Black Enterprise articles from June 2005

Black Enterprise archives from June 2005

Web features.(blackenterprise.com)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... If you asked the IRS for an extension to file your income taxes, you'll have to decide whether to mail or e-file your returns by the August 15 deadline. Here's how 581 blackenterprise.com readers said they would file this year. Prepare my...

Be 100s spotlight.(blackenterprise.com)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... It's that time of year again when BLACK ENTERPRISE unveils the BE 100s, the largest African American-owned businesses in the nation. After reading how industries fared over the last year, visit blackenterprise.com for expanded coverage, CEO...

Web tools.(blackenterprise.com)
June 1, 2005... FRANCHISE FINDER www.blackenterprise.com/ franchisefinder Select from franchises that suit your interests and open your dream business today! GET $25 WHEN YOU INVEST www.blackenterprise.com/bemoney Sharebuilder and...

Resource line.(WEB COLUMNS)
June 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)(Brief Article)
June 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...

Black business is black wealth.(publisher's page)
June 1, 2005... Principle No. 8 of the BLACK ENTERPRISE Black Wealth Initiative's Declaration of Financial Empowerment is to support the creation and growth of profitable, competitive black-owned enterprises. This principle is the foundation upon which BE was...

Soaring on the winds of change.(About This Issue)(Fairview Capital Management, Morris Communications Inc. and Prestige Automotive Group's achievements and awards)(Editorial)
June 1, 2005... The winds of change continue to sweep through the business landscape, hr today's environment, CEOs see the signs of an impending tempest one day and find their companies in the middle of a tsunami the next. Competition for revenue growth...

Lest we forget.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... After reading the article on the NAACP ("NAACP's Mfume Steps Down," Newspoints February 2005), I was dumbfounded. Professor Charles Ogletree, a so-called civil rights lawyer, sounded like he had no inkling about what the NAACP...

A missed changing of the guard?(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... WHAT PRIDE YOU MUST HAVE taken in seeing the number of high-ranking African Americans in corporate America increase to 75 this year. Your February Publisher's Page captured the joy, but aptly reminded us that we still have miles to go. ...

The importance of youth.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... IN RESPONSE TO YOUR BACKTALK article in the February 2005 issue, Dr. Cornel West really opened up a lot of people's eyes concerning the issue of getting young people to vote. I'm a 22-year-old, soon-to-be college graduate and I have been...

Longtime guide.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... BLACK ENTERPRISE since I was 17 years old and I am now 38. This publication was my introduction to the world of business and entrepreneurship. I saw people who looked like me doing their own thing and being successful at it. I saw there was...

Setting a presidential precedent.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... As Carolyn M. Brown wrote in "Playing Homage to a Political Icon" (Newspoints, March 2005), the late Shirley Chisholm is deeply deserving of being honored during National Women's History Month. Unfortunately, when Ms. Brown names past black...

Research or rubbish?(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... I WAS DISAPPOINTED AND disturbed that your article "The 50 Most Powerful African Americans in Sports" (March 2005) failed to mention Bob Wallace, executive vice president and general counsel of the St. Louis Rams football franchise, one of the...

Helping redefine a career in sports.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING the behind-the-scenes--and often overlooked--contributions of African Americans on the business side of the sports industry. There are many career opportunities in the sports industry even if you cannot dunk, hit, or...

Let's broaden the playing field.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... I AM AN AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE who is very grateful for your article highlighting "The 50 Most Powerful African Americans in Sports." I am an accounting supervisor for a Fortune 500 company and would like to join the ranks of executive...

Reginald Lewis: the deal heard 'round the world: his $985 million buyout of TLC Beatrice set the bar for the next generation.(Ultimate Wealth Builders)
June 1, 2005... In 1987, a 44-year-old Wall Street attorney--armed with deal-making prowess and iron-willed determination--acquired a division of one of the nation's 500 largest corporations for almost $1 billion. The transaction was a crowning moment in...

Bush slashes funds for key programs; the growing budget crunch may squeeze the middle class and business owners.(WASHINGTON REPORT)(president George W. Bush)
June 1, 2005... As the fight over the federal budget intensifies, policy analysts forecast that deficits and spending trends will force the White House and Congress to make hard fiscal decisions that may hurt a broad swath of Americans--from emerging...

Update: the 75 most powerful blacks in Corporate America: holding true to their titles, some of these movers and shakers have made power moves recently, while others were less fortunate.(POWER PLAYERS)
June 1, 2005... BLACK ENTERPRISE compiles a list of the highest-ranking executives from the 1,000 largest domestic and international publicly traded companies. The 2005 list featured 38 CEOs and 26 presidents. However, since it was published in February,...

Cochran's legacy extends beyond courtroom; brilliant legal mind who succumbed to brain tumor inspired hope and changed lives.(IN MEMORIAM)(Johnnie L. Cochran)(Obituary)
June 1, 2005... Most Americans identify Johnnie L. Cochran's career with the Dream Team, the legal team that won the acquittal of O.J. Simpson on charges of murder in 1995. But Cochran also fostered a dream that gave a voice to the disenfranchised and...

Health plan query hurting or helping us? Insurers that ask about race claim knowledge will help close gaps in healthcare.(health insurers asking about race and ethnicity)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Managed-care plans are asking members to identify their race on forms or trying to collect the data through other means. Industry insiders say the efforts are to help explain and close racial disparities in medical treatment. About half of the...

Is AIDS awareness a paradox? Despite programs, record numbers of blacks are infected or dead.(acquired immune deficiency syndrome)
June 1, 2005... Makgatho Mandela, 54, died of AIDS on Jan. 6, 2005. Just six months earlier his father, former South African President Nelson 2Mandela, addressed the International AIDS Conference. Mandela, an advocate of global HIV/AIDS awareness, asked people...

Amendment seeks $78m in SBA loans; the Senate passes budget measure to restore critical programs.(Small Business Administration)
June 1, 2005... The U.S. Senate gave entrepreneurs hope that the future of 14 programs, either cut back or terminated by the Bush administration's 2006 budget for the Small Business Administration, may not be as bleak. In March, the Senate passed an amendment...

Former publisher turns to travel.(NEWSBYTES)(Avocet Travel )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Essence magazine co-founder and president emeritus Clarence O. Smith launched Avocet Travel in early 2003 with $2.5 million in startup costs. Smith and his seven employees have launched the nation's first nonstop air charter service between the...

Time Warner Inc. closed sister publication Suede.(NEWSBYTES)(Suede)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Time Warner Inc. closed sister publication Suede, and now will weather the storms surrounding the company's majority buyout without Diane Weathers at the helm as editor-in-chief. After four years in the position, Weathers resigned to "devote...

When Reginald Bowser launched RolloverSystems Inc., a 401(k) rollover company.(NEWSBYTES)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... When Reginald Bowser launched RolloverSystems Inc., a 401(k) rollover company, in March 2003, he probably never envisioned becoming partners with Black Entertainment Television founder Robert L. Johnson, but that's just what happened in April....

No parallels between buying power and wealth: blacks have more money available but should save, not spend.(FACTS & FIGURES)
June 1, 2005... In 2004, black buying power rose to $723 billion, up from $585 billion in 2000, according to The Multicultural Economy 2004, a report by The Selig Center for Economic Growth. The report defines buying power as the total personal income...

Managing your home equity line: Todd Brown used credit to build his real estate business.(HOMEOWNERSHIP)
June 1, 2005... Todd Brown, 28, stumbled onto his now full-time career of buying, rehabilitating, managing, and selling homes. From age 16 to 19, he worked in his brother's Queens, New York, barbershop, saving money while he lived at home with his mother. He...

Going for growth: SBK-Brooks Investment Corp. CEO says sector selection is key.(STOCK PICKS)
June 1, 2005... For Eric L. Small, president and CEO of Cleveland-based SBK- Brooks Investment Corp., selecting the best investment opportunities during the current U.S. domestic market means instructing his research analysts to watch for positive industry...

Insurance and healthcare revival: Kiln Weaver's focus on out-of-favor industries delivered solid returns.(stock market forecast and trends)
June 1, 2005... When Kila Weaver, senior managing director and financial analyst at Capital Management Group Securities, spoke to BLACK ENTERPRISE last year, she was focused on small and mid-cap firms in the financial services and healthcare industries. She...

High yields, on the house: if you're worried about rising interest rates, Ginnie Mae funds are safe.(guaranteed securities from Government National Mortgage Association)
June 1, 2005... If you're concerned that higher interest rates will devalue bonds this year, Uncle Sam has a deal for you. Securities guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association, called GNMA securities or Ginnie Mae securities, are about as safe...

QA: Retire on $3,000 a year?(MONEY MATTERS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... QA. I'm 37 years old, just started my retirement plan, and need to know how much I will have when I retire, I'm saving 5% of my earnings biweekly. What percentage do I need to contribute to save $3,000 a year? --M. Hall Via the...

Generating buzz on the street: guerrilla marketing street teams serve as the eyes and ears of urban consumers.(MAKING IT)
June 1, 2005... As an intern at Bad Boy Entertainment, Shawn Prez did not view the other interns as his competition. Instead, he looked to the company's executives as the people he had to keep pace with. Prez's desire to run with the head honchos led him on a...

Power up your proposal: here's what it takes to get a potential client to say yes to your pitch.(CLOSING THE SALE)(suggestions for proposal writing)
June 1, 2005... You've got a top-notch product, superior manpower, and enough business acumen to rival your toughest competitors. Still, the best and biggest contracts continue to elude you. Chances are, your business is popping, but your business...

Getting the right mix: independent record label finds success by representing a diverse group of artists.(Dirrty Records on its path to success)
June 1, 2005... The fact that Lunden De'Leon truly loves what she does has helped her skip over any obstacles on her path to success. "I just use every stumbling block as a stepping stone," says the 30-year-old founder and CEO of Dirrty Records in Beverly...

Up to par: inventor tells how he got a patent for his new golf game.(STARTING UP)(Clyde Beasley's table golf)
June 1, 2005... Three years before his November 2002 release from Folsom State Prison in California, Clyde Beasley came up with an idea that would change his life. He was watching a golf tournament on television. "I remember that the golfers were playing in a...

QA: Secondhand start.(SAVVY SOLUTIONS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... I'm 28 years old. I have been considering the idea of opening a consignment shop. I am doing research on the internet and I have spoken with a couple of business owners in my area. I am working on a business plan now. Where should I start? ...

Reshaping the telecom landscape: COMTek executive delivers new broadband option.(BLACK DIGERATI)(Joseph E. Fergus)
June 1, 2005... The next innovation in broadband Internet access has just turned an interesting corner. Some telecommunications industry insiders have been pointing to 2005 as the year when broadband over power line (BPL) technology finally makes that critical...

To tell the truth: voice-stress technology analyzes angry customers, wayward spouses, and everyone in between.(TECH NEWS)(NICE Performance)
June 1, 2005... A person's voice can reveal many emotions: happiness, sadness, anger, even ambivalence. But outside of polygraphs, it's difficult to hear what the voice isn't saying. With that in mind, new and innovative technologies are allowing businesses to...

Rubbing elbows in cyberspace: more professionals are connecting through online networking.(TECH NEWS)
June 1, 2005... As executive producer of hive.media, an independent television production company based in Dallas, Alexander Muse knows that while creating a television series is one thing, selling it to a network is quite another. After completing the pilot...

QA: Legal laptops.(CYBERWISE)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... QA In the fall will be entering law school and need to purchase a laptop. What are some of the hardware features I should look for, and which are the most economical buys? T. Johnson Via the Internet Finding the right laptop for...

Don't give up your day job; E.M.B.A.s offer a degree--and work security.(EXECUTIVE MEMO)(executive Master of business administration.)
June 1, 2005... Every month, Shawn Young travels more than 2,000 miles in pursuit of an executive M.B.A. The 33-year-old banker makes biweekly trips from Charlotte, North Carolina, where he is a vice president at Wachovia Corp., to New York for Friday and...

Straight and to the point: the new focus of executive education is job-specific.(MAKING CONNECTIONS)
June 1, 2005... As a new team leader at a major pharmaceutical firm, engineer Lionel Edlam was tapped to attend leadership training. The four-day session featured role playing, situational models, and class work and included everything from examining the role...

Count on this: new report on the number of blacks on corporate boards.(DIVERSITY WATCH)
June 1, 2005... A company's commitment to diversity is defined not only by how many minorities it employs but, among other criteria, the extent to which the components that impact and influence its business objectives are diverse. One such area is governance a...

QA: It's a new day.(SINCE YOU ASKED)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Q A I have been seeking employment in marketing communications in Chicago since 2001 to no avail, despite my experience and education (B.A. in Public Relations, 1992/M.S. in Marketing Communications, 1995). I am now afraid that I have been out...

Octagon Worldwide.(ON THE MOVE)(Appointed aKay H. Hadati s multicultural marketing director)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Kay H. Hadati has joined Octagon Worldwide as multicultural marketing director of its new multicultural marketing division. As head of this division, he is responsible for leading account teams in developing and executing effective marketing...

Chrysler Group.(ON THE MOVE)(Appointed Kim Harris as vice president)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Kim Harris Jones has become the first African American female vice president at the Chrysler Group. As vice president of product finance, she is responsible for ensuring that all vehicles produced and sold meet financial requirements including...

Pro-Line International.(ON THE MOVE)(Appointed Chris Thomas as global vice president of sales )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Chris Thomas has been appointed global vice president of sales at Pro-Line International. He is charged with leading the domestic and international sales organizations for all the Pro-Line International brands in addition to developing...

M.R. Beal & Co.(ON THE MOVE)(Appointed William Fisher as senior vice president )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... William Fisher has been named senior vice president of the new Atlanta offices of M.R. Beal & Co. His duties will include management of banking and financial advisory activities in the Southeast region as well as developing new business...

Sony Urban Music.(ON THE MOVE)(Appointed Noel-Schure as the new senior vice president of media )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Yvette Noel-Schure is the new senior vice president of media at Sony Urban Music. Her responsibilities include creating comprehensive media plans for artists and company publicity. Noel-Schure formerly served as vice president of media at...

Convention calendar.(POWERPLAY)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... June 2005 Black Coaches Association 2005 BCA National Convention and Expo June 1-4, 2005; Indianapolis; 317-829-5603; www.bcasports.org Mountain Region Black Economic Summit June 2-3, 2005; Denver; 866-268-4327; www,...

Sheltering his business: James Wiley uses tax strategies to build wealth.(Black Wealth Initiative)(public accounting services)
June 1, 2005... AFTER NEARLY 10 YEARS, JAMES WILEY walked away from corporate America. Now he's on the path to entrepreneurship. Taking $22,000 from his IRA, the 34-year-old CPA opened J.E. Wiley CPA & Associates in June 2004. His Atlanta-based company has 45...

Going after their goals: with little consumer debt and a solid household income, the Turners are ready to accelerate their financial plans.(FINANCIAL FITNESS CONTEST WINNER NO. 59)
June 1, 2005... TREVIETTE SAULS AND REGINALD TURNER are on the roads to financial freedom. They have stayed the course by living well below their means in their savings accounts. "We try to pay ourselves first," says Sauls. "We take the money we said we were...

Bold players new strategies: staking a claim in the mainstream.(B.E. 100s OVERVIEW)
June 1, 2005... TODAY'S BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT moves at lightning speed. For the chief executives of the nation's largest black-owned businesses, keeping pace is priority No. 1. They must continually re-evaluate corporate capabilities and tinker with their...

Finding the right formula for growth: from joint ventures to divestitures, the BE industrial/service 100 used a mix of strategies to beat the competition.(B.E. INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 OVERVIEW)(Industry Overview)
June 1, 2005... IT WAS GOOD TO BE AFRICAN AMERICAN and a business owner in 2004, With more attention given to diversity in America, minority-owned companies found themselves in high demand. From the private sector to the government, America recognized black...

Industrial/service companies.(B.E. INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... Industrial/Service Companies THIS LAST YEAR YEAR COMPANY LOCATION 1 1 World Wide Technology Inc. St. Louis, MO 2 2 CAMAC International Inc. ...

Critical mass: when Dimensions International acquired fellow BE 100s firm SENTEL Corp., it created a new force in the homeland security sector.(B.E. COMPANY OF THE YEAR)(Company Profile)
June 1, 2005... High above the court at Washington, D.C.'s MCI Center, Russell Wright watches the action as the playoff-hopeful Wizards square off against the Atlanta Hawks. From an apartment-sized executive suite, replete with a fully stocked bar and buffet...

Changing lanes: in a tough market, auto dealerships make quick moves to boost the bottom line.(B.E. AUTO INDUSTRY OVERVIEW)(Industry Overview)
June 1, 2005... For black-owned auto dealerships, business in 2004 was a two-way street. While the auto industry sold near-record numbers of new vehicles, indicating a drive in the right direction, many dealerships were forced to shut their doors. As a result,...

Auto dealers.(B.E. AUTO DEALER 100)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... BOLD PLAYERS NEW STRATEGIES B.E. 100S Auto Dealers THIS LAST YEAR YEAR COMPANY LOCATION 1 1 Prestige Automotive Detroit, MI 2 2 March/Hodge ...

Billion-dollar dealer: Prestige automotive is the first black-owned auto dealership to achieve this earnings milestone. Behind the wheel is a CEO focused on maximizing profits while grooming future business leaders.(B.E. AUTO DEALER OF THE YEAR)(Company Profile)
June 1, 2005... On a sunny springtime morning just outside of Detroit, Gregory Jackson makes his rounds, strolling past row after row of gleaming automobiles on the lot of his Pontiac/Buick/GMC Truck dealership. A hint of winter still lingers in the air as...

Winds of change: amid shifting dynamics, black ad agencies are adapting to stay alive.(B.E. ADVERTISING OVERVIEW)
June 1, 2005... When it comes to operating an African American-owned ad agency, change is good. Perhaps no one knows better than Tom Burrell, chairman emeritus of the highly successful Burrell Agency. The founder of the Chicago-based firm stepped down...

Advertising agencies.(B.E. ADVERTISING AGENCIES)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... Advertising Agencies THIS LAST YEAR YEAR COMPANY LOCATION 1 1 Globalhue Southfield, MI 2 2 Carol H. Williams Oakland, CA ...

Growth from within: E. Morris Communications Inc. gained market share in a less than stellar environment by turning to existing clients.(B.E. ADVERTISING AGENCY OF THE YEAR)
June 1, 2005... EUGENE MORRIS' FIRM WAS nearinG death's door. Billings at Chicago-based E. Morris Communications Inc. had plummeted 41.6% to $18.7 million in 2002, causing the company to fall off the BE ADVERTISING AGENCIES list. Making matters worse,...

Holding their ground: to win today's turf wars, BE financial services firms must develop new products and find strategic partners.(B.E. FINANCIAL SERVICES OVERVIEW)
June 1, 2005... SQUEEZED BY INCREASED COMPETITION and the crucial need to grow customer base, increase capital, and offer 21st-century products and services, black-owned financial services companies are being prompted to become more creative and modernize...

Banks.(B.E. BANKS)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... Banks THIS LAST YEAR YEAR COMPANY LOCATION 1 1 Carver Federal New York, NY Savings Bank 2 2 OneUnited Boston, MA ...

Asset managers.(B.E. ASSET MANAGERS)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... Asset Managers THIS LAST YEAR YEAR COMPANY LOCATION 1 1 Ariel Capital Chicago, IL Management L.L.C. 2 2 EARNEST Partners...

Investment banks.(B.E. INVESTMENT BANKS/PRIVATE EQUITY)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... Investment Banks THIS LAST YEAR YEAR COMPANY LOCATION 1 1 The Williams Capital Group L.P. New York, NY 2 2 Blaylock & Partners L.P. New York,...

Private equity firms.(B.E. INVESTMENT BANKS/PRIVATE EQUITY)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... Private Equity Firms THIS LAST LEAK YEAR COMPANY LOCATION 1 1 Fairview Capital Farmington, CT Partners Inc. 2 4 Pharos Capital Dallas, TX ...

Fund of funds: Fairview Capital used a razor-sharp strategic focus and high-powered talent to build a $1.6 billion private equity enterprise.(B.E. FINANCIAL COMPANY OF THE YEAR)(Fairview Capital Partners Inc.)(Company Profile)(Cover Story)
June 1, 2005... FAIRVIEW CAPITAL PARTNERS WAS GETTING READY TO face its greatest competitive challenge--and $640 million was on the line. For years, co-founders Jo Ann Price, 55, and Laurence Morse, 53, had concerns about financial behemoths such as Credit...

Ready for takeoff: sound strategies and high risks boost entrepreneurs to the other side of sacrifice--better known as success.(B.E. 100s FRESHMAN CLASS)(Walter F. Johnson III, of Eagle Group International Inc.; Clifford Franklin, of Fuse Inc.; Carvel Simmons, of Trio Trucking Inc.; and Art Allen, of Coastal Motorcars)(Company Profile)
June 1, 2005... What is an astronaut feeling as he's sitting on the rocket launch pad strapped into his pod at the brink of takeoff? Determination, fear, and an immense sense of faith are among the emotions tangled in the moment. As the countdown begins--ten,...

Freshman class.(B.E. 100s FRESHMAN CLASS: READY FOR TAKEOFF)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... Freshman Class Industrial/Service Companies COMPANY TYPE OF BUSINESS Eagle Group International Inc. Technical services contractor for government agencies Campbell...

Auto dealerships.(B.E. 100s FRESHMAN CLASS: READY FOR TAKEOFF)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... Auto Dealerships COMPANY TYPE OF BUSINESS Superstition Springs Lexus Lexus dealer Phil Waterford's Manteca Ford Mercury Ford, Mercury dealer Superstition Springs Chrysler ...

Banks.(B.E. 100s FRESHMAN CLASS: READY FOR TAKEOFF)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... Banks COMPANY LOCATION RANKING ASSETS * Advance Bank Baltimore, MD 21 74.036 * IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE NEAREST THOUSAND, AS OF DEC. 31, 2004. PREPARED BY B.E. RESEARCH. REVIEWED BY THE...

Advertising agencies.(B.E. 100s FRESHMAN CLASS: READY FOR TAKEOFF)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... Advertising Agencies COMPANY LOCATION RANKING ASSETS * Fuse Inc. St. Louis, MO 7 53.396 * IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE NEAREST THOUSAND, AS OF DEC. 31, 2004. PREPARED BY B.E. RESEARCH....

Private equity firms.(B.E. 100s FRESHMAN CLASS: READY FOR TAKEOFF)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... Private Equity Firms CAPTIAL NUMBER COMPANY LOCATION RANKING MANAGEMENT * United Enterprise New York, NY 10 41 Fund L.P. * IN MILLIONS...

Open after dark: starting a nightclub is tough, but with the right location, look, and a little bit of luck, you can make millions.(DREAM BUSINESS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... On a typical Saturday night, Gregory Bowyer can be found moving swiftly and inconspicuously through the crowd at Excalibur, his year-old nightclub. While he's checking on operations and making sure his clientele is happy, hip-hop and R&B beats...

Squeeze play: is America's offshoring movement hurting black businesses? Many are applying innovative strategies to buck the trend.(SPECIAL REPORT)
June 1, 2005... IT IS NOTHING LESS THAN THE HOT-button labor issue of our times. The unions have howled about it for years, and the press chimes in regularly with bushels of bad news on the topic. Last year, the story elbowed its way into the presidential...

Closing the gap: our economists agree that homeownership and retirement planning are a potent pair when it comes to building net worth.(BOARD OF ECONOMISTS)
June 1, 2005... MAISHA AND ERIC DAVIS MADE A MAJOR move last year, literally and financially. "We bought our first home, a three-bedroom house in Baltimore. it's in a quiet neighborhood, with a big yard where our children can play. It's a good feeling, knowing...

Student loan survival guide: drowning in student loans? Save yourself from debt using our simple step-by-step plan.(MONEY BASICS)
June 1, 2005... Philip Jones wanted nothing more than to marry his fiancee, fly away to Costa Rica, and embark on the rest of his life. But something was holding him back--the $40,000 in student loans he owes to Direct Loans and Sallie Mae. Jones, 30, was...

Don't charge away your benefits.(PERSONAL FINANCE)
June 1, 2005... When labeler Shine finished graduate school in 2002, she was so fed up with credit card debt that she used part of her signing bonus from her new job to pay off all her cards. Then she did the unthinkable--she cut them all up! Shine, a...

Save now for later: here are 7 everyday strategies to put more cash in your coffers.(MONEY MANAGEMENT)
June 1, 2005... IT MAY SEEM HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT PURCHASING THAT 40-INCH PLASMA TV for next year's Super Bowl--or opening an IRA account--can be as easy as squirreling away your spare change, giving up those two Jarge lattes at your local coffeehouse, and...

The Billion Dollar Roundtable.(Advertisement)
June 1, 2005... SECRETS (LESSON FROM) OF THE BILLION DOLLAR ROUNDTABLE--FROM COMPANIES RUNNING THE LARGEST SUPPLIER DIVERSITY PROGRAMS In a world of minority purchasing, The Billion Dollar Roundtable (Roundtable) stands out. It is an organization with a...

Get to the point: learn to communicate concisely.(PEAK PERFORMANCE)
June 1, 2005... When it comes to exchanging information, time is truly a precious commodity, and people don't have it to waste. Thus, aimless, long-winded soliloquies are definite communication faux pas. How can we learn to be concise in our communique? ...

Striving for more: Gwen Moore worked her way from welfare to Washington.(TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS)(Biography)
June 1, 2005... At first glance, Gwendolynne S. Moore looks like a schoolteacher. Her trademark stylish glasses frame a dignified face, exuding warmth and warning. But she's quick to point out, "I don't play." Her lady-next-door appeal formed the base for her...

From here to there.(WORDS TO STRIVE BY)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
June 1, 2005... What does it take to get from one point in your life to the next? About 64 nudges in a positive direction, according to The Success Principles: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Jack Canfield with Janet Switzer...