PhD in Computer Science at Rice University. Dr. Joyner's research interests include developing compilation strategies for object-oriented languages in high-performance scientific computing. Dr. Joyner was simply a high schooler in Kansas City when BDPA met him. Now he is one of the top high performance computing experts in the world. Dr. Joyner is one of the reasons that BDPA exists! I hope that all BDPA members enjoy his story as much as we do. You can follow BDPA on Twitter -- @BDPA

Chris Jackson - chief of staff, Deloitte - Chris is the Chief of Staff for Deloitte Growth Enterprise Services. Chris is a frequently requested lecturer on global competitiveness, emerging technology and technology strategy. He has direct responsibility for driving the development and delivery of Deloitte's Growth Enterprise Services strategy, operating approach and identification of solution offerings for mid-market, high growth and privately held clients. As a leader in Deloitte Technology Strategy and Architecture practice, he is involved with of its Emerging Solution Cloud ERP efforts within Deloitte Innovation. His consulting expertise spans IT Strategy, Business Alignment and pre/post IT merger integration.

Chris was a presenter at the 2013 BDPA Technology Conference on the topic, 'ERP in the Cloud - What You Need To Know'. Participants in this workshop learned what company CIOs and CFOs need to consider when evaluating cloud-based ERP.

Chris' Twitter handle is @chris_jackson1

Pamela Sexton - conference director, National BDPA - Pamela agreed to be a recurring guest on the BDPA iRadio episode that airs on the 1st Tuesday of each month. She is pulling together the largest gathering of African American IT professionals in the nation on August 14-17, 2013 in Washington DC. There will be thousands of participants, hundreds of corporations, dozens of workshops, seminars, plenary sessions, a wonderful golf tournament, a 2-day career fair and so much more.

You can follow the BDPA Conference efforts on Twitter: @BDPA_Conference

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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!

Related articles

• VIDEO: Review of 2013 BDPA Technology Conference
• BDPA iRadio Show - January 14, 2014
• BDPA iRadio Show - March 25, 2014

Message from BDPA Chicago Chapter President

Greetings,

I am seeking your support to become your next National Vice President of BDPA. I am passionate about the organization and know that I have what it takes to move us forward. My key focus areas will be Brand Rejuvenation, Member Value Proposition and Cultural Transformation of National BDPA.

Please review the attached brief summary and also share with your delegates to gain a little more insight about me.

Pamela Sexton, Candidate, National BDPA Vice President (2014-2015) from Wayne Hicks

I am looking forward to meeting you and your delegates next week to discuss any suggestions or concerns you may have going into 2014. Thanks for your support.

Thanks & Regards,
Pamela Sexton
BDPA Chicago Chapter President
National BDPA VP Strategy & Planning
2013 National BDPA Conference Director
Email pamela.sexton@bdpa.org

BDPA iRadio Show: July 9, 2013 (Janice Coleman, Ted Jordan, Pamela Sexton)

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 guests on the July 9th show:

Janice Coleman - President/CEO, Janice Coleman Corporation (JCC) - Janice is a master communicator. Her action provoking presentations are sought out and tremendously well-received by all audiences. She has held many strategic roles in the corporate and non-profit sectors for over 20 years during which time she has had the pleasure of leading teams to great success in their respective industry segments. She is a regular contributor to BDPA, having presented to at several chapters in the NE including Philadelphia, North Delaware and North Jersey and keynoting for a Philadelphia Chapter’s recent Holiday Gala. Janice is also the presenter of JCC’s Career Triage© webinar sponsored by National BDPA. Her conference workshop is entitled, 'Stand Up. Stand Out.: The Science of Executive Presence' The National BDPA twitter handle is @JaniceMColeman.

Ted Jordan - President, Funutation Tekademy - Ted Jordan is the visionary behind Funutation Tekademy. Funutation stands for fun and education! The company runs kids' camps, called Tek Labs, partly during the school year and mostly during the summer. Funutation is firm in our commitment to providing your child the finest experience in the technology skills education arena. As a result, computer programming, reading skills, and teamwork are integral parts of the Funutation Tek Lab experience. We look forward to hearing about the past, present and future of Ted's vision. His twitter handle is @tedjordan.

Pamela Sexton - Director, National BDPA Technology Conference - Pamela Sexton is the 2013 National BDPA Technology conference director. She is one of the hardest-working volunteers in BDPA.  In addition to her conference leadership position it is worth noting that Pamela is also national vice president of strategy & planning, BDPA Chicago chapter president and a candidate to become the 2014-2015 national vice president.  She is leading the BDPA effort to pull together the largest gathering of African American IT professionals in the nation on August 14-17, 2013 in Washington DC. There will be thousands of participants, hundreds of corporations, dozens of workshops, seminars, plenary sessions, a wonderful golf tournament, a 2-day career fair and so much more.  Pamela will share the current updates on the conference with our BDPA iRadio Show listeners. The conference twitter handle is @bdpa_conference

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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!

BDPA iRadio Show: June 11, 2013 (Jala Cruz, Kendall Norris, Pamela Sexton)

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 guests on the June 11th show:

Jala Cruz - Publisher, Signature J Magazine - Jala Cruz is a truly remarkable young woman. She was a member of the 2008-2011 HSCC teams trained by BDPA Indianapolis. Jala earned the Eli Lilly Scholarship for BDPA Students in 2011 based on her interest in both technology-based education and community service. To top it off she is the founder and owner of her own magazine - Signature J Teen Magazine - which focuses on the youth market highlighting entertainment, fashion, health, art and entrepreneurship. Jala has featured individuals such as Keke Palmer, Taylor Swift, Cody Simpson and Miguel just to name a few. Beyond that, Jala has a powerful message to share with both young and more experienced people in BDPA-nation. We look forward to sharing Jala’s journey with our BDPA iRadio Show audience. Her twitter handle is @SJTeen.

Kendall Norris - Chapter President, BDPA Middle Tennessee - Kendall joined Deloitte Services, Information Technology Services’ (ITS) Program Management Office as the U.S. Leader accountable for the successful delivery of information technology projects in support of Deloitte’s core businesses (Audit, Consulting, Financial Advisory and Tax services) and the Chief Technology Office. As the leader of the Project Management Center of Excellence, he leads teams of project management professionals in the U.S. and India, and adds value to the organization by continually improving service delivery on U.S. and global enterprise applications development and infrastructure programs.

Kendall is a member of the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF). Kendall enters into his 2nd year as the president of BDPA Middle Tennessee Chapter. BDPA is fortunate to have a man with executive leadership experience. We look forward to hearing what he and his chapter leadership team envision in 2013 for BDPA stakeholders in the greater Nashville area. The National BDPA twitter handle is @NationalBDPA.

Pamela Sexton - Director, National BDPA Technology Conference - Pamela Sexton is the 2013 National BDPA Technology conference director. She is pulling together the largest gathering of African American IT professionals in the nation on August 14-17, 2013 in Washington DC. There will be thousands of participants, hundreds of corporations, dozens of workshops, seminars, plenary sessions, a wonderful golf tournament, a 2-day career fair and so much more.

Pamela shared the current updates on the conference with our BDPA iRadio Show listeners. The conference twitter handle is @bdpa_conference

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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!

Walgreens Continues Long-Running Partnership with BDPA

Walgreens, the largest drug retailer in the United States, recently renewed their partnership with the BDPA Chicago chapter. The company also plans to recruit diverse information technology talent at the 35th Annual BDPA Technology Conference and Career Fair, August 14-17, 2013, at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC.

Walgreens' commitment to innovation, creativity, diversity, expansion, and trust are demonstrated by the more than 6.3 million people who choose to visit Walgreens’ 8,086 stores nationwide including locations in the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. Founded in 1901 in Chicago, Illinois, Walgreens and “Its Take Care Health Systems” subsidiary is the most extensive and largest health and wellness worksite provider with over 700 locations nationwide.

"I'm very pleased that Walgreens has renewed their partnership with BDPA Chicago Chapter. They have been a long-time partner that has contributed to a number of efforts with BDPA Chicago Chapter. We look forward to 2013 and beyond. Thank you Walgreens for your continued partnership," said Pamela Sexton, BDPA Chicago chapter president.

BDPA is recognized nationally as a global member-focused technology organization with over 45 active chapters in the United States. BDPA continues to stand as a leader in delivering 21st century technological programs, college scholarships, mentoring, support and services for youth and adult Information Technology (IT) professionals. BDPA is honored to partner with a world class corporation like Walgreens.

For more information on BDPA’s 35th Annual National Conference, contact Wayne Hicks, Director, BDPA Corporate Sales Department, corpsales@bdpa.org, (301) 584-3135.

BDPA iRadio Show: April 9, 2013 (Matthew Harvey, Pamela Sexton)

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!

Listen to internet radio with BDPA on Blog Talk Radio

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The guests on the April 9th show:

Matthew Harvey - Chapter President, BDPA Indianapolis - Matthew Harvey is president of one of the most active BDPA chapters in the nation. His chapter has a legacy for educational programs that impact on the lives of K-12 students. Also, his chapter has created a very unique and vibrant bond with a Fortune 100 corporation, Eli Lilly & Company.

Matthew shared his vision for the chapter including how he sees the 2014 BDPA Technology Conference ... to be held in Indianapolis ... over the coming weeks and months.  The twitter handle for his chapter is @BDPA_Indy.

Pamela Sexton - Director, National BDPA Technology Conference - Pamela Sexton is the 2013 National BDPA Technology conference director. She is pulling together the largest gathering of African American IT professionals in the nation on August 14-17, 2013 in Washington DC. There will be thousands of participants, hundreds of corporations, dozens of workshops, seminars, plenary sessions, a wonderful golf tournament, a 2-day career fair and so much more.

Pamela shared the current updates on the conference with our BDPA iRadio Show listeners. The conference twitter handle is @bdpa_conference

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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!

Deloitte Invests in BDPA Silver Level Corporate Sponsorship

Built on the principles of leadership through excellence, Deloitte recently joined the growing list of Silver Level Corporate Sponsors for the 35th Annual National BDPA Technology Conference and Career Fair titled, “Diverse Opportunities In The Age of Convergence” on August 14-17, 2013 in Washington, DC.

Pamela Sexton

Pamela Sexton, National BDPA Conference Director stated,

“I'm very excited that Deloitte has renewed their partnership with BDPA. They have been a long time partner that has contributed to the success of our National BDPA Conference and our strategic goals. We look forward to 2013 and beyond. Thank you Deloitte for your renewed partnership."

Recognized for global expertise in audit, consulting, financial advisory, tax services, and risk management, Deloitte’s income in 2012 reached $13.07 billion. Since 1998, Deloitte continues to be recognized as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” according to FORTUNE magazine. This year, Deloitte won four top prizes at the Association of Management Consulting Firms awards ceremony in Growth Strategies, Supply Chain Performance Improvement, Human Capital, and Humanitarian categories.

"BDPA Philadelphia is appreciative of the strong corporate support we have received from Deloitte,” said Eileen Gadsden, BDPA Philadelphia chapter president. “We are thankful to our corporate champions Larry Quinlan, Deloitte chief information officer, and Hayward West, BDPA Philadelphia chapter past president, for ensuring we have not only financial support, but the time and talent of their world-class staff,” she added.

As a global member-focused technology organization with 46 active chapters in the United States, BDPA continues to stand as a leader in delivering 21st century technological programs, college scholarships, mentoring, support, and services for youth and adult Information Technology (IT) professionals. BDPA is honored to partner with a world class organization such as Deloitte.

For more information on the benefits of BDPA corporate sponsorship, contact Wayne Hicks, Director, Corporate Sales Department, corpsales@bdpa.org, (301) 584-3135.

BDPA iRadio Show - June 12, 2012 (Shauna Cox, James Gadsden, Pam Sexton)

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 nine months with over 80 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.

Listen to internet radio with BDPA on Blog Talk Radio

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The guests on the June 12th show:

James Gadsden - HSCC Alumni (2007-2009), BDPA Philadelphia - James competed as a member of the high school computer competition (HSCC) team trained by BDPA Philadelphia chapter in 2007-2009. After graduation from high school he came back to support his chapter as the assistant HSCC coordinator. He has a unique perspective on the BDPA mantra of ‘classroom to the boardroom’ to share with our iRadio Show leadership.

Shauna Cox - IT Director, Chicago Housing Authority - Shauna has worked in the IT industry for over 20 years. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Management Information Systems, an MBA in Strategic Planning & Policy and a Masters in Urban Planning & Policy. Shauna is a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). Shauna enjoys sharing her experience and often teaches university courses in technology & business management. She will present a workshop at the 2012 BDPA Technology Conference on the topic, 'Managing Your Digital Footprint'.

Pamela Sexton - conference director, National BDPA - Pam Sexton is completing the second year of her term of office as BDPA Chicago chapter president -- the largest chapter in the nation. BDPA Chicago chapter earned the 2011 'Outstanding Community Service' award under Pam's leadership. In addition, Pam served for the past three years as the national BDPA conference director. Last year (2011) was especially memorable as the national conference was held in the Windy City. 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 accepted yet another leadership challenge as the national BDPA vice president, Strategy & Planning in 2012-2013.

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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!

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.

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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.

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

Message from Chicago Chapter President

Pam Sexton

Greetings and Happy New Year!

I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to continue leading BDPA Chicago Chapter through 2013. I would like to thank each member and the Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) for their support and vote of confidence. I would like to highlight a few of our accomplishments over the past two years:

• Successfully executed and supported the 2011 National BDPA Technology Conference in Chicago
• Received the 2011 NBDPA Community Service Award during the 2011 National BDPA Technology Conference
• Increased Corporate Advisory Council membership and corporate support with the addition of Northern Trust Bank and Geneca
• Maintained strong fiscal accountability and compliance with applicable local, state and federal regulations
• Delivered value added programs and services to BDPA Chicago Chapter membership

None of these accomplishments would have been possible without you, our members and most valuable stakeholders. Similar to my first term, we will continue to have a "Back To Basics” approach focused on the following goals:

• Support of National BDPA, including the new administration, the regionalization organization structure and strategy
• Creation and awareness of the Member Value Proposition (MVP) to drive even greater return on investment for all stakeholders
• Increased engagement and participation of all members at BDPA Chicago Chapter events, program meetings and committees
• Increased awareness and visibility of BDPA Chicago Chapter across the Chicago-land community to drive greater engagement, membership and sponsorship opportunities

The new chapter leadership team and I look forward to partnering with each of you to accomplish these goals, and I thank you in advance for your commitment and support.

Finally, please make plans to attend or participate in the following events. Feel free to visit the BDPA Chicago Chapter website, bdpa-chicago.org, for more information.

• January 20, 2012 - BDPA Chicago Chapter Program Meeting
• January 21, 2012 - Awards Banquet, Hyatt Chicago Downtown

Thank you again for a successful first term, and please feel free to contact me if you have any ideas, questions or concerns regarding BDPA Chicago Chapter.

Sincerely,
Pamela L. Sexton, president
BDPA Chicago Chapter

Message from Chicago Chapter President

Pamela Sexton

Greetings,

I am looking forward to seeing all of you at our January events. We are making a conscious effort again to continue our mission of "Back To Basics" in 2011. Our goal is to ensure that the needs of our membership are being met.

What's new for the Chicago Chapter!

The Windy City Eclipse

As we continue our mission "Back to Basics with Focus", we would like to introduce to you our chapter newsletter, the Windy City Eclipse! The Chicago Chapter Board of Directors would like to use this newsletter to exchange news and information with our members. So, just as you will be hearing from us, we would also like to hear from you. Please don't hesitate to submit any feedback regarding the newsletter, or feel free to send news/updates for inclusion in the newsletter to: communications@bdpa-chicago.org.

Online Updates

Our chapter updates are now available online via the NEW National BDPA website! You can access the National BDPA website as usual at www.bdpa.org, then click on Chicago from the Chapters menu. Here you will find information regarding BDPA, not just for the Chicago Chapter, but nationwide. If you can't access the Chicago Chapter Home Page, and you are a paid member, please email: Fred_Patterson@hotmail.com.

22nd Annual Awards Banquet

Have you made plans to attend this exciting event? If not, why not! You Don't Want To Miss This One!!! This year we will shine the "Spotlight" on our CEO & CIO Champions who not only actively support our "From the Classroom to the Boardroom" mission, but who also visibly promote Information Technology as a driver of business success!

We'll also recognize those individuals who consistently show up as outstanding volunteers. Who will receive the Members' Choice Award, Department of the Year, or Corporate Champion of the Year? There's still time to reserve your seat and find out who the honorees will be.

It could be YOU, so please join us on:




Saturday, January 22, 2011
Reception 6:00pm
Dinner 7:00 pm
Black Tie


RSVP to attend: http://bdpa2011awardsgala.eventbrite.com. If you have questions regarding our upcoming Awards Banquet, please contact Millie Liggins on (847) 315-8926 or Sheila Marionneaux on (312) 653-3844.

Student Services

The kick-off for the High School Computer Competition Team was held in the 4th quarter of 2010 and training is now underway! Students are ramping up to compete in the Midwest Regional competition which will be held in Cincinnati, Ohio in June of this year. The National Competition, as you know, will be held here at the Chicago Hilton later this year in August.

Please support our students as they prepare for two challenging competitions in 2011. GO TEAM!

If you have suggestions, questions or concerns, please contact me at chicago_president@bdpa.org.

Pamela Sexton, president
BDPA Chicago Chapter
200 S. Wacker Drive, Ste. 1500 Chicago, IL 60606
"Back to Basics with Focus"