12-Feb by Black Business News Group

THE WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH, 2012 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A Proclamation The story of African Americans is a story of resilience and perseverance. It traces a people who refused to accept the circumstances under which they arrived on these shores, and it chronicles the generations who fought for an America that truly reflects the ideals enshrined in our founding documents. It is the narrative of slaves who shepherded others along the path to freedom and preachers who organized against the rules of Jim Crow, of young people who sat-in at lunch counters and ordinary men and women who took extraordinary risks to change our Nation for the better. During National African American History Month, we celebrate the rich legacy of African Americans and honor the remarkable contributions they have made to perfecting our Union. This year’s theme, “Black Women in American Culture and History,” invites us to pay special tribute to the role African American women have played in shaping the character of our Nation -- often in the face of both racial and gender discrimination. As courageous visionaries who led the fight to end slavery and tenacious activists who fought to expand basic civil rights to all Americans, African American women have long served as champions of social and political change. And from the literary giants who gave voice to their communities to the artists whose harmonies and brush strokes captured hardships and aspirations, African American women have forever enriched our cultural heritage. Today, we stand on the shoulders of countless African American women who shattered glass ceilings and advanced our common goals. In recognition of their legacy, let us honor their heroic and historic acts for years to come. The achievements of African American women are not limited to those recorded and retold in our history books. Their impact is felt in communities where they are quiet heroes who care for their families, in boardrooms where they are leaders of industry, in laboratories where they are discovering new technologies, and in classrooms where they are preparing the next generation for the world they will inherit. As we celebrate the successes of African American women, we recall that progress did not come easily, and that our work to widen the circle of opportunity for all Americans is not complete. With eyes cast toward new horizons, we must press on in pursuit of a high-quality education for every child, a job for every American who wants one, and a fair chance at prosperity for every individual and family across our Nation. During National African American History Month, we pay tribute to the contributions of past generations and reaffirm our commitment to keeping the American dream alive for the next generation. In honor of those women and men who paved the way for us, and with great expectations for those to follow, let us continue the righteous cause of making America what it should be -- a Nation that is more just and more equal for all its people. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim February 2012 as National African American History Month. I call upon public officials, educators, librarians, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth. BARACK OBAMA

Publisher’s Message Earl “Skip” Cooper, II

Time to Increase Support of Black Business

he Black Business News is proud to pay homage to African American History Month. As our readers and stakeholders are well aware of, African American History Month is an observance of the history of the African diaspora not only in the United States, but numerous countries around the world. Since 1976, it is observed annually in the United States and Canada in February. The initial goal of Black History Month was to educate the American people about African-American history, focusing on African Americans’ cultural backgrounds and reputable achievements. As we look back on the contributions and achievements of African Americans, we acknowledge such feats as the election of Barak Obama, the first American American president of the United States and the numerous accomplishments of African American educators, entrepreneurs, athletes, entertainers, technologists and scientists. In recognition of African American History Month, the Black Business Association (BBA), headquartered in Los Angeles, is hosting its 38th Annual Awards Dinner, February 23rd at the L.A. Live JW Marriott Hotel. The invited keynote speaker is United States Secretary of Commerce John Bryson. Earl G. Graves, Sr. will receive the BBA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Curtis Fralin, owner of the historical Maverick’s Flat Restaurant and Lounge, commercial real estate developer and community activist will be acknowledged as the 2012 “Entrepreneur of the Year”. Los Angeles City Councilman and Council President Herb Wesson will receive the BBA President’s Award.

The Honorable Herb Wesson has made history as the first African American in Los Angeles history to be elected president of the City Council. (see pages 6-11 for more on the awards dinner) As African Americans, we are part of the general economy in the country with our health, wealth and assertion tied closely to that our nation’s gross national product (GNP). According to the advance GDP report released in January 2012, the economy grew by 2.8% at an annual rate in the fourth quarter, the tenth straight quarter of growth since the recession ended in mid-2009. Job growth accelerated in the final months of 2011, and the unemployment rate declined sharply, although at 8.5%, it still remains too high. The unwinding of the effects of temporary shocks sustained earlier last year helped boost growth in the second half of the year. Private forecasters anticipate a more moderate but stable path of expansion going forward. Even so, further progress this year in reducing unemployment from current levels may be limited. The economy continues to face a number of challenges, including the slowdown in growth overseas, particularly in Europe, and the threat of further fiscal contraction at all levels of government. In the African American community, hiring continues to pick up, and the unemployment rate has recently moved lower; however, rate still above national averages. Special attention needs to be payed to the housing market in our communities of color. Although the housing market remains very weak, recent housing data have

been more favorable, suggesting that conditions are starting to improve. Single-family housing starts, permits, and home sales picked up in the last three months of 2011. The inventory of homes for sale is falling, and home builder confidence, though still very low, has improved notably over the past several months. Mortgage rates are at record low levels, and housing affordability is at an all-time high. Overall, home prices appear to be stabilizing, and the latest monthly report shows the Federal Housing Financing Agency’s House Price Index posting its largest percentage gain in nearly seven years. In summation, the general economy has recovered from the many setbacks it faced early last year, and large sections of the African American business community are in a state of economic recovery. While we are cautiously optimistic about the near-term outlook, we remain cognizant of the many challenges Blacks still faces, including higher levels of unemployment, erosion of net worth due to downturn in housing market, and our lack of participation in the exponential growth with global economic conditions. At this critical juncture, we need to increase our support for African American businesses as consumers and in the public and private sectors. 

3  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

About the Black Business News… The mission of The Black Business News is to inspire and inform public and private sector industry representatives on the importance of smart small business growth. As a versatile source of socioeconomic development activity, the Black Business News imparts current local, national and international industry trends related to small businesses across the United States of America (USA), detailing greater access to financial capital, management efficiencies, business education, mentors and networks. The goals of the Black Business News include: •

increasing the use of business enterprises owned by USA-based blacks, by advocating for greater access to leading finance lenders and successful business managers.

Black Business News P.O. Box 43159, Los Angeles, CA 90043 323-291-9334 Fax: 323-298-5064

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Earl “Skip” Cooper, II

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Steven D. Turner

PRODUCTION MANAGER Narishima Osei

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS LaSandra Stratton • Dean Jones • Steven Turner

GRAPHIC DESIGN

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working to merge resources, values, profits, technology throughout the public and private sectors.

Sarah Harris • Phallu Morgan

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balancing major public and private sector contracting methods with positive outcomes of black-owned and operated enterprises.

Kim Anthony

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providing an affirmative influence for emerg-ing entrepreneurs sharing innovative design n and creative cultural content that exposes them to the history of black enterprises and excite them to participate in the USA’s future.

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advocating and promoting on behalf of black-owned businesses by promoting the need for expanding an economic foundation that supports an unfettered and self-sustained urban society with USA job creation and economic opportunity, where blacks work, live and operate viable business enterprises.

ENTREPRENEUR EDITOR STORY EDITORS Wanda Flagg ▪ Jennifer Marie Hamilton

PHOTOGRAPHY Ian Foxx ▪ Sabir • Narishima Osei

CONTENT ADMINISTRATOR LaSandra Stratton

LAYOUT/TYPESETTING Lion Communications Copyright © 2012 by Black Business News All Rights Reserved. The posting of stories, commentaries, reports, documents and links (embedded or otherwise) on this site does not in any way, shape or form, implied or otherwise, necessarily express or suggest endorsement or support of any of such posted material or parts therein.

AWARDS U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

2007 Journalist of the Year Award LA/Minority Business Opportunity Center (LA/MBOC)

2010 Media Firm of the Year 4  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

FEATURES… February 2012

Publisher’s Message

GOVERNMENT… 13 17 23 24 29 31 34 37

Support for Job Creating Start-ups

Editorial: Can America Withstand Its Own Political

President Announces National Toursim Strategy Building Neighborhoods of Opportunity Financial Advisory Council to the President King Abdullah II of Jordan Meets President Obama Consolidation Plan for Federal Agencies Insourcing - Creating More Jobs MBDA - Tax Calendar

BUSINESS… Rhetoric?

43 49 51 60 68 70 72 79

Personal Innovation VEDC Managing Local Create Jobs Initiative Small Business Grant Program from Brother Major Media Merger Black History Month - Tuskegee Airman in Film Black History Month - Red Tails, the Movie Black History Month - Herb Wesson, Public Servant Black History Month - AT&T 28 Days Program

PUBLIC INTEREST/COMMUNITY… 83 COLUMNS 67 - Take A Look! 97 - Books to Consider... 101 - Calendar ACTION ALERTS 16 - AEG Supplier Portal SPONSORS 06 - Black Business Association Cover image - Phallu Morgan

Let’s Move - Beyonce Mashup, Move Your Body Video

INTERNATIONAL… 85

South Sudan to Operate Under ETI

Ethiopia Airlines Joins Starr Alliance

93 95

IBM-Kenyan Banks Linked d One Africa: Petition Campaign

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Over 40 years of service Founded 1970

About the BBA…

Since 1970, the Black Business Association (BBA), a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, headquartered in Los Angeles, has been instrumental in the incubation and development of more than 15,000 African-American businesses. Nationally, we have access and influence with more than 85,000 African-American-owned and women/minority-owned firms via strategic alliances with more than 100 women/minority trade associations in more than 42 states nationwide.

___ Our Mission ___

The Black Business Association’s mission is to advocate and promote the development of African-American owned businesses with the goal of creating a firm economic base that support the self-determination and survival of the African-American and urban community by: •

Identifying and creating financial opportunities for the growth and stability of African-American owned businesses;

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Being a community voice that advocates for the success of small businesses;

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Being a conduit for the merging of resources, values,

profits, technology and people; •

Promoting development and support of minority business enterprises within the domestic and international economies by encouraging and generating greater access to market opportunities and capital;

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Providing training for entrepreneurial professional development;

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Supporting and contributing to the economic base and progress of the African-American community; and

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Developing coalitions that support our political endeavors to effectively achieve public recognition and political influence for African-American business owners.

___ Advocacy ___

The Black Business Association maintains very effective working relationships with elected and appointed officials for the support of African-American business development. Locally, statewide and in Washington, DC, we are constantly aware of pending legislation that might affect our member’s businesses, their growth and even their ability to conduct business. When legislation is being considered that affects our mission, the BBA quickly mobilizes to work with key policy makers to support, defeat or modify the bill and pursue the BBA position. As an organization, we are constantly at the helm, securing innovative means and policies that protect our constituency and their business interests. 

Upcoming 2012 Events February

38th Annual Awards Dinner March

Salute to Black Women Business Conference & Awards Luncheon April

Administrative Professionals Day Awards Luncheon June

Black Business Association

Black Music Awards Dinner

P.O. Box 43159, Los Angeles, CA 90043 USA Tel: 323-291-9334 Fax: 323-291-9234

• Call 323-291-9334 for information on sponsorship and participation •

mail@bbala.org www.bbala.org www.facebook.com

7  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

38th ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER Black Business Association February 23, 2012  Los Angeles, California

President’s Award

Invited Keynote Speaker

ohn E. Bryson had a background as an environmental activist before joining Edison International in 1984. After becoming chairman and CEO of the company, one of the largest investor-owned utility companies in the nation, Bryson faced the task of steering the Edison through deregulation and dealing with the California energy crisis of 2000–2001, both of which led the company to the brink of bankruptcy. Long considered by analysts as a top leader in a changing industry, Bryson garnered both praise as a costefficient chief executive and criticism from some who believe he turned his back on his environmental concerns. His success in business garnered him the appointment by President Barack Obama as U.S. Secretary of Commerce in 2011. 

Chair’s Award

erb Wesson, made history when he was elected the Los Angeles City Council’s first African American President. The LA City Council President is the second most important position in the government of the country’s second largest city. Interestingly, Los Angeles has previously had an African-American mayor (Tom Bradley), but in a city which is now only around 10% Black with 3 Black members in a City Council of 15 people, Wesson’s election is historic.” Mr. Wesson, currently City Councilman for the MidWilshire area of Los Angeles has served on the State level as an Assemblyman and as Speaker of the House for the California State Assembly. 

ichael R. Peevey, President of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), is committed to protecting the public interest by promoting consumer needs, while challenging utilities to embrace new technologies and provide safe, high-quality services. Mr. Peevey has received many awards recognizing his leadership in developing energy policy and promoting recognition of California’s diverse population, including a “Distinguished Citizen Award” from the Commonwealth Club of California for achievements in green and sustainable energy in 2007; named “Man of the Year” by the Power Association of Northern California; recognized with the Climate Action Champion Award by the California Climate Action Registry in 2004; and leadership recognition from American Council for Energy Efficiency (2005), the Utility Minority Access Program (2006), and the California Solar Energy Industries Association (2006). 

38th ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER Black Business Association Lifetime Achievement Award

Dinner Chair & Majority Sustainability Corporation Award

EG is committed to conserve...to sustain. As reported on their AEG 1EARTH site, AEG is the first company of its kind to produce an environmental sustainability report. AEG’s 2010 Environmental Sustainability Report is a snapshot of AEG’s environmental performance at 20 AEG owned and managed facilities. Utilizing the Ecometrics Data from 2007 to 2009, the report takes an honest, detailed and comprehensive look at AEG’s operations and their environmental impacts. It also documents AEG’s long term goals, successes and the programs that are in place to improve its environmental performance. In addition, AEG Supplier Diversity proactively promotes the creation of meaningful partnerships between AEG and MinorityOwned Business Enterprises (MBEs) and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (WBEs). Their goal is to ensure that their contractors and suppliers reflect the rich diversity of the communities in which they do business. MBE and WBE suppliers interested in seeking opportunities with AEG are encouraged to register in AEG 1SOURCE. www. aegworldwide.com 

Community Service Award

arl G. Graves, Sr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Earl G. Graves, Ltd., parent corporation for the Earl G. Graves Publishing Company, publisher of BLACK ENTERPRISE Magazine--a business-service publication targeted to black professionals, executives, entrepreneurs and policy makers in the public and private sector. It has been profitable since its tenth issue. Mr. Graves is a member of the National Black College Hall of Fame, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, received the Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Dow Jones & Company Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence among many. He has received honorary degrees from more than 50 colleges and universities. Mr. Graves authored “How to Succeed in Business Without Being White” in 1977. It chronicles the success strategies of America’s premier African-American businessman. 

edren Community Health Center, Inc., with almost 50 years experience, offers comprehensive programs and services for children, transitional aged youth, adults and older adults residing in Service Planning Area 6, experiencing serious or persistent mental illness or emotional disturbances. We provide services in a caring, compassionate environment promoting a shared vision of improving lives, and empowering individuals to recover. Service delivery is holistic, collaborative, multidisciplinary and culturally competent, focusing on the individual. Our highly trained mental health staff, together with our strong leadership, create an unwavering commitment to quality services based on our belief in the resiliency and potential of the individuals we serve. 

38th ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER Black Business Association February 23, 2012  Los Angeles, California

Entrepreneur of the Year Award

urtis L. Fralin is the founding member and comanaging member of Infinity Redevelopment, LLC. Curtis has over 18 years of experience in retail and office building development, redevelopment and sales. Curtis has been a specialist in retail and office development since 1986. Curtis was a top retail producer for many years at CB Richard Ellis and is presently speaking around the country on issues related to Ethnic Market Retail Development. Curtis’ focus for the last eighteen years has been the procurement of national “Credit Tenants” for the areas of South Los Angeles, Inglewood, the Crenshaw District and Compton. Curtis recently expanded his area of concentration to include East Los Angeles and urban markets such as Atlanta, Chicago, New York and Detroit. 

Majority Corporation Award

empra Energy was created in 1998 by a merger of parent companies of two long-established, and highly respected, investor-owned utilities with rich histories dating back more than a century. Sempra Energy was founded to capitalize on new opportunities in competitive

Special Recognition Award

harmaine Jefferson is the Executive Director at the California African American Museum. Jefferson was appointed by the State Board and Governor Gray Davis in June 1, 2003. Ms. Jefferson has an extensive history in the arts, dance and charitable public service. She has served as Deputy and Acting Commissioner of New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs; Executive Director, Dance Theatre of Harlem; and as a senior dance program specialist and site visit coordinator for the National Endowment for the Arts. On the corporate side, she has served as a corporate director for Disney Entertainment Productions, and as producer for 16 original shows for Disney’s California Adventure theme park, and vice president of business affairs for dePasse Entertainment. 

energy markets. The company’s ongoing focus is to enhance shareholder value and meet customer needs by sustaining the financial strength, operational flexibility and skilled workforce needed to succeed in rapidly changing market conditions. Sempra Energy is a Fortune 500 energy services company, based in San Diego, Calif., that combines deep industry expertise with rigorous risk management to deliver superior shareholder returns. In 2010, Sempra Energy produced revenues of $9 billion. www.sempra.com 

38th ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER Black Business Association Event Producer

BBA Board Chair

wen Moore, Chair of the Board of the Black Business Association, is Founder and CEO of GeM Communications Group. Ms. Moore distinguished herself as a member of the California Assembly for 16 productive years: 1978-1994. She served as Majority Whip and gained a national reputation as Chair of the prestigious Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee which had jurisdiction over the California cable television industry, emerging business enterprises, international trade and tourism, California ports, trucking issues, and all investorowned utilities including water, telecommunications, and energy. Ms. Moore was also an active member of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, serving on the National Executive Board and as Chair of the Western Region. Gwen Moore’s dedication, diligence, and commitment to finding solutions have brought honors and awards from diverse arenas. 

Black Business Association

lack Business Association (BBA), is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation, headquartered in Los Angeles. The BBA has contributed to and supported the development, progress and expansion of more than 15,000 African-American businesses. Nationally, the BBA has access to and influence with more than 80,000 AfricanAmerican owned and women/minority-owned businesses (WMBEs), through the formation of strategic alliances with trade associations and organizations nationwide. It is a leading local, state, and national socioeconomic change

arl “Skip” Cooper, II, President/CEO, Black Business Association (BBA), has been in a leadership position with the BBA since 1974. “Skip” has been instrumental in the advancement of affirmative action programs through his innovative approaches to bringing the government, corporate and minority business worlds together. “Skip” initiated the celebration of “Black Business Day” in Los Angeles in 1987 during the tenure of Mayor Tom Bradley. He organized the original “Procurement Trade Mission to Washington, DC” so that local African American and other minority business owners would have the opportunity to meet Federal Procurement Officers faceto-face. “Skip” also aids entrepreneurs and procurement officers by conducting seminars and workshops on contract procurement, management, and finance. “Skip” provides advisory services to any small business owner in need of guidance in the conduct of business. “Skip” is also Publisher/Editor-In-Chief of the multi-award winning Black Business News, the flagship publication of his Black Business News Group publications that include the Black Business News International and Black Business News Travel Africa. 

agent focused on providing broader access to contracting opportunities for goods and services, in addition to financial resources for African American entrepreneurs. The purpose of the Annual Awards Dinner is to honor corporations, government agencies and individuals that have been most supportive of the growth and development of the Black Business Association and the African American business community as a whole. www.bbala.org. 

We Can’t Wait: Obama Administration

Government

Announces $2 Billion in Resources to Support Job-Creating Startups

President Barack Obama meets with economic advisors in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. Pictured, from left, are: Chief of Staff Bill Daley; Mark Zuckerman, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council; Gene Sperling, National Economic Council Director; Lael Brainard, Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs; and Neal Wolin, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

he White House recently announced administrative and private sector actions that will help entrepreneurs grow their businesses and create jobs by increasing their access to capital and resources. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) (www.sba.gov) is moving forward with launching a $1 billion Early Stage Innovation Fund, originally announced as part of Startup America (www.startupamericapartnership.org), which will provide matching capital to Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs) (www.sba.gov/

content/sbic-program-0), targeting early-stage small businesses seeking private institutional capital. The White House has also hosted the first board meeting of the Startup America Partnership, where board members announced commitments from more than 50 private-sector partners to deliver over $1 billion in value – from free software to free consulting and legal services – to 100,000 startups over the next three years. The President also renewed his call for Congress to work on a bipartisan basis to develop ideas from his American

Jobs Act (www.americanjobsact. com) plan that will help our small and growing businesses access capital while continuing to protect investors. Specifically, the President has called for increasing limits on “miniofferings,” allowing “crowdfunding,” and phasing in some requirements for small firms as they go public. “We’re announcing $2 billion in public and private resources to help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Now it’s time for Congress to do its part. It was encouraging to see see Why We Can’t Wait on page 13

12  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Why We Can’t Wait from page 12

Early Stage Innovation Fund

have harnessed the power of online fundraising and social media to help meet their mission. In a similar way, we can allow entrepreneurs to raise money from many small-dollar investors, while also modifying the rules to build in strong investor protections to these new platforms. •Easing costs for small, young firms: Research shows that most job creation for public firms occurs after they go public. By phasing in certain regulations for small, high-growth firms, we can provide a transition period to help these companies ramp up to the full costs of being public, while still protecting investors. Additional commitments announced recently include: •Startup America Policy Challenge. In the spirit of open and participatory government, the White House will use online platforms to ask entrepreneurs and the broader public how to accelerate entrepreneurial innovation in three priority industries: healthcare, clean energy, and education. Students and other solvers will then compete to translate the best ideas into “Policy Business Plans,” which will be shared with relevant Cabinet Secretaries from the Depts. of Health and Human Services, Energy, and Education. •Administration Commits to Advance Entrepreneurship Education. The Department of Education and the Department of Labor are advancing a youth entrepreneurship agenda that infuses entrepreneurship education into a range of existing programs involving K-12 education, career and technical education, community colleges, universities, and lowincome youth. As part of this effort, the Department of Education is launching a new National Education Startup Challenge (www.ed.gov/startupamerica), inviting middle school, high school, and college students to develop an innovative solution to an education problem and prepare a business plan for a new company or nonprofit organization to deliver that solution. •NFTE Expands see Why We Can’t Wait on page 15

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Government

members of both parties in the House come together to pass legislation that will help small businesses get ahead, and I’m calling on the Senate to do the same. But America’s small businesses can’t wait for these important tools to grow and hire faster,” said President Obama. The Early Stage Innovation Fund (www.sba.gov/inv/earlystage) will leverage the successful SBIC program to allow privately managed investment funds to put more capital into the hands of small business startups. SBA is acting on this commitment by proposing a modification of its rules allowing private funds that invest in early stage companies to participate in the SBIC program. The proposed modifications are now up for public display, and the fund will be fully implemented in 2012. This announcement is the latest in a series of executive actions the Obama Administration is taking to strengthen the economy and move the country forward because we can’t wait for Congress to act. The Startup America Partnership is a nonprofit alliance of entrepreneurs, major corporations, and service

providers committing private-sector resources to accelerate the growth of new companies. The Partnership, led by iconic entrepreneurs like Steve Case (AOL) and Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn), was launched earlier this year in response to the President’s call to action to dramatically increase the success of America’s high-growth entrepreneurs. New startup businesses create most of the net new jobs each year, in every industry and all across the country. In September, when the President announced his American Jobs Act, he called on Congress to take steps to help small businesses raise the funds they need to innovate and grow. He urged Congress to work on a bipartisan basis to develop these ideas in ways that will help our small businesses while continuing to protect American investors. •Regulation A “miniofferings:” Small businesses owners who are seeking private capital of less than $5 million are currently exempt from a variety of regulations. The President has called for raising that limit to up to $50 million, while still protecting investors, in order to make it easier for small companies to raise the capital they need to grow. •Crowdfunding: Already, nonprofits

Why We Can’t Wait

high school students from low-income communities. NFTE and the Pearson Foundation (www.pearsonfoundation. org) are launching Connect (www. nfteconnect.org), a free online community for teacher collaboration and training focused on entrepreneurship education, fulfilling a commitment made at the launch of Startup America earlier

providers in America, is partnering with NFTE to making its BizCamps (www.nfte.com/what/bizcamps) widely available to young people across the country. •Junior Achievement Announces Entrepreneurial Reinvention. Junior Achievement, the nation’s oldest and largest youth entrepreneurship

from page 13

program, is announcing a historic reinvention of its century-old JA Company Program (http://ja.org) to be more contemporary and relevant to today’s dynamic entrepreneurial landscape. Supported by global technology leader Emerson, this program is designed to reach at least 50,000 students over the next five years. •Over 100 Community College Presidents Commit to Entrepreneurial Transformation. The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) (www.nacce.com) is launching the Presidents for Entrepreneurship Forum, through which community college presidents make specific commitments to advance entrepreneurship and the impact these colleges have on the economic well-being of their communities. Over 100 community college presidents have signed on at launch, with the goal of at least 600 by the end of 2012, comprising around half of all community colleges in the U.S.  www.whitehouse.gov/the-pressoffice/2011/12/08/we-can-t-wait-obamaadministration-announces-2-billionresources-support

Quote of Note... “The state of our Union is getting stronger. And we’ve come too far to turn back now. As long as I’m President, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.” President Barack H. Obama

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Government

Entrepreneurship Education for Underserved Youth. The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) (www.nfte.com) provides a first-class entrepreneurship education for at-risk

this year. The Connect community is open to all educators who want to infuse entrepreneurship education best practices into their classroom, with a goal of at least 5,000 registered educators in the next 24 months. In addition, SuperCamp/Quantum Learning Network (www.qln.com), one of the top academic summer camp

AEG Invites Current and Interested Supplier Partners to our

Supplier Portal, an online communication tool designed to enhance the relationship between AEG and our partners. The portal is an online and paperless tool that will provide you with: Increased visibility for AEG business opportunities Extended Company Profile in online directory Direct email updates from AEG clients and buyers Easy accounts payable information sharing Increased exposure for MBEs, WBEs, and DBEs It is important that you register your business so that we have the ability to contact you for participation in future opportunities. Suppliers seeking to initiate business with AEG are encouraged to register as well. Registration is simple and we invite you to visit our Supplier Portal at your earliest convenience:

https://supplier.aegworldwide.com

President Barack Obama delivers remarks on a strategy that will significantly help boost tourism and travel during a statement at the Magic Kingdom Theme Park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, Jan. 19, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Sonya N. Hebert)

resident Obama has signed an Executive Order and announced new initiatives to significantly increase travel and tourism in the United States. The U.S. tourism and travel industry is a substantial component of U.S. GDP and employment, representing 2.7% of GDP and 7.5 million jobs in 2010 – with international travel to the United States

supporting 1.2 million jobs alone. The travel and tourism industry projects that more than 1 million American jobs could be created over the next decade if the U.S. increased its share of the international travel market. Today’s announcement offers important steps to bolster job creation through a range of steps to better promote the United States as a tourism destination and

see Tourism Promotion on page 19 17  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Government

President Obama Promotes Tourism from Disney World

improve secure visa processing. This is the most recent of a series of executive actions the President has announced to put Americans back to work and strengthen the U.S. economy. “Every year, tens of millions of tourists from all over the world come and visit America. And the more folks who visit America, the more Americans we get back to work. We need to help businesses all across the country grow and create jobs; compete and win. That’s how we’re going to rebuild an economy where hard work pays off, where responsibility is rewarded, and where anyone can make it if they try,” said President Obama. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, international travel resulted in $134 billion in U.S. exports in 2010 and is the nation’s largest service export industry, with 7% of total exports and 24% of service exports. The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that every additional 65 international visitors to the United States can generate enough exports to support an additional travel and tourism-related job. According to the travel industry and Bureau of Economic Analysis, international travel is particularly important as overseas or “long-haul” travelers spend on average $4,000 on each visit. The announcement calls for a national strategy to make the United States the world’s top travel and tourism destination, as part of a comprehensive effort to spur job creation. The number of travelers from emerging economies with growing middle classes – such as China, Brazil, and India – is projected

STIMULATING OUR ECONOMY... WELCOMING TOURISTS & CONVENTIONS... CREATING JOBS FOR OUR WORKERS...

FARMERSFIELD.COM

Tourism Promotion from page 17

to grow by 135%, 274%, and 50%

The Executive Order charges several agencies to take part in efforts to increase travel and tourism in the United States: • The Secretaries of Commerce and

wildlife refuges, cultural and historic sites, monuments and other public lands that attract travelers from around the country and the globe. In 2010, more than 400 million

President Obamain Orlando greets onlookers.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

the Interior will be charged with: • Co-leading an interagency task force to develop recommendations for a National Travel & Tourism Strategy to promote domestic and international travel opportunities throughout the United States, thereby expanding job creation. This Task Force will coordinate with the Corporation for Travel Promotion (currently doing business as BrandUSA), a nonprofit corporation established by Congress through the Travel Promotion Act of 2009 to promote travel to the United States, and the Tourism Policy Council to ensure private sector participation and cross-agency coordination. • A particular focus of the Task Force will be on strategies for increasing tourism and recreation jobs by promoting visits to our national treasures. The Department of the Interior manages iconic destinations in our national parks,

visits were made by American and international travelers to these lands, contributing nearly $50 billion in economic activity and 400,000 jobs. Eco-tourism and outdoor recreation also have an outsize impact on rural economies, particularly in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. • The Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security will be charged with: • Increasing non-immigrant visa processing capacity in China and Brazil by 40% in 2012. • Ensuring that 80% of nonimmigrant visa applicants are interviewed within three weeks of receipt of application. • Increasing efforts to expand the Visa Waiver Program and travel by nationals eligible to participate in the Visa Waiver Program, and see Tourism Promotion on page 21

19  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

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respectively by 2016 when compared to 2010. Nationals from these three countries contributed approximately $15 billion dollars and thousands of jobs to the U.S. economy in 2010. In addition, Chinese and Brazilian tourists currently spend more than $6,000 and $5,000 respectively each, per trip, according to the Department of Commerce. The Department of State has made tremendous progress in processing non-immigrant visas from these key markets, allowing them to issue more than 7.5 million visas in the last fiscal year, a 17% increase from the previous fiscal year. In the 2011 fiscal year, consular officers adjudicated more than a million visa applications in China and more than 800,000 in Brazil, representing 34 % growth in China and 42% growth in Brazil. Improving visa processing capacity for China and Brazil is particularly important because of this growth.

www.urbansolutionssf.org/bhm.html

20  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Tourism Promotion from page 19

expanding reciprocal trusted travel programs for expedited travel (such as the Global Entry program). • The Department of Commerce will be charged with: • Establishing and maintaining a publicly available website with key information and statistics from across the Federal Government to assist industry and travelers in understanding visa processes in key travel and tourism markets, and entry times into the United States. Additional initiatives announced include: • New Pilot Program and Rule Change

• Final Rule to Expand and Make the Global Entry Program Permanent: • ◦Global Entry is a program within the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection that was created as a pilot in 2008 to facilitate expedited clearance for pre-approved, lowrisk travelers upon arrival in the United States. Through a final rule, the Administration will expand and make the Global Entry program permanent. Due in part to innovative public-private partnerships, the Global Entry program now has more than 246,000 members, more than one million trusted travelers have Global Entry benefits, and efforts are underway to expand enrollment even further. There are currently 131 Global Entry kiosks

for Visa Processing in China and Brazil: • Today, the Departments of State and Homeland Security announced a pilot program to simplify and speed up the non-immigrant visa process for certain applicants, including the ability to waive interviews for some very low-risk applicants, such as individuals from any country renewing non-immigrant visas, or, in Brazil, younger or older first-time applicants. Link to fact sheet HERE for more information.

at 20 airports and since launching, members have used Global Entry kiosks over 1.7 million times, saving CBP officers over 36,450 inspection hours—staff hours that CBP has then re-allocated to expedite regular passenger queues. This final rule will allow the program to be expanded to an additional 4 airports in Minneapolis, Charlotte, Denver and Phoenix, making the Global Entry program and expedited clearance available in airports that service approximately

21  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

www.whitehouse.gov

Government

Main Street, Disney World

97% of international travelers. • Appoint new members to the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board: • ◦A new membership of 32 private sector CEOs have been appointed by Commerce Secretary Bryson to serve on the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. The Advisory Board will build upon the work undertaken by the past Board addressing travel facilitation, visa policy, improving the international travel entry experience, aviation security, energy security, crisis communications and research and data, among other issues. This Board consists of corporate executives across the nation, representing all aspects of the travel and tourism industry, who are appointed to a two-year term to advise the Secretary of Commerce on policies affecting the travel and tourism industry. See the full list of new members HERE. • Nomination of Taiwan to Visa Waiver Program: • ◦Currently, more than 60% of international tourists do not require a U.S. visa, in most cases because they travel under the Visa Waiver Program. The Secretary of State has formally requested that the Secretary of Homeland Security consider Taiwan for the Visa Waiver Program. Over the past year, Taiwan has undertaken significant efforts to improve its law enforcement and document security standards to meet the strict requirements for Visa Waiver Program eligibility. Under the Visa Waiver Program, participating nationals can travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. The program was established to promote travel and tourism with our foreign partners, stimulate the tourism industry, and permit the Department of State to focus consular resources in other areas. Since November 2008, the Department of Homeland Security has added nine countries to the Visa Waiver Program, bringing the program total to 36 countries. 

How Can Organizations Participate? > Employers > Financial institutions > Non-profits and governments > Educators and Youth Organizations > Military > Media

How Can Individuals Participate? > Assess your savings progress > Join America Saves > Test your savings knowledge > Take action to save more effectively > View savings messages > Read saver stories

What is America Saves Week? About America Saves Week Our Purpose Participating Organizations America Saves Week 2011 America Saves Week 2010 America Saves Week 2009

www.americasavesweek.org

22  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Building Neighborhoods of Opportunity

streets, and economic opportunity. Choice Neighborhoods is one of the signature programs of the White House Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (www.whitehouse.gov/ administration/eop/oua/initiatives/ neighborhood-revitalization), which supports innovative, holistic strategies that bring the right partners together to help break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Millions of Americans currently

violent crime cause disproportionately negative outcomes for their residents. The interconnected challenges in high-poverty neighborhoods r e q u i r e interconnected solutions to address the compounding effects of the multiple barriers facing children and families who live in these neighborhoods—the Choice Neighborhood grants just announced do just that. The President’s approach to revitalizing neighborhoods of distress and providing economic opportunity focuses heavily on the link between housing and school improvements, recognizing that for neighborhoods to succeed

they need high-quality educational opportunities. Just last month, the U.S. Department of Education (www. ed.gov) announced the first round of Promise Neighborhood (www. promiseneighborhoodsinstitute.org) implementation grant winners and the second round of planning grant winners. Promise Neighborhoods, modeled off of the Harlem Children’s Zone (www.hcz.org), is the sister program to Choice Neighborhoods and focuses on significantly improving the educational and developmental outcomes of children and youth in our most distressed communities, from cradle to career, and to transform those communities by creating great schools at the center. A child’s zip code should never determine his or her life opportunities and through the work of the White House Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative’s flagship programs, Choice Neighborhoods and Promise Neighborhoods, we are providing the supports necessary to transform neighborhoods of distress into neighborhoods of opportunity.  Racquel Russell is a Special Assistant to the President for Mobility and Opportunity in the White House Domestic Policy Council. www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/01/10/ building-neighborhoods-opportunity

www.marketingprofs.com/events/register.asp?evid=49 23  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

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live in neighborhoods of highly concentrated poverty where struggling schools, high unemployment rates, distressed housing, persistent and

he U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (www.hud.gov) has awarded $3.6 million in Choice Neighborhood grants to 13 communities across the country, which provides local leaders with flexible funds to transform high-poverty neighborhoods with distressed public housing into sustainable communities with mixed-income housing, safe

n January 29, 2010, President Obama signed Executive Order 13530, creating the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability (“Council”) to assist the American people in understanding financial matters and making informed financial decisions, and thereby contribute to financial stability. It is composed of nongovernmental representatives with relevant backgrounds, such as financial services, consumer protection, financial access, and education. The Council will suggest ways to coordinate and maximize the effectiveness of existing private and public sector efforts and identify new approaches to increase financial capability through financial education and financial access.

The President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability cases, we will take into consideration the particular needs of traditionally

PACFC Members are: • John W. Rogers, Jr. (Chair), • • •

Government

• • •

•

Chairman, CEO, and Chief Investment Officer, Ariel Investments Roland Arteaga, President and CEO, The Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC) Ted Beck, President and CEO, The National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman and CEO, Operation HOPE Samuel T. Jackson, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, The Economic Empowerment Initiative, Inc. Richard Ketchum, Chairman and CEO, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Beth Kobliner, Personal Finance Commentator, Journalist, and Author of the New York Times Bestseller Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties•Addison Barry Rand, CEO, AARP Amy Rosen, President and CEO, the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)

• Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, President, The Charles Schwab Foundation • Kenneth Wade, Senior Community Affairs Executive, Bank of America

Key Themes for President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability (PACFC) Consistent with our Principles for Recommendations, the PACFC will focus our final recommendations on the three themes listed below. In all three

John W. Rogers, Jr.

John Hope Bryant underserved populations. In addition, the PACFC believes the themes and recommendations should be promoted nationwide to raise awareness and energize the public, as well as to reinforce and coordinate existing private sector efforts. Theme I. Financial education should take its rightful place in American schools.

Rationale: Financial illiteracy is widespread in the United States and Americans, including students, are worse off because of this. In one recent study adults scored a grade of C in financial literacy, while high school students mainly received failing grades (Lusardi, Mitchell, 2009). Low levels of financial literacy appear to be tied to higher rates of being “unbanked,” higher levels of indebtedness, lower rates of wealth accumulation, and lower rates of retirement planning (Lusardi, Mitchell, 2009). Eighty-two percent of Americans and eighty-nine percent of teachers think personal finance should be taught to all students at least as early as high school (Visa 2011, Way 2009). In particular, navigating whether and how to pursue higher education and how to finance this investment is critical, but many students appear unprepared to do it. Two million enrolled college students eligible for Pell Grants didn’t apply for Federal aid, leaving money on the table (NCES, 2008); twothirds of students taking private loans didn’t exhaust more affordable, flexible Federal aid first (TICAS, 2009); and at a time when student loan debt now exceeds credit card debt in America, student loan defaults are on the rise. Students need to be provided with effective financial education before they enter into financial contracts, yet: • Only 9 states have formal requirements to assess students’ financial literacy (CEE, 2009). • Less than 20 percent of teachers believe they are adequately prepared to teach personal finance topics (Way, 2009). • Financial education and debt management programs aimed at students receiving Federal student loans are unevenly administered and rarely evaluated. • While there are many financial

24  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

see PACFC on page 25

PACFC from page 24

literacy programs aimed at America’s students from pre-kindergarten through college and beyond, there is a dearth of research on the effectiveness of these programs and their impact on subsequent behavior. Theme II. We should build a financially capable workforce

about personal financial problems (MetLife Study of Employee Benefits Trends, 2010). • Employee Assistance Program providers have seen an 88 percent increase in requests for help with financial matters since the economic downturn began (Employee Assistance Society of North America, 2008). Theme III. Americans should also learn the core concepts of personal finance at the heart of their lives— in their families and in their communities. Rationale: Families and the communities in which they live are the core social and economic units of American society -- the key environments within which financial capability can be taught and learned with long-lasting effectiveness. Responsibility for modeling and teaching financial capability begins in the family and extends to the local community of businesses, financial institutions, schools, non-profits, and even places of worship. Parents need to start the conversation (e.g., “talk to your kids about money”), and we need to provide the public, especially

low and moderate income families, the learning tools and the financial access to become financially capable. The financial crisis of 2008, in part, demonstrated the lack of understanding of basic financial management information and skills, which was costly to society and disproportionately impacted America’s low- and middleincome earners. Our country loses valuable human capital as Americans who struggle for daily financial survival are unable to pursue higher education or focus their talents on innovation, entrepreneurship and intellectual contributions to the nation’s progress. • Parents are the single greatest influencers of positive financial attitudes and behaviors in their children (Shim, Barber, Card, Xiao, Serido, 2009). • Even if parents do not model positive financial behaviors in front of their children, they influence positive financial behaviors through their expectations for their children. Also, they influence their children through direct teaching (Shim, et al., 2009). • In addition, a growing body of research has been coalescing around the notion that young children can grasp rudimentary financial concepts. • In a recently completed study in the Journal of Children and Poverty, Center for Social Development researchers found that among youth who expected to graduate from a four-year college, those with a savings account in their name were approximately six times more likely to attend college than those with no account. • “Communities are an important entry point for social change.…” They affect individual and family well-being and their influences are amenable to change (Aspen Institute, 2002).  www.treasury.gov/resource-center/ financial-education/Pages/Advisory. aspx

25  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

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and retiree community, which is necessary for a stable and globally competitive economy. Rationale: Delivering financial education and access in the workplace has the potential to positively impact 138 million Americans (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation Summary, May 2011). Encouraging workplace financial education and access can drive positive behavioral change during the life stages at which most adults make critical decisions regarding savings, retirement planning, insurance and other benefits. • What American adults actually know about personal finance and math is sharply lower than what they think they know. Almost half (48 percent) who gave themselves the highest score math were not able to do two calculations involving interest rates and inflation (FINRA Foundation, 2009). • The majority of Americans do not have a “rainy day” fund for unanticipated financial emergencies and are not adequately preparing for their children’s college education and their own retirement. And more than one in five survey respondents

use high-cost, alternative borrowing methods, such as payday loans or pawn shops (FINRA Foundation, 2009). • Over two-thirds of employers say that financial stress contributes to health costs at their company. Fifty-eight percent say that financial “illness” contributes to employee absences at their companies, and 78 percent also agree that employees are less productive at work when worrying

Editorial:

Treasury Completes Wind Down of TARP Small Business Program, Realizes $8 Million Gain for Taxpayers

he United States Department of the Treasury has announced the fifth and final disposition of securities within its Small Business Administration (SBA) 7(a) Securities Purchase Program, which was launched as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). On January 24, 2012, Treasury sold the eight remaining securities in the portfolio for approximately $63.2 million in proceeds. This sale marks the successful wind down of another TARP program. In total, Treasury recovered $376 million through sales ($335 million) and principal and interest payments ($41 million) over the life of the SBA 7(a) Securities Purchase Program, representing a gain of approximately $8 million to taxpayers on Treasury’s original investment of $368 million. Treasury launched the SBA 7(a) Securities Purchase Program as part of the Obama Administration’s efforts to help address the difficulties facing small businesses in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. The actions that the Administration has taken include steps to provide more credit to small businesses in the primary market by temporarily increasing loan guarantees from 75 percent to 90 percent of an SBA 7(a) loan balance and eliminating certain loan origination fees as part of the Recovery Act, and other important

measures. Additionally, the Small Business Jobs Act President Obama signed into law in 2010 established two separate Treasury lending initiatives: the Small Business Lending Fund, which has provided capital to

community banks with incentives to increase their small business lending; and the State Small Business Credit Initiative, which supports state-level small business lending programs. The SBA 7(a) Securities Purchase Program helped facilitate the recovery of the secondary market for small business loans. Under this program, Treasury purchased securities comprised of the guaranteed portion of SBA 7(a) loans. These loans finance a wide-range of small business needs, including working capital, machinery, equipment, furniture, and fixtures. Treasury originally invested approximately $368 million in 31 SBA

7(a) securities between March and September 2010. These securities comprised more than 1,000 loans from 17 different industries, including retail, food services, manufacturing, scientific and technical services, healthcare, and educational services. Through its purchases, Treasury injected much needed liquidity into this market to help restart the flow of credit, enabling pool assemblers to purchase a d d i t i o n a l small business loans from loan originators. Since Treasury began its purchases, the SBA 7(a) market has recovered with new SBA 7(a) loan volumes returning to precrisis levels. Yesterday’s sale completes the disposition of the SBA 7(a) securities portfolio, which is part of Treasury’s ongoing efforts to wind down TARP. More than 77 percent ($318 billion) of the $414 billion funds disbursed for TARP have now been recovered through repayments and other income. For more details on Treasury’s lifetime cost estimates for TARP programs, please visit Treasury’s Monthly 105(a) Report to Congress on TARP at this link. EARNEST Partners, who acted as Treasury’s Financial Agent during the program, advised and executed the purchase and sale of securities on Treasury’s behalf. 

27  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

President Obama Meets with King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House

curve in trying to respond to the legitimate concerns and aspirations, b o t h politically and economically, of the Jordanian population,” he said. President Obama said the most pressing issue at the moment is the situation in Syria: His Majesty was the first Arab leader to publicly call on President Assad to step down, in the face of the terrible brutality we’ve been seeing inside of Syria. I want to thank him for his willingness to stand up. As a consequence, Jordan has been part of an overall Arab League effort to encourage this sort of peaceful

Government

resident Obama praised His Majesty King Abdullah of Jordan for his leadership in encouraging peace and prosperity throughout the Middle East during what the President described as “an extraordinary time.” Developments since the two leaders last met include new governments emerging in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia and a transition taking place in Yemen, as well as the current volatility in Syria. Today’s conversation included those topics, and also the importance of both countries continuing to encourage the Palestinians and the Israelis to seriously negotiate a peaceful way forward. The President highlighted the efforts that have been made by King Abdullah and Jordan’s Prime Minister in guiding political reform inside their country. “I think His Majesty has been ahead of the

transition inside of Syria that is needed. Unfortunately, we’re continuing to see unacceptable levels of violence inside that country, and so we will continue to consult very closely with Jordan to create the kind of international pressure and environment that encourages the current Syrian regime to step aside so that a more democratic process of transition can take place inside of Syria. 

29  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

BA Administrator Karen Mills has been tapped by President Obama to join his Cabinet as part of a larger plan to consolidate the Small Business Administration and several other federal agencies with overlapping responsibilities. The move for Mills is effective immediately, but the reorganization plan requires the backing of Congress. According to a statement released by the White House, the six “major departments and agencies that focus primarily on business and trade” that are slated for the merger are: U.S. Department of Commerce’s core business and trade functions, the Small Business Administration, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. According to the plan, Mills

SBA Administrator Karen Mills Tapped by President Obama to Head New Cabinet Position would lead the yet-to-be-named agency. The vision for the new agency would be a one-stop-shop for entrepreneurs and business owners--from patenting filing to foreign export and everything in between. The price tag for improved efficiency is an estimated reduction in more than 1,000 jobs--however it could save roughly $3 billion over the next ten years, according to a report in the Washington Post. The move has been initially met with applause from small business advocates, including those across the aisle from the President, including Sen. Olympia Snowe, the ranking member of the Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee, and

Karen G. Mills, Administrator Small Business Administration

Rep. Sam Graves, chair of the House Small Business Committee. However, some are taking a wait-and-see approach while others are downright skeptical. Either way, with a general election around the corner and plenty of political posturing to come, there are no guarantees that the reorganization plan will make it through Congress.  www.entrepreneurship.org/en/Blogs/PolicyForum-Blog/2012/January/SBAs-MillsElevated-to-Cabinet-level-in-ProposedReorganization.aspx

Government

President Obama convenes a meeting of his Cabinet to discuss the ideas he laid out in the State of the Union. Joining the meeting was a new member of that Cabinet -- Karen Mills, the head of the Small Business Administration. 31  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Comerica Expands the needs of high net-worth clients and institutions.

Comerica Tower

omerica Incorporated (www. comerica.com) is a financial services company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The corporation has expanded its foothold throughout the State of Texas with the acquisition of Sterling Bacshares. In doing so, it has strategically aligned its business and retail bank operations, as well as wealth management services. The Business Bank provides companies of all sizes with an array of credit and non-credit financial products and services. The Retail Bank delivers personalized financial products and services to consumers, whereas the Wealth Management Division serves

As evident by this transaction, valuable things are not cheap. That’s our view of Comerica, Inc.’s purchase of Sterling Bancshares Inc. in Houston, which investors initially hated. Yes, Comerica Chairman and CEO Ralph Babb agreed to pay more than twice the value of Sterling’s tangible book at a time when most banks are changing hands at little or no premium to book. Yet Comerica now has twice as many branches in Houston and a new toe-hold in San Antonio, and it can sell treasury and wealth management services to Sterling customers. Even before the acquisition of Sterling Banc, Comerica Bank was the largest U.S. banking company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Comerica Bank operates 217 banking centers in Michigan. In California, Comerica Bank operates 104 banking centers. In Arizona, Comerica Bank operates 17 banking centers in Phoenix/Scottsdale. In Florida, Comerica Bank operates 11 banking centers. Select businesses of Comerica Bank also can be found in several other states, as well as in Canada and Mexico.

33  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

What You Need to Know About Insourcing What is insourcing? After decades of watching American companies take jobs to other countries, we’re beginning to see entrepreneurs and manufactures make the decision to keep factories and production facilities here in the United States—or even bring jobs back to the U.S. from overseas.

How do we know this is happening? For the past 22 months, the private sector has been hiring—to the tune of 3.2 million jobs. In 2011 alone, we saw private companies bring on almost 2 million new workers, more than in any year since 2005. That’s good news, even if we still have a lot of ground to make up. And if you dive into the numbers (like those compiled in this new White House report), you’ll notice something interesting: • Business investment is up, growing by 18 percent since the end of 2009; • We’re exporting more goods and services to the rest of the world. As

of October, American exports totaled $2 trillion -- an increase of almost 32 percent above the level in 2009; and • Perhaps most importantly, the manufacturing sector is recovering faster than the rest of the economy. Through the course of the past two years, the economy has added 334,000 manufacturing job, and that’s the strongest two-year period of manufacturing growth since the 1990s. Each of those facts is evidence of a growing trend of insourcing.

What does insourcing look like? In addition to the broad trends, we’ve seen a slew of concrete examples of insourcing. In recent months, large manufacturers like Ford and Caterpillar have announced large investments in U.S. facilities. In years past, these sorts of expansions have been aimed at facilities in Mexico, China, or Japan. We’ve seen the same thing with smaller manufacturers. In 2010, KEEN, the footwear

designer, opened a 15,000-squarefoot facility to manufacture boots in Portland, Oregon—moving production from China to a location just five miles from its corporate headquarters. The company also makes bags in California and socks in North Carolina. After watching costs rise in its Chinese factories, Master Lock began bringing production back to Milwaukee—the same place where the company was founded in 1921. And it’s not just manufacturers. Service firms ranging from customer support centers to software developers to engineers are deciding to invest in the U.S. for their operations. Even foreign-domiciled firms are making the decision to take advantage of American productivity and innovation. Siemens, for example, spends nearly $50 million each year training its U.S. workforce, and ThyssenKrupp spent nearly $5 billion on its new steel and stainless steel manufacturing and processing plant in Alabama. Investments from companies like these reached $228 billion in 2010, an increase from $153 billion in 2009.

What’s causing it? The cost of manufacturing in the U.S. is improving in relation to other countries.

34  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

see Insourcing on page 35

Insourcing from page 34

We know labor costs are lower in places like China, but in many cases, costs in those countries are going up. At the same time, American workers, who have always been more productive

What can we do to encourage it? If we want to encourage insourcing, there are four things the federal government needs to do: • Create incentives for businesses to invest in hiring and expanding;

• Ensure that U.S. businesses seeking to expand globally have access to new markets; • Guarantee that American workers are the mostly highly-educated and best-trained in the world; and • Provide the financial and technical support necessary for companies to grow and expand. The goal of today’s insourcing forum at the White House is to begin the discussion necessary to accomplish all four of those goals. In the coming weeks, President Obama will put forward new tax proposals to reward companies that choose to invest or bring back jobs to the United States and to eliminate tax advantages for companies moving jobs overseas. To learn more about things that President Obama has already proposed to support insourcing, check out the fact sheet (www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ default/files/1_10_2012_fact_sheet_ on_past_support_for_insourcing_ final_2.pdf). Or, join the conversation on Twitter. Folks are tweeting about insourcing using #insourcing.  www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/01/11/ everything-you-need-know-aboutinsourcing

President Barack Obama is shown the American Pride Chevrolet Camaro, as Ed Welburn, Vice President of Global Design for General Motors, explains design and manufacturing details of the car during a visit to the Washington Auto Show at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. Gerard Murphy, President of the Washington New Automobile Dealers Association, is at left. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) 35  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

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than those in other countries, are becoming even more efficient.In the first quarter of 2009 alone, productivity rose nearly 13 percent. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2002 and 2010, only one of 19 other industrialized countries managed to improve its unit labor cost position in manufacturing

more than the United States. Manufacturers based in the U.S. have also been able to take advantage of a boom in domestic energy production. We’ve seen a surge in American natural gas production, which has lowered energy costs, reduced pollution, and driven investment in the industries that supply equipment to the natural gas sector and those that use natural gas to fuel production—all of which have helped firms make the decision to keep jobs in the U.S. American service firms are taking advantage of new global markets. As economies in other nations grow, there’s more demand for U.S. engineers, software developers, researchers, and consultants. At the same time, a range of barriers that once made it hard to market those services across borders have come down. As a result, the United States is poised to expand its trade surplus in services to $146 billion in 2010. Since 2003, that surplus has nearly tripled.

Minority Business Development Agency Tax Calendar for Businesses and SelfEmployed

extension, e-file or postmark your individual tax returns by midnight April 17, 2012 • Partnerships: File 2011 Form 1065 and furnish a copy of Sch. K-1 to each partner. • Last Day to make a 2011 IRA Contribution. If you haven’t already funded your retirement account for 2011, do so by April 17, 2012. That’s the deadline for a contribution to a traditional IRA, deductible or not, and a Roth IRA. However, if you have a Keogh or SEP and you get a filing extension to October 15, 2012, you can wait until then to put 2011 money into those accounts. June 15, 2012 • Corporations: Deposit the second installment of your 2012 estimated tax. • Individuals outside the U.S.: File 2011 Form 1040. • Individuals: Pay the second installment of estimated tax for 2012. If you are self-employed or have other second-quarter income that requires you to pay quarterly estimated taxes, make sure your payment is postmarked by June 15, 2012. September 17, 2012 • Corporations: File calendar year 2011 Form 1120 or 1120S if you timely requested a 6-month extension. • Individuals: Pay the third installment of your estimated tax for 2012. If you are self-employed or have other thirdquarter income that requires you to pay quarterly estimated taxes, make sure your third quarter payment is postmarked by Sept. 17, 2012 • Partnerships: File 2011 Form 1065 if you timely requested a 5-month extension. October 15, 2012

David Hinson, National Director, MBDA • Electing Large Partnerships: File 2011 Form 1065 if you timely requested a 6-month extension. • Extended Individual Tax Returns Due. If you got a filing extension on your 2011 tax return, you need to get it completed and postmarked by October 15, 2012. • Last Chance to Recharacterize 2011 Roth IRA Conversion. If you converted a traditional IRA to a Roth during 2011 and paid tax on the conversion with your 2011 return, October 15, 2012 is the deadline for recharacterizing (undoing) the conversion. Doing so could save you money if the IRA has lost money since the time of the original conversion.

December 17, 2012 • Corporations: Deposit the fourth installment of your estimated tax for 2012.

This tax calendar covers various due dates of interest to employers. Access additional information on tax calendar from irs.gov (www.irs.gov/businesses/small/ article/0,,id=176080,00.html). 

37  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

www.mbda.gov

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nowing when and what you have to file can save you a lot of headaches at tax time. To avoid paying penalties, mark your calendar with the following key dates. If a filing or payment deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the deadline will be the next business day. January 31, 2012 • Furnish Forms 1098, 1099 and W-2G to recipients for certain payments during 2011. Furnish Form W-2 to employees who worked for you during 2011. March 15, 2012 • Corporations: File Form 1120 for 2011 calendar year and pay any tax due. For automatic 6-month extension, file Form 7004 and deposit estimated tax. • Electing Large Partnerships: Furnish Sch. K-1 (Form 1065-B) to each partner. • S Corporations: File Form 1120S for 2011 calendar year and pay any tax due. Furnish a copy of Sch. K-1 to each shareholder. File Form 2553 to elect S Corporation status beginning with calendar year 2012. April 17, 2012 • Corporations: Deposit the first installment of your estimated tax for 2012. • Electing Large Partnerships: File 2011 Form 1065 calendar year return. • Household Employers: File Sch. H with Form 1040 if you paid $1,700 or more to a household employee. • Individuals: File 2011 Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ. For automatic 6-month extension file Form 4868 and deposit estimated tax. Pay the first installment of 2012 estimated tax. If you haven’t applied for an

SAVE THE DATE – JUNE 11, 2011

The Leadership of the California Legislature and

California Small Business Associations Invite you to attend

“CALIFORNIA SMALL BUSINESS DAY”

By the Authority of Assembly Resolution in 2000 small business owners and government officials will meet June 11th to celebrate the contribution small business provides through creation of jobs and growth for the California economy. Don’t miss these highlights of the day: x Dialogue with legislative leaders x Luncheon keynote address x Presentations to honored small business owners by legislators x Visit the Exhibits of State Agencies and Small Biz Friendly Sponsors

Sacramento Convention Center 1400 J Street, Sacramento, CA 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

June 11, 2012

Phone 800-350-2722 for Information or contact Steering Committee Aubry Stone, CA Black Chamber; Betty Jo Toccoli, CA Sm Bus Assn; Gwen Moore, CA Sm Bus Roundtable Ruben Guerra, Latin Business Assn.; Julian Canete, CA Hispanic Chamber; Joel Fox, Sm Bus Action Comm. Rebecca Llewellyn, Women Construction Owners; ,

SAVE THE DATE - JUNE 11, 2012

SBA to Honor Small Businesses at National Small Business Week May 20-22 in Washington, DC Event Features Awards, Forums and the Naming of National Small Business Person of the Year – Events Open to the Public The nation’s top entrepreneurs will be honored at the U.S. Small Business Administration’s National Small Business Week events May 20-22 in Washington, DC. A series of award ceremonies, small business events and educational forums will mark the 59th anniversary of the agency and the 49th annual proclamation of National Small Business Week. National as well

Small Business as numerous

Week is corporate

co-sponsored by the and trade sponsors

SCORE to be

Association announced.

More than 100 outstanding small business owners from across the country will receive awards while gathering for three days at the city’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel. They will meet with top administration officials, congressional representatives and national business leaders. The highlight of the celebration will be the announcement of the National Small Business Person of the Year. “Small business owners and employees across America are proving their resiliency as they continue to help drive economic recovery, economic growth and job creation,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. “National Small Business Week gives us an opportunity to honor their achievements and the spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation and determination that makes them the engine of our economy and our nation’s economic recovery.” Men and women also will be recognized for their involvement in disaster recovery, government contracting and their support for small businesses and entrepreneurship, and awards will be presented to SBA partners in financial and entrepreneurial development, including the year’s top SCORE Chapter, Small Business Development Center and Women’s Business Center. Interested parties can register online at www.nationalsmallbusinessweek.com where additional information (updated weekly) is available regarding registration, awards ceremonies, small business forums and educational and matchmaking sessions. The event also will be webcast live at the web site.

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s participation in this cosponsored activity does not constitute an express or implied endorsement of any cosponsor’s, donor’s, grantee’s, contractor’s or participant’s opinions, products, or services. All SBA programs and cosponsored programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made, if requested at least 2 weeks in advance, by contacting sbw@sba.gov. Cosponsorship Authorization #SBW2012. Release Number: 12-05 Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news Follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Blogs

RSVP online www.wtsevents.org/chapter/orangecounty

WTS-OC proudly presents...

Annual Diversity Event â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Power & Progress of Diversity in Transportationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Featuring: Moderator: Lily Otieno, CEO Infinity Business Solutions

Pamela Williamson, Ph.D, Executive Director Women's Business Enterprise Council

Kecia M. Washington, Managing Director Office of Economic & Business Policy, City of Los Angeles

innovation

John Arena, Business Outreach Manager Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

Sherman Gay, Business Outreach Officer Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Bekele Demissie, Business Relations Administrator Orange County Transportation Authority

Dalia Sabaliauskas, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program Manager Metrolink advancement

information

Thursday, February 9, 2012 Registration Fee: $25

4:00 PM - 7:30 PM

(Includes appetizers and 2 drink tickets) Walk-ins $5 additional charge Payments accepted in cash or check at the door. Please make checks payable to:

WTS-OC P.O. Box 10177 Santa Ana, CA 92711-0177

RSVP online: www.wtsevents.org/chapter/orangecounty Reservations received after February 6, 2012 will be charged a walk-in fee. Reservations made and not honored will be invoiced. Cancellations must be made at least 48 hours prior to event; please e-mail wtsoc.rsvp@gmail.com to cancel.

Sponsored by:

The Center Club 650 Town Center Drive Costa Mesa, CA 92626 (714) 662-3414 Complimentary Valet

Editorial:

Can America Withstand Its Own Political Rhetoric? by Anthony Asadullah Samad, Ph.D.

for the national morale. Stands to chance that none of them would have done any better they been in the President’s shoes and the rhetoric toward healing our wounded spirits would be much different. Under Nixon, Reagan and Bush II, the nation did what it was asked to do for the national good during recovering economies and re-election bids. The opposite party was asked to tone down the rhetoric for the good of the nation’s morale. They responded with more rhetoric. There has been no such call from the Democrats for this President. In fact, some Democrats have added to the rhetoric. While the President has no party opposition (at this time), some in his party have kind of been getting their “digs in” on the slide. Holding him accountable, of course. And then there’s the Tea Party rhetoric, an obstructionism that makes no sense. If Romney locks up the nomination as a result of the North Carolina Election, the Republican Party will do what some say they always do, “fall is line,” while the Democrats try to “fall in love” with Obama again. They say the Democrats fall in love while the Republicans fall in line. The only problem with that is that the rules have changed and the Republican Super PACs are ready to smear Obama like they’ve smeared each other. Super PACS are like the Klan...they can do damage under a cloak of cover and not worry about

the law coming to look for them. “Mob violence” couldn’t be prosecuted under the law because it required individuals to be charged. The same with giving corporations “citizen status” to contribute in elections-they can attack under the cover of a corporate cloak and not worry about the law coming after them. But if corporations are now citizens, shouldn’t they be charged? Their rhetoric is vicious and flunks the smell test. And the truth test. And the ethics test. But it does what the Republicans need right now. The Republicans need a vehicle with a big enough horn to get the public’s attention. They need to raise the ideological rhetoric just to have a chance. Regardless of what it does to the nation. The rhetoric bomb is coming under hood and sheets. The question is, will the nation stand for it. Anthony Asadullah Samad, Ph.D. is a national columnist and Managing Director of the Urban Issues Forum of Greater Los Angeles.

41  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Editorial • Editorial

s the Republican Party’s ideological drumline thins out in the primary race for the nomination to unseat President Barack Obama, the nation will witness political rhetoric unlike its ever seen. At least since the last Presidential election. All of them “gear up” for Armageddon. Four years ago, they were predicting terrorist attacks in the first month of his administration if Obama was elected. Of course, it didn’t happenbut the rhetoric sounds good. The Repubicans “Big Three,” which many call the last three, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul sound like the Supremes singing “Baby Love” asking the American People, “where did our love go” while showing “mad hate” for President Obama. Stands to reason it went the same place our love for every incumbent President facing re-election went...in the gutter. Mud-throwing is a professional sport in politics. No matter what the incumbent does, it will never be good enough for the party out of power. Same goes here. The real question is how far are the Republicans willing to go to get Obama? Will they say anything to get Obama? Will they be, God-forbid, unpatriotic in their attacks of the nation’s Commander-in-Chief, that ended the war they started, soft-landed an economy that was falling fastest than a safe pushed off a roof, and had to fight for every single concessioneven perfunctory tasks like debt-ceiling raises and payroll tax extensions. The rhetoric of refusing to compliment Obama, on anything, is not healthy

42  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

11 Practical Ideas for Personal Innovation How to build self-improvement into your already overcrowded schedule. By Jatin DeSai

lens, are not afraid to challenge assumptions, or who naturally love to explore newness in everything. Find people who love to doodle or draw, or who are exceptional storytellers. 6. Immerse yourself in a real problem. Ask questions and investigate possible outcomes. Try the state/ restate technique. Individually or in a small team, write the current challenge in an open-ended question format. Then restate the question eight different ways. It’s been shown that 100 percent of participants experience a much greater clarity of the original “problem statement” than before. Once the problem is clear and concise, then dive into finding solutions—first looking at all ideas and then narrowing them down. 7. Keep an idea journal. An idea journal is accomplished when we take the time to commit our ideas to paper or an electronic note pad. Throughout the course of any given day, countless ideas come and go. Write or record them even though many may appear unrealistic at the time. Most of us simply discard our ideas as passing thoughts. The problem with this is that what we had previously believed to be unachievable can change drastically as our minds expand with each new success that comes our way. 8. Take a course to learn a new language or some other skill outside your area of expertise. This builds confidence and can provide an edge over others in the global multicultural working environment. 9. Be curious and experiment. In today’s no-nonsense business environment, those who stand out

11. Create a greenhouse for your ideas. The four primary negative forces designed to kill your ideas immediately are time, money, the people around you, and you yourself. For each, identify how to reduce the negative influence on the fresh ideas that desperately need “greenhousing,” that is, attention, protection, nurturing and growing. When dealing with ideas, greenhousing means keeping them safe, growing them naturally by being more curious, researching the elements and finding possibilities that will create an impact. Don’t force them to sprout too early. In other words, don’t tell others and don’t discard the ideas, but give them timely attention in the greenhouse until they have some viability.  www.baselinemag.com/c/a/ Innovation/11-Practical-Ideas-forPersonal-Innovation-395525/?kc=BLB LBEMNL01022012STR1

43  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Business

ithout motivation, permanent change cannot occur. And without change, nothing new can be created. 1. Think when you are not thinking. Try going for a walk, cooking, cleaning the house, doing yard work or asking yourself questions to stimulate curiosity and creativity. • Who ... is the actor or agent? • What ... is the action required? • When ... is the right time or timing? • Where ... is the location, scene or source? • Why ... is this needed? • How ... by what agency or method? 2. Listen to classical music. Recent studies reveal a molecular basis for the “Mozart effect,” but not for other music. Mozart can relieve stress, improve communication and increase efficiency. Creativity scores soar when listening to Mozart. 3. Read periodicals you would not typically read. If you’re interested in business, read a scientific magazine, or choose books outside your typical genre to generate diverse thinking—a critical competency in the creative process. 4. Attend a conference or a meeting outside your field. This helps connect to other “dots” in your life. Being away from your daily routine is a sure bet to stimulate ideas for creative solutions to your existing challenge. 5. Surround yourself with creative thinkers. Many organizations do not hire creative people, instead hiring for skill and their fit for the task. Chances are there are more “alike” people in your area than “different.” Look outside your area and normal routine to find some creative thinkers who are comfortable looking at things through a different

will rise to the top faster. Those who demonstrate curiosity, tenacity and willingness to experiment will become visible. Leaders value people who demonstrate a curiosity for the many facets of the business and a passion for its growth and success. This is the “intrapreneur” at work. The greater the degree of organizational support, the more design thinking flows and the more innovation is fostered in the organization. 10. Articulate your idea and seek feedback. Innovative ideas are those that solve an unmet need in the market. It is not about having a new idea, but about getting it out there. Testing an idea with your co-worker is one thing, but testing it with your customers or potential customers yields the best insights on the applicability, giving you more precise feedback about the need for your idea and its potential impact. For multiple ideas, vary your test network by approaching different people. Seek feedback from collaborators and creative people as well.

GRANTS.GOV LISTINGS The following grant opportunity postings may be found on the Grants.gov Find Opportunities service: DOC Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration FY 2011 Public Works, Economic Adjustment, and GCCMIF Programs Opportunity, Modification 2 www07.grants.ov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=58457

Business

DOD Department of Defense Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Forward Surgical, Enroute Care, Shock, and Tissue Stabilization (FSECSTS), Modification 2 www07.grants.ov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=124673 DOS Department of State Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Middle East Partnership Initiative MEPI Local Grants Annual Program Statement, Modification 1 www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=126193 DOS Department of State Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs U.S. - Afghan National Museum Partnership, Modification 2 www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=126933 DOD Department of Defense Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Clinical Functional Assessment Investigator-Initiated Award, Modification 1 www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=127813 HHS Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources & Services Administration

Regional Hemophilia Network, Modification 1 www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131013 HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Practical Interventions to Improve Medication Adherence in Primary Care (R21), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131333

National Institutes of Health Behavioral Interventions to Address Multiple Chronic Health Conditions in Primary Care (R01), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131375 USAID Agency for International Development All Children Reading Competition, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131376

HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Practical Interventions to Improve Medication Adherence in Primary Care (R01), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131334

HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Alcohol impairment of immune function, host defense and tissue homeostasis (R01), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131394

HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Lasker Clinical Research Scholars Program (Si2), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131353

HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Alcohol impairment of immune function, host defense and tissue homeostasis (R21), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131396

HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Application of Genomic Advances to Wound Repair (R21), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131373 HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Application of Genomic Advances to Wound Repair (R01), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131374 HHS Department of Health and Human Services

HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Effects of adolescent binge drinking on brain development (R01), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131413 HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Effects of Adolescent Binge Drinking on Brain Development (R21), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131414 HHS Department of Health and

44  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

GRANTS.GOV LISTINGS Human Services National Institutes of Health Screening and Brief Alcohol Interventions in Underage and Young Adult Populations (R03), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131433 HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Screening and Brief Alcohol Interventions in Underage and Young Adult Populations (R21), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131434

HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Etiology, Diagnosis, Pathophysiology, and Treatment (R01), Grant /www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131453 HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Etiology, Diagnosis, Pathophysiology, and Treatment (R21), Modification 1 www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131454 NSF National Science Foundation Physical and Engineering Sciences in Oncology, Grant

NSF National Science Foundation Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131474 NSF National Science Foundation Advancing Health Services through System Modeling Research, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131475 DOC Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration FY 2012 Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs Opportunity, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131493

Modification 11 www07.grants.ov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=56757 NSF National Science Foundation Manufacturing Enterprise Systems Modification 9 www07.grants.ov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=56758 NSF National Science Foundation Manufacturing and Construction Machines and Equipment Modification 11 www07.grants.ov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=56760 NSF National Science Foundation Geomechanics & Geomaterials Modification 6 www07.grants.ov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=57239

NSF National Science Foundation Innovation and Organizational Sciences, Modification 11 www07.grants.ov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=46253

NSF National Science Foundation Materials Processing and Manufacturing, Modification 7 www07.grants.ov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=58096

NSF National Science Foundation Assembling the Tree of Life Modification 3 www07.grants.ov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=50630

NSF National Science Foundation Biomechanics and Mechanobiology Modification 7 www07.grants.ov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=58546

NSF National Science Foundation Geotechnical Engineering Modification 6 www07.grants.ov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=56348

HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Limited Competition: Fogarty International Research Collaboration - Basic Biomedical (FIRCA-BB) Research Award (R03), Modification 1 www07.grants.ov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=58805

NSF National Science Foundation Civil Infrastructure Systems Modification 8 www07.grants.ov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=56361 NSF National Science Foundation NanoManufacturing

NSF National Science Foundation Cyber-Physical Systems Modification 3 see Grants.gov on page 46

45  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Business

HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Screening and Brief Alcohol Interventions in Underage and Young Adult Populations (R01), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131435

www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131473

GRANTS.GOV LISTINGS www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=60697 HHS Department of Health and Human Services HHS - Office of the Secretary Ofc. of Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan, Modification 1 www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=109093

Business

USAID Agency for International Development, Uganda USAIDKampala USAID/Uganda Literacy and Health Education Program, Modification 4 www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131053 USAID Agency for International Development All Children Reading Competition Modification 1 www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=131376 HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Radiological/Nuclear Medical Countermeasure Product Development Program (SBIR[R43/R44]), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=132933 USAID Agency for International Development Kenya USAID-Nairobi National Training Mechanism (NTM) Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133353 USAID Agency for International Development

East Africa USAID-Kenya APHIAplus Northern Arid Lands (APHIAplus NAL), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133373 HHS Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Tuberculosis Prevention, Public Health Conference Support, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133394 DOI Department of the Interior National Park Service Operation of Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133395 DOI Department of the Interior National Park Service Development/maintenance of North Country National Scenic Trail, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133413 USAID Agency for International Development Mexico USAID-Mexico City GDA APS Addendum - Mexico, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133453 HHS Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Development and Evaluation of a Clinic-Based Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI) for Changing Behaviors Related to Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Transmission in Pregnant Women, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search.

do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133454 DOI Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management, BLM NV Carson City District Office Community Fire Assistance Program, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133473 EPA Environmental Protection Agency FY 2012 National Network for Environmental Management Studies (NNEMS) Fellowship Program, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133493 DOS Department of State Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs Empowering Women and Girls Through Sports, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133513 HHS Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Limited Competition: Comprehensive Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity (CPACHE) (U54), Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133533 EPA Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Justice Small Grants Program, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133553 USAID Agency for International Development Draft Fiscal Year 2012 Title II Development Food Aid Programs for Haiti, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search.

46  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

GRANTS.GOV LISTINGS do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133573

do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133614

DOS Department of State International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affair Mexico Merida Initiative Culture of Lawfulness Program, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133593

NSF National Science Foundation Math and Science Partnership, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133615

NSF National Science Foundation Plant Genome Research Program, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133613 NSF National Science Foundation Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search.

NSF National Science Foundation Nanomanufacturing, Grant ://www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133633 NSF National Science Foundation Biomechanics and Mechanobiology Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133634 NSF National Science Foundation Manufacturing Enterprise Systems, Grant

www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133635 NSF National Science Foundation Geotechnical Engineering, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133636 NSF National Science Foundation Civil Infrastructure Systems, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133637 NSF National Science Foundation Manufacturing Machines and Equipment, Grant www07.grants.gov/search/search. do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=133638 do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=45802 

Business

47  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

SERVING THE INDUSTRY and the TRADE PIPE - VALVES - FITTINGS - METALS - TOOLS PROCESS CONTROLS - INSTRUMENTATION - WATER WORKS

Brandon Supply Corporation is a world class distributor of industrial supplies. Brandon has been proven to be a dependable source of supply to the petrochemical, power generation and waterworks industries providing fast and reliable service. Brandon, in maintaining the policy of selling only superior products, represents only the nation's top manufacturers.

SBA CERTIFIED We offer a full range of valves for all piping applications, pressure tubing in all sizes and schedules, a complete line of fittings, flanges and couplings in all metallurgies. We also offer a full range in PVC, HDPE and other materials.

Clarence D. Scott, CEO CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 14120 Gannet Street Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670

MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 5354 Buena Park, CA 90623

Phone: 562-921-0407 | FAX: 562-921-5945 800.238.5906 (Outside California) www.brandonsupply.com | cdavis@brandonsupplycorp.com

ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

48  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

VEDC Receives Grant from Starbucks and Opportunity Finance Network’s “Create Jobs for USA” Initiative by Lisa Winkle

“VEDC received this grant because it has demonstrated that it will provide financing that is good for community businesses and good for communities.” “We’re pleased that Starbucks recognizes the important work that CDFIs are doing, and honored that the Create Jobs for USA Fund has made a grant to us,” said Roberto Barragan, President and CEO of VEDC. “Create Jobs for USA is unprecedented for the CDFI industry. It is shining a national spotlight on our work and will help VEDC to create and sustain jobs in Los Angeles and statewide.” CDFIs provide financing to community businesses in underserved markets where would-be community business owners may not qualify for credit from traditional lending institutions. Community businesses include small businesses, microenterprises, nonprofit organizations, commercial real estate developers, and affordable housing developers. All of these community businesses help to create and sustain local jobs. Community business owners who would like to apply for a loan from VEDC can get more information at www.vedc.org. Or to find other CDFIs, visit http://opportunityfinance.net/ findacdfi. VEDC strives to create and sustain jobs and businesses in their communities by providing highquality economic development services. VEDC’s goal is to enrich the communities they serve by making economic dreams a reality. For more information about VEDC please contact Lisa Winkle, VEDC Public Relations at (818)907-9977.

About VEDC VEDC

(Valley

About Opportunity Finance Network Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) is the national network of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)—private financial institutions that are 100 percent dedicated to delivering responsible, affordable lending to help low-income, low-wealth, and other disadvantaged people and communities join the economic mainstream. CDFIs in the OFN network serve all 50 states, and OFN Member CDFIs originated more than $23.2 billion in financing in urban, rural, and Native communities through 2009. More information is available at: www. opportunityfinance.net.

About Create Jobs for USA Starbucks and Opportunity Finance Network have joined forces to help create and sustain jobs in communities across the country. Create Jobs for USA is a bold initiative to spark new financing to community businesses so they can hire and preserve jobs. Learn more or donate now at: www. createjobsforusa.org. 

Economic

49  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

www.vedc.org

Business

EDC (Valley Economic Development Center), a local community lender, announced today that it has received a capital grant from the Create Jobs for USA Fund, a collaboration between Starbucks and Opportunity Finance Network (OFN). The money will help VEDC create and sustain jobs in the Los Angeles area and throughout California as part of a national campaign to support community businesses in underserved communities. VEDC is one of the top-tier community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in the nation to be awarded a grant from the fund since the program began allocating awards in November of 2011. The Create Jobs for USA Fund pools donations from Starbucks customers, partners/employees, and concerned citizens into a nationwide fund, held and managed by OFN, for community business lending. Donors who contribute $5 or more will receive a red, white, and blue wristband with the message “Indivisible.” The wristbands are individually handmade in the U.S.A. and all component materials are manufactured by U.S. suppliers, so the effort is also helping support American manufacturing jobs. Since November 1 The Create Jobs for USA Fund has been collecting donations at www.CreateJobsforUSA. org and at nearly 7,000 companyoperated Starbucks across the country. 100% of the donations will support organizations like VEDC lending for job creation and retention across the US. “Create Jobs for USA is making it possible for Americans who have $5 to share help people who don’t have $5 to spare by creating and retaining jobs in their communities,” explained Mark Pinsky, President and CEO of OFN.

Development Center) is the largest non-profit small business lender in metro Los Angeles and offers direct micro and small business loans as well as SBA 7(a) and SBA 504 loans. VEDC has a $20 million loan portfolio and almost $40 million under management and originates loans totaling more than $35 million annually to businesses locally and statewide. With five locations throughout the Los Angeles area and Oakland, VEDC has supported the small business owner for 35 years with the goal of creating and sustaining jobs and businesses in low to moderate income communities by providing high-quality economic development services. For more information visit www.vedc.org

WHY ARE MORE BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES USING SLATON INSURANCE GROUP? BECAUSE THEY DELIVER! Insurance Management Services As a client of Slaton Insurance Group you’ve already made the decision to work with proven resources to help your business manage its risk exposure and to stay within compliance. The independent insurance agents of the Slaton Group will help you manage risk and reduce loss while maintaining adherence to your insurance budget. We are an integrated, single source provider for your insurance needs.

STEVEN D. TURNER Slaton Group License #0G12789 Financial Advisory / Insurance Services 16161 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 382 Encino, California 91436 Telephone: 818-585-1374 E-mail: sturner@slatongroup.com Website: www.slatongroup.com

Insurance Coverage for Clients •

Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) - Property & General Liability Coverage in one Policy form, generally for small and midsized practices. The package includes coverage for business interruption, valuable papers, accounts receivables, employee dishonesty and numerous other pertinent coverages.

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Commercial Package Policy (CPP) - Generally for larger practices/facilities; incorporates several policy forms including but not limited to general liability, property, automobile and crime policies.

•

Professional Liability - Provides protection for rendering professional services; may apply to both individual professionals and/or businesses.

•

Commercial Umbrella - An additional layer of liability protection that applies across policies to give you increased coverage limits.

•

Inland Marine - Coverage for specialized, valuable equipment or equipment that is mobile.

•

Commercial Auto Insurance - Protection for your owned, borrowed, or rental autos.

•

Worker’s Compensation - Social insurance program designed to resolve disputes between injured employees and their employers.

•

Directors & Officers

•

Employment Practices Liability

Health Care Industry: Steven Turner and his team provide solutions across the continuum of care in medical facilities coverage, ranging from small clinics to specialized facilities and hospitals. As the environment evolves in the medical services industry, Slaton Insurance Group is ready to assist you in managing risk. Private Client Services: You’ve worked hard to provide a comfortable living for yourself and your family - we work hard to protect it. We work with you to help find personal insurance solutions that provide you the protection you need. Some of the coverage, we offer through our Private Client Services are Home insurance, Auto coverage, Board insurance, Umbrella policies, and many more converges to meet your needs.

Slaton Group is an independent insurance agency dedicated to providing quality commercial and personal insurance programs. Since we are not limited to any one company, we can shop the marketplace to give you the best protection at the most competitive price.

2012 Brother Small Business Grant Program

tartupNation has collaborated with Brother, a leader in small business technology, to bring you the 2012 Brother Small Business Grant Program. The grant program will award a total of $25,000 to five small business owners who submit the most original and creative business plan.

business or initiate a new project in their current small business. • To determine the size of the grant

About The Grant Program

Visit the Brother Creative Center for assistance in creating or updating your business marketing materiials - www.brother.com/creativecenter/us/ en_us/business/index.htm

Travel Employment Up at End of 2011 The U.S. Travel Association has reported that employment in the travel industry rose by 7,000 jobs in December to 7,528,000 positions, ending 2011 on a positive note. “The travel industry accounted for 7 percent of the 1.6 million jobs created during the past 12 months,” said David Huether, senior vice president of economics and research at US Travel. He added that the travel industry expanded its employment base by 119,000 in 2011, doubling the number of jobs created by construction and real estate combined.  by Sarah J.F. Braley www.meetings-conventions.com/articles/travel-employment-up-at-end-of-2011/c45708.aspx

“Despite economic barriers to obtain start-up capital, small business owners remain resolute and enthusiastic in their pursuit to doing more with less and living out their dream,” said John Wandishin, Vice President of Marketing, Brother International Corporation. “This grant program signifies an opportunity to help entrepreneurs rise above financial challenges and demonstrates the commitment Brother has to better understanding and addressing the concerns of America’s small business owners.”

Apply Now Review the grant information at the StartupNation website (www. startupnation.com/brother-smallbusiness-grant). Review the Terms and Conditions statement at www. startupnation.com/brother/GrantProgram-Terms-and-Conditions.pdf. Submit your application for grant consideration by March 2, 2012 at https://startupnation.wufoo.com/ forms/brother-small-businessgrant-application. Good Luck!! 

51  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Business

• B r o t h e r International Corporation, a leader in small business technology officially launched a small business grant program in collaboration with entrepreneurial online resource, StartupNation, to help small business owners start their own

packages, Brother International Corporation and StartupNation conducted an online poll on StartupNation that revealed the majority of small business owners (61 percent) started with less than $5,000 in capital to launch their company. • January - March 2012, five $5,000 grants will be awarded to ambitious entrepreneurs who best demonstrate the vision, mission and aspiration in a business plan, as well as convey how the grant money will help their business grow and succeed.

March 5-7, 2012 Hyatt Regency, New Orleans www.growcoconference.com

At GROWCO 2012 you’ll be charged and supercharged with immediately actionable take-aways - and reap huge benefits: •Be motivated by like-minded entrepreneurs. Are you enough of a “shark” to position your company to secure capital and attain entrepreneurial success? Take self-made millionaire Daymond John’s proven advice and jump in! •Gain a clear vision of your business goals. Are you struggling through this tough economy with an outdated business model? See how to get back on track by attending Alexanderst Osterwalder’s eye-opening session on Growth & Innovation. •Learn innovative business strategies and solutions. Are you maximizing the business-building technologies available to you: Hardware, software, social networking, apps? Let tech-savvy trend-setter Megan Duckett show you how it’s done. •Learn from simply being in New Orleans. Despite a devastating hurricane, small businesses here are not just thriving - they are the key drivers in job creation and the city’s recovery. Be inspired by networking with these courageous, innovative leaders.

Six highly brief, yet amazingly informative studies of businesses who are keeping up with the changing needs of their customers. At att.com/smallbiz, learn how the passions of their ideas meet up with the ingenuity of AT&T solutions. And see how you can put their experience and perspectives to work for your business.

A restaurant uses a new mobility app to gain instant feedback on food quality. A solely owned law firm isn’t alone when it comes to tech support. A vineyard helps visitors both stay connected and get away from it all.

Business Apps to Help You Succeed in 2012 and Beyond by Don Reisinger with additional input from LaSandra Stratton

s global sales of smartphones and tablets surged, services like Apple’s App Store and Google’s Android Market saw traffic figures explode. And developers were eager to keep the party going. But which apps are actually helpful to business users? Some of the following applications launched in 2011, while

AroundMe AroundMe lists hotels, parking, restaurants, and just about everything else in your area - www.aroundme. com.

MightyMeeting MightyMeeting stores presentations and demo videos in the cloud, and then lets you pull them down onto your device for use at the client’s office - http:// mightymeeting.com.

Gist Gist is an all-in-one contacts repository, featuring e-mails, social network names, and business profiles on everyone you know http://gist.com.

Springpad Springpad lets you take notes, snap photos, and save business locations around you - http://springpadit.com.

Evernote Evernote lets you save Web links, take notes, and record voice memos. Even better, data is synced across the devices on which you use Evernote www.evernote.com.

OmniFocus OmniFocus is a task manager that keeps track of your appointments. It also includes cloud sync to keep you up-to-date on every device you own. - www. omnigroup. com

lets you snap an image of a document or business card, and then save it as a PDF or JPEG file - http://itunes.apple. com/us/app/turboscan-quickly-scanmultipage/id342548956?mt=8.

iSchedule iSchedule manages employee shifts and future shift requests, and helps you keep track of what workers did all day http://ischedule.it.

Jump Desktop Jump Desktop connects your iPhone to your laptop, so you can control the computer from your smartphone jumpdesktop.com.

Squareup S q u a r e t a k e s credit card payments right from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch – great if you’re meeting with customers offsite - https:// squareup. com.

TurboScan TurboScan

53  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

WeTransfer WeTransfer facilitates the sending of large graphic files - www. wetransfer.com.

Cardcloud Cardcloud allows you to create and store multiple digital business cards on your smarphone to share with others and to collect their contact information - www.cardcloud.com.  www.baselinemag.com/c/a/ Mobile-and-Wireless/10Best-Business-Apps-of2011-336310/?kc=BLBLBE MNL12282011STR2

Business

others were able to cement their positions as top performers in their respective categories. In either case, if you’re looking for some useful applications to put on your new smartphone this year and you don’t want to waste your time with the useless wannabes, the following programs are a great place to start.

SquareUp

6 Steps to Becoming a Branding Dynamo by Phillip Davis

Business

f you are like a good number of budding entrepreneurs, you probably have a killer idea, the right people and connections, and a detailed plan of action. You are ready to pull the proverbial trigger, but before you do, you have to call this thing-of-yours something. Anything! And that’s where it gets tricky. It’s times like these where it’s easy to take a short cut, find something do-able and tell yourself you can always fix it later. But like most things done in a rush, they can come back to haunt you. The good news is that great branding is often accomplished by small groups with a shared vision. The key is to make sure that vision, that seed of an idea, is woven properly throughout all the touch points of the brand experience. Here are the six branding essentials that will keep your new company brand on track and on target.

Avoid trite, descriptive, and overused language and look for ways to tell your story from a fresh perspective. Aim for names that lend themselves to further discussion and a deeper conversation about your company. Wholesale Landscape Supply found their original company name descriptive but all-together forgettable, and rebranded to Big Earth - a more fun and evocative name. Sales volume doubled the following year.

2. A Telling Tag Line If your company brand name is a ship, then the tag line is the rudder. Instead of using it to tell what you do, employ the tag line to tell how you do it.

conversation you will have with each and every customer you deal with so make sure the name is distinctive. Ideally the name should speak to your company’s core value proposition, your competitive advantage, and help to single you out from the masses.

In a classic example of great design Herb Lubalin used the “i”s and the “l” in the word Families to make a simple, but powerful statement, and all-in-one color. Refrain from adding multiple elements and colors in an attempt to get more for your design dollar. It will only confuse clients and cost more to print. Make sure to reduce the logo down to business card size to see how it will print small. If you can’t make it out, start over and simplify.

4. Matching Collateral Materials

1. A Unique Company Name Of all the brand building blocks, the company name is the key component. It sets up the tone and feel of the company and determines the initial

focused and to the point. Look to further reinforce your company’s core value by introducing one design element that highlights your key benefit.

From Apple’s “Think Different.” to Nike’s “Just Do It.” great brands let customers know what separates them from the rest of the bunch. Don’t waste this valuable bit of marketing real estate by telling potential customer the obvious, or making a meaningless claim such as “We are the 3rd largest manufacturer of widgets east of the Mississippi.” Instead, let them know how they will benefit by buying from you. For children’s reading development web site EarlyMoments.com, the tag line highlights the value of parent/child bonding by proclaiming “Sharing the gift of reading.”

3. A Memorable Logo Design In the case of company logos, less is more. Keep your designs simple,

The key to great branding is consistency. Customers trust brands that look and behave in a predictable manner. So make sure your initial brand identity (logo, colors, tag line, etc.) also plays out in your business card, letterhead, envelope and marketing materials. Be sure to ask your branding firm or logo designer to supply you with a set of complementary colors to use in your advertising. If funds permit, have them also provide a branding style guide, detailing the proper use, formatting and presentation of your brand image. That will help your vendors (such as printers, sign makers, and car wrap companies) know exactly how to apply your logo and branding design elements in a cohesive fashion. see Branding Dynamics on page 55

54  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Branding Dynamics from page 54

5. A Branded Web Presence If you’ve invested in a great name, a compelling tag line and a memorable logo design, you are well on your way to creating a high impact brand. Make sure you involve your web designer in

the process so you don’t just end up with the new company name and logo on top of a generic web page. If you have the brand style guide, share it with your web designer, so he or she will know which set of colors and which design elements to utilize. You can also ask the branding firm, graphics company or logo designer your hire to create the initial home page look and feel, and one interior page, as a template for adding future content. That way your site can grow and develop, yet still retain your brand image.

6. Customized Social Media Pages

www.startupnation.com/businessarticles/9760/1/branding-6-essentialsteps.htm%20target=

Johnson Publishing Moving its Chicago Offices to new Michigan Avenue Address

ohnson Publishing Co. has chosen a new home now that it has sold its iconic building on South Michigan Ave. The new headquarters for Ebony and Jet magazines and Fashion Fair Cosmetics will be five blocks north on the top floors of the Borg-Warner skyscraper at 200 S. Michigan Ave. Johnson Publishing Co. was given 18 months to re-locate after the headquarters that JPC founder John H. Johnson had built in 1971 was sold in November 2010 to Columbia College Chicago. The college plans to make

the building at 820 S. Michigan Avenue its library facility and Center for Black Music Research. Part of what makes the building iconic is the red EbonyJet masthead that adorns the top of the structure. This won’t be the first time that the Borg-Warner building has been home to a historic, blackowned media company. The Chicago Defender became a tenant in 2005 after it moved from its own South Michigan Avenue headquarters

following its purchase by Real Times Media. The newspaper moved south from downtown Chicago in 2009 to its own building in Bronzeville. 

55  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Business

No brand would be complete these days without matching social media pages. The advent of Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ has created new opportunities, as well as new challenges, for extending a company’s brand message. The

goal here, again, is consistency of experience. Make sure that each customer touch point communicates the overall look, feel and message that you have established for the brand. This is where logos get compromised (squeezed, flattened, stacked, etc,), colors switched up, fonts get changed, and the brand feel gets lost. Engage your designers to ensure their original intent is followed through to the very end. Customers will be pleasantly surprised and impressed to see that you’ve taken the time, energy and effort to create a consistent experience for them all across the web. Successful start up branding requires more than a name and logo. It requires a holistic approach to the entire company identity, from the brand name and message to the brand design, colors and social integration. By creating a unique and compelling brand, aligned with your competitive advantage, you can stand out from the crowd and own your own “space” in your industry. Implementing this strategy in a clear, consistent way will ensure that your new identity continues to shine for years to come. And from a branding point of view, that’s not just smart, it’s brilliant! 

Weathering Tough Economic Times— 12 Tips for 2012

ough economic times have taken a toll on many Americans over the last couple of years. But making sound financial decisions and saving for the future can help you weather financial storms. The start of a new year is a great time to take stock of your finances, so the FINRA Investor Education Foundation (www.finra. org) has put together these 12 practical tips that can help keep your finances on course in 2012. 1. Start a Rainy Day Fund. Set aside at least one month of your current salary (and work your way up to three months) in a federally insured savings account. This will give you a cushion to handle medical bills, a short job loss, a surprise car repair or other financial emergency—and help keep your finances under control.

of their employer’s match. Here’s another way of looking at it—taking full advantage of the match literally doubles your savings, even assuming no increase in the value of your investments. For more information, read FINRA’s Investor Alert, Why Leave Money on the Table—Make the Most of Your Employer’s 401(k) Match. 6. Avoid Payday Loans and Other Money Drains. During difficult economic conditions, some Americans might be more tempted to use alternative forms of borrowing, including auto title or payday loans, advances on tax refunds, pawn shops or rent-to-own plans. Steer clear, since these borrowing methods are likely to levy higher interest rates than those charged by banks, credit unions or credit card companies and can drain away your money. 7. Don’t Overdraw Your Checking Account or Debit Card. Making ends meet during an economic downturn can put a strain on family budgets. While overdraft protection may seem like a helpful feature on a checking account or debit card, overdraft fees can add up. To avoid that expense, balance your checkbook regularly and consider opting out of programs that automatically approve ATM and debit card transactions. 8. Do a Background Check on Your Financial Professional. Far too few investors have reported checking see Tough Economic Times on page 58

57  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Business

2. Handle Credit Cards With Care. Keep your credit card spending in check and try to pay your credit cards in full. If you have accumulated holiday debt, pay it off as quickly as possible. If you cannot pay your whole monthly bill, at least pay more than the minimum due. Every dollar you pay above the minimum payment can reduce the amount of interest you will pay. Getting a handle on monthly bills and expenses can help keep you from overusing credit cards. Resources at SaveandInvest.

org can help you track your spending. 3. Check Your Credit Report and Score. Good credit and financial fitness go hand in hand. Start the new year by requesting a copy of your free credit report. Call (877) 322-8228 or visit www. AnnualCreditReport.com. Check to be sure your credit history is accurate and correct any discrepancies immediately. You can also request your score from the site. There will likely be a fee to obtain your score—but it’s an important number to know, since it’s what lenders use to help them decide not only whether you get a mortgage, a credit card or some other line of credit but also the interest rate you are charged for this credit. To learn more, read How Your Credit Score Impacts Your Financial Future. 4. Shop Around For Financial Products. Comparison shopping for financial products— including credit cards, loans and investments—is as crucial as shopping around for a television or phone plan. FINRA has resources to help you evaluate and compare credit cards, bank fees and loan rates. Saving even a percentage point or two on a loan can make a big difference to your bottom line. And when it comes to investments, be sure to visit FINRA Market Data Center, and use FINRA’s Fund Analyzer to compare fees on mutual funds and exchange traded funds. 5. Don’t Leave Money on the Table: Contribute to Your 401(k). Too many workers leave free money on the table

by not contributing enough to their 401(k) to receive their full employer match. According to a recent study, nearly 3 in 10 workers (29.4 percent)— and 43 percent of workers age 20 – 29—fail to contribute to the full extent

Tough Economic Times from page 57 the background of their investment professional with a state or federal regulator. Investing a few minutes of your time to take this free and easy step could save you time, money and other trouble down the road. FINRA BrokerCheck® is a free tool that allows investors to check the professional background of brokerage firms and individual brokers. 9. Keep Your Insurance Coverage Current. The start of a new year is a good time to assess whether your insurance coverage aligns with your needs. You want to make sure that recent life changes have not left you

under- or over-insured. If your children have left the home and you have paid off your house, you might need less life insurance than someone who is financially responsible for others, or has a mortgage. 10. Diversify Your Investments. Volatile markets can make investing a challenge, but spreading your investments both among different asset classes—meaning stocks, bonds and cash—and within each asset class can reduce your risk. For more on risk and smart diversification strategies, read FINRA’s Managing Investment Risk. 11. Save for College Using TaxAdvantaged Accounts. If you have children, save for college using taxadvantaged savings accounts such as a 529 plan or Coverdell Education Savings Account. The FINRA

Foundation’s state-by-state survey found that less than one-third (only 31 percent) of respondents with financially dependent children have money set aside for college. Of those who are saving for college, less than one-third reported having used a tax-advantaged savings account. The earlier you start— the more financially prepared you will be to cover the rising costs of higher education. Compare college savings options, analyze 529 plan expenses and more at FINRA’s Smart Saving for College resource center. 12. Find Free, Reliable Financial Education Resources in Your Community. In communities across the country, the FINRA Foundation’s

partnerships with organizations like the American Library Association and United Way Worldwide have made it easier to find the help you need to keep your finances on track. The Foundation’s grant-making programs have built a network of hundreds of partnerships with libraries, social service organizations, schools, universities and others to expand access to researchbased financial and investor education information. For additional information and resources, visit Smart Investing@ Your Library and Financial Education in Your Community.  www.finra.org/Investors/ProtectYourself/ InvestorAlerts/MoneyManagement/ P125281

58  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Tech Tools: Customizable,

Glasses 3D Technology

No-

By: Rebecca Kutzer-Rice

New Tech Tool to Watch For & Figure Out How to incorporate into Your Business to Enhance a Product or Service or Promote a Product or Service

real time. Unlike most other 3D tools, Ultra-D does not require users to wear glasses, which can cause hassle and discomfort. The system uses a mix of hardware and software algorithms to create seamless 3D video. It works not only with Blu-ray and DVD, but also with images from computer games and the Internet. The tool can be used with televisions, computers, tablets and even picture frames. Ultra-D also enables users to customize 3D settings to optimize picture and eye comfort. “Our ultimate goal was to create a solution that addresses existing concerns impeding the adoption of 3D consumer aversion to expensive

www.smartertechnology.com/c/a/ Social-Business/CustomizableNoGlasses-3D-Technology/?kc=STNL01122012STR2

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Business

o one could argue that our world isn’t changing fast—and I don’t mean just technology-wise. Consumers aren’t spending like they once did, manufacturing and shipping costs are fluctuating wildly, and the age of the environment is slowly (finally) being ushered in. On top of that, the Internet has finally really changed the way people shop and buy – not to mention the way we entrepreneurs market our businesses. One entry in the field of new products displayed at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES www.cesweb.org) was from Stream TV Networks (www.streamtvnetworks. com). Named Ultra-D, the company’s tech tool converts 2D to 3D images in

glasses, viewer discomfort, variance in individual vision and preference and the slow creation of 3D content,” Mathu Rajan, Stream TV CEO, said in a statement. The company anticipates that the switch to 3D video will be a “phenomenon like the migration from black and white TV to color TV.” The technology promises to address the major concerns critics currently have with 3D video— the glasses and the potential for discomfort. Price has been another setback, but because the tool works with existing machines, it is likely to be less expensive than other 3D technology. Tools like this that convert video could become commonplace not only in homes, but also in the medical and military industries, where 3D imaging can aid in life-like training. Other technologies that were unveiled at CES included ultra-thin and portable televisions, waterproof smart phones, and 3D-printing innovations. Visit the CES Website (www.cesweb. org) to track announcements and read up on new tools. 

Vibe, Uptown Merged with BlackBook Media and The Access Network

of the Access Network. Len Burnett and Brett Wright will continue to serve Co-CEOs of the Vibe Lifestyle Network. The merger marks one of the rare occasions when a media company principally targeting African-American consumers has acquired a general market media company. “The merger presents an exciting opportunity for Vibe and Uptown to provide advertisers a much needed voice across multicultural and multiracial platforms,” said Burnett. “Every media company wants to make greater use of technology,” added Burnett “and every technology company wants to be more a part of media and this merger really allows us to bring that idea to fruition. This allows us to be at the forefront of hyper local technology that’s gonna provide great benefit to consumers and increased benefit to advertisers to reach our consumers on that basis.”

Business

•• •• ••

on Burkle’s and Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s Yucaipa Johnson Fund and InterMedia Partners today announced that they have merged their Vibe and Uptown businesses with the BlackBook Media business and The Access Network Company. The merger of these assets is part of their media and technology consolidation strategy and follows an investment from The Yucaipa Johnson Fund in January 2011 when it joined InterMedia Partners as the owners of Vibe Holdings, the entities’ parent company. The combined company will operate the Vibe, Uptown, and BlackBook media properties. These brands will serve as anchor properties for the Vibe Lifestyle Network (VLN) and BlackBook Media Network affiliates which serve over 18.5 million monthly visitors and will be complemented by Vibe magazine, Uptown magazine, and BlackBook magazine. The online and mobile properties across the network

will leverage Access Networks’ AccessGeo local content management and distribution technology platform. “We’re passionate believers in the future of technology-driven media companies and the ability to leverage online, mobile, print and local content through premier brands,” commented Earvin “Magic” Johnson. “We’re interested in consolidating great brands that reach a large and attractive audience -- specifically those which index well in the online and mobile arena. The technology we acquired as part of the Access Network will serve as a very important piece to enable us to reach consumers.” Magic Johnson, a partner at the Yucaipa Johnson Fund will continue to serve as Chairman of Vibe Holdings. The merged entity will operate under Vibe Media and Ari Horowitz will serve as CEO. Horowitz will also continue to serve as CEO

Vibe Holdings is the parent company of Vibe magazine, Vibe.com, VibeVixen.com, Vibe Lifestyle Network, Uptown magazine, UptownMagazine. com, UptownSocial and the iconic Soul Train entertainment franchise. Vibe Holdings is a vertical content and advertising network which represents over 25 websites, several publications, direct mail, TV shows and media platforms reaching over 19 million consumers per month. As the premier

60  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

see Major Merger on page 61

Major Merger from page 60

destination for urban entertainment and media, Vibe Holdings creates solutions for advertisers looking to engage consumers via music, entertainment, culture and lifestyle 18-54. www. vibelifestylenetwork.com Access Network is a media and technology platform serving leading content publishers through providing the leading, turn-key, hyperlocal content search and management platform. Publishers use the technology and content

platform to create, configure, and distribute custom-branded, local online and mobile applications. Brands offering city guides on the Access Network include BlackBook Guides, Guides by Bravo (NBCU), Corcoran Guides, CitiHabitats Guides, Diddy’s BlackBook, Maxim Guides, Jersey Shore Guides (MTV Networks), Front Desk Guides by Modern Luxury, Out Guides, The Daily Tar Heel’s Guide to the University of North Carolina, The Famuan’s Campus Guide to Florida A&M University, and over 50 additional local College City Guides. www. accessnetwork.com BlackBook Media celebrated its 15-year anniversary in 2011 as a leading publisher in the progressive nightlife, fashion, and culture arena, with over 500,000 monthly readers. BlackBook delivers beauty, fashion, and entertainment guides through the BlackBook Guides mobile applications, online at BBook.com, at signature events & in BlackBook magazine. The BlackBook City Guides are the ultimate

curated source to finding the best shops & boutiques, spas, restaurants, bars & clubs, and hotels and more in major worldwide cities. www.bbook. com  http://targetmarketnews.com/ storyid01061201.htm www.magicjohnson.com/enterprises/ partners.php www.intermediaadvisors.com

Business

Artwear Handpainted Handbags • Skirts Tees • Accessories • Calendars Wall Hangings and More! http://gbabysworld.blogspot.com Gbabyartwear@hotmail.com or Gbabyart345@gmail.com Find Gbaby Products at the “Collective” http://www.atthecollective.com 280 Elizabeth Street, Atlanta, GA

Locations: Downtown Culver City: 9537 Culver Blvd. 310-202-5453 City of Compton: 2600 E. Alondra Blvd. 310-638-7871 www.honeyskettle.com Open Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm

61  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Business Development

Building Your Business for Success: The Importance of Ownership

ne of the keys to economic independence for African American business owners is the acquisition and ownership of commercial real estate. By controlling the buildings and land that house the means of generating revenue, an entrepreneur can better attain the goal that underpins what being in business is all about: maximum self-determination. With interest rates now at historically low levels and the economy growing at a slow pace, now is a prime time for many business owners to consider the purchase of commercial real estate. The benefits and drawbacks to commercial real estate ownership vary from business owner to business owner, but potential buyers should educate themselves about the obvious and sometimes hidden benefits to the ownership of a commercial property. Below are some of the major benefits to real estate ownership, versus leasing a commercial space.

Tax Deductions

Added Value To Business

For many Black business owners, a primary benefit of commercial real estate ownership is the tax deductibility of property that can be taken on the interest portion of the monthly commercial loan payment. These deductions can be substantial and each business owner should consult a qualified tax specialist about his or her unique situation.

Unlike some residential loans, many commercial loans are assumable. This makes the business and its real estate much easier for a buyer to acquire, and enhances the value of the business tremendously.

Equity Appreciation On average, commercial real estate properties will appreciate about two to three percent above inflation over the long term. Paying rent provides no appreciation or equity. Quite candidly, the BBA has members who have been paying rent for a decade or more, with no equity accrued and never having positioned themselves to benefit from any hope of equity appreciation. Using some of the most conservative estimates, potential equity appreciation can result in significant financial gains over a period of decades.

A Retirement Fund Through various circumstances, many minority and small business owners will not receive a pension when they decide to retire. In such cases, the equity appreciation on commercial property can be significant. An owner can decide either to sell the property upon retirement to cash in on equity appreciation, or lease the property to another business for a continuous retirement income stream. In fact, in some situations, a business owner may be able to lease out an unused portion of the property, such as a spare office, before retirement for additional income.

No Taxes To Pay On Your Rent When a business leases its real estate, sales tax is paid on the rent paid to the landlord. When you own the real estate there is no tax to pay on the rent. The savings can be significant.

Easy Access To Financing Historically-low, thirty-year fixed interest mortgage rates are now available for owner-occupied commercial properties. Furthermore, there are flexible interest-only options from which entrepreneurs can benefit. In fact, in some instances, with strong financials a business owner may qualify for loan financing up to 100% of the purchase price for commercial real estate. A business owner should consult an experienced commercial mortgage adviser before making an offer on a commercial property, so that in addition to the tangible benefits outlined above, the business owner will have the satisfaction that only comes with property ownership. Truer words have never been spoken: â&#x20AC;&#x153;God bless the child thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got his ownâ&#x20AC;?. The Black Business Association will soon launch a program to assist African American business owners in acquiring commercial and industrial real estate.

Electric Mobility Vehicle (eMO) Revealed at NAIAS Auto Show by Charlie Osborne

“In mid-2010, in anticipation of the April 2011 launch of VPD, we researched numerous concepts for an internal engineering study that would highlight both the Tata Technologies dedication to environmental responsibility and sustainability, and showcase our global

www.smartplanet.com/blog/smarttakes/electric-mobility-vehicleemo-revealed-at-naias-autoshow/21652?tag=nl.e660

63  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Business

ATA Technologies (www. tatatechnologies.com/global) was selected by Michelin to display its electric MObility (eMO) vehicle as part of an engineering study at the 2012 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit (http://naias.com). Revealed as part of the Michelin Challenge Design display, the eMO vehicle is a four-passenger urban car with a price tag of $20,000. It can travel at speeds of 65 MPH. Some of the features the model possesses are a glass roof, air bags, touchscreen dashboard, dual motor and foldable back seats for additional storage space. It was designed in order to pass all current U.S safety requirements. The eMO design emphasizes what it sees as the ‘right size’ for an urban car, and minimizes its exterior space while maintaining enough room for four adults. eMO also incorporates aerodynamic surfaces and shorter overhangs within its design. Considering sustainability, TATA included means to ensure a low carbon footprint and a high recyclability rate through eMO’s materials. The car integrates a number of ‘eco friendly’ materials, such as molded polymer panels which eliminate the need of paint or traditional body shops. Tata Technologies’ Vehicle Programs & Development (VPD) Group, with more than 300 engineers in 4 centers spread across continents, played a part in designing eMO. Kevin Fisher, VPD President, explained the beginning of the eMO program:

experience, knowledge, capacity a n d innovation.” E a c h y e a r , Michelin i n v i t e s developers t o showcase design work that would not usually have the opportunity to gain exposure at a major auto show. This year’s Michelin theme was “City 2046: Art, Life and Ingenuity — Transforming Personal Mobility,” challenged participants to design a ground-based vehicle that can transport between two and 10 people, and meet the anticipated needs of select cities in the future — 2046 to be precise. Fisher believes that over the next decade, there will be an influx of demand for new and more efficient transportation models. Due to this, the automotive industry will be required to develop and incorporate new technologies in to their vehicles — perhaps the trend towards eco-friendly materials will also continue. 

Small Business Jobs Up, Wages & Hours Down by: Mark Marich

irst, the good news. According to the latest Small Business Employment Index released by Intuit, small businesses created 50,000 new jobs in January. The total represents an increase of 0.2 percent over the last month--equating to an

annual growth rate of 2.9 percent. Now, the bad news. Average monthly pay for all small business employees dropped 0.1 percent to $2,632. Meanwhile, hourly employees also saw their hours dip slightly to an average of 24.8 hours per week. Each region across the US saw some growth, except for New England which dropped ever so slightly (-0.01 percent). Leading the way was the Mountain region (+0.6 percent)--Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. The Intuit Small Business Employment Index is based on

aggregate and anonymous online employment data from approximately 70,000 small business employers, a subset of businesses that use Intuit Online Payroll, each with fewer than 20 employees. These smallest employers are important to the economy as they comprise 87 percent of the total U.S. private employer base and employ nearly 20 million people.  Policy Dialogue on Entrepreneurship www.entrepreneurship.org/en/Blogs/ Policy-Forum-Blog/2012/January/ Small-Biz-Jobs-Up-Wages-and-HoursDown.aspx

Save More, Grow Faster Introducing Inc. Deals.

I’m pleased to introduce Inc. Deals, an exclusive new service designed to offer unbeatable savings on the equipment and services you need to grow your business. At Inc.com, we’ve long wanted to offer a deals service, recognizing that our traffic volume could save you money. Before we could, though, we needed a partner worthy of Inc. In RapidBuyr, the engine behind Inc. Deals, we found that partner.

Here’s why I like RapidBuyr and why I think you’ll like Inc. Deals. • The savings are real: Each deal is guaranteed to be the lowest price anywhere. (On average, Inc. Deals’ prices are 19% lower than Amazon’s.) • RapidBuyr’s leaders are repeat entrepreneurs who learned online retail as senior executives at Amazon, Gilt Group, Facebook, Zynga and others. • The offerings are brand-name office products and thoroughly vetted business services. • Shipping is always free. • There are no membership fees, hidden costs, or tipping points. To get started, sign up for free at http://inc.rapidbuyr.com/signup/inc. Once you’re signed up, we’ll email you every week with new deals. I think you’ll be pleased with the offers, but you can, of course, unsubscribe whenever you want. Full disclosure: As you probably guessed, Inc. gets a percentage of whatever you buy through Inc. Deals. That doesn’t change the price you pay, and it doesn’t alter the fact that Inc. Deals works for us only if it works for you. I want to know how Inc. Deals meets your needs. Email me with suggested improvements and concerns at eric.schurenberg@inc.com. But for now, I encourage you to sign up here, and start saving. Eric Schurenberg, Editor, Inc.com 64  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

San Francisco Judge Throws Out Air District’s New Rules

We are very excited to announce the collaboration between

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n a startling rebuke of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the Alameda County Superior Court ruled recently that the District’s recent guidance regarding the mitigation of air quality issues for new development was clearly in violation of California’s environmental quality act. Working with affordable housing developers and smart growth nonprofits, the Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) spearheaded community opposition to the new rules, raising concerns that the guidelines impede smart growth by making it considerably more difficult to develop projects in the urban core. CCLR’s analysis of the rules showed that almost every new housing or mixed use project in the bay area could be forced into lengthy and expensive environmental studies. Concerned about the potential

time and cost created by the new guidelines, community and affordable housing developers were walking away from sites, effectively creating a moratorium on urban development. CCLR also showed that the Air District’s new rules were based on faulty science (read more about CCLR’s concerns in our coalition letter), and that ultimately the new rules would have the opposite intended public health effect. Driving development away from the urban center would only worsen regional air pollution by increasing our dependency on cars and the distances we travel every day. “The most important lesson we learned through this process is that there is an immediate need for reform, and ultimately integration, of California’s air, water, and landuse policies and the agencies that implement them,” said CCLR Executive Director Stephanie Shakofsky. “It was clear that the Air District acted solely on the basis of air quality issues without the fuller understanding of appropriate landuse and its linkage to quality of life issues. It is precisely this silo mentality of our state government that has led to a morass of confusing and costly public policies.”  www.cclr.org

Hope to see you soon!!! In the meantime visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ pages/Cultural-InteriorsWest/140688362658236

65  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Business

This is a tremendous victory for the smart growth movement. Although Judge Roesch did not take up the issue of “bad science” in his ruling, his fundamental understanding that the Air District’s new rules flew in the face of twenty years of intelligent landuse planning in the Bay Area was clear and heartening.” -- Stephanie Shakofsky, Executive Director, CCLR

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Technology:

Take a Look! by LaSandra Stratton Check out what these firms and organizations have to offer for your personal interests, personal wealth building, and business expansion opportunities.

www.gelaskins.com Express your individual style and customize your digital devices with interchangeable, protective skins featuring art prints. We’ve also made it possible for you to be the artist and design your own device skin. Make something one-of-a-kind, just like you. From scratch-resistant skins for any device, to the sturdy HardCase for iPhone, we’ve got you covered.

Loosecubes is a community marketplace for workspace connecting people who have great workspace with people who need it. Highly connected online, Loosecubes brings those connections into the real world during business hours

through shared workspace - coworking can lead to new jobs, partnerships, referrals, and friendships. It’s about so much more than finding a desk Got an empty desk? Through this platform, you may post a space in your office, studio or even home office. You set the price and let mem-

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with, animations that burst off the page, and more. iBooks Author lets you create books that people with disabilities can read and experience. The table of contents, glossary, widgets, main text, and more are built to automatically take advantage of VoiceOver technology. Add accessibility descriptions to any widget or media — including movies and quizzes — so even those with vision impairments can use them. As you’re building your book, check out how it looks by previewing it on your iPad. When it’s just the way you want and you’re ready to publish, iBooks Author helps you submit to the iBookstore for purchase or free download. You can also export it in iBooks format to share on iTunes U or to give to anyone with an iPad.

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beautiful Multi-Touch textbooks — and just about any other kind of book — for iPad. With galleries, video, interactive diagrams, 3D objects, and more, these books bring content to life in ways the printed page never could. iBooks Author makes it simple to flow in text, graphics, movies, and more, so your book looks exactly the way you want. Drag and drop a Pages or Microsoft Word document to the Book navigator to add it as a new section. Then, when you drag and drop in images, your type automatically flows around them. iBooks Author has everything you need to create a great-looking book. Add text, shapes, charts, tables, and Multi-Touch widgets anywhere on the page with a single click. Mask images, use alignment guides — even add reflections and shadows. It’s as easy as using a word processor, but powerful enough to design more advanced layouts. Widgets add Multi-Touch magic to books with interactive photo galleries that bring images to life, engrossing 3D objects you can’t help interacting

Educators at universities, colleges, or K-12 schools, now have an easy way to design and distribute complete courses featuring audio, video, books, and other content. Students and lifelong learners can experience courses for free through a powerful new app for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. The free iTunes U app gives students access to all the materials

for a course in a single place. Right in the app, they can play video or audio lectures. Read books and view presentations. See a list of all the assignments for the course and check them off as they’re completed. And when a new message is sent or a new assignment created, students receive a push notification with the new information.  Submitted by LaSandra Stratton, Chief Content Administrator of the Black Business News.

67  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Business

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Black History Month Special Feature:

Before “Red Tails” There Were a Few Others by Thia Fins

While the welldeserved buzz about the release of Lucasfilm’s movie “Red Tails” builds, now might be a good moment for a little film history accuracy. The famed Black Tuskegee pilots, who were part of a ‘grand experiment,’ have actually been the subject of a number of movies. One of the most notable looks at the storied flyboys has a local connection. It was a 1995 HBO made-forRobert W. Williams (2nd from the left) with fellow Tuskegee Airment. television movie starring a laundry list of now A-list actors including Andre Baugher, L a w r e n c e Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr. (also now in Red Tails), John Lithgow and Malcolm JamalWarner. HBO reportedly invested $8.5 million in the project—“The Tuskegee Airmen”—which is said to be the largest underwriting of a telefilm to date. Although the movie was initially intended solely for television, it did go on to open as a feature film in a number of theaters, and on January 17, 1996, HBO released it on Blu-Ray. What gives this movie even more Col. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. (left) and an unidentified Tuskegee Airman meaning for our community is that nowduring World War II. (from Red Tails Reborn” deceased Black Business Association see Red Tails on page 69 68  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Red Tails from page 68

member Robert W. Williams wrote the original script for the “The Tuskegee

medical with Six Oak Leaf Clusters and the Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation. A number of other movies included the Tuskegee pilots as a key storyline or the full focus of the work.

G.I. Joe Tuskegee Airmen Action Figures

↑(left-right) Terrance Howard, Collin Farrell and Bruce Willis. ↓ (right) Terrance Howard. (from Hart’s War)

Airmen.” It was the culmination of more than four decades of his effort to gain recognition for the history of this distinctive group of individuals. “The Tuskegee Airmen was a combination of fact and fiction, and Williams toiled for more than 10 years to secure funding for the project. A Tuskegee Airman himself, Williams flew 50 combat missions, destroyed two enemy aircraft over in Italy in 1944 and 1945, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air

The first was produced by the military in 1945 and was called “Wings for this Man.” It was a propaganda piece on the airmen and their history. In 2002, “Hart’s War,” which was based on a novel about a German prisoner of war camp, features two Tuskegee Airmen and officers who are captured and taken to a basically all-White POW camp. They face prejudice from the Germans and some of the other POWs. Interestingly enough, Terrence Howard, who currently stars in “Red Tails,” is one of the officers. Later in the film he is accused of murder and faces a trial. “Redtails Reborn” was a 2007 documentary that chronicled the exploits of the airmen and a project created in 2004 to honor the pilots. The history continues on page 71. 

69  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

or those of you that might not know about the Tuskeege Airmen, these guys were true trail blazers and pioneers in our community, and their story is one of the great legacies of African American history. They were the first all-Black fighter pilot units to serve in the US Air Force during WWII. See my comments below, and also click on the sites below for more detailed information: Reference: Tuskegee Airmen Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_Airmen) Reference: Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Home (www.tuskegeeairmen.org) Reference: http://www.nationalmuseum. af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD070319-145.pdf (This is an official US Air Force history web link on African Americans serving in the Air Force).

• The Tuskeege Airmen were not the first African American pilots to fly and fight, this honor goes to the brave men that flew and fought in World War I, like Eugene Bullard (to check out his interesting story: Reference: Eugene Bullard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Eugene_Bullard). He served

with the French Air Force in WWI because Blacks were not allowed to serve as pilots in the US military at

that time, up until WWII. However, flying for the US Army Air Corps (the predecessor to today’s US Air Force) in WWII it was the Tuskeege Airmen that succeeded in leading the charge to break down the ugly racist barriers in the US military--which eventually led to an all integrated force, and the eventual breakdown in racial barriers and legal Apartheid throughout American society (i.e., resulting in the US Civil Rights Movement in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s). • At the time, many Whites were convinced that Blacks and people of African descent didn’t have the intelligence or the ability to fly airplanes. These airmen excelled at their job, which proved them wrong and totally destroyed this ugly myth. (Although there were Blacks flying long before this in civilian aircraft throughout the US, including many Black women pilots. Two of the most colorful sheroes and heroes during this period were Ms. Bessie Coleman, the first Black woman to fly across the US from coast to coast-and Mr. Hubert Fauntleroy Julian, who was known as “The Black Eagle of Harlem.” He was an African American of Caribbean descent that

just loved to fly. And one of his great achievements was to help launch the Ethiopian Air Force during the Italian invasion and occupation of that country in the 1930’s. Check him out at the site below: Reference: The Black Eagle of Harlem, ahead of Class and Time (http://harlemworldblog.wordpress. com/2009/07/30/the-black-eagle-ofharlem-ahead-of-class-and-time)

• During WWII the Tuskeege Airmen were referred to as the “Red Tails” because the tails of there aircraft were painted red and easily identifiable on the ground or in air by friend and foe alike (and if you were a foe, it was best to land your plane immediately and hide for cover before you got shot down, smile). • As a consequence of these airmen’s success in the Army Air Corps, the US Navy eventually recruited their own Black pilots, and the first 13 Navy pilots were referred to as “The Golden Thirteen.” • Another interesting note, is that most US military airfields during the war that operated in the vicinity of enemy territory were protected from enemy

70  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

see Red Tails on page 71

Red Tails from page 70

ground attacks by US Army ground forces and Air Force Security units. But because of racial issues in the US military, the Tuskeege Airmen’s airfield that was based in Italy during the conflict to expel Nazi Germany’s troops from that country were protected by African troops from Senegal that were attached to the Free French Army. • The Tuskeege Airmen’s courage and record of achievements in air combat operations were unparalleled and legendary. For example, one of their most challenging and dangerous missions during the war was to escort and protect Allied bombers

from enemy fighters, and to their credit they were honored as the only unit during the war that never lost a bomber to enemy fighters. • Finally, the Tuskeege Airman’s legacy continue to have a significant impact on the history of our community and this society to this day. For example, US Army General Collin Powell was not the first Black four star general in the US military. The Air Force was the first branch of military service to have an African American four star general, General Daniel “Chappie” James, whom I had the pleasure to meet several times during my early days as a young airman serving in the Air Force. Reference: Daniel James, Jr. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_James%2c_ Jr.)

• Secondly, as trailblazers the Tuskeege Airmen’s legacy in breaking down barriers have inspired many others to do the same to achieve their ambitions and to reach new heights in their aviation career. And America’s Black Astronauts are a part of that legacy; including several distinguished Black women Astronauts that have traveled into space. Reference: List of African-American astronauts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ List_of_African-American_astronauts)

OK, these are my final two notes: 1. Just for your information, there were also Blacks that served in the British and Canadian Air Force during WWII (and they were also confronted with some of the same racial challenges during that period).. Check out the two sites below:

2. Finally, on another interesting note--there were also periods in US military history were there were some serious racial disconnects in the military, in regard to African American dissatisfaction or disagreement with a particular war or the US foreign policy agenda--especially if these conflicts were with other people of color. For example, this was a big issue of conflict during the war in Vietnam; and also the US colonial war in the Philippines in the early 1900’s, as indicated on the site below: Reference: Presidio of San Francisco - The Philippine War - A Conflict of Conscience for African Americans (U.S. National Par (www.nps.gov/prsf/ historyculture/the-philippine-insurrectiothephilippine-war-a-conflict-of-consciencen-awar-of-controversy.htm)

by Shelvine Longmire 71  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Community/Public Inerest

Reference: Caribbean aircrew in the RAF during WW2 (www.caribbeanaircrewww2.com) Reference: Celebrating Black History Month in... | Air Force Articles | News and Events - Air Force News | Royal Canadian Air (www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/v2/nr-sp/ index-eng.asp?id=2579)

Black History Month Special Feature:

Herb Wesson, President, Los Angeles City Council by Thia Fins

hen 10th District Councilman Herb Wesson was sworn in as the first African American elected president of the Los Angeles City Council in January 2012, he viewed the event as one more barrier Blacks in the city have been able to knock down.

“It’s “It’ a very hi historic t i h honor. I would ld say that after the birth of my children and grandchildren, it ranks up there with being Speaker of the California State Assembly. It matters to us as a people,” the 60-year-old public servant told one local newspaper. “The importance is equal,” he continued. “They are two critical posts. I’m still kinda shocked that in my lifetime I would be Speaker of the State Assembly and President of Los Angeles City Council.” The Council President is a very powerful post that, among other things, enables Wesson to decide what committee a City Council member will

sit on and to run the thrice weekly council meetings. Throughout his 25-year career in public service, Wesson is well known for his ability to bring people together. He began his career as Chief of Staff for former Los Angeles 10th District Councilmember Nate Holden and later as Chief of Staff to Los Angeles County Second District Supervisor Yvonne Burke. Herb Wesson with President Barack Obama In 1998, he was elected on the council. Won election to the to represent the 47th California seat later that year. State Assembly District–a position he held until Term Limits forced • 1963 Tom Bradley, 10th District. One of the first Blacks ever elected him to step down in 2004. While to the council. serving in the Assembly, his peers accorded him the greatest honor • 1963 Billy G. Mills, 8th District. One of the first elected to council in by unanimously electing him the tandem with Bradley. 65th Speaker of the California State Assembly–one of the three • 1973 David Cunningham Jr., 10th District. Won special election to fill most powerful positions in state unexpired term of Tom Bradley, who government. He was only the was elected Mayor. second African American to be elected to this post. As Speaker, • 1975 Robert Farrell, 8th District. Filled unexpired term of Billy G. Wesson fought to protect society’s Mills. most vulnerable and to pass groundbreaking legislation on • 1987 Nate Holden, 10th District. Filled unexpired term of David the environment, education and Cunningham, Jr. healthcare. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Wesson • 1991 Rita Walters, 9th District. First African American woman elected to is the son of blue-collar parents who the City Council. Filled unexpired taught him the value of hard work and term of Gilbert Lindsay following his persistence. In 1999, he fulfilled a death. promise to his family and completed his Bachelor’s Degree in History from • 1991 Mark Ridley-Thomas, 8th District. Lincoln University in Pennsylvania– nearly 30 years after an illness in the • 2001 Jan Perry, 9th District. family prevented him from finishing his • 2003 Martin Ludlow, 10th District. • 2003 Bernard C. Parks, 8th District. senior year. Took office July 1, 2003. History of African Americans • 2005 Herb Wesson, 10th District. Who Have Served on the Los Won election to fulfill Martin Ludlow’s unexpired term, when the Angeles City Council latter resigned to serve as head of • 1963 Gilbert Lindsay appointed to the Los Angeles County Federation vacant seat in January, succeeding of Labor.  Ed Roybal. First African American

72  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

NASA App Sends Photos Directly From Mars to Your SmartPhone by Adam Mann

Developed by computer scientist Mark Powell of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the app also allows you to browse older photos from the rover’s archive. It is free and available for both iPhone/iPad (http:// itunes.apple.com/us/app/marsimages/id492852224?ls=1&mt=8) and Android phones (https:// market.android.com/details?id=com.

www.baselinemag.com/c/a/ITManagement/Ten-Rules-of-GreatCompanies-179774/?kc=BLBLBEMNL 12092011INDEPTH Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell/ ASU

73  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Community/Public Inerest

he Mars Images app fetches images from the NASA Opportunity rover’s latest downlink as soon as they’re available. On Mars since 2004, Opportunity has far exceeded its planned mission life and is still making groundbreaking discoveries, such as the recent unambiguous evidence that water once flowed on Mars.

powellware.marsimages). NASA will add the image archive from Opportunity’s twin, the now defunct Spirit rover, in later versions of the app. The agency is also planning to release a similar app for the Mars Science Laboratory, once it lands and starts snapping photos in August. 

John Levy

major advocate for and representative of jazz musicians

1912-2012

hmad Jamal recently described Levy as “one of the foremost supportive bassists” of the postwar period. In that role, beginning as a teenager, Levy worked with Ray Nance, Earl Hines, Stuff Smith, Ben Webster and Lennie Tristano, among dozens of other prominent jazz figures.

Above, we see him with Jimmy Jones in 1947. When he was playing with the George Shearing Quintet in the late 1940s, Levy took over the business affairs of the group and soon made a career transition to full-time artist management. His client roster included Shearing, Cannonball Adderley, Nancy Wilson, Wes Montgomery, Herbie Hancock, Joe Williams, Abbey Lincoln and Freddie Hubbard. An induction into the International Jazz Hall of Fame (1997), a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Jazz Society, and the 2006 NEA Jazz Master of the National Endowment for the Arts were among the many honors Levy received during his career. John was born in New Orleans on April 11, 1912. When he was a boy, his teacher urged him to get a job in the Post Office so he would have security in

least, the artists themselves. As he looked forward to celebrating his 100th birthday on April 11, his wife asked people who knew John to send memories and impressions. The responses from friends, clients, and musicians who appreciated his playing are posted on the Celebration page of Devra and

life. He didn’t listen. He became known internationally as one of the top jazz managers in the world. As a personal manager who throughout the course of his career managed more than eightyfive artists, Levy made millions of dollars for his clients, who have risen from sometimes-total anonymity to the heights of success. Working in the dual roles of both performer and road manager, he gradually grew into a career in personal management, becoming the first African-American personal manager in the jazz field. But his drive pushed him even further, and soon he was promoting concerts and producing records. His years of success in all these areas earned him an impeccable reputation in the entertainment industry, where he was both respected and admired by other managers, booking agents, concert promoters, entertainment lawyers and accountants, record company executives, and last but not

John’s Lushlife website (www.lushlife. com). According to Levy’s wishes, there will be no funeral service. Donations may be made to the “MCG Jazz John Levy Fund” which is earmarked for the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild’s nationwide “Jazz Is Life” educational programs (www.mcgjazz.org). 

75  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

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76  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Donald Cortez “Don” Cornelius The Representation of Cool

September 27, 1936 -February 1, 2012 Don Cornelius was born on Chicago’s South Side and raised in the Bronzeville neighborhood. Following his graduation from DuSable High School in 1954, he joined the United States Marine Corps and served 18 months in Korea. He worked at various jobs following his stint in the military, including serving as an officer with the Chicago Police Department. He quit his day job to take a three-month broadcasting course in 1966 despite being married with two sons and only $400 in his bank account. In 1966, he landed a job as an announcer, news reporter and disc jockey on Chicago radio station WVON. Armed with sharp suits and a mesmerizing voice, Don Cornelius set out in 1970 to entertain viewers of Chicago’s WCIU with a song-anddance TV show called Soul Train. Soul Train started as an after-school dance show on WCIU, supported by such local acts as Curtis Mayfield and The Chi-Lites. The show was sponsored by Johnson Products, makers of Afro Sheen, and with owner George Johnson’s help, Cornelius moved production to Los Angeles for a weekly syndicated show that premiered in 1971. Stations skeptical of the unproven series were won over when Gladys Knight agreed to do the pilot. Other artists quickly jumped on board. Cornelius, 75, died at his home in Sherman Oaks, CA. The music maverick struck financial and cultural gold with Soul Train, whose 35 years on the air made it the longest first-run syndicated show in history, with an effect that crossed generations and races. “Soul Train gave the black community reason to be proud,” says Kenneth Gamble, half of the fabled songwriting team Gamble & Huff, who wrote the

show’s chugging theme song. “It was so rare at the time to see someone black doing anything like that.” Soul Train, with its driving music and innovative dancers rooted in the urban scene, was the coolest party you could hope to crash. Its minimalist stage played host to everyone from the Jackson 5 to Elton John. Soul Train “had a substantial impact and was very much a part of contemporary music history,” says Clive Davis, chief creative officer of Sony Music Worldwide and the record mogul who nurtured the careers of Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and Dionne Warwick. “His show reached a sizable and devoted audience, and every major artist of the time did it and did it willingly.” With his smooth, resonant baritone, Cornelius introduced hundreds of stars to the nation’s multicultural TV audience, including James Brown, Jerry Butler, Marvin Gaye, The O’Jays and Barry White. In the background were a colorful menagerie of partiers who influenced dance and fashion and opened a window onto black culture that had received scant media exposure. “Back then, there was no targeted television and I just had the sense that television shouldn’t be that way,” Cornelius told USA TODAY in a rare interview in 2010, when the show was celebrated with a VH1 documentary. “The primary mission of the show was to provide TV exposure for people who would not get it otherwise. People who didn’t get invited to The Mike Douglas Show, or (Johnny) Carson. There was no ethnic television, just generalmarket television, which meant mostly white people.” Soul Train’s role in pushing black culture into the mainstream cannot be underestimated, says Mark Anthony

Neal, professor of black popular culture at Duke University. “He was the host with the most,” says Jermaine Hall, editor of Vibe magazine. “He was the representation of cool. He put across to the culture at large what was going on in the African-American community, much the way later on hiphop would do the same.” Cornelius would conduct his Soul Train until 1993, which stayed on the tracks another 13 years with assorted hosts. By the time he sold it to MadVision Entertainment in 2008, he had created an empire that included the Soul Train Music Awards and Lady of Soul Awards. During 2009 divorce proceedings in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Cornelius stated in court documents: “I have significant health issues. I want to finalize this divorce before I die.” He had had a stroke and undergone brain surgery. So far, no reason for Cornelius’ apparent suicide has been offered. And those who knew him say there were no signs he was depressed in the days before his death. “Soul Train for us was like church on Saturday,” Darryl Porter, co-founder of PorterGeller Entertainment sighs. “It’s a sad ending to a phenomenal life.” Contributing: Edna Gundersen and Carly Mallenbaum, Excerpts from USA TODAY

77  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

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AT&T Brings Back 28 Days Speakers Program for Black History Month

features some of today’s influential and respected leaders offering their own unique perspectives to inspire consumers to use their voices, creative visions and actions to shape their own future. In 2012, four new cities will be

more about AT&T 28 Days at att. com/28days. “The AT&T 28 Days campaign has always been centered around reflecting on the past and creating your own history and this year is no different. Now in its fourth year, the AT&T 28 Days campaign is giving consumers, especially youth, a new campaign sound to listen to that will empower them to achieve their dreams beyond February,” said Jennifer Jones, vice president of diverse markets, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. The AT&T 28 Days speaker series

added to the AT&T 28 Days speaker series tour: Dallas, Texas; Raleigh, N.C.; Cleveland, Ohio; and Detroit, Mich. AT&T 28 Days will kick off in Dallas, Texas at the House of Blues on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 16. Other stops on the seven-city AT&T 28 Days speaker series tour includes: • Scottish Rite Center; Wed., Feb. 1 in Oakland, CA. • Fletcher Opera Theater; Wed., Feb. 8 in Raleigh, NC. • Howard University-Cramton Auditorium; Wednesday, Feb. 15 in

http://targetmarketnews.com/ storyid12291101.htm

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Community/Public Inerest

T&T is bringing back the AT&T 28 Days speaker series to motivate consumers to have a voice, share their vision and move into action this Black History Month and throughout the new year. Learn

Washington, DC. • Ohio Theatre; Mon., Feb. 20 in Cleveland, OH • Park West Theatre; Thurs., Feb. 23 in Chicago, IL. • Shriners Silver Garden Events Center; Wed., Feb. 29 in Detroit, MI. The speaker series events are free and open to the general public and tickets are available at att.com/28days on a first come first serve basis. In addition, three of the speaker series events will be streamed live at facebook.com/att28days and the streaming schedule will be announced at a future date. Past AT&T 28 Days speaker series lineups have included celebrities and thought leaders such as health fitness champion Laila Ali, and hip-hop media mogul and philanthropist Russell Simmons. “AT&T is always looking for opportunities to expand our programs. This year, we are increasing the number of cities that will host the AT&T 28 Days speaker series because we want to take this campaign to places that have not yet had the live 28 Days experience,” Jennifer Jones said. With a new campaign rhythm, AT&T has included an interactive sweepstakes on att.com/28days that will interface with Facebook and Twitter, for consumers to share inspirational comments and photos in relation to the song. When consumers post comments and photos, they will be entered for a chance to win technology prizes and autographed merchandise. Prizes will be drawn weekly and consumers will be allowed one entry per person. The AT&T 28 Days campaign is just one of the ways AT&T supports the African American community. AT&T’s continued sponsorship of programs such as the AT&T Nation’s Football Classic and the AT&T HBCU Tailgate Tour featuring Russ Parr and Rickey Smiley in 2011 showcase the company’s longstanding commitment to investing in programs that educate and empower its diverse consumers. For more information about AT&T 28 Days and AT&T’s Black History Month programs, visit www.att.com/28days. 

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www.nabef.org/letsmove/default.asp

www.nabef.org/letsmove/default.asp Beyoncé and a core of performers from participating middle schools across the United States move their bodies in the 4+ minute video and encourage viewers to get up and get going. The NABEF and Beyoncé produced

and made the video available to the public via YouTube in support of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Initiative to help curb childhood obesity. View the video from the NABEF website at www.nabef.org/letsmove/ default.asp. 

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Community/Public Inerest

he National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) in partnership with the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), the National Middle School Association (NMSA) and the National School Boards Association (NSBA) held the “Let’s Move! Flash Workout”, a prechoreographed dance/exercise routine performed to the Beyoncé song titled “Move Your Body”.

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Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (ETI) in South Sudan

Sudan enters a new era of good governance, democracy, accountability and transparency,” said President Kiir. Remarking on President Kiir’s announcement, EITI Chair Clare Short said, “South Sudan is facing enormous challenges in the years ahead. By following the EITI standard, President Kiir’s and his government have demonstrated its commitment to doing things transparently and holding

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resident Salva Kiir of South Sudan has announced that his Government will implement the EITI (Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative), the global standard for transparency of natural resource revenues. “This commitment to implement the EITI is in furtherance of my statement on September 21st that my government is committed to ensuring that South

themselves accountable to South Sudan’s citizens. “ Implementing the EITI standard ensures that all payments from oil and mining operations in South Sudan will be published in an annual EITI report for all South Sudanese citizens to see what they are receiving from their natural resources. The report can be used to recommend how South Sudan can better manage the revenues from its resources. The process will be overseen by a ‘South Sudan EITI multi-stakeholder group’ consisting of representatives from the government, extractives companies and civil society organisations. • Media enquiries can be addressed to Communications Manager Anders Tunold Kråkenes at the EITI International Secretariat, +47-46662888 or akrakenes@eiti.org. • Ms. Short was elected Chair of the EITI International Board at the EITI Global Conference in Paris in March 2011. Ms. Short was the UK Secretary of State for International Development (1997-2003). • The EITI is a coalition of governments, companies, civil society groups, investors and international organisations. All these constituencies are represented on the Board, which is chaired by Clare Short. • 35 countries are currently implementing the EITI standard, and recognised as either EITI Candidate or EITIhttp://eiti.org/ Compliant: Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mongolia, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago, Yemen and Zambia. • In October 2011, President Obama of the United States announced that the United States would implement the EITI, and Australia committed to pilot the EITI. 

Ethiopian Airlines Now in the Star Alliance

International

t a ceremony held at Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport the Star Alliance (www. staralliance.com/en) Chief Executive Board (CEB) welcomed Ethiopian Airlines as the Alliance’s third carrier based on the African continent. “Today we have taken a large step forward in completing our Africa strategy,” said Jaan Albrecht, CEO Star Alliance.” With Ethiopian Airlines now part of the Star Alliance network, we offer our customers the widest choice of flights connecting to, from and within Africa. Moreover, Ethiopian Airlines will bring the Star Alliance customer benefits to more markets across Africa, a region of the world in which air travel is enjoying steady growth rates.”. With the addition of Ethiopian Airlines, the Star Alliance network in Africa grows to cover major commercial and political cities of the continent particularly in East, Central and West Africa. In total, the 16 Star Alliance member carriers serving Africa offer more than 750 daily flights to over 110 destinations in 48 countries on the continent, with Addis Ababa, Cairo and Johannesburg serving as the main hubs. “It is another historical milestone for Ethiopian to join this most prestigious and longest serving Alliance in the world,”said Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO Ethiopian Airlines. “This day will remain colourfully marked in our history book. It is in line with our efforts to lay a strong foundation for the airline to achieve its vision 2025 objectives.” On a global scale, with the addition of Ethiopian Airlines, the Star Alliance

network now counts 28 airlines, offering a choice of more than 21,000 daily flights to 1,290 destinations in 189 countries. Through its Star Alliance membership, Ethiopian Airlines now offers its customers the benefits of being a member of a global airline alliance: worldwide reach via the extensive network, seamless travel and status recognition through the frequent flyer programmes. Ethiopian Airlines ShebaMiles participants can now earn miles when flying on any Star Alliance member carrier, with the collected miles counting towards achieving ShebaMiles Silver Club or Gold Glub status. All collected miles can be redeemed for flights operated by any Star Alliance member carrier. In addition, all ShebaMiles Silver Club and Gold Club customers will receive the respective Alliance Silver and Gold benefits every time they travel on a Star Alliance member carrier. By the same token, Ethiopian Airlines will be extending the Alliance Silver and Gold benefits to status customers from all other Star Alliance member carriers when they fly on Ethiopian Airlines. Ethiopian Airlines will also participate in and sell the various Alliance fare products. On the corporate side, Ethiopia is an important destination for meetings and conventions. Indeed, its capital city Addis Ababa is often referred to as the “political capital of Africa”. This stems from the fact that the city is home to organisations such as the African Union or United Nations

Economic Commission for Africa. By participating in both Star Alliance Conventions Plus and Meetings Plus, Ethiopian Airlines will now be able to offer worldwide flight connections at special rates for delegates and participants. On the leisure side, Ethiopian Airlines will begin participating in the various Star Alliance fare products as of January 01, 2012. The airline’s African routes will be added to the offer of the Star Alliance Africa Airpass, a special fare designed for those wishing to criss-cross the continent by air. At the same time Ethiopian Airlines will also become part of the Star Alliance Round the World fare, opening the airline’s network for globe trotters.

Ethiopian Airlines As flag carrier of Ethiopia, Ethiopian Airlines has become one of the continent’s leading carriers, unrivalled in Africa for efficiency and operational success, turning profits for most years of its existence. Ethiopian Airlines was established on December 21, 1945 and made its maiden flight to Cairo in 1946. Ethiopian Airlines provides scheduled and dependable services to 63 international destinations spanning four continents.

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see Ethiopian Airlines on page 87

Ethiopian Airlines

Fleet modernization from page 86

As one of the pioneer African Airlines, Ethiopian has come a long way since its humble beginning, with DC-3/C-47 aircraft. Operating at the forefront of technology, it has now become one of Ethiopia’s major industries and a veritable institution in Africa, operating a modern and environmental friendly fleet. It commands a lion’s share of the pan African network including the only

At present, aircraft with the Ethiopian flag fly to Europe, North America, Africa, Middle East and Asia. The combination of a modern fleet and a developed network of connections to major cities across the globe are strong assets of Ethiopian. Ethiopian’s current destinations network reaches 63 cities in four continents and 17 within Ethiopia. In 2012 Ethiopian will start flying the latest generation of passenger aircraft – the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. With the introduction of the

787, Ethiopian customers will enjoy an innovative new interior environment, wider seats and aisles, larger windows and greatly improved overall flying experience. In addition to the 10 Boeing 787s on order, Ethiopian will complement the future fleet with 12 Airbus A350-900s and 10 Boeing 737-800s.

Awards

daily east-west flight across the continent. The airline is currently implementing its 15-year strategic plan called “Vision 2025” with the goal of becoming the most competitive and leading aviation group in Africa. During the period 2010-11 Ethiopian carried 3.7 million passengers, successfully competing with other airlines with respect to modern equipment, convenience of connections, and quality of service. Its green, yellow and red emblem is recognised almost everywhere as the symbol of the Ethiopian flag carrier. Ethiopian is proud to be a Star Alliance Member.

Network coverage and

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Ethiopian has earned various industry awards in recognition to its contribution to African aviation and its outstanding services. Some of the recent examples are: • “Airline Reliability Performance Award” from Bombardier in 2011. • “Deal of the Year 2010 Award” awarded by Air Finance Journal in 2011. • “The African Cargo Airline of the Year Award” by STAT times in 2011. • “The NEPAD Transport Infrastructure Excellence Awards 2009” by NEPAD • “Airlines of the year 2009” Award, organised by the London-based African Business Journal. 

RESOURCES FOR GOING GLOBAL Dear International Executive, Below are upcoming U.S. Commercial Service initiatives designed to connect you to business opportunities around the world.

International

1. Event: Addressing Business and Personal Security Issues Threatening U.S. Companies Working in Mexico 2. Event: Hot Market Watch: Selling to Brazil, China, South Korea and Vietnam/ASEAN 3. Promote Your Products Worldwide for $295 with a STEP Match 4. Display Your Products in the USA Export Expo Online Trade Show 5. Commercial News USA Offers Buy 2, Get 1 Free Promotion 6. Read the New Online Edition of Commercial News USA If you have any questions about these initiatives, please contact your local U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist. To find the trade specialist nearest you please visit http://www.buyusa. gov/home/us.html ********************************** Event: Addressing Business and Personal Security Issues Threatening U.S. Companies Working in Mexico Venue: Spellman Center, Lindenwood University, St. Louis, Missouri Date: March 1, 2012 Learn more/register: http://export.gov/ missouri/build/groups/public/@eg_us_ mo/documents/webcontent/eg_us_ mo_041484.pdf For U.S. companies doing business in Mexico, physical and personal security should be a major priority. General street crime and criminal groups specifically targeting foreign companies have drastically increased over recent years and these threats should be addressed in every company’s business plan. Companies who are currently op-

erating in Mexico should assess their operations including facilities, logistics and the security of their employees. Those companies considering startup operations in Mexico should have a security risk assessment as part of their consideration when identifying a venue. Companies can significantly decrease security threats against their operations and employees by taking the time to identify risks and proactively addressing them. This program will feature leading security experts who will discuss current and future security threats of which businesses and travelers should be aware of. Attendees will learn more about how the U.S. Embassy, FBI, State Department, U.S. Department of Commerce and State of Missouri can assist you with both proactive and reactive approaches to your company and employee needs. In addition, a major global U.S. company will provide a case study on addressing risks in Mexico. Allied Intelligence, along with other private sector service companies, will offering advice based on years of experience supporting companies. ********************************** Event: Hot Market Watch: Selling to Brazil, China, South Korea and Vietnam/ASEAN Venue: Cincinnati, OH Date: March 21-22, 2012 Learn & register: http://export.gov/ohio/ southernohio/tradeevents/index.asp This conference is an annual event organized by the U.S. Commercial Service in Cincinnati. This year’s conference will focus on the “hot markets” of Brazil, China, South Korea and ASEAN region and will provide market updates, tools, and resources for U.S. companies interested in selling to or expanding further into these countries and regions. There will also be an evening networking reception the night before (March 21). Presenters will include U.S. Department of Commerce

Commercial Officers from the U.S Commercial Service, who will also be available for one-on-one meetings to discuss your company’s market potential in Brazil, China, South Korea and/ or ASEAN region. In addition to plenary sessions, there will be several breakout sessions to choose from. Selected topics for each country/region include: market overviews; corporate perspectives; economic outlooks; customs, tariffs and logistics; financial considerations; legal considerations; taxation/ accounting; and more. For more information, please contact Marcia.Brandstadt@trade.gov or call: 513-684-2944. ********************************** Promote Your Products Worldwide for $295 with a STEP Match Commercial News USA, the official export promotion magazine of the U.S. Department of Commerce, will provide a $300 additional discount to exporters who receive a $500 STEP grant award from their state. These discounts can be used for a 1/9 color listing ad, or larger, in Commercial News USA. The State Trade and Export Promotion Grant (STEP) Pilot grant initiative offers grants to help small businesses. The aim of the STEP Initiative is to increase the number of small businesses that are exporting and increase the value of exports for those small businesses that are currently exporting. Commercial News USA reaches more than a quarter-million buyers worldwide in print and 23,000 per month online. Reserve your space in the next issue today. For information, contact a U.S. Export Assistance Center near you, call 1-800-581-8533, x822, go online to http://www.thinkglobal.us, or send email to advertise@thinkglobal.us. ********************************** Display Your Products in the USA Export Expo Online Trade Show Commercial News USA, the official ex-

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see Ethiopian Airlines on page 89

Going Global from page 88

port promotion magazine of the U.S. Department of Commerce, offers exporters an inexpensive way to promote their products and services in 178 countries worldwide. Now, advertisers in the March-April 2012 issue will receive free booth set-up ($495 value) in the USA Export Expo Online Marketplace (http://www.usaexportexpo. com), sponsored by Commercial News USA. Reserve your space in the next issue today. For more information, call 1-800-581-8533 x 822, visit http://www. thinkglobal.us or email advertise@ thinkglobal.us. ********************************** Commercial News USA Offers Buy 2, Get 1 Free Promotion

********************************** Read the New Online Edition of Commercial News USA Commercial News USA, the official export promotion magazine of the U.S. Department of Commerce, has launched a new interactive PDF edition. The new edition is available for free at http:// cnusa.thinkglobal.us Commercial News USA offers exporters an affordable way

African Repatriation is an invaluable online resource for any African national who is thinking about returning to Africa. Our industry articles and specialist editorials provide the latest sector information. Why not find out for yourself and become a part of our growing community today?

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Career Opportunities in Africa Search and apply online for the latest vacancies in Africa with African Talent. We provide candidates and employers with the tools and resources needed in today’s competitive job market. For employers, we offer numerous options to feature your jobs in Africa and for candidates, reviewing the most recent job vacancies in Africa is a fast, easy process. Uploading your CV is simple and takes just a few moments.

www.africantalent.com to promote their products and services in 178 countries worldwide. Commercial News USA reaches more than a quartermillion buyers worldwide. Reserve your space in the next issue today. For more information, call 1-800-581-8533 x 822, visit http://www.thinkglobal.us, or e-mail advertise@thinkglobal.us

********************************** The U.S. Commercial Service - Your Global Business Partner. With offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commer-

cial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration uses its global Network and international resources to connect U.S companies with international buyers worldwide. If you have any questions about these initiatives, please contact your local U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist. To find the trade specialist nearest you please visit http://export.gov/ california/ca/socal/index.asp. 

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89  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbusinessnews.net

International

Commercial News USA, the official export promotion magazine of the U.S. Department of Commerce, offers exporters an affordable way to promote their products and services in 178 countries worldwide. Commercial News USA, the official export promotion magazine of the U.S. Department of Commerce, offers exporters an inexpensive way to promote their products and services in 178 countries worldwide. In addition to free Portuguese translation, you can take advantage of a special offer: Buy two ads and get the third ad for free (Based on one-time rates. This does not include the Showcase section). Commercial News USA reaches more than a quarter million buyers worldwide. Reserve your space in the next issue today. For more information, contact your U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist, or call 1-800581-8533 x 822, or visit http://www. thinkglobal.us/499, or send e-mail to advertise@thinkglobal.us

Returning to Africa?

or fiscal year 2011, Ex-Im Bank approved over $32 billion in financing, an all-time record for the Bank and up 110% from 2008. These financings supported approximately 300,000 U.S. jobs and included more than 3,000 small business transactions - up nearly 20%. Fiscal year 2011 marks the third consecutive record-breaking year, with significant growth seen in industries such as aircraft, renewable energy, and infrastructure as well as key markets including Colombia, India, Turkey, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Ex-Im Bank is steadfast in achieving the goals of the President’s National Export Initiative (NEI) in doubling exports by 2015. In addition, significant progress was made in accomplishing Ex-Im Bank’s goals to add 5,000 new small businesses to the Ex-Im Bank portfolio, double the small business volume to $9 billion, and approve $30 billion in total small business transactions.

• Double its annual small business volume to $9 billion ($6 billion as of 9/30/11 - GOAL $9 billion) • Approve $30 billion in total small business transactions ($15.3 billion as of 9/30/11 - GOAL $30 billion) Preliminary FY’11 Highlights Include: • 3,750 transactions • 1,019 companies new businesses to Ex-Im portfolio • $6.0 billion in small business export financing, an all-time record • $719 million in minority- and woman- owned export financing • $720 million in renewable financing, up from $30 million in 2008 • Over $1.3 billion in Sub Saharan Africa - first time we have passed the billion dollar mark in Africa

• $2.9 billion increase to India, a direct result of the President’s efforts to build a strategic alliance Ex-Im Bank Issues Over 100 Express Insurance Policies Since its launch at Ex-Im Bank’s 2011 Annual Conference, express insurance has proved to be a much-needed shortterm export insurance product, which is available only to small businesses. One hundred and twelve exporters purchased an express insurance policy in fiscal year 2011 leading to over $50 million in authorizations. Thirty-two of our insurance broker partners distributed more than 90% of the express insurance policies, with Trade Acceptance Group of Minnesota and Global Business Solutions of North Carolina tied for the most express policies sold.

Ex-Im Bank Profile Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that helps create and maintain U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. The Bank provides a variety of financing mechanisms, including working capital loan guarantees, export-credit insurance, and financing

Looking Ahead FY2012 2012 Goals include: • Support Goals of National Export Initiative - continue the financing of U.S. products and services to double U.S. exports by 2015. • Increase Small Business Authorizations & Transactions create new products and engage new partners to focus on reaching out to more small businesses. • Government at the Speed of Business - target 80% of all Ex-Im Bank’s transactions to be completed within 30 days. • Increase Infrastructure & Renewable Financing - meet global need for infrastructure demand and capitalize on new opportunities.

to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods and services. Ex-Im Bank is self-sustaining and is able to cover all operating costs and potential losses while also producing revenue. The Bank has generated $1.9 billion for U.S. taxpayers over the past five years. Follow Ex-Im Bank on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eximbankus. Join the Ex-Im Bank network at http://www. linkedin.com/company/export-importbank-of-the-united-states.  The complete quarterly report, including video presentations, may be viewed at www.exim.gov/newsletter/volume6/ newsletter_October18.cfm#four

91  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbusinessnews.net

International

• Add a total of 5,000 new small businesses to the Ex-Im Bank portfolio (1,500 as of 9/30/11 - GOAL 5000)

www.exim.gov

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92  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Continental Africa Chamber of Commerce USA

IBM Joins with Kenyan Banks

in Collaboration with U.S. Department of Commerce Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (Office of Trade and Investment) Cook County Planning and Development Department City of Chicago and Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce

Cordially invite you to the 7th US-Africa Trade & Investment Forum, Conference and Exposition

Africa - The Next World Market May 16-18, 2012, Chicago, IL This historic event will take place during the G-8 Summit to be hosted in Chicago May 2012, where four African Presidents will be in attendance.

BM (NYSE: IBM) has announced details of five strategic agreements in the Kenyan financial services sector as banks across Africa turn to advanced technologies to support rapid growth, increase profitability and launch innovative new services such as mobile and internet banking. Over the last six months IBM has signed contracts with five of Kenya’s leading banks: Credit Bank (http://creditbank.co.ke), Co-operative Bank (www.coopbank.co.ke), Family Bank (www. familybank.co.ke), National Bank of

Africa offers great potential for American businesses and investors. The Forum will provide a dynamic platform that:

This Forum provides an important opportunity for US companies to understand and engage business interests across the vast and diverse markets of a new Africa.

Join us!

For more information, please contact us at: www.continentalacc.org Email: info@continentalacc.org 1-312-987-1892 tel 1-312-987-1893 fax 28 E. Jackson Boulevard Suite #600, Chicago, IL 60604

Kenya (www.nationalbank.co.ke) and National Industrial Credit (NIC) Bank (www.nic-bank.com). The agreements are amongst more than 20 similar deals that IBM has signed with banks across Africa in 2011 in line with the rapid growth of the financial services sector and as technology enables a wave of

Vodafone, IBM is helping Safaricom to provide its M-PESA mobile money service to over 15 million customers in East Africa. “Africa is c u r r e n t l y experiencing strong uptake in banking services in line with the growth of the continent’s middle class and the adoption of mobile and internet banking,” said Anthony Mwai, County General Manager, IBM East Africa. “Advanced technologies are helping to drive a wave of innovation across the African financial services sector as banks create new and accessible banking channels and take banking services to previously unbanked parts of society.” According to analysts, Africa’s financial services sector is currently worth over $100 billion and will continue to grow by double digits to 2020, outpacing Africa’s gross domestic product growth. Retail banking is currently the fastest growing segment predicted to grow at 18 per cent between 2009 and 2020 through increased demand for deposit accounts and the launch of sophisticated banking services.*. 

93  February 2012  Black Business News  www.blackbbusinessnews.net

Nubian Enterprises

International

•Presents to American corporate and public-policy makers the wide array of investment opportunities in Africa; •Discusses the ways in which these opportunities can be realized; •Meets participants’ strategic interests by creating networking opportunities and an avenue for the development of bilateral investment possibilities; •Provides one-on-one negotiation opportunities; •Encourages American companies to exhibit their products and services; and •Invites African businesses to exhibit their products under AGOA

innovation in African banking. IBM is also working with Africa’s leading telco companies to help provide financial services based on increasingly widespread mobile devices. For example, through its partnership with

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