Black Enterprise articles from April 2005

Black Enterprise archives from April 2005

Your two cents: access to homeownership.(Web Features)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... We asked 827 blackenterprise.com users what's the most difficult part about buying a house. Here's what you had to say: Getting approved for a low-interest loan 21% Saving for the down payment 20%...

All eyes on you.(blackenterprise.com)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... As an entrepreneur or top executive, you'll find it hard to avoid public speaking. Whether it's television, a panel discussion, or delivering a presentation to your peers, here are some tips to help you shine. ...

Web tools.(blackenterprise.com)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... FRANCHISE FINDER www.blackenterprise.com/franchisefinder Select from franchise that suit your interests and open your dream busines today! GET $25 WHEN YOU INVEST www.blackenterprise.com/bemoney ShareBuilder and...

Resource line.(Web Columns)
April 1, 2005... Whatever your professional or entrepreneurial needs, you can find advice at blackenterprise.com. Interactive Media Editor Latif Lewis' column provides useful resources for business owners, corporate executives, and budding investors. ...

Web highlights.(blackenterprise.com)
April 1, 2005... JOB SEARCH Give yourself a free career makeover using our online job search. B.E. NOW ON TV AND RADIO Look for streaming video and audio clips from our latest business news ventures. HOMEOWNERSHIP Find out the steps you need to take to...

Building our own safety nets.(publisher's page)
April 1, 2005... Is the Social Security system really in crisis? It depends on who you ask. On one hand, there are those who project that the system is on track to run out of money as early as 2042. The officially projected shortfall: an eye-popping $3.7...

Investing for the long haul.(About This Issue)
April 1, 2005... When you read through this month's issue of BLACK ENTERPRISE, you will probably notice a common thread that runs through our money management package. It's a simple message: investing for the purpose of creating multigenerational wealth means...

Travers Bell: breaking barriers on Wall Street: one of the first blacks to gain a seat on the New York stock exchange, this Maverick paved the way for blacks to compete in the world of high finance.(Ultimate Wealth Builders)
April 1, 2005... The year was 1972. While most African Americans were oblivious to the wheelings and dealings on Wall Street. a young dynamo named Travers Bell Jr. was making moves. Although his securities firm. Daniels & Bell. was a mere infant--he started it...

Educating aspiring homeowners.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... I would like to applaud BLACK ENTERPRISE for taking a serious approach to educating your readers about home financing. This is very important because, African Americans, we have one the lowest homeownership rates in this country. Bringing...

Expanding homeownership.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... I APPLAUD BE FOR ITS EMPHASIS ON HOMEOWNERSHIP. As secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, expanding homeownership and its many benefits to more African American families is one of my highest priorities. Black...

New year, zero debt.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... I READ YOUR ARTICLE "HOLIDAY DEBT HANGOVER" in the January 2005 issue. This was a good article. I used to have the problems that were stated in the article. I now start my Christmas shopping in August. I purchase one gift out of each...

Kudos from a satisfied subscriber.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... I would like to applaud you and your staff for the consistent quality and value each your issues brings to the African American community. Unlike other magazines targeted to minorities, your writers always focus on a solution to matters....

The gift of employment.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM MOST PEOPLE ARE HAVING today, which is not being able to find a job. I am writing because I read your column ["Give the Gift of Employment," Publisher's Page, December 2004]. I graduated from college about a year...

The reality of credit.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... I AM CURRENTLY UNDERTAKING MY MASTER'S THESIS, investigating the credit reporting industry and how its policies do not tell an accurate story of individual credit worthiness. [See "Perfect Score," November 2004.] For example, public policy...

Joyner strikes deal with Radio One: Radio One purchases Reach Media in $56 million deal.(Business Deals)
April 1, 2005... The balance of power in radio and television is shifting from the distributor to the talent, as is evident from recent syndication moves by top radio personalities. The most lucrative of deals is the one Tom Joyner struck with Radio One in...

Investing in reconstruction: black business community plays key role in tsunami relief efforts.(Around The Nation)
April 1, 2005... The gravity of the tsunami that devastated parts of Africa and Asia On Dec. 26 has not been lost on the black business community. Black entrepreneurs across the nation have stepped up to the plate to donate money, time, and business services to...

RSIS shares redistributed.(B.E. 100s)(W.Scott Amey retires leaving Rodney Hunt)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Founding partner W. Scott Amey retired from his post at RS Information Systems Inc. (No. 15 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 list with $260 million in sales), leaving Rodney Hunt, CEO, president, and co-founder, to assume the additional role of...

Thompson named McDonald's COO.(Don Thompson)(Chief Operations Officer)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Don Thompson. 43, has been promoted to chief operations officer for McDonald's USA. "I am extremely excited about the new role," says Thompson. "My focus wilt be on intensifying our already aggressive focus on operational excellence and...

New CBC chair.(Newsbytes)(Melvin Watt)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Rep. Melvin Watt, who has represented North Carolina's 12th District for 12 years, was elected chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus in January. "It is important for us to have regular discussions of issues so we can act as a unified...

Two black-owned technology consulting firms, Blackwell Consulting Services (No. 96 on the Be Industrial/Service 100 list with $31.5 million in sales) and Electronic Knowledge Interchange merged forces.(Newsbytes)(BCS formed)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Two black-owned technology consulting firms, Blackwell Consulting Services (No, 96 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/ SERVICE 100 list with $31.5 million in sales) and Electronic Knowledge Interchange merged forces, forming BCS. The merger will not only...

Robert Johnson, founder and CEO of Black Entertainment Television, will step down from his post at the end of 2005.(Newsbytes)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Robert Johnson, founder and CEO of Black Entertainment Television, will step down from his post at the end of 2005 when his contract expires. Johnson has already relinquished day-to-day responsibilities at the Washington, D.C.-based cable...

Who's the boss? SBA reports increase in black self-employment rate.(Facts & Figures)(Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Self-employment among African Americans grew strongly between 1997 and 2003 while stagnating amongst whites, according to a Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy report. Although a higher percentage of whites are their own boss,...

Empowerment through self-employment: a motivational speaker uses his craft to reach his retirement goals.(Investment Strategies)
April 1, 2005... Johnnie E. Williams III shattered his right elbow in high school and ended his dreams of playing college basketball. He knew then he'd have to work hard at something else to make a living. "I knew I wouldn't get any offers," says Williams, so...

Consumers mean profits: Vivian D. Hairston says consumer staples provide solid growth under various economic conditions.(Stocks Picks)
April 1, 2005... Whether the economy is up or down, there are always items that consumers will buy--soap, diapers, food, and medicine among them. Vivian D. Hairston, assistant vice president and portfolio manager at Unizan Financial Services Group, tracks the...

A sweet balance sheet: D. Dennis Hinton's reliance on debt-free firms garnered great results.(Portfolio Review)
April 1, 2005... As the chief money manager and executive vice president of Atlanta-based investment banking firm The Resource Group, D. Dennis Hinton prides himself on being able to deliver positive returns for his investors. "The commitment that I try to make...

Tax savings for investment property owners: owning more than one property can have its benefits.(Homeownership)
April 1, 2005... If you own more than one home and you collect rental revenue, there are lucrative tax breaks you can take advantage of, Pat Massenberg and her husband, Derek, own a home and three investment properties in New Jersey's Essex County. When they...

Fighting for a fixed rate.(Money Matters)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Q I purchased a home two years ago and my mortgage payment started out at $397 a month, Now it is $567 a month. I found a lender to refinance my 10% interest rate down to 6% but they insist on giving me-another adjustable rate mortgage in of...

Betting on 'Blak': comic book creators hope their hip-bop superhero becomes a hit.(Making It)
April 1, 2005... Flipping through his art portfolio one day, Mark Davis inadvertently introduced a concept that would take Imajimation Studios--the startup animation business where he worked as an illustrator--to the next level. The characters he sketched...

Curing healthcare: a social activist promotes affordable coverage in underserved communities.(Hugh Marketing Solutions.)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2005... Donald C. Bland is a social and community activist, who believes everyone in America should have access to affordable healthcare. It was this ardent notion, along with grim government statistics on the state of health care in the U.S., that...

Supporting Urban Entrepreneurs: national partnership mobilizes resources to encourage minority business ownership.(Small Business News)
April 1, 2005... When Marc H. Morial began his term as president and CEO of the National Urban League in May 2003, he laid out an ambitious empowerment agenda that included spurring economic development. That plan has since come to fruition through the Urban...

Finding data for clients.(Savvy Solutions)(identifying tools needed to find potential clients for home based business )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Q I am interested in starting an independent professional research business from home. What are the tools I will need to find potential clients? Ida H. Via the Internet A Starting a research business will allow you to serve both...

Learning a lesson: interactive production studio harnesses the educational power of multimedia.(Black Digerati)
April 1, 2005... Clayton Banks wants everyone to know that his company's latest project, Realizing the Dream: Nonviolence or Nonexistence, is not your typical e-learning course. Patterned after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s six core principles of nonviolence and...

In my opinion: online surveys make it easier to get feedback from your customers.(E-Business)(Quash Questionpro, Inquisite)
April 1, 2005... Generally, the best way to get someone's opinion is simply to ask for it. Surveying customers has been a longtime business strategy, but now customer service and employee surveys have moved online. Companies like Quash Questionpro, and...

Staying connected: wireless wave reaches HBCU campuses.(Tech News)(historically black colleges and universities)
April 1, 2005... Five years ago, several historically black colleges and universities invested heavily to wire their campus networks. They didn't want their students left in the lurch of the digital divide. Today. wireless is the buzzword for keeping current...

Database search.(Cyberwise)(technology advice column)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Q Please tell me where and what software I can buy to establish a database? --W. E. Via the Internet A Once you decide on what kind of information you want to manage, there are enough user-friendly database programs to choose...

Zoning in on cultural differences: engaging your staff is more than a matter of black and white.(Diversity Watch)
April 1, 2005... Are African Americans progressive or conservative? "It depends," comedian Chris Rock stressed in his last HBO special. Author and social scientist Mark Williams agrees. In a recent survey he conducted, 30% of African Americans ranked...

From task master to leader: to motivate your team, avoid these common mistakes.(Making Connections)
April 1, 2005... Are leaders born or made? Dr. Rawle Philbert believes that a leader can be made. Appointed seven years ago as director of the department of dentistry at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx, New York Philbert. who was 35 then,...

She's got game: sports agent Sharon Creer.(Career Profile)
April 1, 2005... Why would players come to you, a coach asked Sharon Creer, referring to her male basketball clients. "Why not?" she responded. "Because you're a woman," the coach retorted as if the answer were an obvious one. That was three years...

Get it together.(career development planning)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Q I graduated with my master of science in rehabilitation counseling in May 2002. I have some volunteer experience and ],200 internship hours. I worked in my field for eight months but left because I did not like the company. I am so frustrated...

FedEx Express AGFS Eastern Region.(appointment)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Glen M. Corbin is the new regional vice president and general manager for FedEx Express AGFS Eastern Region. In this new position, Corbin is responsible for all airport and trucking operations at all major airports in the Northeast and also...

AARP Foundation.(appointment)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Jerry Florence has been appointed associate executive director for membership of AARP, and director of the AARP Foundation. As associate executive director, he is responsible for membership development, member value, and knowledge management....

Multicultural Advantage.(appointment)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Jacqueline Jones has been named vice president of Multicultural Advantage, a division of Clear Channel Katz Advantage. Her role is to assist clients in developing innovative marketing/ media programs targeting African American and Hispanic...

Union Bank of California.(appointment)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Stasia Washington has been named vice president and head of wealth strategic markets for wealth management at Union Bank of California. She is responsible for overall financial programs for wealthy families and their businesses and...

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.(appointment)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Eldora L. Ellison has been elected to the directorship at the intellectual property law firm Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C. Her practice emphasizes providing invalidity and noninfringement opinions, conducting interferences and...

Convention calendar.(Calendar)
April 1, 2005... Kellogg School of Management 18th Annual Kellogg Black Management Association Conference April 8-10, 2005; Evanston, IL; 847-491-3300; www.kellogg.northwestern.edu National Forum for Black Public Administrators National Conference--Forum...

To Sow with love: Marvin Dunn turned his affinity for gardening into a community pride project.(Black Wealth Initiative)
April 1, 2005... MARVIN DUNN'S INTEREST IN HORTI-culture began as a teenager, when his father bought a truck and he and his four brothers were enlisted to do landscaping chores across the city. "We learned how to do landscaping by trial and error as kids, and I...

Full-time financial planning: Jennifer Bishop juggles working, earning an advanced degree, and caring for a parent.(Family Finances)(Clark Capital Financial CEO advice on debt management.)
April 1, 2005... JENNIFER ANNE BISHOP IS A WOMAN who believes in preparation. The 31-year-old policy analyst has a bachelor's in sociology from Cornell University, a master's in public health from Columbia University, and she's currently studying for her Ph.D....

Downfall of a black syndication Kingpin: driven into bankruptcy, The Heritage Networks struggles to regain its footing without ex-CEO Frank Mercado-Valdes.(B.E. 100s)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2005... The Heritage Networks was heralded as the face of black television syndication during the 1990s. With shows such as The Parkers and The Steve Harvey Show, the company was not only profitable but ranked among the largest black-owned companies in...

Investing for your security: Social Security reform, market fluctuations, and inflationary pressures mean you've got to take an active role in securing your finances. Our expert panel of money managers tells you what to do with your money now.(investment roundtable)(Panel Discussion)(Cover Story)
April 1, 2005... By The Editors LIKE MANY AMERICANS, GINA AND Lybroan D. James are forming an opinion about President Bush's plan to privatize Social Security. The plan would give individuals an opportunity to invest a portion of their retirement benefits...

Long-distance funds: despite the market, these 100 champs will finish strong when other contenders run out of gas.(Mutual Fund Overview)(Illustration)(Industry Overview)
April 1, 2005... The bull is back. According to Ibbotson Associates in Chicago, large-company U.S. stocks bare returned 10.4% per year since t926, Last year's results were right on par, with the blue chips posting a total return of 10.9% (as measured) by the...

In high spirits: shaken, stirred, or on the rocks? These professionals give you a reason to toast.(career profile)
April 1, 2005... Whether as part of a celebration, social gathering, or a quiet moment at home alcohol consumption in 2003 reached $145.4 billion, according to the Adams Beverage Group, which publishes the annual Adams Handbook Advance--a compendium of...

Be your own boss: affordable franchises.
April 1, 2005... There are franchises out there that don't have to cost you your first born. (Disclaimer: they may cost you your second born.) Many of these less costly franchises are service-based businesses that deliver services to their customers (like The...

Coverall cleaning concept.(special advertising section)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... When Coverall Cleaning Concepts was founded in 1985 the company had one goal in mind--to revolutionize the commercial cleaning industry. By recruiting those individuals who desire to take control of their own professional future and financial...

Express personnel services.(special advertising section)(Company Profile)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Express Personnel Services can simplify your search for your own business. Express provides temporary and flexible staffing, evaluation and direct hire, professional/contract staffing, business solutions and management consulting to individuals...

Denny's.(special advertising section)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Chances are you know us. Denny's. But did you know the company that serves America's favorite foods 24 hours a day also cooked up its best sales performance in over a decade? (1) Denny's commitment to the advancement of ethnic, cultural and...

Geeks on call.(services of the information technology company)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Recent studies have shown that computers are virtually everywhere. Nearly all businesses use them, and 55% of all homes have at least one computer (this number increases to over 80% in upper-income households). What is the secret to Geeks...

Choice Hotels International.
April 1, 2005... Choice Hotels International is one of the world's largest hotel franchising compares with almost 5,000 hotels open and under development worldwide. The company franchises under the Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Cambria...

Merry Maids.(special advertising section)(Company Profile)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... The professional home cleaning market is $12 billion and growing! Merry Maids offers 25 years of franchising expertise in this industry. Company Profile--Merry Maids is the world leader in the maid service industry with more than 900...

Bakers of superior quality * hardo bread * buns * patties * etc.(special advertising section)(Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... 3958 PARK AVENUE BRONX, N.Y. 10457 718-655-7878 718-583-1883 - FAX Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill is the nation's largest Caribbean Franchise and home to the world's best Jamaican style patties and Caribbean cooked...

JAN-PRO.(special advertising section)(JAN-PRO Cleaning Systems)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Three years ago, Tama Oliver of Columbia, South Carolina, began a new career when she joined JAN-PRO Cleaning Systems. By following her desire to become financially secure, Tama changed her life. "After working 24 years for someone else, having...

Walk your talk: your actions ultimately speak louder than words.(Peak Performance)
April 1, 2005... Most of us have been guilty of the "hot air" syndrome at one time or another; you know, all talk and no action. However, studies show that people pay more attention to what others do than what they say. UCLA psychology professor Albert...

I'll do it later: no, you'll do it now! Here's how.(dealing with procrastination)
April 1, 2005... In the spring of 1998, Natalie Gross was determined to apply for an opening that she heard about at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Despite her initial excitement, two weeks had passed and Gross had not officially applied for the job. "I...

The gift basket maker.(Help Yourself)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Q I am trying to establish a gift basket business. I have some gift baskets at a local shop. Within the past three weeks, I haven't been able to get a sale. I live in a very small town. I would like to know if you could help me find a mentor....

Settle for less with the IRS: uncle Sam offers compromise to cash-strapped taxpayers.(Consumer Life)(Internal Revenue Service's Offer in Compromise )
April 1, 2005... Many times, citizens find themselves in a financial quandary and have to cut corners on the debts that they will repay. If you are faced with this dilemma and cannot afford to pay the Internal Revenue Service, consider submitting an Offer in...

Web coupon cutter: from groceries to electronics, finding discounts and rebates online is a breeze.(Secret Savings)
April 1, 2005... When Jane Brown, a part-time employee of the New Jersey Department of Education, needs to save money on groceries, she turns to her local Sunday newspaper for coupons. Just $6 a week in coupons saves Brown around $312 in a year's time. Like...

Student loan blues.(Ask our Advocate)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Q Twenty-five years ago, I completed three years [of undergraduate study] and I need to return to school to complete my degree. Ply student loans are in default, and the university will not release my transcripts unless I pay off the debt in...

Potted pleasures: Patricia Carpenter unearths great international designs.(The Enthusiast)
April 1, 2005... "Just don't call them vases," laughs Patti Carpenter, president of Continuum Home, a New York-based design, manufacturing, import, and wholesale company. "Pots, or ceramics in general, bring an international feel into a home." Pots--ceramic...

Dressing the man: Bernard 0yama's fashion story.(In Fashion)(B. Oyama Homme)(Biography)
April 1, 2005... Framed images of Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and Nat King Cole aptly adorn B. Oyama Homme, the men's boutique in Harlem that sells tailor-cut suits; an assortment of shirts; and haberdashery items such as ties, pocket squares, gloves, cuff...

If you have to ask how much ... The hottest rides of 2005.(Finer Things)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... Smooth Operator Mercedes-Benz SL65 Packing 604 horses at 5,500 rpm, this rear-wheel drive, five-speed automatic boasts a twin-turbocharged V-12 en9ine and AMG SpeedShift, which provides 35% faster gear shifts as well as automatic downshifts...

Build your business.(Entrepreneurs Conference)
April 1, 2005... Are you an entrepreneur? A risk taker? Register today for the Black Enterprise/ General Motors Entrepreneurs Conference, May 18-22, 2005, at the Wyndham Anatole Hotel in Dallas. Be there when more than 1,500 participants-entrepreneurs,...

A very good year.
April 1, 2005... Come and celebrate with us{ 2005 is a special year for BLACK ENTERPRISE--and you get to be a part of it. This year marks two anniversaries: BE'S 35th birthday and the 12th anniversary of the Black Enterprise/Pepsi Golf & Tennis Challenge. ...

Back talk: with Al Roker.(weathercaster at National Broadcasting Company Inc. and founder of Al Roker Productions Inc.)(Interview)
April 1, 2005... As weatherman and co-host of NBC's Today show, Al Roker, 50, wakes up America with his gregarious personality and charismatic weather predictions every morning. At the prestigious Studio 1-A in New York City's Rockefeller Center, he has...