What You Should Know Now

Get Down to Business 2012: You Don't Want To Miss These Great Workshops

{Where You Should Be} Great Place to Work® Conference Now Underway in ATL

Great Place to Work®,  experts in creating workplace cultures that drive business results, is hosting its annual Great Place to Work® Conference in Atlanta, GA on March 28-29^th.  Featured speakers include CEOs of top companies such as John Mackey of Whole Foods Market, Dr. John Noseworthy of Mayo Clinic, Jeffrey Katzenberg of DreamWorks Animation, Clarence Otis of Darden Restaurants and Tom Folliard of CarMax.

Conference highlights include breakout sessions focused on employee engagement, workplace wellness initiatives, creating a high-trust environment, leadership development, and fostering innovation.

Conference goers may also upgrade the regular program to The Immersion Experience. This extended program includes a site visit to a Atlanta’s Holder Construction, a Best Company to Work For, a ready-made peer network for thought partnership, a personalized action plan for how to apply Conference learnings to areas of opportunity, and more. The Immersion Experience provides a more personal touch to those who wish to immediately begin implementing change at their workplace, and who want to walk away with practical tools and targeted connections in hand.

In concert with the Conference Great Place to Work® is hosting a video contest. Any US-based company with 25 or more employees is eligible to participate in the “We ♥ Our Workplace” Video Contest. 

The Grand Prize, a $5,000 donation to the winning company’s charity of choice, furnished by Sofitel, celebrates the growing role that corporate philanthropy and community involvement initiatives play in employee engagement and strong company cultures. 

Time & Place:

Great Place to Work® Conference

Wednesday March 28 to Thursday March 29

Hyatt Regency Atlanta on Peachtree Street

265 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30303

To register visit the Great Place to Work® Conference event page http://www.greatplacetowork-conference.com/home

ABOUT GREAT PLACE TO WORK®: Great Place to Work® Institute is a global human resources consulting, research and training firm specializing in organizational trust. The Great Place to Work® Model is built on 25 years of research and data collected through our Trust Index© Employee Survey, which is taken by over 10 million employees annually worldwide.

Great Place to Work® provides leadership coaching and culture consulting services to businesses, non-profits and government agencies in 45 countries on all six continents. In the United States, Great Place to Work® produces the annual FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® list and Great Place to Work® Best Small & Medium Workplaces list published by Entrepreneur.com.

http://www.greatplacetowork.com

Meet our 2012 Superwomen @ Spelman!

Where You Should Be: TODAY! Creating Wealth Presentation @ Clark Atlanta University

The 411:

WHO: Dr. Dennis Kimbro, nationally acclaimed author, faculty member in the School of Business at Clark Atlanta University (CAU), and head of CAU’s CEO Academy

WHAT: Will present “Banking on Black Power,” a challenge toward wealth creation in the African-American community, as a part of the university’s observance of Black History Month, this year themed “Black Power Now.”

WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 3 p.m.

WHERE: The Thomas W. Cole Jr. Research Center for Science and Technology, 223 James P.
Brawley Drive, S.W.

BACKGROUND: Kimbro’s first four books were best-sellers. His next book, “Have vs. Have Not: What Black Millionaires Know That Others Do Not,” is due out this fall.

Mark Your Calendars: LEAD Week @ Clark Atlanta University

The Clark Atlanta University (CAU) School of Business will present its 17th annual LEAD Week Feb. 13-17 on campus, 223 James P. Brawley Drive, S.W. This year’s theme,“Transformational Leadership: Global Investment, Innovation and Impact,” focuses on such topics including: leadership, networking, entrepreneurship and personal finance.

Highlights of the week will include the Chevron Women’s Leadership Breakfast and the Men in Business Luncheon, sponsored by PNC Bank. The week will begin with a presentation by Barb Schaefer, senior vice president of Union Pacific, and a networking reception sponsored by Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Participating business leaders will include Kathy Daly-Jennings, head of Industry, Retail at Google; Ken Bentley, vice president of Nestle USA, Inc.; and Vernon Baker, senior vice president and general counsel of Meritor, Inc.

Maggie Anderson, CEO and founder of The Empowerment Experience, will conduct a workshop and book-signing. Chaired by CAU graduate student Tafadzwa Sithole, LEAD Week will conclude with a black-tie gala and silent auction at the Omni Hotel Feb. 17.

School of Business Dean Lydia McKinley-Floyd said, “Our economy is demanding even more for today’s business students to be prepared and positioned for success, given an aggressive and global environment. We must stress entrepreneurial thinking to help further empower students in our program, sharing with them some of the best practices and presenters throughout this week.”

Visit http://www.sbus.cau.edu/ for the complete LEAD Week schedule.

About Clark Atlanta University’s School of Business

The School of Business at CAU awarded its first bachelor’s degree in 1931. Its graduate program was founded in 1946. The School was one of the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the nation to have its undergraduate and graduate business programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate schools of Business International (AACSB). It continues to produce one of the largest classes of African-American MBAs in the world, while its undergraduate program is one of the top 10 percent producers of African-American business professionals in the nation.

Senior Executives from Nation’s Largest Retailers to Participate in Roundtable @ The Coca‐Cola Company’s Global Headquarters October 18th

The Network of Executive Women (NEW), the nation’s largest diversity group, is launching its newest regional group in Atlanta, with an inaugural event at 6:00 pm Tuesday October 18 in the Roberto C. Goizueta Auditorium at The Coca‐Cola Company’s World Headquarters (One Coca‐Cola Plaza NW, Atlanta).

The launch of the Atlanta chapter coincides with the 10‐year anniversary of NEW, and will feature a premier networking event and roundtable discussion of the next decade in retail, by a panel of senior executives from The Home Depot, The Kroger Company, Wal‐Mart Stores, Inc., and Acosta Sales & Marketing. The executives will discuss changes in the marketplace in coming years, and how leadership must flex and adapt to meet the challenges.

NEW celebrates ten years of cutting‐edge initiatives in education, career and leadership development for attracting, retaining and advancing women in the retail and consumer products industry. Steered by a Board of leading companies, the Network conducts conferences, workshops, and regional networking events in more than 15 cities in the US. A major business center of the Southeast, Atlanta is home to the fourth largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the nation, with headquartered Fortune 1000 companies generating nearly $260 billion in aggregate revenues, according to Fortune Magazine1.

Senior Vice President, Chief Customer and Commercial Officer of The Coca‐Cola Company, Jerry Wilson, commented, “The Coca‐Cola Company is delighted to host the inaugural event of the Atlanta chapter of the Network of Executive Women at our world headquarters next month. Our Company has long been a supporter of NEW and the professional development of senior‐level and emerging industry leaders in retail and consumer goods. We welcome the Network to Atlanta, and look forward to this outstanding event and many others, as the Network expands its footprint in our home market.”

Panelist Patricia H. Mueller, Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer for The Home Depot, will be featured on the panel. “Diversity is the catalyst for innovative thinking, entrepreneurial spirit and new ways of building our communities. At The Home Depot, women have been an invaluable part of our workforce throughout our 30 years in business – from the women you encounter in the orange aprons at our stores, to our leadership,” added Mueller. “Atlanta is our home town so it especially pleases me to be a part of the Network’s inaugural event in this market.” Trish Mueller is responsible for setting the Company’s strategic marketing vision, and oversees its category marketing and brand development. She joined The Home Depot in 2009 as vice president of advertising, following senior roles at The Sports Authority, American Signature, ShopNBC, and Montgomery Ward. Ms. Mueller earned a business management degree magna cum laude from Plattsburgh State University.

Joining Tricia Mueller on the panel is The Kroger Company’s Vice President of Merchandising, Horace Hamilton. Commenting further on the event, Mr. Hamilton said, "Kroger has long made it a business priority to develop a diverse and inclusive workforce, as well as supplier network. We currently partner with nearly 1,000 women owned and minority companies, and have launched a fast‐track leadership and development program internally for our highest potential associates and managers. We are thrilled that the Network of Executive Women is opening a chapter in Atlanta, one of our most important market areas, and we look forward to the education and networking benefits and tools the Network will bring to our Kroger associates and colleagues." Hamilton has worked for Kroger for 42 years, and is active on several boards, including the Georgia Food Industry Association as its Vice Chairman, as well as the University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, and the University of Tennessee Retail, Hospitality & Tourism Management Advisory Board. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee.

Senior Wal‐Mart Stores, Inc. executive Karen Brewer‐Edwards is the third member of the executive panel. A twenty‐year veteran of Wal‐Mart, Ms. Brewer‐Edwards manages nearly 27,000 associates across 88 stores in Northern Georgia, and is charged with executing business strategies for Wal‐Mart’s Southeast Division, including talent development. “I'm excited to be a part of The Network of Executive Women's inaugural event in Atlanta, and involved with an organization that has values consistent with our Global Women's Initiative to help more women live better. It's a pleasure to participate in leading education and leadership platforms for women managers and suppliers in the Southeast region," said Brewer‐Edwards. In 2010, Karen was named as one of the Most Influential Women Business Leaders in Atlanta by the Atlanta Business Journal, and currently serves on several boards, including the Communities in School of Georgia and the Urban League of Greater Atlanta. She received her bachelor’s degree in business at the University of Central Arkansas.

Completing the panel is Acosta Sales & Marketing’s Chief Marketing Officer, Ramin Eivaz, who echoed his support for the Network and the event, commenting that “there are significant demographic shifts happening among today’s shoppers. Baby Boomers are aging and spending less, giving way to a younger generation of shoppers that are more ethnically diverse and influential. At the same time, digital is advancing rapidly, making today’s shoppers smarter and better informed. Shoppers hold far more power than ever before, and to engage them we as marketers must become even more targeted with our efforts.” Mr. Eivaz is Acosta’s first CMO, and is leading the effort to reach shoppers along the entire path to purchase, a function that includes gleaning industry‐leading analytics and insight and cultivating marketing innovations that are ahead of the curve. Mr. Eivaz is a former executive with Kimberly‐Clark, PepsiCo and E&J Gallo Winery, and holds both an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from California State University.

Retail and consumer products professionals interested in attending the event should register online at http://www.newonline.org/event/Atlanta_101811.

About The Network of Executive Women

The Network of Executive Women, Consumer Products and Retail Industry, based in Chicago, has more than 3,300 members from more than 400 companies and 70 corporate sponsors in 17 regions in the U.S. and Canada.

Founded in 2001, the Network educates industry leaders about the benefits of gender diversity and provides best practices to help achieve it. It directly supports the career development of the senior‐level and emerging industry leaders who comprise its membership. For more information on the Network of Executive Women and its best practices, education, mentoring, networking and leadership development programs, visit www.newonline.org.

Atlanta Tribune Publisher Pat Lottier to be Honored by the U.S. Commerce Department's MBDA

The U.S. Commerce Department’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) proudly announces the 2011 National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week award winners. Awardees will be honored at a gala on September 30 in Washington, D.C.

“The minority-owned firms selected are excellent examples of U.S. firms producing American-made products and services that are creating jobs for Americans,” said MBDA National Director David Hinson. “These businesses are helping America ‘win the future’ by boosting our economy and global competitiveness.”

These awards are designed to highlight the outstanding achievements of minority entrepreneurs and businesses based on their total revenues, jobs created and the economic impact they’ve had on their community. MBDA also recognizes individuals and organizations that have demonstrated leadership and commitment in advancing the minority business community.

The National Minority Business Award Winners include:

Media Award – Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine, Pat Lottier
Pat Lottier is publisher and CEO of the award-winning Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine, a monthly magazine that covers and reports on business-related stories affecting the African-American community in Atlanta’s metropolitan area. Since purchasing the publication in 1987, Lottier has enhanced its layout and design, extended the scope of the news coverage and has overseen a dramatic increase in subscription.

Minority Construction Firm of the Year – Metcon Construction, Pembroke, NC
Metcon, Inc. is a multi-discipline general contracting firm organized to assist clients in managing the construction process from concept through pre-construction and construction, to a successful project completion.

Minority Manufacturer of the Year – Superior Communications, Inc., Baldwin Park, CA
Superior Communication, Inc. started with a handful of employees in the cellular phone aftermarket accessory business, and has since grown to about 350 employees and annual revenues of $400 million. The company serves six out of the seven top U.S. wireless telephone carriers in their accessory needs.

Minority Retail Energy Firm of the Year – SilRay, Inc., Palo Alto, CA
SilRay, Inc. was established in 2007 and has become a leading independent solar retail energy provider. SilRay maintains branch operations in Cannes, France and Shanghai, China. It was selected by the U. S. Coast Guard in 2010 for the construction of its first solar power plant.

Minority Global Technology Firm of the Year – InfoPeople Corporation, New York, NY
InfoPeople Corporation has grown from a one-man operation in 1998 to a multi-national company serving Fortune 1000 companies in the United States and India. Over the past five years, InfoPeople has generated $1 billion in revenue and doubled its number of employees.

Minority Global Supplier Distributor of the Year – Redapt, Inc., Redmond, WA
Redapt, Inc. was founded in 1996 as a self-funded startup initially focused on selling quality refurbished UNIX and expanded to meet the needs of its customers. Redapt is now a VAR of Dell, IBM, Cisco, Sun Microsystems, F5 Networks and others.

The following champions are recognized for their commitment to creating an environment for minority business growth:

Advocate of the Year – Omar Duque, President & CEO, Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Omar Duque is the president and CEO of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the leading Hispanic business, networking, advocacy and development organization in Illinois. Duque has served as an advisor on major economic development projects in the Chicago area, including the redevelopment of Soldier Field and the expansion and redevelopment of Chicago’s Midway Airport.

Distinguished Supplier Diversity Award – Delphi Automotive, Ruben Estrada
Ruben Estrada is the director of Indirect and M&E North America at Delphi Global Supply Management of Delphi Automotive. For more than 100 years, Delphi has set the highest standards, including a corporate policy to assist minorities in achieving economic equality through business placement with diverse suppliers. The annual spend with minority- and women-owned firms has exceeded $7.4 billion during the past decade.

Access to Capital Award – The Loan Fund, F. Leroy Pacheco
The Loan Fund, established in 1989, has lent more than $43 million and helped to create more than 6,000 jobs throughout New Mexico, while maintaining a 97.5 percent repayment rate. Under his leadership of F. Leroy Pacheco, the average loan size has increased from $14,000 to $70,000, and more than 93 percent of the $14 million that has been lent since his arrival has been to minority- and women-owned businesses.

About the Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week Conference:
Recognized as the nation’s premier event for minority entrepreneurs and business owners, the MED Week Conference attracts minority businesses of all sizes from all industry sectors across the country. The conference is co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

SAVE THE DATE! Join us for Atlanta Tribune's 25th Anniversary Celebration

 

Join us August 16th at the Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants Game! Special Pricing!

 

MED Week B2B Matchmaking on August 11, 2011

The deadline for applications for B2B Matchmaking on August 11 during the Business Summit of Minority Enterprise Development Week (MED Week) has been extended to August 3. The fee is $75 and includes the B2B matchmaking sessions, light breakfast and panel discussions/workshops on branding and the SBA at AT&T. The fee for the entire MED Week Business Summit and Awards Gala is $200 for Minority Business Enterprises. See the attached form for the B2B Matchmaking below. Some of the companies meeting one on one with MBEs will be: Coca Cola, Clorox, Georgia Power, New South Construction, City of Atlanta, MARTA, Georgia Department of Administrative Service, Dekalb County Purchasing & Contract Compliance Division and the Fulton County Department of Purchasing and Contract Compliance.

 

Visit www.medweekatlanta.com for more information.