AUSTIN Black Business Journal® & Community News - September 2019

September 2019

INSIDE

FREE

Volume 2, Issue 10

The

Blacks in Tech Issue

Up & Coming Blacks in Tech

page 37

Safer, Better Response

page 36

Black Business Journal Names Top 10 Blacks in Tech

Most Influential Blacks in Tech

page 51 page 30

page 7

page 52

Black Austin Summer Social

Texas Colleges Make Princeton Review “Best” List

You’re Invited to The Black Excellence Experience!

Enjoy an evening of networking, community, empowerment and celebration as we share stories of triumph and excellence in the Black community

Saturday, November 23, 2019 JW Marriott Austin

SGM LEVEDA MCDANIEL

REV. G.V. CLARK

SHERIFF GREG HAMILTON

FREDDIE DIXON

CHEF HOOVER ALEXANDER

ALBERT BLACK MARILYN JOHNSON

GERALDINE TUCKER

TOMMY WYATT

2017 AIB HONOREES

Schedule 6:00pm Diversity Champions Awards Reception 6:30pm Networking 7:00pm Dinner & Entertainment 8:00pm Awards Program 9:30pm AIBA Book Unveiling & After-Party A black-tie affair

www.mademediagroup.org

Made Media Group was founded as a nonprofit 501c3 organization to inform, empower and transform African American communities through mass media and technology.

Our vision is threefold. • Profile and document the contributions of African Americans • Assist black businesses increase market share • Teach kids to seek careers in media and tech

For information on sponsorship call 512-380-1611.

PUBLISHER NOTE

A Owned by Made Media Group, a 501(c)3 Nonprofit.

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Anita C Roberts AMC Publishing, LLC

ABOUT US

Made Media Group is here to serve our community.

We strive to inform, empower and transform the community with positive news and multi-media content. Austin BBJ & Community News is a FREE print & digital, community newspaper and business journal for the multicultural community we serve.

CONTACT US

5114 Balcones Woods Dr. Ste. 307-345 Austin, TX 78759 512-380-1611 www.blackbusinessjournal.com

ustin Black Business Journal & Community News Magazine was created as a platform to present business and community news from a trusted source and to ensure the information is presented with a respectful, positive and authentic voice.

We pride ourselves in creating quality content for the multi-cultural community we serve. We provide influence & direction to our geographically dispersed Black community and consumers and enjoy being the voice of Black Austin.

We are seeking community partnerships. We are seeking constructive dialogue from key stakeholders. We are seeking a seat at the table and the ability to evoke change on a larger scale. We are here to build up our community. The Black Austin Tribe includes everyone in Central Texas, including you.

This issue is filled with cutting-edge technologists and forward-thinking financiers. They help lead some of the world’s top corporations that are changing the game in advance technology. Each of the honorees have worked hard to push the envelope in innovation and in doing so, paved the way for others to follow. I feel extraordinarily blessed to have been given the opportunity to capture and share the stories you are about to enjoy.

Congratulations to the incredible honorees and technologists in this issue. This is just a small recognized them for the extraordinary work they provide in the community.

Central Texas - let us hear from you. Send an email, follow us on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. Send me a note let me know what you’d like to see next. Or if you’d like to Volunteer, Donate or Sponsor an upcoming event email me we have lots cool things going on. For instance, check out the Achievements in Black Austin Awards Gala in November and so much more at www.mademediagroup.org I pray you see our value, and our worth and look forward to working together to build a better Central Texas for all.

PRESS RELEASES:

press@blackbusinessjournal.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS:

blackbusinessjournal.com/subscribe

God bless.

 info@blackbusinessjournal.com

ADVERTISE WITH US

 theluxuryceo

For advertising inquiries, please contact us at: info@blackbusinessjournal.com

Anita C Roberts Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Army Veteran

CONTRIBUTE TO OUR MAGAZINE

 austinblackbusiness  austinblackbusiness

We welcome submissions by freelance writers and photographers.

Email us at: editor@blackbusinessjournal.com

CONTENTS

DONATE:

We are a community funded publication. Your donations are welcome and appreciated.

To donate go to: blackbusinessjournal.com/donate

7

TOP TEN SUPER BLACKS IN TECH

30

AUSTIN MOST INFLUENTIAL BLACKS IN TECH

©2018 Austin Black Business Journal & Community News.

All Rights Reserved.

No reproduction of any portion of this issue is allowed without express permission form the publisher.

37

UP & COMING

50

54

51

57

CITY & COUNTY GOVERNMENT CITY MANAGER NAMES HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER

BLACK BUSINESS DIRECTORY

AUSTIN BLACK CHURCHES

COMMUNITY BLACK AUSTIN MEET & GREET

52

EDUCATION 14 TEXAS SCHOOLS ON PRINCETON REVIEW’S ‘BEST’ LIST

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

3

Austin Black Physicians Association

Gala

September 7, 2019 6:30pm

Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa 8212 Barton Club Dr Austin, TX 78735

Mission We envision a world where health and wellness are readily accessible to all.

We are committed to improving health disparities within our medical community.

Our goal is to inspire and nurture the next generation of Black doctors

www. austinbpa.com

Congratulations

Robert Corion

On being named Black Business Journal's

Top 10 Blacks in Tech

Mission

Made Media Group was founded as a nonprofit 501c3 organization to inform, empower and transform African American communities through mass media and technology.

www.mademediagroup.org

Vision

รถ Profile & document the contributions of African Americans รถ Assist black businesses increase market share รถ Teach kids to seek careers in media and tech

CONGRATULATIONS! BLACKS IN TECH OF CENTRAL TEXAS

2019

CENTRAL TEXAS BLACKS IN TECH

Robert Corion Jim Ganthier Dexter Henderson Rani Johnson Johnita Jones Jason Kelley Momar Mattocks Brian Reaves Robert F Smith Ed Ward

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH

Grounded in Excellence

Robert Corion Senior Vice President, Kapsch TrafficCom North America

Robert Corion was born in Sheffield, England from parents of Caribbean descent. He grew up in Toronto, Canada, although he spent many summers where his relatives lived in the island country of Grenada.

"I was in fifth grade – when I got my paper route. I'd get up every Sunday to deliver the Toronto Sun. And the paper would come like five in the morning and I'd have to wake up and pack it and then put it on my red wagon and deliver to the subdivision across the street. But that created sort of a work ethic. In eighth grade, I was one of the top ten carriers in the city in sales."

8

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

When Corion’s parents first moved to Toronto from the UK, Corion and his sisters and brother went back to live with their aunts and grandparents just until Corion’s parents were established and set up with a house and jobs. “That’s a traditional thing that happens in the Caribbean culture, and it enabled us to build bonds with the country and our family. Then, when we moved to join them in Toronto, we were very appreciative for the different environment that we saw in Toronto. They meant for us to stay rooted and grounded in our heritage and understand what hard work is.”

Corion’s father was an electrician for the railway, and his mother ended up going back to George Brown College, once his youngest sister was in junior high, and became a nurse practitioner working in geriatrics. Since both of Corion’s parents were very professional, going to college “was mandatory” in his family. Education was very important in their household from the time the children were very young. “I can remember in first grade when I would come home, and my father would have math for us to do in addition to what we did in school.” Corion was an overachiever as a child, however, and didn’t mind too much. Ever since he was eight years old, Corion would wake up naturally and refreshed after only about 5 hours of sleep, SEPTEMBER 2019

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH and his noise would disturb everyone else still asleep at his house. So, his parents had him start working a newspaper route, where he was responsible for delivering the Toronto Sun beginning at 5:00 a.m. on Sundays, loading it up on his red wagon and then delivering it to the subdivision across the street when he was in the fifth grade. Then, in the 8th grade, he won a plaque award for his excellence in sales, which included a limousine ride and tour of the CN Tower in the big city of Toronto, something indeed impressive to a child of that age. “I think that was the beginning of recognizing that if I focus and dedicated myself, I could do whatever I wanted to do in life.”

Corion came to the United States to attend Andrews University in Michigan, majoring in aviation engineering. When he took a class in computer programming, Corion considered changing his major to computer science but was already too close to graduation and decided to stick with the aviation program.

Upon graduation from college, he missed his Toronto life so much, so he returned there to work in different jobs that he could find which dealt directly with computers. That was Corion’s way of exploring the computer jobs in order to pick up skills in that area. While he was “gutting computers to learn what the components are and working for free” just to learn more, it made him that much more certain that he wanted to pursue computers as a career goal.

Then, in January of 1994, Corion received a job opportunity working for Continental Airlines in Houston, Texas. He worked there on the airplanes for some time and then found his way into an opening for writing the application for the central reservation systems for group booking on the airlines. Before he could do it, though, his boss assigned him a mentor and gave him one year to figure it out. So, Corion sought out some classes he’d need in both hardware and software at Houston Community College. Once the system was deployed, it was successfully used for an extended time after Corion had left for another job in hospital/pharmacy interface programming at a tech company working for Cardinal Health. By that time, Corion was married, and his wife did not want to move to California, due to the higher cost of living there when that company came to the point

of needing to relocate him. Instead, he stayed and worked for Sterling McCall’s, writing car manufacturing software programs for them.

It was in December of 2016 that Corion came to settle in Austin, signing his offer with Kapsch TrafficCom to work on transportation technology. For this system integrator who leads projects all over the world, Corion is responsible for the delivery operations of the business. What he enjoys most about his job is the challenge of keeping up with the fast pace of change in his industry and the problem solving. Corion always manages to stay one step ahead of things and is prepared as a leader. He has found that listening with his full attention to his customer needs and groups he manages has proven to be one of the most important skills that contribute to the success of what they accomplish together as a team. “There are so many different things coming out that you’re always in the process of learning…like a brand-new job every week.

It’s an ever-changing process and amazing to see how far we’ve come in such a short time from a technology perspective. It’s just fun.”

About the teams that Corion oversees, he knows, “The people I bring in are people that I know, I trust, that are hard workers just like I am…they go the extra mile, doing whatever it takes…not just showing up for eight hours.

They put everything they have into it, because they are passionate about what they do. Those are the people I surround myself with…it shows when you have a group of people with that sort of focus…creates transformational change in a business.”

It is also important to Corion to help build up others, both as a leader and as a role model

and mentor in his personal life. “When you change people’s lives with opportunity, you give them the opportunity to change everyone in their network, everyone in their tree, and that’s the kind of change that you want to impact. Don’t just climb the ladder and pull it up so no one else can come…” Corion helps people “so that everyone grows at the same time, especially in the black community… so much good talent out there that people don’t have exposure to.”

“So, it’s been an interesting journey.” These days, Corion has followed in his father’s footsteps. He takes his own family to those places he used to call home so that they, too, can establish and preserve their own cultural roots. He has given his sons plenty of times tables to memorize over the years, “because I always felt like idle time is the devil’s workshop.” His sons are now grown in their 20s and have an impressive work ethic. Corion and his wife also have 2 younger daughters, ages 9 and 11. The family loves to travel together in their leisure time, especially to beaches. Spending time having fun with them as well as keeping involved as an elder in his church are Corion’s main personal life activities, which helps him “stay grounded and inspired…and it prepares me for a brand-new week with an open mindset.”

It’s been many years since Corion, an avid pilot, has flown, he used to have a pilot’s license and airframe mechanic/avionics license as well.

He says he’ll always love planes but he, and especially his wife, are perfectly happy with him staying on the engineering and technology side of life.

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

9

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH

By Leaps of Faith

Jim Ganthier Senior Vice President, Customer Solutions Strategy & Advocacy, Dell Technologies

Jim Ganthier was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. His family moved to the United States during the evacuation and lived in New York until Ganthier reached the age of fourteen, when they returned to Haiti in the late 1970s to finish out his high school years.

Ganthier had relatives in both the Caribbean and in the U.S., which made it somewhat easier to transition between the two parts of the world. Being from a family where both of his parents had gone to college, with a banker for a father who worked for National Bank, Ganthier chose to come back to America for his college years, starting out as a pre-medical major in Long Island, New York.

"A great idea without execution is merely dreaming.

Execution without a plan is merely wasting space. If you can dream big and execute, frankly, you can change the world."

10

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

Keeping a high GPA on the pre-med track, Ganthier “woke up one day in a snow blizzard and decided ‘This is not what I want to do.

This is what my parents want me to do.” So, he took some time off and went back to the Caribbean. Ganthier was fortunate to have had several friends and family members there who owned manufacturing assembly facilities. He spent some time working in those and “fell in love with the work…decided I wanted to be an industrial engineer.”

When Ganthier returned to the U.S. to give college another chance, this time he “was smarter and went to a warmer climate…

Miami,” where he completed his engineering degree at Florida International University and then graduated with his master’s degree from Florida Atlantic University. Afterward, Ganthier took executive classes at Harvard.

SEPTEMBER 2019

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH Since a very young age, Ganthier has always been a natural problem-solver. He also loves systems and sees people as operating interconnected, trying to figure out ways to optimize that system to make it more effective and efficient, which is the perfect fit for what an industrial engineer works with in manufacturing companies. His earlier work was on the electromechanical side of engineering, starting with his first internship with GT Sylvania, where he met his mentor, Bob Burgess, who was one of the few African Americans who ran a 4,000-employee facility in the early 1980s. Mr. Burgess was “a great role model and really good advisor.”

“My path was an interesting, serendipitous one…” Ganthier recalls early on planning to open up his own factory, but then he met his wife for the first time, which “changed the trajectory of things.” So, he went to work for an international leading digital switching company in laser technology, Nortel.

Ganthier quickly became one of the youngest corporate troubleshooters and shift superintendents by the age of twenty-nine.

“In those days, you were either a supervisor, an engineer or a technician. Well, the plant manager said, ‘Why could we not have people who are good at all three…doing our buildouts, our new technologies and everything else?’ I happened to be one of those experiments.” Fortunately, the outcome was successful.

Then, unexpectedly, Ganthier received a phone call from a recruiter about “a small company in Texas needing his skills.” After a positive interview and promising outlook, Ganthier broke the news to his wife, who looked at him and said, “you’re moving me to the tumbleweeds.” It was a big change for her into the unknown, due to her past years spent in Miami and Puerto Rico. However, “she came out and fell in love with the place, and we started working at Compaq.” Ganthier’s wife was also a technologist, in data storage administration.

Ganthier has since achieved multiple patents, such as the two consumer product lines, Presario and iPACK. From there, HP ended up buying and he was asked to work in enterprise, including servers and various other components on a totally new platform, at that

time called Blades. “We basically took that business from 22% market share to 54%... from 9 million to 13 billion in about two and a half years.” When Ganthier and his associates were starting up that consumer group, he and his team joked that a well-calculated risk means “if we have a 51% chance of winning, we’ll probably take the risk.” Ganthier was often up for an adventure out of the blue, with high expectations for the thrill of the challenge, and replied, “This is insane. When do we start?” Back at that time, even with Packard Bell as their competition making a 54% market share, his team “made it to number one in three and a half years…having lots of sleepless nights.” Overall, Ganthier believes that “…if you’ve got the right folks, the right strategy, and the right belief and there’s a 51% chance, then you should seriously consider taking it, because in chaos is opportunity, and in that chaos is also the ability to define your career…Not everything is always as it appears.”

In 2015, Ganthier was invited to be on the Solutions team at Dell, where he instantly joined, “fell in love and…been having a ball ever since.” The most challenging part of his position is how a $93 billion company is made up of seven different companies, while trying to operate as one unified Dell Technologies.

His teams work toward “strategically aligned businesses in order to pull that together.”

Ganthier has been very impressed, calling Dell “a really good example…great place to work…a group of like-passionate people… it’s folks who actually want to take things to the next level.” Ganthier is inspired by the fact that technology is “forever changing, accelerating” and sees his role as being an

agent for change, a “disruptor…transforming things and making them better.

Ganthier’s favorite line from Nelson Mandela: “Vision without action is just a dream, action without vision just passes the time, and vision with action can change the world.”

Meaning, a great idea without execution is merely dreaming. Execution without a plan is merely wasting space. If you can dream big and execute, frankly, you can change the world. However, it’s just as important to Ganthier “not to forget the human side” while learning about the key metrics and other prioritizing involved in what he does for a living.

In addition to his identity as a good technologist, team leader, and creator of multiple businesses, Ganthier takes the highest pride in being a good father and husband, spending time with his family vacationing at the beach, keeping up his furniture building hobby, and not missing his sons’ tennis and baseball games. “I remember taking red-eye flights just so I could be back on a Saturday, so when they looked into the audience or the stands, they would see Mom and Dad cheering them on.” He also seizes opportunities to help others, “because I was lucky enough to have people mentor me.” Ganthier would like to see the Austin community do as much as possible to “help the next generation know that there is opportunity out there and people willing to help, not just the black community but people of color in general.” He often reflects back on an old Creole saying: “It’s not about you or your individual group. It’s about everybody linking arms and rising together.”

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

11

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH

Changing the Map

Dexter Henderson Senior Executive, Cognitive Systems IP Director, IBM

Dexter Henderson was born in New Orleans and grew up in Harvey, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. Although he was an only child, Henderson was raised around no shortage of family, especially athletes. “I got challenged a lot growing up as an only child…but I had uncles for backup.” Henderson also felt that having no siblings led him to have to get more creative looking for things to do. He was the first to go to college, which he credits to encouragement from his parents and other relatives.

"Being an athlete, people want to know why I ended up in tech. It's something that you have to want to do. If you're not willing to work hard, it's not for you. I would encourage kids to read up on the devices that they're using. Try to discover how they're being created. I'm one who always wanted to create new things to help change the world that's why I chose tech."

12

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

In high school, Henderson was known as a star athlete. He received several sports scholarship offers while he was still only in the 9th and 10th grades. He wasn’t so sure about college at that time, but he knew that the scholarships and athletic route would be his “ticket to move on” and end up in a successful career as a result. Henderson continued to receive letters from Division I universities, but it was during his junior year that it hit him, “I knew I had an opportunity, to go to college and take advantage of that athletic ability…I needed to get a degree.”

He began to look at technology as a major and researched which of those schools offered it as well as which were specifically helping minorities to get into corporate America. He found that Southern University had direct programs with IBM and the NASA program.

A big influence toward choosing Southern was his high school coach, also African American, had attended there and recommended that he attend to find out for himself about the benefits of the historically black college tradition. Henderson found a wealth of supSEPTEMBER 2019

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH port from his community as well, so many people who expressed how proud they were of him, especially when he went out running for training around the streets where he lived.

They called out to him as he passed by, “We’re backing you! We’re behind you!” “It made me want to work harder.”

When he started college at Southern in the late 1970s, Henderson discovered it to be everything he heard and more. “My mother laid my foundation, but Southern built the rest of the house around me and gave me the confidence to go out into corporate America and accomplish my goals…my professors, my fraternity brothers, my coaches…all added to this final construction of what I would end up and become.” NOTE: Took out last sentence In college, Henderson also continued to excel in football, well on his way to a career in professional sports. He played in Canada and signed to play with Houston. While in camp, he received an offer from IBM and was torn between wanting to end up in corporate America or possibly move on in his athletics to the NFL. Earlier on, he thought he could do both, but it finally came down to decisionmaking time. “I was actually on the football field when I found out that IBM offered me a job. So, when the time came for me to go, I walked off the field…to everybody’s surprise.

I knew that was a calling from God saying, “this is what you asked for a long time ago; here’s the opportunity.”

Working in technology was challenging, but Henderson was always one to “drift to the things that I thought were hard to do…which encourages you to be creative. I’m one who always wanted to create new things to help change the world. I knew that IBM was out there making a difference, helping to send people to the moon, curing cancer, and those are the types of things that I wanted to get into…having a big impact on the world.” Even now, every morning, Henderson takes fifteen minutes, catching up on the quickly changing pace of technological advancements and then asks himself, “What could I do in this space to actually help change the world?”

Henderson came to IBM Austin in 1998 and was given an international assignment after two years and had an opportunity to worked in New York, London, Sweden, Rome, China,

and Japan and has visited over 100 countries so far. After these assignments, it was an easy decision for him and his family to return to Austin, which they love, now seasoned in his career at IBM. Henderson is “proud to be running one of IBM’s largest, most strategic and innovative sites in the world.” He is one of the few at IBM who has worked in just about every division in the company, because he wanted to learn more and advance.

infrastructure. IBM also invites groups of Prairie View A & M University students as well as military veterans for hiring fairs. IBM was recently presented with an award of recognition for its work in hiring and training military veterans in the community, which means a lot to Henderson, who is proud of their contributions to our country and to IBM. He oversees a specific internship program for Veterans coming out of Fort Hood.

“I was willing to step out into something unfamiliar…One of the big things I learned was that if you want to be first then you have to take a chance—a lot of people are too cautious…Get out of your comfort zone. I tell new employees, “Do not let IBM change you; you change IBM, because that’s why we brought you in…and it relaxes them and makes them be creative.” Henderson comes to work every day trying to better the lives of others, “but I can’t change the world unless I have a world class team behind me, and that’s why we love our teams so much.”

Besides giving back through mentoring opportunities professionally, in his personal life, Henderson is a board member at HustonTillotson University and his family generously donates to give need-based scholarships to Southern University, other colleges and non-profit organizations which are trying to “give a kid an opportunity to reach their full potential...pull people forward through the system.” Henderson gave a commencement speech at Southern University, passing on the importance to students about giving back to HBCU’s.

Henderson has been involved in setting up several opportunities in IBM through recruitment to help historically black college and other local colleges providing IBM community grants to reduce their cost, improve research and give them the necessary equipment and

Henderson enjoys his life in Austin, which he sees as “one of the most diverse, fast-growing technology places in the country.” He plays golf, travels to football games with his wife on weekends, and spends time watching his granddaughters play at their soccer games.

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

13

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH

For the Love of Technology

Rani Johnson Chief Information Officer, SolarWinds

"Being a woman of color in leadership is only an obstacle if you make it an obstacle. Get past feelings and just work, because good people rise to the top in time. Be persistent and continue, because when you’re very successful, you may be the only one there, too."

14

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

Rani Johnson was born in Clear Lake, Texas, in the Houston area. She had an extraordinarily college-focused childhood. Many of her friends’ parents were astronauts, and almost everyone in her community had careers working in the technology and medical fields where she grew up. Her father was an engineer, and she quickly learned his work ethic from a very young age.

“I declared my major to my parents at seven years old.” Johnson always knew she was going to be an electrical engineer and was highly inspired and fascinated by the sciences. “It was just all around me…I guess my parents got tired of me taking things apart in the house…the television…to try to figure out how they worked.” So, Johnson was given the opportunity at the age of seven to sit in with a class full of adults at a community college and started learning how to program computers, really enjoying every minute she was there.

She spent countless hours with her 50-in-1 electronic projects lab kits and went away to college summer programs in science and engineering starting at the age of 12. Looking back, she realizes and deeply appreciates the sacrifices her parents made for her to have these experiences to develop her natural abilities which they could see that Johnson was so passionate about. “I went to Stanford… to Clark Atlanta University, and they were expensive programs for me to pursue my interest in STEM.” She admires the conscientious way that they raised her to be sure that she explored her gifts. For example, one year for the holidays, both Johnson and her sister were given bicycles by their parents as their presents. Her sister, who was not into technology, was simply given a bike, but Johnson’s bike was left unassembled for her to SEPTEMBER 2019

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH figure out how to put together. Johnson now sees the value in that act and also that it was a kind of emotional sacrifice they must have made, “because it’s easier to make a happy kid than it is to have a frustrated kid failing at putting the bike together three times…

And it’s a Christmas gift, too.”

For as far back as she can remember, it was always Johnson’s dream to have the experience of going to Spelman College in Atlanta, to attend a private, liberal arts all-women institution of higher learning. She remained diligent with her studies in high school, made top grades and ended up with a full-ride scholarship to Spelman when she graduated.

Then she earned an electrical engineer degree from Georgia Tech to continue her journey into preparing for a technical career in computer science and engineering.

Up until her move to Austin in 2006, Johnson had spent a considerable amount of her professional working life at a software company out in California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was that company’s partial relocation which brought her back to Texas.

Her transition into becoming the CIO to run IT at SolarWinds has really given Johnson some very valuable insights and even more direction at this point in her career. She admits that she has often felt like "the only one" in some workplaces. Until she got comfortable with being different and finding her voice being confident in a room filled with people that didn’t look like her. “Don’t be afraid to lean in”. She began to shift her focus more onto being a role model and mentor to others considering going into tech sciences as a career. “I wish more African Americans, especially women, would join the field. We’re grossly under-represented. Tech is exciting, it’s all about innovating, doing something that may not have been done before.” Good work pays off. But it’s fun work too. For people at the entry level, “I have team members who make over $150,000 with no college degree.

It’s a fantastic field to explore.”

She has learned and shares with others that there is no need to be afraid or intimidated when it comes to being different, that it’s okay to stand out. In fact, Johnson has even been able to use that very fact about her identity more now to offer that other perspective when

she needs to, to highlight the challenge of getting her ideas out there in problem solving and to advocate and promote her team’s excellent accomplishments. “Even if I’ve never met somebody, they know who I am.” The fact that women of color in leadership are less often found in her field, especially in the highest ranks of management, “is only an obstacle if you make it an obstacle. Get past feelings and just work, because good people rise to the top in time. Just be persistent and continue, because when you’re very successful, you’re also going to be the only one there, too.” She encourages more people of color to consider jobs in the field, even without tech-focused degrees like project management.

Johnson learned in her earlier managing of teams that self-marketed teams received more funding and accolades. Now she spends a lot more of her of time and energy making sure her team gets the acknowledgements and raises they deserve when they excel at the projects which they work very hard on. Johnson’s team plays a very significant role in the company. They lead its IT infrastructure, the whole environment that supports the corporate IT services. It is her responsibility to provide information security, enterprise business applications, and run the billing systems which are at the core of customer management systems. In addition, her team provides general IT just to make sure that the company has the services and technology up

and running, whatever is needed to perform its different jobs.

The best part about her position is “getting the chance to help people change the trajectory of their lives. My teams are passionate about the work that they do for this company and they do a fantastic job.” Each day, Johnson looks for ways to build people up and help them realize that they can do anything or be anything, especially when she sees talented and competent people who may be underconfident on her team. These are people who give over 100% in their positions and have an obvious gift that just needs nurtured.

Johnson enjoys helping them “rise up from whatever they started in…and really produce leaders who care, who are courageous and passionate about what they do…and that’ll pay dividends on their team.”

These days, Johnson’s job is very demanding.

In contrast, back in California, she used to be an avid runner, go boating, get out and “do all the fun, adventurous things…Now, I just like to rest when I have down time.

There are days I work 17 hours physically… because in IT we run a 24/7 shop, and not a day goes by without something happening, a power outage…there’s always a crisis.” For that reason, in what leisure time she can come up with, Johnson looks forward to spending time with her husband and just staying home in the peace of their quiet neighborhood.

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

15

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH "I started in the oil fields, engineering, facilitiestype work. I learned very quickly that I liked to design and build things because two years in, I was building a new facility up in Poplarville, Mississippi.

Over the course of my career I have found that I enjoy the leadership aspects of it and leading projects, mentoring and guiding younger employees and helping them grow in their assignments and in their careers."

Trailblazer | Advocate | Engineer

Johnita Davis Jones Vice President and Southern Operations Manager, ExxonMobil Pipeline

Johnita Jones was born in Lawrence, Kansas, but her family moved to Texas in 1963 where she grew up in Lake Jackson. Her father was a chemist and worked for Dow Chemicals.

When they moved to Texas, Jones remembers that, unbeknownst to her family, they were officially integrating their new little town just south of Houston. She recalls having a cross burned in her family’s front yard and the challenges of being the only African American in her class until she reached her teenage years, when Lake Jackson and another town merged to form just one high school.

Her parents were both educated. Her father held a master’s degree in chemistry, and her mother worked as a medical technologist.

Her parents have had a special influence on her life. Jones remembers growing up loving anything math and science from an early age.

She also enjoyed building things and was very active in sports year-round, always needing to stay busy from a young age. Jones never considered leaving Texas to go to college.

Rice University was the first school she was very interested in, but the cost of a private institution was a hurdle. She decided to attend Texas A&M University, which offered her a Presidential Endowment Scholarship. She found it to be everything that she had heard about and more, regarding its reputation for 16

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

SEPTEMBER 2019

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH having so much to offer in math and the sciences. In fact, her brother and sister ended up going there for college also, as well as the husband she would one day meet and marry.

Starting out as a biomedical engineering major, Jones quickly made the switch to chemical engineering her freshman year, because of being convinced by counselors there that the job opportunities were not looking so good in the bioengineering field at that time. Jones worked at Dow Chemicals all four summers while in college and then started interviewing for positions in the fall of 1982. She ended up deciding on Exxon, starting her new job right away after finishing college. It meant being sent directly to the oil fields on an assignment in the Harvey District, just outside of New Orleans, where she performed engineering and facilities type of work. “I learned very quickly that I liked to design and build…because two years in, I was building a new facility up in Poplarville, Mississippi.” Jones has enjoyed the variation in her assignments over the years and has now been with Exxon Mobil Pipeline Company for more than 30 years.

Jones freely admits she is a workaholic and enjoys going the extra mile. She holds her team to high levels of quality standards to get the job done. “The other thing is, you have to care about people.” Jones has enjoyed the leadership aspects, such as running projects, mentoring and guiding younger employees and helping them grow in their assignments and careers. These days, she does more interface management than engineering. Jones’ principles: “Team loyalty” is key, that one must remember that no one is an island and that everyone needs help. Jones supervises under the philosophy that a quality team pulls together to cover each other when life issues come up in order to produce superior results and do whatever it takes.

Acknowledging the ongoing challenges working within a still very male-dominated field, as a woman and African American, Jones has gained the insight that “sometimes the way you come across to people will be viewed through a certain lens, and you have to be cognizant of that—not react but act in an appropriate way so that they do not have a skewed vision of you.” In addition, she believes that in general, men and women lead

differently in their styles. Jones advocates the importance of setting the pace for those who follow. “It’s important to treat people how you want to be treated, and nothing comes easy without hard work.”

Jones wants to be remembered as seeing the humor in every situation. She loves her family and will do anything for them, because, in the end, it’s “more about the family and friends and the love we share, more so than the work and things that get accomplished at the office.” Her favorite Maya Angelou quote that relates: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Out in the community, Jones is president of the board of directors for Texas Conference for Women and an at-large member of Texas A&M University Former Students Association. She is also an active community member serving on the advisory board for the Houston Children’s Museum and is a member of the board of directors for The Lighthouse of Houston.

While contributing personally, she is still responsible for over 500 employees at her job with Exxon, covering Texas, Louisiana, Florida and Tennessee pipelines operations

and fuel distribution terminals. “My primary goal each day is to make sure we have the processes, procedures and resources in place to keep our employees and contractors safe, maintain integrity of our assets, and pursue new business opportunities.”

Jones is proud that she has been married to her husband, Bill, for over 30 years and has three children. She has always just tried to be a positive example for her children, passing on the values of hard work and dedication, and a role model for her daughter to show what it takes to succeed as a woman in the professional world. She and her family have really enjoyed living in Austin since they arrived in 2001, especially that they find it more “laid back” than the Houston area. Things for Jones have become much easier nowadays, in terms of commuting to Houston and going off to work on assignments out of state, now that the kids are older and out of their school years which she had been previously very involved in. In what free time she can find, Jones enjoys reading, watching sports and spending time out in nature working on upkeep of their property out in the country near Bryan College Station, enjoying the slower pace out there with her husband and their tractor “relaxing and hanging out…watching the sunset.”

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

17

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH

Extended Family Link

Jason Kelley Global General Manager, IBM Blockchain Services; IBM Texas Senior State Executive

Jason Kelley was born in the Chicago area, and grew up in Columbus, Ohio with two wonderful parents and a brother. Kelley’s close-knit family and neighborhood were especially valuable to his childhood. With both of his parents away at work much of the time earning a living for the family, Kelley said he is fortunate to have been raised oldschool: “Everybody on the block, together, they raised us.”

Kelley went to primary school at the time when Columbus public schools were first desegregated in 1972. Despite desegregation, Kelley said in his experience, really only the schools were desegregated. While Many of his friends who lived on the same street with him went to different schools, they all came back to the block as a single family.

“But it didn’t change the way we rolled…we all stayed together. Family went beyond your bloodline.” For Kelley this extended family concept has repeatedly been a foundational principle throughout his life. “I learned at that early age that’s how you build a team.

You share values, integrity and trust which is at the core of all relationships.”

During his freshman year of high school Kelley decided to participate in his first computer programming opportunity through a summer program. “My father and mother always found ways to supplement our educa18

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

SEPTEMBER 2019

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH

tion, and would prioritize travel and learning to open our eyes to the world and broader opportunity. It was then that Kelley discovered his love for technology and learned to program in BASIC. He was also interested in how his Atari games worked, taking them apart and putting them together to satisfy his engineering curiosity. Always studious, he worked hard and kept making top grades in high school. “That was the objective...the promise,” said Kelley. “Do well in school, and you’ll be able to get into any college.”

When the college acceptance letter arrived from Yale University, however, it was a different story for Kelley. All the congratulations were there, and the family went out to eat in celebration of the offer from an Ivy League college, but that door closed in the determining response, “We can’t pay for that.”

But that wasn’t the only acceptance letter received that year. Soon after many others arrived, though one acceptance letter followed that would bring even more excitement to the Kelley household. Kelley was accepted to the United States Military Academy. Kelley’s father was one of the 125,000 African American soldiers in World War II deployed overseas. “So yes, Dad was kind of dancing when I decided to join the U.S. Army. I really admired the military, and I was definitely going to college. I realized, oh wow, I can do both, and I don’t have to pay?”

Kelley had high leadership expectations for himself even as a young high school graduate. “I remember thinking: I’m going to be a general, then I’ll be president, galactic commander…bring others along and change the world!”

During his years of military service, Kelley saw many different places and began to view the concept of home in a more expansive way based on his U.S. Army experiences. “Moving around for different duty opportunities, the world becomes your home.”

Since then, Kelley has had a number of careers, starting a subsidiary of a NYSE company, founding his own company, an appointed position with the governor of Tennessee, and leadership roles around the world with IBM. For Kelley it has been his connections with

family. While outside opportunities have become a regular proposition the challenge to spearhead starting up these businesses for a global and committed organization such as IBM – bringing business capabilities like blockchain and design thinking across the globe – have been rewarding.

"If you put people together that have a desire and are very smart, give them clear direction and support… they just take off, and that’s what we’ve done.

When you can change a 400,000-person company…

Wow, this is pretty exciting." people along the way that have fueled his drive toward excellence in life, and a sense of pride and togetherness in common connections.

Fifteen years later, Kelley now is part of the senior leadership team of IBM and is currently in a position where he oversees a global team working on innovations in blockchain business capabilities and outcomes, creating new concepts as a platformed, cloud-based group which is changing and improving the way people work. More efficiency and greater possibilities to connect are coming to fruition with these business and technical developments. “Blockchain is a trojan horse to change the way industry and the world works, and in the way, we transact with trust. Blockchain is a team sport -- a network of networks. “ Kelley thought he would contribute a couple years at IBM then create another successful start-up. However, IBM has continued to entrust him with business start-up opportunities and he enjoys being part of the IBM

“If you put people together that have a desire and are very smart, give them clear direction and support …they just take off, and that’s what we’ve done. It becomes a very addictive process…pure fun, actually. IBM continues to put great challenges in front of me that give back. When you can change a 400,000-person company by doing things…

Wow, this is pretty exciting.”

In his role as IBM Senior State Executive for Texas, Kelley is rewarded knowing that he is advocating for equality within this international company that he considers a privilege to work for and help lead. “We get to talk about issues that are important to us…diversity.” Kelley’s main professional purpose in life is to “continue to answer the call to help others do more, pull others along, do more for others and it comes back.”

At the U. S. Military Academy, there was a saying that he applies in his life to everything he does, the ultimate measure of how people will remember someone: “When your course on Earth has run, may it be said, well done.”

Kelley’s most favorite assignment of all his roles is being a father of three and a husband to his wife who is from New Zealand. His children span the ages of 10 - 14, with the youngest one whom they adopted to keep up that special tradition of “God’s family” extending relationships beyond blood ties, just as Kelley had been blessed with such great parents himself as a child. He and his family stay very active together, especially with their passion for traveling that they do internationally together. Of all the many places Kelley has seen, Austin is the place they want to be. “It’s so unique, not only in the topography but also the landscape of the people and the landscape of business opportunity. I could live anyplace, and we still remain here in Austin. We take pride in our city and say it with a smile on our face to everyone, ‘Yes, we live in Austin.’

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

19

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH

Destined To Soar

Momar Mattocks CFAN President, General Electric Aviation

Momar Mattocks was born in New York and moved to Chicago at the age of ten to finish out his high school years. His mother and father were originally from Jamaica. They had to move between the states due to their jobs in corporate America.

Mattocks spent most of his childhood years in the suburbs of Chicago. He came from a close-knit family of four, including his parents and a younger brother. Both in his community and at home, Mattocks remembers that there was never any question about whether to go to college or not. “There was a very big push to be a professional in some form or fashion.”

"I was very focused on math and the sciences like Physics and Chemistry. Even the language I took in high school. At the time there were a lot of German engineers, so I thought maybe it makes sense to take German. So, I did. Anytime I had an option on a class it was more geared towards the tech side."

20

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

From a very young age, Mattocks was inclined toward engineering. His mother used to watch him turn his paper planes into much more complicated contraptions, adding little straws, testing their balance as he tossed them out of the window. “I wanted to fix it up to make it look like an actual airplane.” When she suggested that he should think about becoming an engineer, Mattocks decided to do his 8th grade research paper on it and liked what he found out about engineering as a career. From then on, he had his mind made up to pursue that vocation.

Besides just naturally being very good at math, Mattocks intentionally kept himself focused on the sciences, especially physics SEPTEMBER 2019

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH and chemistry. “Anytime I had an option on a class, it was more geared towards the tech side.” He even chose German as his foreign language class in high school, “because… there were a lot of German engineers.”

What really sealed the deal about going to college for engineering, however, was when he worked at a fast food restaurant at the formative age of 16. He saw people in their 30s and 40s working so hard, even commuting from across town, all for such a minimal wage and trying to support whole families on a fast food job. “I knew…there is no way that this is a good formula. Although I always knew I had to go to college because it was an expectation, it became more of an ‘I want to go’ more than ‘I have to go’ at that point in time…a big a-ha moment for me.”

Once Mattocks advanced farther along in his college years, he found that “it was difficult… challenging for sure,” but worked hard and did well getting through the requirements of his degree path. He was part of a minority program through the University of Michigan, particularly supportive of African Americans, which he felt added a lot of support to his journey. “We just helped each other… all along the way. I think that got a lot of us through.”

Mattocks has always held onto the mentoring spirit, applying it both in his professional and personal family life. He found his passion and gifts to be “on the people side of engineering…I knew that I was going to stay in the world of manufacturing. I didn’t want to be behind the computer designing products. That was pretty clear to me from the beginning.”

For 22 years, operations management has remained an excellent career fit for Mattocks at General Electric. He is responsible for the entire plant supervising about 550 employees there. His duties range from finance leadership to safety and environmental health and production control, all of which are fundamental elements pertaining to product manufacturing. In his current facility, Mattocks oversees composite fan blades being built for jet engines in the aviation industry.

Mattocks relocated to the capital city of Texas in the latter part of 2016 and is overall very

happy making his home in Austin. Motivating people to be their best is still just as important to Mattocks, part of his main purpose in life. Over the years, he has learned so much and has fine-tuned his leadership style into “aligning people into the right positions in order to achieve overall success for the organization,” to understand what motivates them and “break down barriers… allow them to be successful.” He has found the best strategy that works for him is to come in with “a servant mentality…gain their level of trust and then be more directive” after the team has been built and is going strong with all the talent, interests and skills channeled into their most productive positions with the best interest of the business being the common goal.

Of the many people who have been mentors to Mattocks throughout his life, his parents are the top examples to whom he dedicates the most gratitude. They were the ones who “laid the foundation for what it means to be a corporate professional,” even with their two completely differing personalities. His father was the more jovial type, a banker and “very good at relationship building.” His mother has always been more “hard-nosed…and will

make sure everything is going down the right path.” Mattocks still tries to learn as much as he can from her “to be directive and get things done when they are supposed to.”

Mattocks has been fortunate to have known several others to look up to in his life as well, such as “some good pastors who really got my mind settled in the right place, too, in terms of how I see life.” He considers his wife a great inspiration and enjoys being with his children and family. In their leisure time, travel, watching movies and exploring the many different restaurant options around Austin are the family’s top favorite things to do while spending quality time together.

“Relationships are everything…whether it be personal or your professional ones. Networking is also very important. You could know a lot, but who you know can take you much further.” Although Mattocks considers himself “more of an introvert at heart” by nature, over the years he has become more enlightened about the importance of investing in relationships and not leaving them “by the wayside” in life, because he acknowledges that “when it’s all over with and said and done, that’s all you have.”

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

21

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH

Inspiring Others with Technology

Brian Reaves Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Dell Technologies

"Austin could be the next Silicon Valley.

You don’t have to run out and have those careers in California. You can have that right here and have affordable living…Austin is an amazing place to be…and needs to market itself more to underrepresented groups, because anybody and everybody could thrive here."

22

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

SEPTEMBER 2019

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH Brian Reaves was born in Los Angeles, California, where he lived up through his twenties after attending UCLA. His father was a U.S. Marine, and his mother was a librarian employed in civil service.

Growing up in south central Los Angeles impacted Reaves and his whole outlook on life from a very young age. His mother was usually the sole parent at home, “doing everything and sacrificing to enable our ability to have better lives than most people in the neighborhood that I grew up with...It was a little rough, but we never had a lack of love in the family.” Reaves had one other sibling, an older sister. After seeing the tragic outcome of young lives cut short when so many of the neighborhood peers that he grew up with became drug dealers and gang members, Reaves held onto the hope of going on to college for his education as an opportunity, “…a path out of that life.” “Growing up in an environment…seeing young people making decisions that, unfortunately, were not in the long-run good decisions, not only for their future, but for life…Sadly, many of those folks didn’t see their twenty-first birthday.”

Reaves always wanted to one day find a way to give back and “do his part” somehow in order to try to improve the lives of the ones he grew up around.

Ever since he was in elementary school, Reaves was naturally good at math and really sought out every chance for problemsolving which he thoroughly enjoyed above all. He was also into playing ball sports, which carried some weight when it came down to college selection time. It was in fact his high school basketball coach who suggested continuing with his math and computer skills.

So, Reaves chose UCLA over University of Southern California which was “just down the street” from where he grew up.

It was during his freshman year in college that Reaves tried a programming class. He remembers often going into the computer lab to study and do his homework after dinner and not coming out until around 2:00 A.M., getting so lost in it and “barely getting up for some water.” That is when he knew for certain that technology was the right career path for him, particularly computer engineering. He remembers realizing, “Man, if this is a career, if you can do something that will pull you

in like that …and make some money at it…

That’s for me. So, that was the beginning.”

After taking only a couple of classes in computer programming, Reaves went to his college career center and set up interviews for an internship, ending up interning at Xerox Corporation, full-time during the summers and part-time during the school years. After graduation, he “just rolled right on in…It was an amazing place, and I ended up working there for nine years.” It was a world class company filled with innovation, which inspired Reaves to keep “digging deeper” into the technology field.

Now with over forty years of computer engineering experience, Reaves recalls with great satisfaction that he has been able to try out different areas of technology over the span of his career. “For me, it was always about the challenge of finding the problem and using code and technology to solve that problem.” Reaves has enjoyed working in various disciplines, such as being an integral part of manufacturing, HR systems, sports analytics, supply chain and other business teams. He views technology as a core and central element that powers any and every company, regardless of what type of business, and is grateful for all his past opportunities in the San Francisco Bay Area, Virginia and other places he has lived and worked.

Reaves was the first person in his family to get a college degree and seeks out ways to give back, now that he is living a successful life. About the neighborhood culture where he grew up, it remains a high priority for Reaves “not to forget where I came from…

Everything I learned there is important to me.” He tries to be a role model for the young people there in L.A. on his trips back to see family, and for all underrepresented youth anywhere, letting them know, “Hey, this is a different…a lucrative way, that life can take,” that can change not only the life of the one taking that “path out,” but the lives of many around as well. He wishes to “do his part to enable that opportunity for those individuals.”

Making the move to Austin, Texas, for his current Dell position as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer has been fascinating and a very positive experience for Reaves. “Around the world, we have 150,000 employees, and I

want to make sure that the employee base is really indicative of the best and the brightest in every dimension of diversity possible.”

Having goals always while remaining humble are the top life philosophies Reaves lives by.

“I think it’s super important…and then, it’s not as much about what you accomplish, but how you go about it…Do it the right way.”

Reaves believes that others may not realize “Austin could be the next Silicon Valley. You don’t have to run out and have those careers in California. You can have that right here and have affordable living… Austin is an amazing place to be… and needs to market itself more for underrepresented groups, because anybody and everybody could thrive here.”

In his leisure time, Reaves enjoys traveling to watch sporting events and “binge-watching” movies. He advocates that the future success of young people is going to involve technological advancement and would like to see more technology used in the schools. He acknowledges that Dell sees this upcoming generation as the future talent pool and understands “the role industry has to play” in advancing these changes. “So, if it’s elementary school, middle…high school and throughout college…we make investments to be able to expose young people to the very things we’re going to need them to know for us to be successful later on.”

Looking back at his life and into the future, Reaves feels that “We are all here…on the backs of others. That’s God’s gift He’s given me, the ability to learn, to lead, and I must give that back and enable others to be on my back to reach even higher heights than I’ll ever reach.”

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

23

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH

Robert F. Smith Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Vista Equity Partners

“Use your skills, your knowledge, your instincts to serve – to go change the world in the way that only you can.”

Robert F. Smith was born in Denver, Colorado, to educators Dr. William Robert Smith and Dr. Sylvia Myrna Smith. When Smith was a toddler, his mother took him to the March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. In high school, he applied for a summer internship at Bell Labs but was told the position was for college students.

After much persistence, however, he got the position and that summer he developed a reliability test for semiconductors.

Smith is best known as the founder, chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, a multi-billion-dollar private equity and wealth management company that employs over thirty thousand people around the world and focuses on the growth of firms that develop enterprise software. Forbes ranked him as #163 on its list of the richest people in the United States in 2019 and #355 on the Billionaires List.

He earned a B.S. in chemical engineering from Cornell University. Afterward, he worked as an engineer for Air Products and Chemicals, The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, and Kraft General Foods. Smith holds two patents in the United States–one for a coffee brewer filtration device and another for a coffee brewing element Smith 24

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

enrolled in the Columbia University School of Business and earned an M.B.A in 1994 with concentrations in finance and marketing. Smith is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

He joined Goldman Sachs in mergers and acquisitions in New York City in 1994 and then moved to the San Francisco/Silicon Valley area of California in 1997 to start Goldman Sachs’s mergers and acquisitions (M&A) office there. As co-head of enterprise systems and storage with Goldman Sachs, he executed or advised on over $50 billion in M&A activity with companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Texas Instruments, eBay, and Yahoo. He left Goldman Sachs in 2000 to found his own company, Vista Equity Partners.

As a child he watched his mother send off a $25 check to the United Negro College Fund each month. With her example, he became dedicated to funding programs that help inner city youth by introducing them to technology. His approach to philanthropy has been described as transformative.

Smith founded Project Realize which is a national effort to help inner-city companies implement specific operational improvements. He is a member of the Leadership

Circle for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C.; an active supporter of, Children’s Opportunities for Music Participation (COMP) in Chicago, Illinois, and Austin, Texas; and a trustee of the Boys and Girls Clubs in San Francisco, California. He is the first non-New York City resident to be named chairman of the city’s Carnegie Hall board.

In 2016, he donated $20 million to the Smithsonian National Museum for African American History and Culture and another $20 million to Cornell University to increase the number of African American students in engineering. In May 2019, he announced his intention to pay off the entire student loan debt of the 2019 Morehouse College graduating class of 396 students. “This is my class,” he told the graduating seniors, “and I know my class will pay this forward.”

He had previously donated $1.5 million to the school in January 2019, to be used for scholarships and a park.

Smith is also the founder of the Fund II Foundation, a grantmaking organization focused on preserving and deepening the understanding of African-American history, safeguarding human rights, funding education and environmental initiatives, and promoting entrepreneurism.

SEPTEMBER 2019

Congratulations Rani On being named Black Business Journal's

Top 10 Blacks in Tech

SolarWinds Inc. is an American company that develops software for businesses to help manage their networks, systems, and information technology infrastructure. www.solarwinds.com

Johnson

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH

Blessed Connections

Ed Ward Senior Vice President of Engineering, Client Product Group, Dell

Ed Ward is a native Texan, born in San Antonio. He grew up in Colorado due to his father’s military service with the U.S. Air Force when his family was relocated to the Airforce Academy there in Colorado Springs.

“The biggest thing that drew me back to Dell is really the people, some of the smartest, most collaborative people I’ve worked with and just the level of talent and ability to work together with a common sense of purpose and goals.”

26

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

Both of Ward’s parents worked long hours as he was growing up, and neither had been to college themselves. So, there was a high expectation in their military household for Ward to get good grades and attend college.

School, especially math and science, came easily to Ward. His parents were often away at work, his mother holding a position as an administrative assistant in civil service.

Being an only child, he spent a great deal of time alone at home and had a key to his house from a very young age. He was given a lot of independence as a result and was required to do all the chores, learned to cook as a child, and found ways to entertain himself. Ward often had to find solutions on his own much of the time. “I think it taught me a lot of resilience, figuring things out…all those things.”

At the high school he attended, Ward was very active and involved. Besides being in football and on the Forensic Speech and Debate team competing in tournaments, Ward’s biggest passion was his discovery of computers, when the Apple 2E was just coming onto the market at that time during his sophomore year of high school. He really enjoyed video games and often overspent his allowance. When Ward heard that there was SEPTEMBER 2019

TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH a way to learn how to program the computer to play games, he imagined himself learning how to do that and then playing “as long as I want, for free!” Ward joined the Computer Club and spent “every waking moment in the computer lab” learning everything he could about how to program, basic assembly language at the hardware level, including C and Pascal, all from his high school computer lab instructor. The teacher also talked about the different career fields in technology, which helped focus Ward’s path to the University of Colorado.

Ward was grateful to have been able to have most of his higher education covered by a scholarship. When he got to college, he had no idea what an engineer was, but he knew for certain that he wanted to study computer science. Back then, the only degree offered with computer science was electrical engineering and computer science, rather than a separate degree only in computer science.

In taking the other courses as well, however, Ward picked up many skills he would later be able to synthesize. Through a friend who recommended him to someone else for an interview, Ward was fortunate to secure an internship opportunity as well during his years at the university, which helped him further solidify his career direction in the field he was heading toward and then began officially working in and exploring as his knowledge and experience base continued to grow.

In 1995, Ward took a position with Dell Technologies while it was a much younger and still expanding company. Compared to the 160,000 employees it has now making over $90 billion revenue in a year, Dell had just seen its first billion-dollar year of revenue when Ward first joined the company at that time, and it had about 7,500 employees worldwide. “It was very fast-paced, like it is today… but you just did what you had to do whether you were an engineer or otherwise…if you needed to go over to the factory and help out.

Everybody wore whatever hat they needed to make things happen, and everybody knew everybody like a small, tight-knit family.”

Ward stayed working at Dell for thirteen years and then decided to take about four years off to spend more time with his children before they went off to college. During that

time, he worked in Atlanta at NCR, although he missed a lot about his time at Dell. His wife wanted to return to Austin, and then he started back up at Dell when they got back, and Ward has been very satisfied with his job there ever since.

“The biggest thing that drew me back to Dell is really the people, some of the smartest, most collaborative people I’ve worked with and just the level of talent and ability to work together with a common sense of purpose and goals.” Currently, Ward is responsible for the engineering, architecture and design, and development of all client products, including notebook and desktop PC hardware and software all the way from early design concept through production. Through trial and error, Ward has grown throughout his career and fine-tuned “how to really lead teams and to motivate them, how to listen… call it management, I call it leadership.” He sees the key to his successes being his ability to maintain connections with people and be a good communicator, “which creates opportunities and a win-win” all around.

It is important to Ward to give back at this

point in his life, first and foremost because he feels it is his Christian responsibility to “pay it forward,” since he has been presented with so many doors opened to him throughout his life, as well as mentors and career coaches all along his own journey. Ward is an active member of the National Society of Black Engineers. He wants the program participants to know what he did not, going into his career field, to give advice and help young people see that they can do that field, to help them “get a lay of the landscape for working tech and for being an engineer as well…I just love seeing the energy of the next generation of engineers and being able to pass that on.”

During his leisure time, Ward has worked at intentionally keeping up that work/life balance by vacationing with his family without bringing his computer, traveling and playing golf. “My wife and I have a goal to play golf on each continent, and so, we’ve got two continents left. One of them doesn’t have a golf course, though. So, we’re going to have to figure something out…going to Antarctica and hitting the ball into the Arctic Ocean and calling it a day.”

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

27

Congratulations Dexter Henderson Senior Executive, Cognitive Systems IP Director

On being named Black Business Journal's

Top 10 Blacks in Tech

Congratulations Jason Kelley

Global General Manager, IBM Blockchain Services

On being named Black Business Journal's

Top 10 Blacks in Tech

INFLUENTIAL BLACKS IN TECH

Billy J.K. Dennie Director & Engineering Manager Pre-Silicon Capabilities and Strategies, Intel

Born And Raised: Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Moved To Austin: 2000 Education: Electrical and Computer Engineering

Early Aware Billy Dennie George Fax Erin Knight Kizzy Lejay Wendolyn Washington

ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Dennie: Director & Engineering Manager in Intel’s Technology and System Architecture Group driving development and design of advanced System Level Hardware Platforms solutions.

This includes responsibility for development of System Level Emulation and FPGA RTL models and Pre-Silicon Hardware prototypes used for validation of hardware and Software Systems across Intel’s entire portfolio of Server CPU and Chipsets, Client CPU and Chipset, Graphics Chipsets and 5G Networking products.

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Dennie: I started in technology in high school where I was part of an advanced science and technology program.

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Dennie: I love having the opportunity to design hardware and software system and to inspire engineers to achieve their full potential through driving innovation and transformation in the technology industry.

L ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Dennie: Start early by exploring Science Technology and Math find you passion pursue it vigorously ABBJ: What was one moment or experience in your life that changed your way of thinking?

Dennie: The confidence instilled in me

Terrell Simpson Terry Thomas

30

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

SEPTEMBER 2019

INFLUENTIAL BLACKS IN TECH

George Fax Vice President of Cognitive Systems Program Management, IBM

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Fax: Using technology to solve problems for our clients as well as solving the internal difficult and critical problems allowing for program / product delivery excellence.

by my parents that I can do anything through Christ that gives me strength and the belief that God has equipped with everything I need to fulfill my purpose on this earth.

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Dennie: I never fail, I either succeed or I learn ~ Nelson Mandela ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 – 15 years/goals, etc.?

Dennie: General Manager and Chief Executive of Technology in the Artificial Intelligence space driving AI for good ABBJ: What do you like most about living in Austin, Texas?

DENNIE: I love the personality and unique culture of Austin it’s a great place to raise a family.

ABBJ: How would you describe Austin?

Dennie: I love the relatively laid-back pace after all “ I am an Island Boy” and Music?

ABBJ: Favorite book or book you’d recommend?

Dennie: «Finding Your Why ~ Simon Sinek ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Dennie: I enjoy spending time with my family traveling. I love music, I enjoy playing as a part of the worship band of my church Greater Mount Zion.

Born And Raised: Born in Queens, NY Moved To Austin: 1997 Education: Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering at CCNY and post grad Computer Engineering at Syracuse

ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Fax: I am responsible for the program and technical execution of IBM’s Cognitive Systems roadmap including server (some storage) and software development for Enterprise Unix, Enterprise Linux, Cognitive Infrastructure and Hyperscale Data Centers.

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Fax: Attending a specialized high school in NYC solidified my direction toward a technical focus. My physics class revealed to me that my technical interest had as much to do about solving technical puzzles no matter the discipline.

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Fax: Among the characteristics that will make you successful is an insatiable appetite for technical growth. What you learn in school and even your first years on the job is just the beginning.

ABBJ: What was one moment or experience in your life that changed your way of thinking?

Fax: When I was a young engineer on a project that was second fiddle to a larger project within the same program, I realized the priorities for resources would not be in my favor and fall on deaf ears, In one sense, there was less pressure to succeed given the situation but my team was becoming demoralized. I decided I would determine what it would take to be successful in spite of the obstacles.

I socialized and escalated our strategy and viewpoints. Eventually, the business considered the issues on the larger project and the solid plan on my smaller project and decided to give me and my team the priority and the overall lead for the entire program. At first, an influx of fear came over me that all eyes were now on us but I learned to trust in the strategy we developed and in the team. The lesson I learned then I am still using today.

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Fax: Above all else, your profession should not be your life. You will make sacrifices in college (but don’t miss out on the college To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

31

INFLUENTIAL BLACKS IN TECH

Erin B. Knight, Ph.D.

experience), early in your career, and more down the road but never forget the real world and what is ultimately important to you. Let that guide you in making personal and professional decisions. At the sunset of your career you will be glad you did,

Patent Agent and Technical Advisor, Fish & Richardson P.C.

ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 – 15 years/goals, etc.?

Fax: Diversifying my personal and professional interests into other fields that I dabbled in early in my career including financial planning, real estate, volunteering and possibly picking up music again.

I played several instruments before my professional career began.

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in Austin, Texas?

Fax: Primarily the tech life and opportunities. The city is not too big but you can find most that you would want in city including a little weirdness. In addition, the weather is similar to my Caribbean roots.

ABBJ: How would you describe austin?

Fax: A new vibrant city with boundless potential growing faster than its infrastructure.

ABBJ: Describe your experience of being black in Austin.

Fax: I am always amazed at the number of blacks I see at major concerts versus every day. There is a clear dearth of blacks in tech and in the black professional scene.

It has been a challenge to retain the young blacks that expand beyond the typical chocolate regions such as Atlanta, Washington D. C. and Houston to name a few.

ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Fax: I am a self-proclaimed “foodie” and love to travel. I like finding ways to fix anything and everything myself (always growing). I also enjoy interacting with people from all walks of life. In the end, our relationships and experiences are the most important.

32

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

CEP), the Summer Engineering Program at Southern University in Baton Rouge, and the Alliances for Learning and Vision for underrepresented Americans (ALVA) program at the University of Michigan. My first full-time job after finishing studies at the University of Michigan was as a Manufacturing Engineer at Applied Materials, Inc. in Austin.

Born And Raised: Pontiac, MI (Metro Detroit Area) Moved To Austin: June, 2002 Education: B.S.E., Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, 2001 / M.S.E., Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, 2002 /Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 2010 ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Knight: I practice in the field of intellectual property law to help clients protect their inventions with patents. My clients include major corporations, startup companies, research institutions, universities, and individual inventors located all over the world.

In my role, I study new technologies, write technical specifications of patent applications, formulate technical analyses, and practice patent prosecution before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. My work spans sectors including medical devices, manufacturing, agriculture, consumer products, and energy, among others.

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Knight: I was first formally exposed to tech at various summer STEM programs as a teenager. These programs included the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAP-

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Knight: Working with clients to help them achieve their business goals, as intellectual property is a major component of their overall business frameworks. This requires a strong business relationship with clients and a good understanding of their technologies.

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Knight: Seek mentorship, be open-minded to learning new things, be willing to talk to people from all backgrounds, and find ways to contribute value in the technology space.

ABBJ: What was one moment or experience in your life that changed your way of thinking?

Knight: One experience that changed my way of thinking was leaving the place where I was born and raised to relocate to Austin by myself at a relatively young age. Making this move increased my confidence, expanded my mind about opportunity, and exposed me to new things.

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Knight: 1. Ask for the things that you want and be direct about it. You may be surprised that getting what you want is as simple as asking for it.

SEPTEMBER 2019

INFLUENTIAL BLACKS IN TECH 2. Relationships with people are important, both professionally and personally.

3. Work hard, but enjoy life along the way.

4. Be willing to listen.

5. Stay positive—a positive outlook ushers in positive results.

Kizzy Lejay

ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 – 15 years/goals, etc.?

Knight: I see myself as having furthered my education in the legal field and in a leadership position in technology.

Electrical Principal Engineer, Dell Technology

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in Austin, Texas?

Knight: What I like most about Austin is the laid-back environment, friendliness, outdoor landscape, health-conscious establishments, warm weather during winter, and professional opportunities.

ABBJ: How would you describe Austin?

Knight: I would describe Austin as a laidback tech town where people like to hang out, listen to live music, eat, and enjoy the outdoors. Austin is known as the “live music capital of the world,” but I would describe it as the “hang out capital of the world.”

ABBJ: Describe your experience of being black in Austin.

Knight: Positive overall. I met my husband, have formed close friendships, have connected with local churches, had a good experience at UT, have encountered friendly establishments, and have experienced welcoming work environments, all in Austin.

While Austin does not rank among cities as having one of the higher percentages of an African American population, Austin does have a significant amount of ethnic diversity (especially in the tech sector), which I can appreciate.

ABBJ: What book would you recommend?

Knight: “Food Over Medicine – The Conversation that Could Save Your Life,” by Pamela A. Popper, PhD, ND & Glen Merzer.

ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Knight: I enjoy traveling, hiking, attending concerts and shows, learning about plantbased eating and nutrition, and mentoring junior professionals and graduate students.

ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Lejay: I drive continuous improvement in products in the Extreme Computing Division to implement new features, and enhance products and customer experience. I also resolve manufacturing and customer issues to deliver high quality products to end users.

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Lejay: I got started in technology by working as a Laboratory Assistant for the Electrical and Environmental Lab sponsored by the Central Intelligence Agency at Prairie View A&M University.

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Lejay: I like working on products that are used by industries that help people.

Rugged notebook and tablets are used by the Military to serve our country and First Responders to serve our local communities.

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Lejay: Explore the many job roles in the tech sector through networking, mentorship, and research. Gain experience through internships.

Born And Raised: Born in Austin, TX; Raised in Beaumont, TX Moved To Austin: 2006 Education: Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering – Prairie View A&M University; Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering – Purdue University

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Lejay: Be persistence and have patience when pursuing your goals.

ABBJ: FAvorite book or book you’d recommend?

Lejay: Book Recommendation: Thrive by Arianna Huffington ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Lejay: Giving back to the community and spending time with friends and family.

ABBJ: how would you describe austin?

Lejay: Progressive, Tech-savvy, and diverse To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

33

INFLUENTIAL BLACKS IN TECH

Terrell J. Simpson President/CEO, Mitas Electronics

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Simpson: Opportunity to impact the lives of others and leave a legacy for my children.

Born & Raised: Born Galveston, Texas.

Raised in LaMarque, TX and Lake Charles, LA Moved to Austin: 1994 Education: BS Aerospace Engineering (Texas A&M College Station), MS Commercialization of Science & Technology (UT Austin)

ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Simpson: Mitas Electronics designs, manufactures and sources miniature high speed cable assemblies used to integrate video displays and transmit high speed data.

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Simpson: While working in Procurement for Dell Inc. I recognized a need for local support and expertise in micro coaxial cable assemblies and took advantage of the opportunity.

34

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Simpson: Dream big, work hard and let know one define your limits! Defy the status quo and redefine what is possible!

ABBJ: What was one moment or experience in your life that changed your way of thinking?

Simpson: My first trip to China as a quality/ procurement auditor at Foxconn for Dell Inc. Changed my view of what was possible for my future. Seeing a factory of hundreds of children making $100’s of millions of dollars I awarded to Foxconn, and at the same time being in China while my 5 year old child was in the hospital paved the way for my decision to become an entrepreneur.

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Simpson: There is no end to Nay Sayers and unsatisfied employees and whinners: do not let that discourage you. Work harder.

Racial bias is real; you are not always given the benefit of doubt and will be frequently underestimated: get over it and work even harder. Fail fast and make tough decisions in the interest of the business even faster.

Pay yourself first you are your best employee and should be compensated as such. Everyone else is there to take what they can get and will not be as committed in the toughest of times. No works harder than you do and will!

ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 – 15 years/goals, etc.?

Simpson: $> 25M in revenue, handing off a digital platform to my successor (hopefully my Son).

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in Austin, Texas?

Simpson: Austin has an entrepreneurial vibe and network and talent pool that makes it a great place to start a business and raise a family. Its not too fast and not to slow and growing.

ABBJ: How would you describe Austin?

Simpson: I think Austin is an ultimate cross of progressive boldness and conservative moderation in its use and management of resources, and deployment of policy for the management of urban growth.

ABBJ: Describe your experience of being black in Austin.

Simpson: Until starting my business I never really contemplated a “Black Experience” in Austin. And that speaks volumes of a so called “Experience of being Black in Austin”.

Having traveled to several countries and many states and cities, I’d rather be in Austin any day as a person of color.

ABBJ: Favorite book or book you’d recommend?

Simpson: Business – Simple Numbers, Straigh Talk, Big Profits ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Simpson: Hanging or Fishing with my Son.

SEPTEMBER 2019

INFLUENTIAL BLACKS IN TECH

Terry G. Thomas, Jr. Director, Cognitive Enterprise Sys Offering Management, IBM

Born And Raised: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Moved To Austin: 1989, in the middle of my Senior Year of High School Education: Bachelor of Science Degree – Electrical Engineering, Prairie View A&M University / Master of Science Degree – Computer Engineering, University of Texas at Austin

ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Thomas: I am responsible for the IBM Power Systems enterprise and cloud global Offerings. This includes hardware and software used by most of the world’s top industries to drive their intensive workloads. My day to day activities include managing existing products in the field and bringing new compelling products and capabilities to market in order to grow and maintain IBM revenue and profit growth.

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Thomas: My Mother and Father were my inspiration. I observed my Mother earn her undergraduate and master’s degrees while raising my sister and I and later actually becoming an IBM employee. My parents also supported my curiosity in computers by purchasing my computer in 1982. It was as

Texas Instruments TI-99/4A. I was 10 years old at the time. I learned to program the computer using Texas Instruments Graphics Programming Language (GPL) to create various images to dance across the screen, as well as to play video games.

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Thomas: Nothing happens by accident. Be intentional and focused on your end game Inspect what you expect Getting angry doesn’t solve or fix anything

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Thomas: Since I joined IBM in 1995 as an intern, and later in 1997 as a regular employee I’ve successfully created and delivered life changing technology and solutions through innovation. Within IBM I have been able to consistently do this while serving in a variety of different technical and leadership roles (software developer, system performance and test engineer, executive and first / upline management). IBM has entrusted and enabled me to travel and work with the most intelligent and diverse technical business leaders in the industry. The things dreams are made of!

ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 – 15 years/goals, etc.?

Thomas: Spending more quality time with my family Performing and writing more music Continuing to make a difference in the world through technology

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Thomas: Be curious, ask questions and learn quickly or else you will get left behind.

Build relationships, rather than walls.

Don’t take anything personal, learn from your mistakes. It’s just technology and business. Be a problem solver (there not enough of those), rather than a victim (there’s too many of those) The best ideas aren’t worth the paper they are written on if you can’t sell it.

Leadership isn’t a title; it is action and influence.

ABBJ: Describe your experience of being black in austin.

Thomas: Challenging yet rewarding. The challenging experiences have been painful but have made me stronger as an individual, for my family, as a leader, and for IBM. The rewards have enabled me to help others.

ABBJ: Describe one experience that changed your way of thinking?

Thomas: Helping my Grandfather build houses as a child. He taught me that if you do it right the first time, you don’t have to do it again.

ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Thomas: Spending time with my family, playing the saxophone, and playing chess.

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in austin, texas?

THOMAS: The variety of indoor and outdoor activities to enjoy, the music scene and the weather.

ABBJ: How would you describe austin?

Thomas: A great place to build a career and experience diversity.

ABBJ: Favorite book or book you’d recommend?

Thomas: Anyone in the field of technology and / or business should read the “Zone to Win: Organizing to Win in Age of Disruption” by Geoffrey Moore

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

35

INFLUENTIAL BLACKS IN TECH

Wendolyn Washington Director, Diversity & Inclusion, Intel

Born And Raised: Dallas, Texas Moved To Austin: 2000 Education: B.S. Psychology, University of Houston and Masters of Education from University of North Texas

ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Washington: I am responsible for the Diversity & Inclusion strategy of one of the largest Business Units (BU) at Intel. I partner with the business leaders to drive diversity hiring and the retention & progression of females and underrepresented minorities.

ABBJJ: How did you get started in tech?

Washington: I am a Human Resource professional by trade, but I have found working in technology as an exciting and rewarding place, due to the fast-paced nature of innovation. I transitioned into technology, when I moved to Austin and have been in it ever since.

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Washington: I work with very smart people that always have a point of view. It is truly a collaboration of different thoughts and ideas, which is the definition of inclusion. I enjoy seeing people understand the value of others and then apply the best solution to a problem by working collectively.

36

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Washington: Just do it!

Technology is the field of today and the future, according to statistics there will be more jobs than skilled professional technical workers in the future. We need more people of color to find their place in technology.

There are many positions/jobs that include, engineering, IT, graphics design, web developer, computer specialists, video games producer and others. You can also work in technology as a staff person (i.e. HR, training, marketing, sales and finance)… I call this a person that works in technology, but is not technical.

ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 – 15 years?

Washington: Continuing to make a difference in the city of Austin and in the community. I am a board member of The Links, Incorporated, Dress for Success of Austin, Austin Free-Net and CASA of Travis County.

I want to use my talents to help others who are less fortunate.

ABBJ: What was one moment or experience in your life that changed your way of thinking?

Washington: The birth of my son was a defining moment in my life. I was very career oriented and focused on moving up the corporate ladder. After becoming a mother, I was more interested and motivated on having a more balanced life. I believe life is like a pie, where it is divided by family, religious conviction, work, community outreach and self-care. It is critical to me to continually evaluate how that pie is divided up via an annual exercise (At the first of each year, I write goals for each part of life and review, evaluate and refresh). Then, I make changes as necessary, but know and understand…it is a moving target.

ABBJ: How would you describe austin?

Washington: It has been a welcoming city with many outlets…great restaurants, live smooth jazz music, rolling hills & lakes, good schools and great weather.

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Washington: Life is not a straight line that progresses at the same rate year to year. It has many curves and turns and it’s how you react to those challenges. I have learned you will have great times and heartaches in your career, in your love life and in your family.

But you cannot let the difficult times define you, this is when you find the zeal and tenacity to forge forward on an even better path.

ABBJ: Favorite book or book you’d recommend?

Washington: Standing at the Scratch Line

by Guy Johnson (He is Maya Angelou’s son)

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in austin, texas?

Washington: I enjoy living closer to my family in Dallas, the people, the weather, the restaurants (foodie) and the music. It has been a great place to raise my son and for my husband to thrive as an entrepreneur.

ABBJ: Describe your experience of being black in austin.

Washington: I was a member of Jack & Jill of America, Inc. in the suburbs of Chicago, therefore, I transferred my membership when I moved to Austin. This allowed me to meet ~45 Black mothers with like interests. It was because, of this group my family assimilated into the Black community fairly quickly. This was very important, since most of our interactions (i.e. work, school and community) were non-Black.

ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Washington: Spending time with my family and friends, going to music concerts, exercising, reading, spa retreats and traveling to new exotic places.

SEPTEMBER 2019

Congratulations Momar Mattocks CFAN President, General Electric Aviation

On being named Black Business Journal's

Top 10

Blacks in Tech

TECH SPOTLIGHT WWW.EARLYAWARE.COM

SAFER, BETTER FIRST RESPONSE

It’s time to reimagine first response to people who are differently abled. Register for FREE now and get a sticker for your car and home to remind First Responders to communicate with care with EarlyAware.

OUR STORY EarlyAware began with a question: "What could make communication easier between first responders and people during an engagement?” The answer? Increased awareness... earlier.

EarlyAware provides a tech solution that informs first responders about people who have a mental health or physical disability before and during an emergency. .

EarlyAware aspires to improve experiences for first responders, those with special communication needs and mental health circumstances by providing vital information during a call for help.

HOW IT WORKS Register your information into the EarlyAware system.

Data is uploaded to first response systems in a secure database.

EarlyAware notifies first responders of your selfselected identifiers.

SIGN UP TODAY WWW.EARLYAWARE.COM

38

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

SEPTEMBER 2019

UP & COMING

Howard Anglin J. Noel Barbee Seyi Fabode Waziri Garuba Jerold Mcdonald Michael Odiari Janice Omadeke Zuby Onwuta Matt Stephenson Michael Ward Lauren Washington Kim Williams To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

39

UP & COMING

Howard Anglin Technical Consultant for Blockchain, IBM

ing was an obvious choice for me based on the many electronic devices I left throughout my childhood in various levels of disrepair.

Born & Raised: Island of Jamaica Moved to Austin: 1999 Education: BS in Electrical Engineering Fintech - Fintech Certificate - Finance, Technology, Future Commerce (MIT 2016) / CyberSecurity - Technology, Application and Policy (MIT 2017) / Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme (Said Business School - University of Oxford 2018)

ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Anglin: I design solution recommendations for their clients applying their broad technical skills, industry knowledge and business acumen expertise. I speak to clients’ business and technical needs as they navigate the path on the journey to digital transformation. I design and detail the technical aspects and feasibility of solutions to these clients through Proof of Concepts, technical education and responsibility for the technical accuracy of the proposed solutions.

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Anglin: As far back as I can remember I have always had an inquisitive mind for science and technology. I was well known for the question, “How does this work?”

My curiosity for technology led to an engineering focus in college. Electrical engineer40

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Anglin: I like being on the cutting edge of technology. What’s particularly satisfying is being able to guide clients around the world and help them to better understand and leverage these technologies to transform their business. I work for a company that encourages innovative thinking that led to me writing patents, 27 of which have already been issued.

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone considering going into tech?

Anglin: Don’t forget the power of networking and lastly it is never too early or too late to get into tech.

ABBJ: What was one moment that changed your way of thinking?

Anglin: This particular moment occurred a few years ago. Certainly, there are other experiences in my life but what really stands out here was an evolution in my thinking.

It occurred on stage at a highly marketed and produced technical event in Moscow where I served as one of the speakers. Not my first time before an audience in an international setting but this was an important product release with large potential future revenue tied to it. Given that I can be entrusted to help deliver on such an important mission certainly I can trust myself to deliver on even the loftiest goals I set for myself.

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Anglin: It’s important to have multiple sponsors and mentors in and outside of your area of expertise. Be open to changing your mentors as you career or needs evolve.

ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 – 15 years/goals, etc.?

Anglin: With the rapid pace of change we are experiencing lately it is a bit of a challenge to pin this one down. Nevertheless, I can fairly safely say that I see myself launching or having controlling interests in several companies. With the added flexibility I also plan on spending more time with my family traveling the world.

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in Austin, Texas?

Anglin: Austin is beautiful city and a good place to raise a family. There is more job flexibility with companies of all sizes from startups to large corporations choosing to call Austin home.

ABBJ: HOW Would you describe Austin?

Anglin: I love the variety of restaurants and outdoor activities that Austin has to offer and of course Austin is a tech hub.

ABBJ: Describe your experience of being black in Austin.

Anglin: Even though Austin is not as culturally diverse as some other cities in ways that are more aligned with my experience, it is encouraging to see an influx of people from other parts of the country and world that I have had great pleasure of meeting and doing business with.

ABBJ: Favorite book or book you’d recommend?

Anglin: Bold: How to Go Big, Create Wealth and Impact the World by Peter H. Diamandis ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Anglin: In my leisure time I enjoy traveling to different parts of the world which goes great with my photography hobby.

SEPTEMBER 2019

UP & COMING

J. Noel Barbee Enterprise Service Delivery Manager, North America, SolarWinds

Born & Raised: Anchorage, Alaska Moved to Austin: November of 2012 Education: Bachelor of Information Technology, Network Administration, / American InterContinental University - Hoffman Estates, IL / Associate of Applied Science, Business Management / Charter College – Anchorage, AK ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Barbee: I’m responsible for a team that provides End User Services for approximately 1300 employees across 13 different sites in North America. I collaborate with internal business units, vendors, technical teams, and key stakeholders to identify business needs and to develop winning solutions for SolarWinds.

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Barbee: My love for listening to music got me started into tech! More than 20 years ago, my first dormmate introduce me to .mp3 files. He had a computer that contained over 20,000 songs and I wanted that! So as a broke college freshman, I scrounged up $67 to purchase used parts to build my first computer in order to download thousands of songs myself! I quickly fell in love with technology. That same year, I changed my major from Accounting to Information Technology and the rest is history.

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Barbee: The relationships that I’ve fostered at work is what I like most about my job. I love people! Nothing gives me more joy at work than seeing the team members I’ve mentored achieve their personal and professional goals.

It is also given, with this line of work, you must love learning new technologies and methodologies. It’s very difficult to be successful if you are not continuously learning at a rapid pace.

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Barbee: My advice (especially to high school and college students) is to jump in and jump in now! Do not wait until you graduate school to “start” your career in tech. I implore you to join an organization as an intern or a volunteer while you are attending school. Start from the bottom and work your way up. The tech sector has a negative unemployment rate, this means there are more IT/Tech job openings then qualify people to fill them.

Presently, the opportunity for a great tech career is plentiful. Companies will open their doors for you if you have the following: a can-do attitude, good people skills, a strong work ethic, and the aptitude to quickly learn and process technology skills.

ABBJ: What was one moment or experience in your life that changed your way of thinking?

Barbee: Visiting the poverty-stricken environments that parents grew up was a very eye-opening experience for me. It changed my perspective on how truly bless I am. I blessed to have 2 loving parents that sacrificed so much, just so their children never have to.

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Barbee: Do things right the first time and you don’t have to do it again. The life I live is not just for myself but it’s for others. That I need Jesus in every aspect of my life.

ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 – 15 years/goals, etc.?

Barbee: From a personal standpoint, 15 years from now all 4 of my children will be grown.

I pray that my wife and I have a very close friendship with each of our kids. From a professional standpoint, I see myself doing

1 or 2 things, becoming a CTO/CIO for a global organization or fulltime motivational speaker.

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in Austin, Texas?

Barbee: Austin’s weather is a lot better than Anchorage, Alaska. Have you ever lived through an Arctic Winter before? We love that our family can do so much during the winter months. We can attend festivals, music concerts, and play outdoor sports all year round.

ABBJ: How would you describe Austin?

Barbee: Austin is a vibrant city full of opportunities. People are generally nice and always willing to have a conversation with you, however in the 7 years I’ve lived here you can tell that Austin’s demographic is changing due to gentrification.

ABBJ: Describe your experience of being black in Austin.

Barbee: People are for the most part very friendly, however when my family goes on an outing, we are usually the only black family present! It doesn’t matter if it’s movie theater, concert, or restaurant we definitely “stick out”. Similarly, at work I’m usually the only black person in a meeting. I truly believe there is a longing amongst normal people in other ethnicity groups to see more African Americans in the Austin community. Unfortunately, the polices and economic structure of Austin doesn’t reflect inclusiveness for the African American community.

ABBJ: Favorite book or book you’d recommend?

Barbee: Everybody should read, Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington. No matter what our circumstances are, we all have a responsibility to seek and live out our God given purpose!

ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Barbee: Spending time with my 4 kids and beautiful wife. We love dancing, singing, and exploring all that Central Texas has to offer.

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

41

UP & COMING

Seyi Fabode Co-Founder, Varuna

Born & Raised: Nigeria/UK Moved to Austin: 2016 Education: MSc Manufacturing Systems Engineering (Warwick University) / MBA (Booth School of Business, University of Chicago) ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Fabode: At Varuna, we help water utilities deliver clean water by removing operational waste.

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Fabode: 17 yrs ago I was an engineer at a power station that served 500k customers in London and we needed to build some software in-house to improve internal operations.

I got involved in building that system.

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Fabode: The work we do ensures that water utilities can provide clean drinking water sustainably, that’s extremely satisfying.

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Fabode: There are many paths and, because ‘software is eating the world’ you can get into tech through design, finance, software development, user research etc. so develop a skill and dive in.

ABBJ: What was one moment or experience in your life that changed your way of thinking?

Fabode: The births of both of my sons.

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Fabode: Their births brought more urgency into the work I’ve been doing since. They’ve also brought more of a sense of the long42

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

term at the same time. It’s this dichotomy of the need for urgency and patience at the same time...

ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 – 15 years/goals, etc.?

Fabode: Still doing work that has impact.

This is my second tech company in the utility space. I’ve been working in the utility industry for all my career and the need to ensure sustainable usage of our natural resources is work that won’t be done in 10-15yrs.

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in Austin, Texas?

Fabode: The family friendly vibe of Austin.

ABBJ: How would you describe Austin?

Fabode: Laid back, almost sleepy, but vibrant at the same time.

ABBJ: Describe your experience of being black in Austin.

Fabode: A continuous yearning for more of a community.

ABBJ: Favorite book or book you’d recommend?

Fabode: 100 Years of Solitude (Gabriel García Márquez) and Homegoing (Yaa Gyasa). Two epic tales spanning generations, from two authors who couldn’t be more different but have so much in common.

ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Fabode: Reading a great book.

Waziri Garuba Chief Marketing Officer, OrgAnalytix Born & Raised: Lagos, Nigeria (Born) New York/New Jersey (Raised) Moved to Austin:2013 Education: Bachelors – Bus. Management St. Peters’ University (2001) / MBA Columbia Business School (2009) ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences: Garuba: I oversee marketing for OrgAnalytix. We use machine learning models to measure inclusion on work teams.

What we learn allows us to leverage commonalities, influence and the consultative experience of our partners to unlock innovation and productivity within diverse workforces.

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Garuba: In my former life I worked as a trader at investment banks with a focus on tech stocks. My passion for technology in general (arduino, 3dprinting and general tinkering) helped me appreciate the companies I traded, but I always

SEPTEMBER 2019

UP & COMING

dreamed of being part of the solutions, as opposed to trading them. Post MBA I gravitated towards entrepreneurship, advising SMBs as they grew through their many challenges. These experiences put me on the track to getting approached by OrgAnalytix in a role where my experience, network and passion for creating inclusive environments can be truly put to work in a broader context.

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Garuba: The idea that the work I do can have an impact on a social challenge is motivating. I love marketing and know how important it is to make a business succeed.

Most of all I love the autonomy and dynamic environment it affords me to be both creative and technical in the work I do. I am blessed to have an amazing team and an amazing software – all dedicated to solving a challenging issue. It is truly motivating.

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Garuba: Learn all you can about the different ecosystems available and gather skills around the ones you are most passionate about. Passion is an amazing motivator and assists in everything from learning to code to creating amazing media.

ABBJ: What was one moment or experience in your life that changed your way of thinking?

Garuba: Having kids has been the pivotal moment in my life. It has framed my goals and work in entirely new ways by making me think deeply about the kind of world I will be working to leave behind for them.

They are my motivation.

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Garuba: I have learned that every day is a present and so we all have to appreciate and live in the now. Creating value and legacy for those who will come behind us is the true goal of technology and so we all need to be engaged in defining the solutions billions of people in the future will rely on.

ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 – 15 years/goals, etc.?

Garuba: I never see myself retiring and just sitting on a beach. Business is just too exciting and it comes in all shapes and sizes. There will always be an entrepreneur out there in need of good advice and a great team. I plan on hanging out in the ecosystem as much as I can.

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in Austin?

Garuba: Besides my family and friends - Austin provides the perfect runway for serious entrepreneurs looking to launch their vision. It’s the perfect storm of growing interest, diversity of thought and affordable living that provide entrepreneurs with the work-life balance they need to build better solutions.

ABBJ: How would you describe Austin?

Garuba: Since moving here from NY, Austin has struck me as the embodiment of Southern Hospitality for non-traditional thinkers. I still get to shake my head at some of the weird things I see, but that is what makes it such a beautiful place.

Everyone gets to be their true authentic selves.

ABBJ: Describe your experience of being black in Austin.

Garuba: Despite the declining black population in Austin, we have found a community that has the true diversity of thought and accepting mindset in which inclusion thrives. Over time I think the dynamic will change for the better, and I believe that is one of the variables that will unlock the city’s capacity for innovation, wealth-building and growth.

ABBJ: Favorite book or book you’d recommend?

Garuba: I recommend the E-Myth to all new entrepreneurs I encounter. I also love The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi.

ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Garuba: I enjoy building things with Arduino and 3d printing toys for my kids.

Jerold McDonald Co-Founder + CEO, Omaiven Health Born & Raised: Born: Landstuhl, Germany Raised: Primarily in Fort Hood / Killeen, TX (military family) Moved to Austin: The first time was in 2002, to attend UT Austin Education: Trinity University - MS, Health Care Administration / University of Texas at Austin - BA, Economics & BS, Corporate Communication ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Mcdonald: I’m responsible for the operations and strategy of the company. But my true job is making sure we build trusting relationships between patients and their doctors, especially in communities that have been voiceless.

Problem: Navigating healthcare is extremely complicated!

Solution: We created askMia, an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, that speaks multiple languages and acts as a patient’s personal assistant for healthcare needs. Mia works with your doctor’s office to ensure you attend appointments, answers your questions or steers you to the correct office staff to resolve your needs ... all through texting …that’s askMia. ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Mcdonald: Although I’m the Founder of a To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

43

UP & COMING tech company, my background is not technical. I always understood the thought process behind tech and basic coding. Later in healthcare executive roles, my personal experience as a patient, understanding of community dynamics, and ability to translate business vision into a technical framework became a superpower. From there, I leaned into this skill, understanding that we should leverage technology to scale a culturally competent solution that could reach communities that were previously unreachable and build trusting relationships with their doctors.

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Mcdonald: I love that my job is focused on growth. It’s amazing to see a person grow into their potential or turn an idea into an experiment that when tested enough, turns into a scalable company.

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Mcdonald: There are challenges that everyone faces in our daily lives, and the best solutions will come from ensuring diverse experiences are not represented. The tech industry needs your lived experiences and perspectives to ensure that we build a future that supports all people. If you embrace a mindset of curiosity and lifelong learning, you’ll be well on your way! Tech is an ecosystem that’s constantly evolving. To succeed, there must be joy in the moments of discovering - whether finding new ways to solve complex problems or discovering a part of the industry that didn’t previously exist.

ABBJ: Describe a moment that changed your way of thinking?

Mcdonald: There are so many moments that were instrumental along the way. Growing up with diverse groups and viewpoints, I had the advantage of seeing how valuable and enriching differences could be. Later in life, it became an ongoing question that I asked myself as a leader in healthcare: “How can we truly meet people where they are... their language, culture, literacy or economic status, etc.?”

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Mcdonald: Get comfortable being uncom44

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

fortable. People really are great beyond measure, but it usually takes venturing into an unfamiliar place to reach the discovery, innovation, and excitement just on the other side of risk and discomfort.

ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 – 15 years?

Mcdonald: My goal is to be of service - truly living a life of purpose and enjoyment and innovating to improve equity and inclusion.

I have milestones I’d like to achieve, but I measure progress by ensuring my actions align with this greater goal.

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in Austin, Texas?

Mcdonald: I love Austin - this is my third time living in the city over the last 15+ years!

My favorite thing about Austin is that no matter who you are, there’s a space and place for you in this town. People are truly invested in the city’s future and collaborating to collectively move forward.

ABBJ: How would you describe Austin?

Mcdonald: Austin is a city of progress and immense potential. We’re one of the city’s moving the United States forward through our strong tech scene, political landscape, trendsetting food scene, and more.

ABBJ: Describe your experience of being black in Austin.

Mcdonald: My experience has been positive.

In the last 15+ years, I’ve seen the blemishes, areas of improvement, and the opportunity.

I believe finding or building a community that you wish to see is the key.

I have a strong network of friends, supporters, and advocates that embrace me for my most authentic self. I remain optimistic about our ability to impact and shape the future of Austin.

ABBJ: Favorite book or book you’d recommend?

Mcdonald: The Lean Startup by Eric Ries Born a Crime by Trevor Noah 10% Happier by Dan Harris ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Mcdonald: Reading, riding my bike around town, and going to music events (especially hip hop)

Michael Odiari Founder/CEO, Check App

Born & Raised: Born in Nigeria, raised in Dallas TX Moved to Austin: October 2018 Education: Graduate of Texas State University

ABBJ: Describe what you do.

Odiari: Provide solutions to bring inclusivity, by utilizing technology to bridge the broken gap of communication in areas like law.

SEPTEMBER 2019

UP & COMING

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Odiari: My first job at PepsiCo, they had a small startup team internally. We were rerouting spending for direct and indirect.

We had to build out the functionality, and also serve as helpdesk consultants.

This allowed me to work very closely with IT professionals that took me under their wing and started teaching me different areas that technology had to offer, ultimately leading me to learn programming.

Which taught me the framework of how to problem solve.

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Odiari: The people that I get to interact with. Going into communities and law enforcement agencies and putting myself in their shoes. Creating a dialog on how we can end police brutality and make an impact.

ABBJ: What was one moment or experience in your life that changed your way of thinking?

Odiari: When I was pulled over by law enforcement for a missing front license plate.

Due to the officer’s fear, I was instantly starring down the barrel of his weapon.

Bewildered on what just happened, I realized the events we see on tv, I was a lucky one. This experience taught me, “I choose to allow a situation to make me bitter, or I can allow it to make me better”.

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Odiari: Seek to understand, then forcing to be understood. Be careful of what you think about, our thoughts create our reality. Our imperfections are what make us uniquely perfect ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10

– 15 years/goals, etc.?

Odiari: Leading a company that utilizes technology to make a global impact. Infusing my media creative to be a voice for the broken, sharing my experiences I’ve learned through my journey to inspire and influence the masses. Traveling in a private jet around the world being a catalyst to change.

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in Austin?

Odiari: I love the outdoors, Austin provides different trails for hiking, and various food scenes with a twist. I’m always running into fascinating minds which breath collaboration.

ABBJ: How would you describe Austin?

Odiari: Small but big city.

ABBJ: Describe your experience of being black in Austin.

Odiari: Being black is dope, beautiful, and sexy. For me it’s about knowing who you are, when I attend tech meetups there’re not many African Americans and those who start a venture it seems we have to out do and out prove other ethnic groups.

Those I meet that add value to my life and help elevate me, makes the experience memorable.

ABBJ: Favorite book or book you’d recommend?

Odiari: The Greatest Sales Man in the World by Og Mandino As a Man Thinketh by James Allen ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Odiari: I enjoy going into my lab, working out, getting in the kitchen and creating a new dish of some sort. Playing ping Pong, if anyone wants it let me know!!

Janice Omadeke CEO and Founder, The Mentor Method

Born & Raised: Washington, DC Moved to Austin: August 2018 Education: MIT - Entrepreneurship

ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Omadeke: The Mentor Method is a B2B Software helping companies keep their diverse talent using the proven power of mentorship.

The software uses a double-blind algorithm to remove bias in mentorship and increases retention, inclusion, and succession planning.

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Omadeke: I spent the last ten years of my career leading tech teams as a designer for Fortune 1000 companies.

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

45

UP & COMING Omadeke: Playing a role in the movement for workplace equity for all. Mentorship is a critical component to building a successful career. It’s empowering to see my technical background and love for problem-solving turn into software that’s impacting the lives of women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ community.

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Omadeke: If tech is something you have an interest in, it’s worth it to see what areas you can create a career in. There’s a new tech advancement happening every day. There isn’t one approach to tech - you can create the path that works for you.

ABBJ: What was one moment or experience in your life that changed your way of thinking?

Omadeke: I lost my mom to pancreatic cancer in August 2018. It was a shock and made me recognize how quickly life can change. I have a broader sense of gratitude, confidence, and resilience, knowing that as long as I’m still breathing, I have a chance to impact the lives of others.

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in Austin, Texas?

Omadeke: The authenticity and willingness to help others.

ABBJ: Describe your experience of being black in Austin.

Omadeke: There’s a clear difference between inclusion in DC and Austin. DC took time to become the mixing bowl of cultures that is now. Austin is growing, changing, and with events such as The Austin Mosaic Awards that I created, we’re seeing a shift in building inclusive ecosystems. I’m sure some may see being black in Austin as a disadvantage, but I’ve found it to be a nonstarter any more than it would be in another city. I’ve raised capital, met incredible mentors, and had career-changing experiences in Austin that had more to do with my company than it did with my race.

ABBJ: Favorite book or book you’d recommend?

Omadeke: The power of positive thinking; Lost and Founder 46

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

I’m also the founder and CEO of Think and Zoom Brain Control Solutions, which has developed award winning innovations like Brain Control Vision Augmentation, Reading Assistance and Games.

I have leveraged my personal experience into becoming a Disability Advocate at the United States Congress. I use my global speaking engagements to inspire students to reach their highest potential in education and career development.

Zuby Onwuta Fonder/CEO, Think and Zoom

Born & Raised: Port Harcourt, Nigeria Moved to Austin: 2004 Education: B.S. Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, Chicago / Technology Innovation, MIT / Disruptive Strategies, Harvard Business School / Healthcare Innovation, Harvard Medical School

ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Onwuta: I’m an engineer, inventor and neuroscience researcher. My passion has enabled me to turn my personal problem of losing 3 careers (US Army, Engineering, Medicine) to legal blindness, from 3 genetic progressive eye disorders, into a global solution, by inventing “Brain Control for Blind Assistive Tech” for the purpose of creating a world where visual impairment no longer steals dreams or kills careers.

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Onwuta: My interest in tech started at a very young age. I was around 8, when I received a “science series” book from my mother. (I grew up with my grandmother).

It had about 8 small books, each covering an aspect of science, like biology, physics, chemistry, etc. Although I read them all, the one on physics gave me an opportunity to conduct my very first experiment: Equipment - Berec Battery, copper wire, paper clip and a nail.

Method - Wrap the copper wire around a nail, and the ends of the wire are placed on each end of the battery. Touch a paper clip, and voila! Conclusion - I had an electromagnet. I was hooked!

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Onwuta: The combination of being an engineer, inventor and neuroscience researcher, allows me to shape the world, as I want it to be, by solving problems faced by the disabled, and visually impaired, leveraging next-generation cutting edge technology, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Electroencephalogram (EEG), Brain Control Interface (BCI), wearables, and much more.

The possibilities are endless, and are limited by our imagination. With the advances we have in technology today, if we can dream it, we can build it. It’s fun, fast moving, always changing, and never-ending learning. There’s never a dull moment, and I simply love it!

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Onwuta: The word Tech, which is often tied to STEM, scares off a lot of people,

SEPTEMBER 2019

UP & COMING I think, because of the math work that’s involved. But things have changed! My advice is follow the saying “Charity begins at home”, and start with your own surrounding which you are familiar with, and take an inventory of all the pieces of technology that enable you to be comfortable in that environment, then ask yourself “How did this get here?”, or “How does it work?”

For example, a smartphone. By asking the first question, you will begin to find out about manufacturing, logistics, distribution, supply chain, marketing, etc., and these are all the necessary activities to get the device into your hand.

By asking the second question, you will encounter design, patent, engineering, hardware, software, and all the different components that make up the physical device.

And for you to ask either question, and continue all the way through, you have to be “curious”, and willing to learn!

ABBJ: What was one moment or experience in your life that changed your way of thinking?

Onwuta: Over the last 4 years, since inventing Think and Zoom Brian Control for Blind Assistive Tech, I’ve been on a fast-paced learning path. Each changed my perspective of the world. But one huge moment was when I won an award at Apple Worldwide Developer Conference and I was on stage with Tim Cook. I received this award by developing an Apple iOS game called “Kenti - Happy Bird”, the first Brain Control game at WWDC. While on stage with Tim Cook, he mentioned that there was a 12-year-old girl who also won that year. That made me look around the stage, and I noticed that there were about 80 winners, and their ages were mostly between 14 - 16. And a few of them handed me their business cards, and had companies! What I realized that day was an “early start” is a great preparatory method to increase the chances of success in life, and I encourage all parents to employ this method.

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Onwuta: I will sum this up as “Find a way”.

Inventing Think and Zoom was an impos-

sible, uphill battle, that started with an idea in 1998. It has taken many years, and I’ve spent a lot of money, but it has been a worthwhile journey, as this one single piece of technology has opened up so many doors for me, that has enabled me to speak in 6 countries and counting, amongst numerous awards. So, I’ve developed a mantra to “Always Look, Think and Zoom”, meaning Look and envision the future you want, Think about how you will get there, and Zoom towards it by acting on your plan.

When you do those, you too can Look, Think and Zoom, into, a better, brighter, future!

ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 – 15 years/goals, etc.?

Onwuta: Think and Zoom Brain Control has a long road map ahead of it, in terms of technology development and adoption.

In 10 years, I would like to lead the development of cutting edge assistive tech for the visually impaired, and usher in brain control and AI solutions, into the mainstream market.

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in austin, texas?

Onwuta: Coming from Chicago, the windy city, I will take the weather in Austin, any day! I also enjoy the thriving economy and bubbling Tech startup scene.

ABBJ: How would you describe austin?

Onwuta: Austin is the Live music capital of the world!

I’m fortunate to live in a city where I have access to a lot of the artists I listen to.

I also enjoy outdoor activities, which Austin has a lot of, as well as a thriving economy.

ABBJ: Favorite book or book you’d recommend?

Onwuta: A Black Choice by Dennis Kimbro. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Onwuta: I enjoy outdoor activities like boat rides, sky diving, rock climbing, hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, concerts and lots of movies!

Matt Stephenson Executive Director & Co-founder, Code2College

Born & Raised: New Rochelle, NY Moved to Austin: Summer 2016 Education: BS in Finance and Information Systems (NYU Stern); MBA in Entrepreneurial Management (Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania)

ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences: Stephenson: Everybody talks about the lack of diversity in the Tech field, as well as how difficult it is to find diverse, tech professionals both locally and nationally.

What if we could leverage the existing

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

47

UP & COMING

Tech workforce to educate and empower communities of color through free, afterschool coding instruction, professional skills training and the opportunity to enter paid, technical summer internships all towards diversifying the Tech ecosystem?

Three years ago, my wife and I launched a nonprofit called Code2College that does just that – and we’ve gone from a pilot of 30 students to serving over 700 in just three years.

pizza), creating a GitHub account and using free resources (e.g. Google’s Python Class) to start developing those technical skills and reading (again, free) resources like TechCrunch, AustinInno and Built In Austin to stay abreast of global and local Tech news. If this interview leaves you with nothing else, please know that the barriers to entering the Tech field are lower than you may think.

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Stephenson: In college, I was a Finance and Information Systems double major and my first year I picked up HTML and began building websites for fun. I quickly found myself searching for free and cheap programming books and taught myself several languages, began to pick up several technical jobs through college including becoming a Webmaster for a gift basket company in New York and part-time developer for a small startup before the dot-com bubble burst. I loved (and still love) technology for the boundless opportunities and access that it offers.

ABBJ: What was one moment or experience in your life that changed your way of thinking?

Stephenson: My two years as a classroom teacher have changed how I approach relationship management, communication and nearly every other aspect of how I interact with students and families. When you work with individual students who each bring their own stories, challenges and motivations to bear, you develop an incredible amount of empathy, understanding and the capacity to communicate more effectively.

We all learn, communicate and understand differently and teaching helps to both reveal and prepare you for this.

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Stephenson: I love the fact that my work and organization are making a life-changing impact for hundreds of students in our region who prior to working with us had little to no access or exposure to STEM industry professionals and careers. When I hear their parents and our own volunteers say “I wish this was around when I was in high school” or our students say “this program has changed my life and I tell everyone about the impact Code2College is making” – it’s truly rewarding. Also, I love to build. What I’m building here in Austin through Code2College will forever change what I like least about Austin: it’s lack of diversity and diverse technical talent.

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Stephenson: Go for it. Don’t wait and don’t make excuses. A few things that you could do to learn more about potential opportunities include attending Tech Meetups (they’re informative, well-attended with collaborative professionals and there’s free

48

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Stephenson: 1) We were placed on this earth to connect with and support each other, so when we fail to do so, we’re not fulfilling our ultimate purpose.

2) Family > Work 3) Back to #2, the excuse of “well, I have to work to support my family” is a familiar excuse. Recognize it and remember that family > work.

ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 – 15 years/goals, etc.?

Stephenson: In 10-15 years, Code2College will have over serve over fifty markets nationally and have served over 100,000 black, brown, low-income and female high school students across the country. My focus at that time will be on empowering cities and states to massively scale the proportion of diverse, homegrown technical talent that they’re able to employ. Further, I see myself working no more than four days a week and taking monthly, if not quarterly, trips with my family.

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in Austin, Texas?

Stephenson: I’m really impressed and enthused by how eager the professionals I’ve met have been to invest time, expertise and efforts in the community and the students that we serve. I’m not from the area and what we’ve been able to do at Code2College has only been possible through the genuine engagement and network effects of this community.

ABBJ: How would you describe Austin?

Stephenson: An untapped treasure trove of culture and talent. A sleeping dwarf with the potential to become a giant. A city that could and should learn what a bodega is.

ABBJ: Describe your experience of being black in Austin.

Stephenson: I’m grateful to serve the black community and other communities of color in Austin, but also grateful to live out in Pflugerville where it’s much more diverse than Austin proper.

On my first visit to Austin, it took twelve hours before I saw the first black person. It’s been jarring to see so few blacks, particularly given how much praise I hear around how progressive and inclusive the city is.

What’s been particularly difficult is navigating this space as a black male founder of a startup nonprofit.

All of those characteristics contribute to a fair amount of daily condescension and dismissiveness from prospective partners and stakeholders. That said, my blackness and diversity are strength. I stand out. I’m recognizable. I’m unforgettable. My priority has been to focus on my strengths and opportunities – and it’s worked out really well.

ABBJ: Favorite book or book you’d recommend?

Stephenson: “Give and Take” by Adam Grant and also “Thinking Strategically”

by Avinash Dixit ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Stephenson: I love spending time with my wife and two children, especially when it means exploring Central Texas.

SEPTEMBER 2019

UP & COMING

Michael Ward President of the Austin Urban Technology Movement (AUTM), VP of Operations at Primal 7, Professional Trader

Born & Raised:Miami, FL - background Jamaican Moved to Austin: June, 2016 Education: Bachelor’s degree in Global Studies and Political Science from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill

ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Ward: I am a social entrepreneur with a focus on technology, business, and socioeconomic development.

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Ward: During my last semester at UNC, I interviewed with the peace corps, Edward Jones, and Oracle. Oracle was the first one to get back to me, so I decided to take the opportunity.

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Ward: I am following my heart and working in my passion. I am able to share the knowledge and resources I have in order to uplift society and promote economic prosperity for the Black, Brown, and Latinx communities.

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Ward: There’s both technical and nontechnical roles within technology and technology is more than just coding. There’s artificial intelligence, cloud, blockchain, etc. - it’s a whole industry. Learning how to leverage technology is more accessible than ever before; there are plenty of free resources online and via applications that teach people about ways to leverage technology.

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in Austin, Texas?

Ward: All the opportunity that exists here.

It’s a big town becoming a big city.

ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 – 15 years/goals, etc.?

Ward: In local politics or working for a foundation advising people on how to use their capital to combat racial inequality in the world.

ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Ward: Spending time with my wife, exercising, playing basketball, traveling, cooking, eating good food.

ABBJ: How would you describe Austin?

Ward: It’s a city with potential, but there are still a lot of people and processes preventing it from being one of the best places to live.

ABBJ: Describe your experience of being black in Austin.

Ward: Austin is a fragmented city designed to keep marginalized communities at bay.

ABBJ: What was one moment or experience in your life that changed your You can see it in the infrastructure, outdated laws, and the current gentrification in east way of thinking?

Ward: Living abroad in Switzerland and Austin. Coming from a multi-ethnic and France and learning their culture, quality multi-cultural background to a predomiof life, and love for food. Europe made me nantly white city, part of my Black experience realize that humanity could be so much more. in Austin has been learning how to navigate the institutional racism that haunts the city.

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve ABBJ: Favorite book or book you’d learned? recommend?

Ward: Ward: God is almighty Doing Business By The Good Book by David Learn from your mistakes Each trial and tribulation are to prepare you Steward Money, Master the Game by Tony Robbins for the next trial and tribulation Walk in your purpose and nothing will stand The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason in your way

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

49

UP & COMING

Lauren Washington Cofounder and COO of Black Women Talk Tech

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Washington: I’ve always been tech-adjacent.

I started working in online marketing back in 2006 when Facebook and Twitter were just getting big. I was creating MySpace campaigns at the time! When I took a role at a social media agency in 2012 analyzing big data for business insights, I came up with the idea to automate that process for everyday users and small businesses. That led me to build my first app and to truly join the world of tech.

Born & Raised: New York Moved to Austin: July 2018 Education: UNC Chapel Hill (BA), Northwestern University (MBA)

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Washington: I love building and creating.

The ability to have an idea, bring it to life and have other people use and love it is so incredibly fulfilling.

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Washington: To never stop learning and growing. This industry is changing so quickly that you have to have a growth mindset to stay relevant and valuable. Read books, take courses, take on projects that challenge you and expand your skills.

ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Washington: I am the cofounder and COO of Black Women Talk Tech, the world’s largest membership organization and conference for black women tech founders and the cofounder of Fundr, a platform that automates seed investing between early stage startups and angel investors.

50

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

ABBJ: What was one moment or experience in your life that changed your way of thinking?

Washington: I’ve had many, but I think my experience building my first company changed my perspective on everything. It challenged how resilient I am, my relationships with people and who’s really in my corner, my understanding of money and power and how much I’m really capable of.

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Washington: Push fear aside and do it anyway.

People who do great things are not fearless, they acknowledge their fear and then work through it to make their dreams happen.

ABBJ: Where Do You See Yourself In 10 – 15 Years/Goals, Etc.?

Washington: Hopefully still working on my businesses or still working on something that creates opportunity and impact for people.

What I’ve learned over my career in tech though, in 10-15 years everything can change.

What I do now didn’t exist 15 years ago, but for me the constant is to build opportunity and equity.

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in Austin, Texas?

Washington: The warm weather, food and tech scene!

ABBJ: How would you describe Austin?

Washington: Laid back, smart, changing rapidly.

ABBJ: Describe your experience of being black in Austin.

Washington: I’ve been able to find my community here because I was lucky enough to move here already knowing some amazing people, but I can see how it might be hard to find your tribe. Once you’re keyed in though, people are so welcoming and open to introductions and meetings, but it’s not like you’re going to find that just walking down the street. It takes effort, but it does seem like there’s a big push right now to carve out our own spaces and be more visible in general.

SEPTEMBER 2019

UP & COMING

Kim Williams Technical Recruiter and Black Inclusion Group Site Co-Lead, Indeed

Born & Raised: Born in Waco, TX; raised in the Austin Metro Area Moved to Austin: 1988, as an infant.

Education: High School Diploma, some education at Maine College of Art - no degree attained ABBJ: Describe what you do in a couple sentences.

Williams: I help people get jobs. Not only is that the tagline of my current employer, but it is my job as a Technical Recruiter. I help people find where they fit within Indeed and provide feedback for the future if there isn’t a home for them here right this moment.

ABBJ: How did you get started in tech?

Williams: It was by accident, actually. My first job was at TXDPS as a contractor, but when I realized that that didn’t hold a future for me, I pivoted into the art space and worked odd jobs.

An odd job colleague worked FTE at AT&T and referred me. After gaining more experience, I applied to Apple on a whim and got in as a Customer Relations Advisor. From there, I moved to the startup world, then pivoted into talent attraction when a manager said I have great presence and a way of connecting with people.

ABBJ: What do you like most about your job?

Williams: Matching people to the right opportunities. It’s really satisfying to say “this job is a fit,” or even “this one is not a fit, but I

know what could be.” In the rare cases where someone isn’t a fit for anything I have on deck, I try my best to give them feedback that will help at all in their search. I’ve had several candidates over the years who have returned and said “thanks for the help, I landed a job here.” Outside of the benefit to others, talent attraction is something I can do across industries - it does not confine me to one space only and is something I can take with me if I ever left Tech or left Austin.

ABBJ: What advice would you offer someone who may be considering going into tech?

Williams: Be comfortable with change and ambiguity. The Technology space changes so rapidly - think of smartphones as an example.

By the time you’ve purchased the “newest” model, the next one is already being developed and manufactured, and the future of your model is unclear - your work will be the same way sometimes. Hiring needs shift regularly.

Workloads shift regularly. I suggest building a life outside of your job that will give you relief from the shifting nature of the Tech industry.

ABBJ: What was one moment or experience in your life that changed your way of thinking?

Williams: My mother’s family is from Chicago, but I was born and raised down here in Texas. We went up for a family reunion in 2017 and it was my first time seeing so many black and brown people in one place. It reassured me that some of the disconnect I’ve felt while growing up and living in Austin is isolated to Austin. It isn’t me - it’s the city I live in.

ABBJ: What life lessons have you’ve learned?

Williams: We all need therapy, and that’s okay. Comparison is the thief of joy and we’re all on our own journey. You are the villain in someone else’s story, and it’s not your place to tell them otherwise. You gotta eat. It can be toast, it can be an energy shake, it can be a six-course meal, but you gotta eat. That thing you think will be fine if you leave it and get

to it later won’t be fine. Do it. Do it now. Stop avoiding it. Put away your laundry. Pay your debts. Clean the cat’s litter box. Water your plants. Wash your face. Take out your contacts.

ABBJ: Where do you see yourself in 10 – 15 years/goals, etc.?

Williams: I don’t even know what I want for breakfast tomorrow, but if I had to quantify 10-15 years: Either leading a talent attraction team or pivoting into training and development. Outside of work: Own 1-2 properties, adopt a second shih-tzu, restore a vintage Fiat, have two kids and regularly expose them to other cultures around the world.

ABBJ: What do you like most about living in austin, texas?

Williams: It’s familiar. I know where everything is by major cross-streets. At the same time, due to the constant change, there’s always a new place to eat and new photos to take.

ABBJ: How would you describe austin?

Williams: Like the Tech industry - Austin is ambiguous and ever-changing.

ABBJ: Favorite book or book you’d recommend?

Williams: The Child Thief by Gerald Brom - a modern tale of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys (Kids); it’s dark, modern, Southern Gothic content with beautiful illustrations to match.

A close second is anything by Junot Díaz - his books are quick and easy to consume on a flight while still being introspective and allconsuming.

If you’re in the mood for self-work, I can’t vouch enough for anything by Brené Brown or even Marie Kondo. Buy a Kindle Paperwhite for travel but keep real books at home.

ABBJ: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

Williams: Tending to my ever-expanding houseplant collection, playing Nintendo Switch, taking instant photographs, traveling to new places.

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

51

Creating an inclusive culture that inspires our team members and benefits our customers.

Dedication makes the difference.

With our people, our partners and our portfolio, we remain – more than ever – committed to preserving our planet, cultivating inclusion, and providing the technologies that transform communities.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR HONORED LEADERS RECEIVING TOP 10 BLACKS IN TECH AWARD!

Brian Reaves

Jim Ganthier

Ed Ward

Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

SVP – Customer Solutions Strategy & Advocacy

SVP – Engineering Client Solutions

CITY & COUNTY GOVERNMENT

City Manager Names Homeless Strategy Officer City Manager Spencer Cronk has selected Lori Pampilo Harris as the new Homeless Strategy Officer. She will assume her new role effective September 9, 2019.

Lori Pampilo Harris was an advisor and consultant to the public and private sectors, mapping out and implementing solutions of complex policy and social issues. This includes building of inclusive and unique issue-based coalitions and developing effective engagement strategies.

The issue of homelessness has been identified as the City Council’s top priority in the City of Austin’s Strategic Direction 2023 Plan. The Homeless Strategy Office’s approach to coordinating shelter and support services for those experiencing homelessness will be a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach to respond to a very human issue.

“I am honored to serve the City of Austin, with homelessness being its top priority. Creating a comprehensive plan in which the public, private, philanthropic and local homeless providers are working together to achieve transformational results is critical,” Harris said. “The City of Austin is willing to take a fresh look, with hopeful eyes, at one of our most intractable issues – homelessness. We want the discussions and strategy to be about ending homelessness for our most vulnerable community members, not

54

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

just coping with homelessness,” Harris shared.

The work to be accomplished through the Homeless Strategy Office is critical, and every effort was made to find the right candidate who not only has extensive experience in working with programs and organizations to help the homeless, but also a drive to work with City leaders to coordinate the City’s homeless response activities with multiple departments and community organizations.

Most recently, Harris served as Senior Advisor on Homelessness and Social Services for the City of Orlando. Lori had the unique and ambitious goal of implementing “Housing First” and

supported the successful end to chronic veterans’ homelessness and reducing homelessness by 23.6% in a single year.

Prior to her appointment with the City of Orlando, Harris spent nearly 14 years with Habitat for Humanity International in various leadership capacities with expertise in disaster recovery and response, affordable housing, emergency shelter solutions, resource development, and advocacy. This included four years in Haiti, after the devastating 2010 earthquake. While in Haiti, Harris took a leading role in hosting President Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, for two, 1 week-long projects that built 300 homes with over 500 volunteers in back to back years.

Assistant City Manager Rodney Gonzales led the recruitment for Austin’s first Homeless Strategy Officer.

“I look forward to working with Lori on homelessness initiatives and programs that will help reach the City’s goals that focus on the importance of assisting those in Austin experiencing homelessness,” Gonzales stated.

Harris replaces Veronica Briseño who has served Interim HSO since March 2019. Briseño accepted and transitioned into her new role as Director of the Economic Development Department (EDD) in late June of 2019. After her transition to EDD, she remained the Interim HSO until a new Homeless Strategy Officer could be hired.

SEPTEMBER 2019

COMMUNITY

It's a Social Affair

Black Austin Meet & Greet

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

55

EDUCATION

14 Texas Schools On Princeton Review’s ‘Best’ List The new list for 2020 was released in August and includes 14 schools in Texas.

T

he Princeton Review has released its annual list of the 385 best colleges, which includes 14 schools in Texas.

Along with the list of the best 385 colleges, the Princeton Review ranks colleges in categories like academics and administration, politics, quality of life and more.

“We chose the 385 colleges for this edition as our ‘best’ overall, academically, based on data we gathered in 2018–19 from more than a thousand school administrators about their schools’ academic programs and of56

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

ferings,” Robert Franek, Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief and the lead author of the book, said in a press release.

“We are well aware, however, that applicants need more than an academic assessment to choose the colleges best for them,” Franek said. “We created our dozens of ranking lists specifically to facilitate that search. We tally our lists using data we gather directly from our surveys of students attending these colleges. Our survey asks the students about their professors, administrators, school ser-

vices, campus culture, and other facets of life at their schools.”

On the overall list of the best 385 colleges, the Princeton Review says the colleges aren’t ranked in order from No.1 to No.385. Colleges are ranked on the more specific lists like “best campus food,” “best college newspaper” and “party schools.”

In all, there are 62 of these lists and each list includes a ranking of the top 20 colleges in that category.

SEPTEMBER 2019

EDUCATION

The Texas colleges on the overall best 385 schools list are: •

The University of Texas at Austin

•

Texas A&M University, College Station

•

Southern Methodist University

•

Texas Christian University

•

Southwestern University

•

Rice University

•

University of Houston

•

University of Dallas

•

The University of Texas at Dallas

•

Angelo State University

•

Trinity University

•

Texas State University

•

Austin College

•

Baylor University

Princeton Review says the colleges on the best 385 list are selected primarily based on the organization’s “high opinion of their academics.” Princeton Review closely analyzes more than 2,000 schools and collects feedback from students, educators, parents and advisors. The 62 specific

lists that rank the top 20 schools in each category are compiled using a student survey.

Read the full Princeton Review methodology at www.princetownreview.com.

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

57

BLACK BUSINESS DIRECTORY TYPE

BUSINESS NAME

WEB ADDRESS

Advertising Agency

Sanders/Wingo

https://www.sanderswingo.com/

Agape Family Barbershop

Barber Shop

Beauty - Mary Kay Rep

Beauty Salon

Beauty Supply

PHONE

PHYSICAL ADDRESS

https://www.facebook.com/Agape-FamilyBarbershop-107320889326709/

(512)542-9994

3218 E Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Austin, TX 78721

Marshall’s Barber Shop

https://www.facebook.com/pages/MarshallsBarber-Shop/143649095666663

(512)472-0302

1915 E 12th Street, Austin, TX 78702

Wooten’s Barber Shop

https://www.facebook.com/Wootenbarber/

(512)477-0109

2106 Guadalupe Street

Tie’s Barbershop

https://www.facebook.com/TiesBarbershop-1472681953025553/

(512) 906-2775

628 E. Oltorf Dr Suite B

Legendary Cuts

http://www.legendarycutsaustin.com

(512)953-1360

4700 Loyola Ln #107, Austin, TX 78723

Zeus Barbershop

https://www.facebook.com/ZeusBarberShop

(512)443-4142

4360 S Congress Ave, Ste 102, Austin, TX 78745-1909

Kutting Edge Barber Shop, Trae The Barber

https://www.facebook.com/nicecutatkuttingedge/ (817) 840-8619

1779 Wells Branch Pkwy #110A

Kut Klose Barber Shop

http://www.kutklosebarbershop.com/

(512)252-9260

821 Grand View Pkwy Austin, TX 78660

Keesha Nix, Indepedndent Beauty Consultant

www.marykay.com/KeeshaNix

512-963-7197

513 Hickroy Run Dr. Cedar Park, TX 78613

Ann’s Private Cuts

https://www.facebook.com/anngosey61/

(512) 491-8730

11139 N Interstate Hwy 35, Austin, TX 78753

Black Hair Unlimited

http://www.blackhairunlimited.com/

(512) 423-3940

3218 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd

JaeUndreas Natural Hair Care

http://www.jaeundreas.net/

512-840-0660

7517 Cameron Rd. Ste 105 Austin, TX 78752

Salon Envee

https://www.facebook.com/SalonEnvee-172328024723/

(512) 767-8877

702 W St Johns Ave, Ste C, Austin, TX

The Hair Clinic

http://thehairclinicaustin.com/

(512) 608-4016

3016 Guadalupe Street

Gabrielle’s Salon & Day Spa

http://www.gabriellesalonspa.com/index.html

(512)323-0798

9012 Research Blvd Suite C7

Boojee Hair Austin

https://boojeehair.com/

(512) 494-4327

1923 E 7th St #170, Austin, TX 78702

(512)265-2155

7500 Rialto Blvd. #250, Austin, TX 78735 7703 North Lamar Blvd.

Ball Business Consulting Business Consulting

Darrell K Malone Consulting

www.dkmalone.com

(512)879-6307

Sirach Consulting, LLC

http://sirachconsulting.com/

(512)790-4524 (512)579-6517

College or University

Construction

Dentist

58

Unbound Consulting

www.theunboundgroup.com

512-994-2883

Huston-Tillotson University

http://htu.edu/

(512)505-3000

900 Chicon St, Austin, TX 78702

Virginia College

https://www.vc.edu/locations/austin/

(512) 371-3500

14200 N. Interstate Hwy. 35 Austin, TX 78728

Bridgeucation

www.bridgeucation.com

Aleon Properties, Inc.

www.aleonpropertiesinc.com

Haynes-Eaglin Waters Construction

http://www.hewaustin.com/

(512)451-6600

6448 E Hwy 290 Ste D-105, Austin, TX 78723

MM Family Dentistry

http://www.mmfamilydentistry.com/

(512)477-9775

2113 East Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Suite 105, Austin, TX 78702

Frazier Dentistry

http://frazierdentistry.com/

(512)453-3879

7333 E. US Hwy. 290, Austin, TX 78753

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

SEPTEMBER 2019

BLACK BUSINESS DIRECTORY TYPE

Finance

BUSINESS NAME

WEB ADDRESS

PHONE

PHYSICAL ADDRESS

Demitra N. Alexander, CPA, PC

http://www.dalexandercpa.com/

(512)535-7932

5407 N IH 35 Ste 303 Austin, TX 78723

Hopkins Tax & Accounting

http://www.hopkinstaxaccounting.com/

(512)829-1088

7600 Chevy Chase Dr. #300, Austin, TX 78752

Bobs Tax Teachers

http://www.bobstaxteachers.com/

(512)252-1927

200 E Pecan St., Pflugerville, Tx 78660

(512)808-7656

6200 Bridge Point Pkwy, Bldg 4, Ste 300, Austin, TX 78753

Financial Check-up and Review Home Organization

Nicky Fix My life

https://www.facebook.com/ groups/1907248392929347/

(512)522-2016

ChelaWorks

http://www.chelawhiteramsey.com/Shop.php

(228)326-7768

Pat Bell | HR Consulting

http://patbellhr.com/

(361)861-0086

Interior Design

Stephanie Sullivan Interior Design

http://www.ssinteriordesign.com

(512)-593-1437

Magazine

Austin Black Business Journal & Community News Magazine

www.austinblackbusiness.com

512-380-1611

Marketing

Elevation Firm

https://elevationfirm.com/

(512)910-2420

Floor 14, 600 Congress Ave, Austin, Tx 78701

Newspaper

The Villager Newspaper

http://theaustinvillager.com/

(512)476-0082

4132 E. 12th Street, Austin, TX 78721

Non-profit Organization

National Black MBA Association Austin

http://austinblackmba.org/

Nonprofit

Child Inc

http://childinc.org/

H|Adewumi Photography

http://hadewumi.com/

Alfy Wilmot Photography

http://www.alfywilmotphotography.com/

(512)537-5451

Look At Me! Media

https://www.facebook.com/lookatmemedia/

(512)296-3341

Northstar Photography

www.flickr.com/photos/lissiaz/

(512)422-7968

Rebuk Artist Photography

http://www.rebuckartisticphotography.com/

(512)367-9747

Texas Touch Photography

https://www.facebook.com/ TexasTouchPhotography/

(512)905-3371

Cindy Elizabeth Photography

http://www.cindyelizabeth.com/

D.Hills Photography

https://www.dhillsphotography.com/

Adisa Public Relations

www.makingthingsclear.com

(512)472-6112

Donald Harrell - Century 21

http://www.century21.com/real-estate-agent/ profile/donald-harrell-P25253564

(512)968-3290

E Infinity Realty

https://www.facebook.com/einfinityrealty/

(512)807-9292

Edie C. Phillips Real Estate

http://ediecphillips.com/

(512)775-0637

106 E 6th St #900, Austin, TX 78701

Anita C Roberts

www.luxuryaustinproperties.com

512-380-1611

1801 S MoPac Expy #100, Austin, TX 78746

Kathy De La Cruz (Realtor) - Re/ Max Posh Propeties South

http://www.remax.com/realestateagentoffice/ austin-tx-78735-kathydelacruz-id27266661.html

(512)470-4877

5501 W Hwy 290 Suite C, Austin, TX 78735

(512)478-3451

1721 E 12th St, Austin, TX

(660)693-3376

1801 S MoPac Expy #100, Austin, TX 78746

Human Resources

Photography

Public Relations Firm

Real Estate

W.G. Hunt & Co.

Videographer

Yinka Oyefeso - Keller Williams Realty

http://www.kw.com/kw/agent/austin-budaforsalehome

Funmi Ogunro

https://www.facebook.com/layo88

Documentary You - Justin Humphries

https://www.facebook.com/JustinJoyful

P.O. Box 144822 Austin, TX 78714-4822 (512)451-7361

818 E 51st Street, Austin, TX 78751

6205 Burnet Rd. B, Austin, TX 78757

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

59

RELIGION

Austin’s Black Churches Church Name

Pastor

Address

City

State

Zip

Agape Baptist Church

H. Ed Calahan

7801 North Lamar Blvd., Bldg. F-15

Austin

Texas

78752

Alpha Seventh Day Adventist

Dr. Gordon S. Jones

3016 East 51st Street

Austin

Texas

78723

Bethany Christian Church

Rev. W.W. Booker

3507 East 12th Street

Austin

Texas

78721

14900 Avery Ranch Blvd. Suite C200

Austin

Texas

78717 78702

Christian Faith Fellowship Church Church of the New Testament

Billy J. Walker

1602 Harvey Street

Austin

Texas

David Chapel Missionary Baptist

Rev. Joseph C. Parker, Jr.

2211 E. MLK Jr. Blvd.

Austin

Texas

78702

East 19th Street Missionary Baptist

Rev. M.C. Walker

3401 Rogge Ln

Austin

Texas

78723

East Side Church of Christ

George Williams - Minister

5701 East MLK Jr., Blvd.

Austin

Texas

78721

Ebenezer Baptist Church

Dr. Ricky Freeman

1010 East 10th Street

Austin

Texas

78702

First Presbyterian Baptist Church

Elizabeth McLean

8001 Mesa Drive

Austin

Texas

78731

Gates of Dominion Word MinistryInternational

Michael A. Price - Apostle

5050 Commercial Park Dr., Suite A-1

Austin

Texas

78724 78758

Grant A.M.E. Worship Center

Rev. Sylvester Delaney Patton III

1701 Kramer Lane

Austin

Texas

Greater Calvary Baptist Church

Archbishop Dr. Sterling Lands, II

6510 Berkman Drive

Austin

Texas

78723

Greater Mt. Moriah Primitive Baptist

Chester F. Brown, III

4907 Springdale Road

Austin

Texas

78723

Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Gaylon Clark

4301 Tannehill Lane

Austin

Texas

78721

Greater Union Baptist

Pastor Rickey E. Williams

2939 Pecan Springs

Austin

Texas

78723

Higher Dimension Church

Bishop Sid Deon Johnson

1310 Salina Street

Austin

Texas

78702

Holy Cross Catholic Church

Rev. Basil Aguzie, MSP

1610 East 11th Street

Austin

Texas

78702

Imani Community Church

5214 Duval Road

Austin

Texas

78757

Joshua Chapel C.M.E.

1309 East 12 St

Austin

Texas

78702 78653

406 East Burton St.

Manor

Texas

Metropolitan AME Church

Little Zion Baptist Rev. N. Jordan Mkwanazi

1101 E. 10TH STREET

Austin

Texas

78702

Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church

Rev. L.K. Jones

2111 S.L. Davis Ave.

Austin

Texas

78702 78702

Mt. Olive Baptist Church

Rev. Richard E. Carter

2718, 1800 E 11th St

Austin

Texas

Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church

A. W. Anthony Mays

5900 Cameron Road

Austin

Texas

78723

Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Rev. G. V. Clark

2938 East 13th Street

Austin

Texas

78702

3403 Manor Road

Austin

Texas

78723

New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church

507 Commercial Drive

Buda

Texas

78610

New Hope Baptist Church

New Covenant Church Pastor Roy F. Jones II

2405 East 16th Street

Austin

Texas

78702

New Lincoln Missionary Baptist Church

Rev. Darron E. Patterson

2215 East 8th Street

Austin

Texas

78702

Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church

Pastor Nathaniel T. Cannon, Jr.

78721

Rehoboth Baptist Church Simpson United Methodist Church

Robert C. Waddle

1158 Webberville Road

Austin

Texas

5303 Samuel Huston Ave

Austin

Texas

78721

1701 East 12th @ Leona

Austin

Texas

78702 78721

Solid Rock Missionary Baptist Church

John M. Perez

1014 Gardner Road

Austin

Texas

St. James Missionary Baptist Church

Dr. B.W. McClendon, Sr.

3417 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd

Austin

Texas

78721

St. James Episcopal Church

Rev. Madeline Hawley

1941 Webberville Road

Austin

Texas

78721

St. John Primitive Baptist Church

1709 E.M. Franklin

Austin

Texas

78721

St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church

1160 Hargrave St

Austin

Texas

78702

Rev. Richard A. Coaxum

1202 Russell St

Pflugerville

Texas

78660

St.Peter United Methodist Church

Jack Gause

4509 Springdale Road

Austin

Texas

78723

St. Stephens MBC-Northstar

BJE McQueen

12300 Amherst Dr

Austin

Texas

78727

Sweet Home Baptist Church

Dr. Dante R Wright

3200 Sunrise Rd

Round Rock

Texas

78665

1300 Fort Branch Blvd.

Austin

Texas

78721

Wesley United Methodist

Sylvester Chase

1164 San Bernard Austin

Austin

Texas

78721

Zion Rest M.B. Church

R.E. Foster

3326 Paisano Trail

Austin

Texas

78745

St. Mary Missionary Baptist Church

True Light Baptist Church

To advertise email sales@blackbusinessjournal.com

61

AU S T I N A R E A U R B A N L E A G U E F O R M A L LY I N V I T E S Y O U T O O U R 4 2 N D A N N UA L

Equal Opportunity Day Gala S AT U R D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 S T 7 O'CLOCK PM H YAT T AU S T I N

2 0 8 B ar t on Spr i n g s R d , Au s t i n , T X 7 8 7 0 4

AT T I R E : B L A C K T I E P L E A S E V I S I T W W W. A AU L . O R G F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N

AUSTIN Black Business Journal® & Community News

prides itself on creating quality content for the multi-cultural community we serve.

Each month we bring a high quality, informative print & digital publication designed to inform, empower and transform our community.

CONNEC T WITH US. @austinblackbiz •

@austinblackbusiness •

C O N TA C T U S .

Have an interesting story idea or business announcement?

@austinblackbusiness •

SUBSCRIBE.

Get local news and information delivered straight to your inbox.

info@blackbusinessjournal.com

ADVERTISE.

Make an impact with print and web advertising opportunities.