Black Enterprise articles from October 2006

Black Enterprise archives from October 2006

The road to.
October 1, 2006... Eager to enter the high-risk, high-reward investment industry? In our October issue, we feature the Top 75 Blacks on Wall Street. Log on to blackenterprise.com to see where you might fit in and how to get there.

Web tools.
October 1, 2006... FRANCHISE FINDER www.blackenterprise.com/franchisefinder Select from franchises that suit your interests and open your dream business today! GET $30 WHEN YOU INVEST www.blackenterprise.com/bemoney ShareBuilder and...

Resource line.
October 1, 2006... Whatever your professional or entrepreneurial needs, you can find advice at blackenterprise.com. Interactive Media Editor Philana Patterson's column provides useful resources for business owners, corporate executives, and budding investors. ...

Web highlights.
October 1, 2006... JOB SEARCH Give yourself a free career makeover using our online job search. Go to: Career B.E. NOW ON TV AND RADIO Look for streaming video and audio clips from our latest business news ventures. THE GOOD LIFE... at an...

Building on a legacy of excellence.(publisher's page)
October 1, 2006... Wall Street dealmakers have always been the superstars, the elite of American business. The world of trading, mergers, acquisitions, and global markets--where the score is measured in billions of dollars--is ultracompetitive. It has never been...

Gaining real-world experience.(About This Issue)
October 1, 2006... Our cover subjects Raymond J. McGuire and William M. Lewis Jr. have more in common than just investment banking. They both work to cultivate and develop young black talent in their profession. BLACK ENTERPRISE embraces that idea as well, and...

No longer fooled.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... I received two issues of BLACK ENTERPRISE (February 2006 and June 2006) courtesy of my membership to Black Data Processing Associates. To say the least, I was impressed with the quality and in-depth analysis of the business affairs and...

An important part of buying a home.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ARTICLE ON home inspections ("The Right Way to Do a Home Inspection," June 2006). I have read several articles on the current real estate market in other magazines and they did not mention home inspections....

Now you're cooking!(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! YOUR ARTICLE on the six culinary greats ("Top Chefs," June 2006) was right on time! A close friend told me there was a piece on African American chefs in the June issue. As a chef de cuisine, I groaned. I...

Our side of the story.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... There are two sides to every story and we wish you had contacted us before publishing your article on mortgage lending practices ("Blacks Saddled With High-Interest Loans," Facts & Figures, June 2006). Race is not a factor in Wells Fargo's...

B.E. helps students, too.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... I AM A LONGTIME FAN OF THE MAGAZINE AND A CURRENT SUBSCRIBER. I had the chance to meet Earl Graves shortly before finishing my doctorate (my research concentrated on black entrepreneurship in the St. Louis metro area), and I told him I had...

A welcome sight.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... YOUR JUNE 2006 COVER WAS A WELCOME relief from the reputation issues and image problems Nigerians and other Africans have been experiencing in this country. Not that the problems will totally evaporate anytime soon, but the likes of Kase Lawal...

Piedmont advisors reaches $1 billion in assets: company philosophy stresses diversification and trustworthiness.(Piedmont Investment Advisors L.L.C.)
October 1, 2006... DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA-BASED PIEDMONT INVESTMENT Advisors L.L.C. recently hit a milestone. The company that once had a hard time attracting clients is now enjoying the fervor of customers who are increasing its funds under management--causing...

Resignations signal discord in Katrina fund: former panel co-chairs claim money was disbursed without their knowledge.(WASHINGTON REPORT)(Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund)(Bishop T. D. Jakes and Bill Gray )
October 1, 2006... Nearly a year after President George W. Bush asked Bishop T. D. Jakes and former Rep. Bill Gray to co-chair an interfaith committee, both men have quit their posts, claiming their efforts were undermined. Jakes and Gray had been responsible for...

Z-Tech lands contract with CMS.(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND-BASED Z-TECH CORP. (No. 90 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 list with $35 million in sales) was recently awarded a five-year government contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Chronic Care Improvement...

Former Apprentice candidate launches jewelry line.(Stacie J at Icing by Claire's stores )(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Stacie J, star of the second season of NBC's The Apprentice, has launched a jewelry and accessories line at Icing by Claire's stores nationwide. The line, available in 200 stores, includes rings, belly chains, necklaces, earrings, bracelets,...

Urban revitalization projects bring economic challenges: will local communities be left out of development efforts?(AROUND THE NATION)
October 1, 2006... As million-dollar urban revitalization projects take place in cities across the country, African American developers and city officials are working to ensure that the largely minority residents there enjoy and participate in the economic...

King papers find fitting home.(AROUND THE NATION)( Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... THE PAPERS OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. have a permanent home at the civil rights leader's alma mater, Morehouse College, thanks to the efforts of Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. Franklin helped forge a coalition of business leaders,...

SoBran partners with U.S. navy.(Lockheed Martin with Naval Aviation Depot )(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... SoBran Inc., in partnership with Lockheed Martin, recently signed a three-Tear $44 million production service contract with the Naval Aviation Depot in Jacksonville, Florida. SoBran (No 92 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE t00 LIST WITH $34 MILLION...

Genocide not enough to send in troops? Observers question Bush's military deployment to oil-rich Africa.(INTERNATIONAL NEWS)
October 1, 2006... Many observers are starting to question what seems to be the Bush administration's contrasting policies on not providing direct military force in Sudan and other war-torn regions while U.S. troops have quietly been deployed in the name of...

Commissioner positions not a black and white issue: diversity coming slowly to major league sports but will likely stop short of the top job.(SPORTSBIZ)
October 1, 2006... The title of commissioner of any major league sport is a highly coveted post. As rumors of names like Bill Clinton and Condoleezza Rice swirled this year for the NFL commissioner position, and with an NBA vacancy possibly next in line because...

Black student-athletes graduating at higher rates: study shows sharp increase in recent years.(FACTS & FIGURES)
October 1, 2006... MORE AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENT-ATHLETES ARE graduating from college, and they are graduating at a higher rate than nonathletes, according to a study released earlier this year by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University...

Small number nets big return: nurses group monitors companies' health to make sound investments.(INVESTMENT CLUBHOUSE)(Mutual Fun Investment Club)
October 1, 2006... SMALL NUMBERS CAN BE MISLEADING. ALTHOUGH ONLY three members strong, the Mutual Fun Investment Club of Miami has a system for picking stocks that works. The members use toolkits and stock selection guides, sift through prospectuses, and monitor...

Trading spaces: the 1031 Exchange is a handy tool for building a real estate portfolio.(INVESTMENT STRATEGY)
October 1, 2006... Swapping homes is not just a good idea for a makeover reality show. Knowledgeable real estate investors can sell one property and buy another without having to pay federal capital gains taxes on the transaction, at least not right away. ...

Contrarian investor: William Thomason bargain hunts for undervalued stocks.(STOCK PICKS)
October 1, 2006... William Thomason is always on the hunt for fundamentally sound stocks with a positive growth track record but that suddenly suffer a fall in stock price. By buying stocks that are undervalued relative to the market or to other stocks in their...

Anthony Epps diversified and won: in an oil crisis, here's a portfolio that rescued investors.(PORTFOLIO REVIEW)
October 1, 2006... Stick with the staples and Wall Street will always be on your side--that's what this portfolio showed. Anthony Epps, CEO of A.G. Epps Financial Group in Rye, New York, crafted this portfolio for BLACK ENTERPRISE readers that climbed 15.55%...

Good credit 101: what every college student needs to know about credit cards.(YOUR MONEY)
October 1, 2006... Shaz Jumaralli was only four months into her sophomore year of college, but she had already accumulated $3,500 in credit card debt. At first, having a credit card seemed reasonable, even necessary, for the 19-year-old student, She had planned...

Traditional vs. Roth IRA.(MONEY MATTERS)(Individual Retirement Account)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... QA My husband and I are in our early 50s and we want to open IRA accounts outside of our 401(k) plans. We aren't sure whether to get a traditional IRA or Roth IRA. How are they different? --K. Parker Haledon, NJ The biggest...

It's a new game: Killerspin pushes table tennis to extreme heights.(MAKING IT)(Killerspin L.L.C.)
October 1, 2006... HE MAY HAVE PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE WHEN creating his business plan, hut that snafu didn't stop Robert Blackwell from turning his favorite pastime as a youngster into a successful company that is helping popularize the sport of table...

This makes scents: imagine being able to smell everything from fresh flowers to steaming baked bread right from your computer.(INVENTIONS AND IDEAS)(Scent Dome by Ellwood G. Ivey Jr.)
October 1, 2006... As soon as the holiday shopping season begins, so does the ritual of buying gifts for loved ones. Popular items such as scented candles and perfume will certainly be added to many online shopping lists. Wouldn't it be great if buyers could...

No more cold calling: a complete system that will help any sales professional make the shift to referral selling.(CLOSING THE SALE)
October 1, 2006... There's nothing like picking up the handset of a ringing telephone, only to be barraged by an unsolicited call from someone who is trying to sell you something. As evidenced by the more than 125 million phone numbers listed on the National Do...

How to find the right accountant: seven ways to avoid making a costly choice.
October 1, 2006... Picking an accountant for your business may not be as important as choosing a spouse, but it comes close. The right accountant can do much more than prepare your yearly taxes. The right person can help with advice on management decisions,...

Home work.(SAVVY SOLUTIONS)(Home based businesses)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Q A I have a full-time job and would love to start a resume-writing business from home as a way to supplement my income. I just don't know how to get started. Can you give me some idea of where and how to start? --S. Sanders-Beaman...

Your next stop: travelers jump on HopStop.com before navigating city transit systems.(BLACK DIGERATI)
October 1, 2006... WHEN CHINEDU ECHERUO FIRST MOVED TO NEW YORK City in 1995, his unfamiliarity with the city's sprawling 714-mile mass transit system made it difficult for him to get around the large metropolis. But he had a solution. Echeruo, 33, founded...

Blu-ray or HD-DVD? A format battle rages for supremacy over the new generation of high-definition DVD players.
October 1, 2006... Now that the market for high-definition televisions is heating up, the electronics industry believes the time is right for high-definition DVD players. But the future remains unclear for next generation of digital video players. As a result,...

Tech upgrades: we choose the attractive new devices you'll want for work and play.(Consumer electronics)(Buyers guide)
October 1, 2006... With a growing list of chic, high-performance tech gadgets to choose from, isn't it time for you to upgrade? We've hand-picked seven of the coolest devices that should be at the top of your wish list. Pamper yourself or a loved one with these...

Cell tower potential.
October 1, 2006... QA I own a number of properties in New York City. A friend suggested that I consider renting out space on the top of my buildings to Verizon to place cell phone towers. Could you point me in the direction of who I might contact at Verizon to...

A gambling man: career transitions that put a Vegas hotshot on top.( )(MGM Mirage Inc.'s Lorenzo Creighton)(Interview)
October 1, 2006... BE: How does a corrections officer from Waterloo, Iowa, end up managing one of the most popular casinos on the Vegas strip? LC: That was my first job out of college. I needed to work, and that I job was posted. I worked in a hank for a...

Cashing in before you join: negotiating a signing bonus.(Jennell Jones)
October 1, 2006... In 2000, Jennell Jones, currently a managing director human resources at a commercial real estate firm New York, had a professional decision to make. When the pharmaceutical organization she worked for New Jersey was acquired by a larger firm,...

Point of no return! Or is it? What to consider before taking a counteroffer.(MAKING CONNECTIONS)
October 1, 2006... After several years of working at a Chicago-area manufacturing company, Dee Thomas' purchasing career seemed stalled. Thomas says that although she discussed her career goals advancement aspirations with management, little seemed to change and...

Tough sell.(job satisfaction)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... QA I'm a sales professional who has spent most of my career in telecom sales. I had a decent eight-year run with MCI but have since been struggling to find a job that interests me. I'm convinced my job hopping is viewed unfavorably by potential...

Tanya Madison.(appointed at Chase Card Services)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... New Position: Vice president of external affairs Company: Chase Card Services Location: Wilmington, DE Responsibilities: Directing media relations and establishing communications initiatives that support corporate objectives ...

Lisa Cliff-Burk.(appointed at Glory Foods)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... New Position: Vice president of sales Company: Glory Foods, the category leader in Southern-style heat-and-serve products Location: Columbus, OH Responsibilities: Increasing global opportunities, overseeing canned and frozen lines...

Renee Franklin.(appointed at Tower Automotive Inc.)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... New Position: Senior vice president, global human resources Company: Tower Automotive Location: Novi, MI Responsibilities: Thought leadership and strategic support on issues including labor contracts and negotiations and recruiting...

David A. Crichlow.(appointed at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman L.L.P.)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... New Position: Managing partner Company: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP., an international law firm that's more than 135 years old Location: New York Responsibilities: Heads four-member management committee, oversees 130...

Larry Waters.(apppointed at Miller Brewing Co. )(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... New Position: Senior director of multicultural relations Company: Miller Brewing Co. Location: Milwaukee Responsibilities: Liaison between company and executive committee on multicultural strategies Former Position: Director of multicultural...

Convention calendar.
October 1, 2006... UnityFirst.com Business World Summit Oct. 6-7; Atlanta; 413-734-6444; www.unityfirst.com WBLS and the Circle of Sisters Oct. 7-8; New York; 973-233-1663; www.wbls.com National Organization of Hinority Architects 2006 Annual Conference...

Seeking a golden retirement: using shrewd, disciplined investing, the Smiths prepare themselves for life after work.(BLACK WEALTH INITIATIVE)(Johnny and Karen Smith)
October 1, 2006... THE BIRTH OF THEIR FIRST CHILD IN 1984 prompted Johnny and Karen Smith to embark: on a lifetime of savings and retirement planning. "Once you start having kids, your financial focus changes," says Johnny, "You think about how you're going to...

Getting their financial house in order: despite a healthy household income, the Quinzy family is laden with debt.
October 1, 2006... DANNY AND SHANTE QUINZY HAVE learned the hard way to separate their wants from their needs when it comes to spending. "We wasted thousands of dollars on stuff we can't even name," laments Shante, "We both were big shoppers, buying what we...

Course correction: with fears of an economic about-face how can you keep your fund portfolio on the right track?(mutual fund forecasts)
October 1, 2006... THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 2006 OFFERED LITTLE encouragement for mutual fund investors. Stock funds rose in the first quarter then sank in the second, winding up with average returns around 3% for the period. On the bond side, investors barely...

Insuring your wealth: the right insurance policy can help you build and protect your assets.(Schering Plough Corp.'s Denelle Waynick)
October 1, 2006... DENELLE WAYNICK, A CORPORATE attorney for Schering Plough Corp. in Kenilworth, New Jersey, used to think life insurance was simply a means to cover burial expenses. That all changed when her son, now 13, was born. Waynick began to see life...

Get hired now! A 28-day program for landing the job you want.(Excerpt)
October 1, 2006... THE NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE in July 2006 reached 7.2 million, and blacks made up 26% of that number or $1.9 million, according to the United States Department of Labor, The unemployment rate of blacks is more than double that of white...

Practicing strategic compassion: a year after Katrina, the Gulf Coast is still rebuilding. Here's how to make sure your charitable giving is effective.
October 1, 2006... CHERRELLE ROBINSON FEARED THE worst. Last August, the Los Angeles resident worried that her cousin Charlene, after years of living below sea level in a flood-prone section of New Orleans, might have been one of the more than 1,000 people killed...

75 most powerful blacks on wall street: whether they're in investment banking, sales and trading, asset management, or private equity, these power players move the financial markets.(SPECIAL REPORT)
October 1, 2006... --Additional reporting by Denise Campbell, Hyacinth B. Carbon, Sonya A. Donaldson, Alan Hughes & Tennille M. Robinson THEY'RE WALL STREET'S BILLION-DOLLAR players. Some raise capital to build or improve schools, hospitals, airports, and...

A walk down wall street: a modern history of black achievement in the financial markets.
October 1, 2006... For decades, African Americans have worked on Wall Street--the center of high finance--and gained wealth and power while overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds. Here's a 100k back at more than 50 years of milestones achieved by African...

Jarvis Hollingsworth: partner Bracewell & Giuliani L.L.P., Houston office.(market movers)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... One of America's top trial lawyers, Hollingsworth is a partner in the Public Law Section of the Houston office of Bracewell & Giuliani. When he s not representing a wide range of public entities and officials, he is exercising his clout on...

Denise L. Nappier: state treasurer: Connecticut.(Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... As state treasurer, Nappier is principal fiduciary of the $23 billion Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds, which is one of the best performing public funds in the country and in the top third of public funds with assets exceeding $1...

Adebayo O. Ogunlesi: chairman & managing partner: Global Infrastructure Partners.(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... For decades, Ogunlesi has been a transnational investment adviser. He has directed both government and private sector clients on financing deals for large energy and infrastructure projects throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East,...

Roger W. Ferguson Jr.: chairman: Swiss Re America Holding Corp.(market movers)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Ferguson cut his teeth as a lawyer and economist. For nearly a decade he carried much weight in the financial world. A former Federal Reserve Board of Governors vice chairman, Ferguson led the U.S. Central Bank's immediate response to the...

Barons of the big deal: William M. Lewis Jr. and Raymond J. McGuire reached the upper echelons of the financial world. Now they're ushering a new generation of African Americans into the financial markets.(SPECIAL REPORT)(Biography)
October 1, 2006... RAYMOND J. McGUIRE MAINTAINS HIS cool despite the billions of dollars on the table, Even the slightest miscalculation could be disastrous, but that doesn't faze him. Like a chess grandmaster, he's planned ahead for every contingency with a...

The power of purpose: strategies for discovering your path.(PEAK PERFORMANCE)
October 1, 2006... UNIT A BLACKWELL FOUND HER LIFE'S PURPOSE DURING A PROTEST against disenfranchisement in the segregated South of the 1960s. Standing outside the door of the county courthouse in Lula, Mississippi, Blackwell told the officer that sought to...

Taming your inner critic: learn to overcome self-doubt and insecurity.(ATTITUDE ENHANCEMENT)
October 1, 2006... Whenever Paula Bruner, 45, is presented with an opportunity for career advancement, she must make a case for why she's the right person for the job. However, it's not her boss or another colleague that the Washington, D.C.-based employment...

Finding your own way.(PEP TALK)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... QA I spent five years in the U.S. Navy and finished my obligation last year. Since that time, I've had several jobs. Now, I run my own business, but I'm unfulfilled. Therefore, I'm thinking about other professions. In addition, I'm in a...

Emergency room blues: what you need to know before you visit the hospital.(CONSUMER LIFE)
October 1, 2006... EACH YEAR, MILLIONS OF AMERICANS UNDERGO THE sometimes frightening and traumatic experience of visiting the emergency room of a hospital. However, unnecessary ER visits can delay care for people with true emergencies and cost patients...

Scams to watch: the Internet is full of ways to dupe people out of their money.(CONSUMER ALERT)
October 1, 2006... Online scams have been around since the Internet's creation. But as the information superhighway grows and becomes more complex, so, do online scams. For example, 2005 marked the first time that wire transfers were the predominant way scammers...

Life happens. Now what? Nolo's primer offers everyday legal advice.(Your Little Legal Companion: Helpful Advice for Life's Big Events)(Brief article)(Book review)
October 1, 2006... How many times have you beard someone utter the words "If I knew then what I know now?" This is especially true when we need a little legal advice--from breaking a rental agreement to incorporating a business--which typically doesn't fit into...

Legal aid: sample legal documents can lower your attorney fees.(PRICELESS RESOURCES)(FreeLegalForms.net)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... MAYBE YOU RECENTLY HIRED A contractor and need to prepare a contract. Or perhaps you are planning to rent out your new investment property and need to set up a rental agreement with a tenant. Whatever your legal needs, FreeLegalForms.net offers...

Opting out of credit cards.(ASK YOUR ADVOCATE)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Q A My 20-year-old daughter receives three to five unsolicited credit card offers daily. We have written the consumer reporting agencies to opt out of these offers, but the letters keep on coming! Is there anything we can do? --L. Houston...

A sip in time: the art of beginning a wine collection.(THE ENTHUSIAST)
October 1, 2006... Whether as a hobby, an investment, or because of a great appreciation for the grape, wine collecting has became increasingly popular over the years and is fast becoming a passion for many. Getting started is not as complicated as you might...

Wine lover's country: a toast to France's Loire Valley.(FIRST-CLASS TICKET)
October 1, 2006... Once known as the Playground of Kings, with more than 300 chateaus situated along the 600-mile Loire River, the Loire Valley spans the central region of France and produces some of the country's finest wines. Loire Valley wines, such as...

Good for business: Houston is a hot spot for economic growth.(CITY INSIDER)
October 1, 2006... A multibillion-dollar oil industry and fast-growing sectors such as biotechnology and healthcare are among the forces driving economic growth in Houston--the city ranked No. I on BLACK ENTERPRISE'S 2001 "Top 10 Cities for African Americans to...

Up, up, and away: the skies haven't been very friendly, but airports are working at improving your travel experience.(EXECUTIVE TRAVEL)
October 1, 2006... WITH ALL THE CONCERNS ABOUT AIRPORT SECURITY, travel--particularly for the frequent flier--can be more stressful and time-consuming than ever. Kevin Dolliole understands this. As CEO of Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and chair of the...

Time to register.(WOMEN OF POWER SUMMIT)
October 1, 2006... Registration for the 2007 Women of Power Summit hosted by State Farm" is now open. Back for a second year, this exciting, three-day executive leadership conference is designed especially for professional women of color. Register today and make...

Tune in this fall! Our World With Black Enterprise makes its national debut.(B.E. ON TV)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... The countdown has begun! Our World With Black Enterprise, the brand-new television series created for and about today's black community, will hit the airwaves this fall. Make sure you tune in to catch a glimpse of the show you and your friends...

Backtalk with Harold Ford Jr.(Interview)
October 1, 2006... On Nov. 7, 2006, Tennesseans will elect their representative to the U.S. Senate. Harold Ford Jr., who beat four other candidates to win the Democratic primary in August, will face off against the Republican nominee, Bob Corker, former mayor of...