Black Enterprise articles from June 2009

Black Enterprise archives from June 2009

The strong--and smart--survive.(publisher's page)(Editorial)(Editorial)
June 1, 2009... There's nothing like an economic downturn to separate the pretenders from the contenders in business. Anybody can look like a brilliant business leader when the stock market is on a seemingly endless bull run and the economy is booming, but...

Preparing our sons for the game of life.(Executive Memo)(Essay)
June 1, 2009... I have often been amazed by the amount of time and energy many parents invest in their sons' athletic careers. They attend all the games, travel hundreds of miles to take them to tournaments, and scold them if they slack off during practice...

Through the fire.(About This Issue)(Editorial)
June 1, 2009... One of BLACK ENTERPRISE'S most enduring franchises has been the BE 100s--our listing of the nation's largest black-owned businesses. For more than 35 years, these rankings have been cited as one of the key barometers of black business...

Motivation and inspiration.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2009... I LOVED THE MARCH 2009 ISSUE WITH President Obama on the cover. I'll never forget what election night was like in Harlem. People danced in the streets like it was the second coming of Jesus! I also liked the article "A Woman's Guide to...

Leading the pack.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2009... CONGRATS ON HAVING THE COURAGE and being a forerunner in directing your resources to covering the little-known senator from Illinois who is now President Obama. It's one thing to be first, but in the words of Congressman John Lewis, it's...

Obama overdose.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2009... AFTER REVIEWING THIS MONTH'S continued worship of President Obama I could not help but think how the nation would react to a magazine tided WHITE Enterprise or WHITE television network or WHITE appreciation month? With whites becoming a...

Where's your entrepreneurial spirit?(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2009... EARL "BUTCH" GRAVES JR. SAID THAT corporations often look at layoffs as the first line of defense in reducing costs, (Executive Memo, March 2009). This should force us to realize that we can no longer rely on being employed with companies for...

Who's working the news?(talking points: What You Need To Know)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... The big picture is that minorities are still underrepresented in broadcast news, according to results from the latest Radio-Television News Directors Association/Hofstra University annual survey of women and minorities in broadcasting. But...

Religion's role in politics.(talking points: What You Need To Know)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] African Americans who say that churches should express their views on social and political topics, the same as the number of white evangelical Protestants, according to the Pew Research Center for the People & the...

Black shortage on TV screens.(talking points: What You Need To Know)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... The NAACP's Hollywood Bureau latest report, "Out of Focus-Out of Sync Take 4," shows African Americans and other minorities continue to be grossly underrepresented in nearly every aspect of television and film businesses. [GRAPHIC OMITTED]...

Federal judges not color-blind.(talking points: What You Need To Know)(impact of judges' race to cases)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University uncovered that in hundreds of U.S. federal court cases involving workplace racial harassment, the race of the judge frequently...

A bird in the hand: annuities have become popular among investors who fear they'll outlive their assets.(INSURANCE)
June 1, 2009... EVEN THE BEST PREPARED SENIORS enter retirement facing a dilemma: Is it possible to live on savings and investments, and have enough left over to pass on to the next generation? That's the question Barbara B. Pendleton confronted four years...

Dividends: the gift that keeps giving: why investing in companies that share profits--especially now--is a wise move.(INVESTING)
June 1, 2009... THINK DIVIDENDS DON'T MATTER? THINK AGAIN: SINCE 1926, dividends have accounted for more than 40% of the total return of the stocks in the Standard & Poor's 500. The stock market's freefall is anxiety producing. But getting paid to wait it...

Stocks for the long run: Ted Parrish of Henssler Equity Funds believes you can find buy-and-hold bargains amid the market rubble.(STOCK PICKS)(Interview)
June 1, 2009... THE MARKET'S MESSAGE IS MIXED. A GLOOMY WINTER gave way to an early spring rally. A number of pundits say the economy has begun to put the brakes on its slide. No matter what the talking heads say, there are opportunities to be had,...

Money matters.(QA)(debt)(Brief article)(Column)
June 1, 2009... Our family has stuck to BE'S Wealth for Life principles for the last five years, and with a lot of discipline, we've reduced our debt by 50%, But as we watch President Obama repair the economy, we have a hard time explaining to our kids why...

Boost the value of your home: a few simple renovations can make your dwelling a hot commodity--no matter what the housing market looks like.(CONSUMER LIFE)
June 1, 2009... YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL CHARISSE WORKMAN ABOUT the housing bust. As a real estate agent, the 38-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, resident has had a front-row seat. But when Workman and her husband, Westley, looked at the unfinished basement...

Ask your advocate.(QA)(income tax refund )(Brief article)(Column)
June 1, 2009... I lost my income tax refund check. How can I get my money? --L. Yang New York City Fortunately, you have several options. You can call the Internal Revenue Service at 800-8294954 and speak to one of its agents or use the automated...

Funny business: comedy is the catalyst for J. Anthony Brown's family-owned empire.(MAKING IT)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] COMEDIAN J. ANTHONY BROWN HAS BEEN DOING WHAT he does best for nearly 40 years. Not wanting to be known as your run-of-the-mill entertainer, however, Brown launched a company, It's Just a Joke...

Helping hands: a well-chosen consultant can help you steer clear of recession pitfalls.(MANAGEMENT ADVICE)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IN A RECESSION, IT'S TEMPTING FOR SMALL BUSINESS owners to close ranks, slash spending, balk at risk, and focus on just making it day to day. But Desiree H. Young, a marketing and strategy consultant who cut her...

Mr. (or Mrs.) fix it: avoid mistakes by heeding the hard-earned lessons of other entrepreneurs.(MANAGEMENT ADVICE)
June 1, 2009... MISTAKES--WE ALL MAKE THEM, BUT IN AN ECONOMY this tough, even a small misstep can lead you away from the road to business success. But that doesn't mean you should close shop until the street's been repaved. "When the economy takes a hit,...

Savvy solutions.(QA)(pitching for comic book deal)(Brief article)(Column)
June 1, 2009... I am not an artist, but I had someone draw up my ideas for a comic book. Now. I am looking to somehow get this idea out to a small independent or major label I have * also considered putting it on the Internet first. I am at a loss as to where...

Clean, green, and (almost) paper-free: African American IT firms help Morehouse School of Medicine go paperless, get e-compliant.(TECH SOLUTIONS)
June 1, 2009... EVERY WORKER IN THE U.S. HIRED AFTER NOV. 6, 1986, is required to complete an I-9 form. Over the course of several years, this means millions of copies of the forms travel through various departments at companies and institutions. It also means...

Backup comes to cell phones: CyberSynch's Amos Winbush helps clients secure data.(STARTUP NEWS)
June 1, 2009... AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER, WE'VE ALL SEEN THE frantic Facebook status update: "My phone is dead. I need numbers. Please call!" Singer-songwriter Amos Winbush III (who has performed with the likes of Erykah Badu, Joe, and Carl Thomas) didn't back...

Cyberwise.(QA)(digital cameras)(Brief article)(Column)
June 1, 2009... I am a beginning/intermediate-level photo enthusiast and want to add images to my site and blog. What do you recommend? Should I get a high-end digital camera or plain-old point-and-shoot? --Anonymous Via E-mail Digital cameras...

In perfect alignment: an HR auto exec understands the importance of synchronizing the team.(EXECUTIVE SUITE)(Ford Motor Co.'s human resource vice president, Felicia Fields)(Interview)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Given the state of the economy, how are HR expectations changing? Leadership and professional development are a high priority for us. We're focused on specific competencies, like knowing and having a passion for...

Staying ahead of the curve: performing your best for companies that now demand more.(MAKING CONNECTIONS)
June 1, 2009... SAM BALARK FIELDS COMPLAINTS ABOUT FAULTY voicemails and downed phone lines from discontented customers--even when he's at social affairs or black-tie galas. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "The phrase 'not in my job description' is not in my...

Team spirit: how you can maximize your staff's time and potential despite economic worries.(EXECUTIVE MEMO)
June 1, 2009... IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, IT MAY BE HARD TO figure out which employees are coping better--those who have been laid off who are now battling stiff competition in the marketplace, or those left behind to shoulder more responsibility while fighting...

Since you asked.(QA)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q I'm a 30-year-old single mother with a bachelor's in economics and more than 10 years of corporate accounting experience. I want to transition into the public sector working for a federal agency, I'm now applying...

Felicia Norwood.(FROM THE C-SUITE)(president of ActiveHealth)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New Position: President and Chief Executive Officer Organization: ActiveHealth Location: New York Former Position: Chief Operating Officer of ActiveHealth Background/Responsibilities: As CEO, Norwood...

AnneMarie Eades.(ON THE MOVE)(Morehouse School of Medicine's Director of Network Operations for Information Technology)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New Position: Director of Network Operations for Information Technology Organization: Morehouse School of Medicine Location: Atlanta Responsibilities: Oversees management and optimization of the...

Donna Sims Wilson.(ON THE MOVE)(M.R. Beal and Co.'s president)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... New Position: President Organization: M.R. Beal & Co. Location: Chicago Responsibilities: Manages the firm's equity-related activities with public pension plans, institutional asset management firms, and corporations nationally...

Gaby Longsworth.(ON THE MOVE)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New Position: Partner Organization: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox Location: Washington, D.C. Responsibilities: Domestic and foreign patent prosecution Former Position: Associate

Derrick Godfrey.(ON THE MOVE)(vice president of Major League Baseball)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... New Position: Vice President, International Business Development Organization: Major League Baseball Location: New York Responsibilities: Generating new revenue opportunities in emerging international markets Former Position:...

Breaking the [begin strikethrough]glass[end strikethrough] concrete ceiling: a new report examines what's keeping black professional women from high-level positions.(SPECIAL REPORT)
June 1, 2009... "BEING IN CORPORATE AMERICA IS ABOUT PLAYING team ball 100% of the time," says Nicole Lewis, vice president of global marketing for Kelly Services, a company specializing in workforce management services and human resources solutions. "Even...

A frugal family: Janice and Mark Blake make sure their family knows how to stick to a budget.(Wealth For Life)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Principle No. 1 I will live within my means IN THE MIDST OF THIS "GREAT RECESSION," A good number of Americans have resorted to ignoring money matters, clinging to hopes that they can begin saving,...

Pursuing the American dream: Richard Cherry strives to build wealth through homeownership.(Financial Fitness Contest Winner No. 101)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] RICHARD CHERRY IS MORE INTERESTED in being wealthy than looking wealthy. Living well below his means has enabled him to purchase homes throughout Prince George's County and other areas in Maryland, where Cherry, 33,...

Dying for the promise of perfection: sun, surf, and surgery gone awry. Lisa Espinosa's real-life cautionary tale of overseas cosmetic surgery.(SPECIAL REPORT)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LYING IN AGONY ON AN OPERATING table, Lisa Espinosa, 43, was certain she was minutes away from death, The promise of inexpensive cosmetic surgery lured her to the Dominican Republic in April 2004 where a physician in...

What President Obama's economic agenda means for you: within its first 100 days, the new administration has sought to restore America with a series of financial initiatives. Whether you're job hunting, trying to buy a home, or find capital for your business, our editors tell you how to access the resources you need.(SPECIAL REPORT)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IN HIS FIRST THREE MONTHS IN OFFICE, PRESIDENT Barack Obama has transformed government into an activist tool that seeks to help American citizens recapture their share of the American dream. Not since Franklin D....

Forged in fire: the new rules of doing business: singed by a scorching downturn, BE 100s CEOs rework their companies to seek out new opportunities.(BE 100s: THE NATION'S LARGEST BLACK BUSINESSES)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DOWNTURNS HAPPEN. THE U.S. HAS EXPERIENCED 32 in the last 150 years or so, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts. And they all eventually ended. While it's a given that our...

B.E. industrial/service companies.(BE 100s: THE NATION'S LARGEST BLACK BUSINESSES)(Table)
June 1, 2009... B.E. INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE COMPANIES This Last Year Year Company Location 1 1 World Wide Technology Inc. Maryland Heights, MO 2 2 CAMAC International Corp. Houston,...

The many colors of PRWT: once a back-office support provider, this chameleon-like company redefined itself as a player in the pharmaceutical services industry.(INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE Company of the Year)(PRWT Services Inc.)(Company overview)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SOME PEOPLE BECOME ENTREPRENEURS AS A MEANS TO become their own boss or build wealth. Others take this course through happenstance or opportunity. Willie F. Johnson just wanted to create a few jobs within his...

B.E. auto dealers.(BE 100S: THE NATION'S LARGEST BLACK BUSINESSES)(Table)
June 1, 2009... B.E. AUTO DEALERS Year Year Company Location 1 1 Prestige Automotive Group St. Claire Shores, MI 2 2 March Hodge Automotive Group Wesley Chapel, FL 3 -- RLJ...

Forged in fire: the new rules of doing business: for the first time ever, industry conditions force us not to name an Auto Dealer of the Year.(BE 100s: THE NATION'S LARGEST BLACK BUSINESSES)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WITH THE EXCEPTION OF FINANCIAL SERVICES, NO OTHER industry has been harder hit by the economic downturn than automotive. For U.S. manufacturers (which hold the lion's share of African American-owned dealerships), it...

Advertising agencies feeling the pinch.(B.E. ADVERTISING AGENCIES)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE BLACK-OWNED ADVERTISING AGENCIES WERE DEALT A ONE-TWO PUNCH in 2008. Billings for the industry, which have been trending downward in recent years, were pummeled by the near collapse of the American automotive...

Sweet science: Sanders\Wingo has found the right equation to beat the competition: extensive research, new media, and unlimited creativity equal satisfied clients and higher billings.(ADVERTISING Agency of the Year)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE AUSTIN, TEXAS, OFFICE OF SANDERS\ Wingo Advertising inc. (No. 5 on the BE ADVERTISING AGENCIES list with $111.8 million in billings) can be found just steps away from the University of Texas' sprawling campus and...

B.E. banks.(BE 100s: THE NATION'S LARGEST BLACK BUSINESSES)(List)
June 1, 2009... B.E. BANKS This Last Year Year Company Location 1 1 Carver Federal New York, NY Savings Bank 2 2 OneUnited Bank Boston, MA 3 3 City National...

Asset managers seek higher returns.(B.E. ASSET MANAGERS)
June 1, 2009... FOR MOST ASSET MANAGERS, MARKET ACTIVITY IN 2008 WASN'T JUST volatile, it was downright brutal. With the deterioration of several of Wall Street's most venerable institutions--Lehman Bros. and Merrill Lynch among them--and the freezing of...

B.E. investment banks.(BE 100s: THE NATION'S LARGEST BLACK BUSINESSES)(Black Enterprise)(List)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To better capture how deals are recorded in the financial services industry, BLACK ENTERPRISE altered the methodology for ranking investment banks. Whereas in past years, we added these sums together, we've opted to...

B.E. private equity firms.(BE 100s: THE NATION'S LARGEST BLACK BUSINESSES)(Table)
June 1, 2009... B.E. PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS This Last Year Year Company Location 1 1 MacFarlane Partners San Francisco, CA 2 2 Fairview Capital Partners Inc. West Hartford, CT ...

The loan rangers: the founders of Legacy Bank fight financial discrimination with a healthy flow of capital into their Milwaukee neighborhood.(FINANCIAL SERVICES Company of the Year)(Margaret Henningsen, Shirley Lanier, and Deloris Sims )
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT WAS A LONG, QUIET RIDE FROM MADISON, Wisconsin, to Milwaukee. For nearly 90 minutes, Margaret Henningsen, Shirley Lanier, and Deloris Sims rode in the car in silence, numb from what they'd just heard in their...

Supplier diversity--a winning strategy in tough times: the mounting pressures of job losses and budget cuts have not deterred chief diversity officers from building strategic partnerships with minority suppliers. Consistency in the face of adversity is the mantra of companies that are committed to staying the course on diversity.(DIVERSITY)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Corporate America's commitment to diversity as a core strategic objective is being tested as at no other time. The global financial crisis has forced many companies to reorganize and re-evaluate long-set priorities,...

Voice of reason: one young man's mission to help his generation see the importance of education.(EVERYDAY HERO)(Jordan Coleman)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT ALL STARTED AS A CHALLENGE. JORDAN COLEMAN, the voice of Tyrone the Moose from Nickelodeon's Emmy award-winning show The Backyardigans, was encouraged by his parents to take some of the money from his acting job...

Get back on the road: reclaim your drive and leave uncertainty in the dust.(MOTIVATION: ATTITUDE ENHANCEMENT)
June 1, 2009... AFTER TWO YEARS OF DEVELOPING a collaborative art space in the heart of Chicago, Maya-Camille Broussard, 30, and partner Chrishon Lampley, 34, hit a wall they couldn't circumnavigate: Their landlord forced them out of their gallery space--where...

Pep talk.(QA)(entrepreneur guide)(Brief article)(Column)
June 1, 2009... At 59, I'm at a crossroads: My job is closing and I must decide what to do next. Many entrepreneurs are creating lucrative careers that help themselves and their communities--domestically and overseas. I love arts and crafts and I've always...

Here comes the wedding day: how one planner helps couples celebrate their big day without big spending.(THE ENTHUSIAST)(Andre Wells)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SINCE STARTING HIS SELF-TITLED BUSINESS, EVENTS BY Andre Wells, six years ago, Andre Wells has arranged more weddings than he can remember. Though they have varied in style, size, and social significance, Wells says...

A real medical benefit: the Mayo Clinic's Executive Health Program offers relief to stressed professionals.(EXECUTIVE HEALTH)
June 1, 2009... THE CURRENT ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT HAS MANY professionals stressed, yet managing one's health has never been more important. Your health is your most valuable asset. To help maintain it, consider the Mayo Clinic's Executive Health Program. Best...

Black Enterprise business report.(All Access: Your Monthly Pass to B.E. Events, TV & Radio)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Be on the lookout for all new episodes of Black Enterprise Business Report airing on a station near you! We'll be examining the Obama administration to give you a candid breakdown on what's what and who's who. And be...

Black Enterprise college rep program.(All Access: Your Monthly Pass to B.E. Events, TV & Radio)(internship program )(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... It's so hard to say goodbye, but we know that our Black Enterprise college representatives are moving on to do great things. We've come to the end of our successful, first Black Enterprise college rep program. Kudos to the 2008-2009 inaugural...

Backtalk with Randy Moss.(Interview)
June 1, 2009... RANDY MOSS, WIDELY KNOWN AS THE NEW England Patriots' All-Pro wide receiver, hopes to gain the same notoriety in his new business venture. Last year Moss purchased a 50% share in Morgan-Dollar Motorsports and renamed it Randy Moss Motorsports....