President Barack Obama addresses the nation in State of the Union (Image: File)

Speaking before a jam-packed congressional chamber and millions glued to the tube, President Obama boldly declared in his State of the Union address Tuesday night to use his leadership toward producing an economy “built to last.” His “blueprint” calls for, among other initiatives, a high-tech reboot of the nation’s manufacturing sector, tax code changes to reward firms that “would bring jobs back to your country” and a series of policies promoting financial equity for middle class and poor Americans.

In the speech, Obama took aim at financial institutions engaged in abusive lending practices and corporations and wealthy individuals not paying their fair share of taxes, focusing on “fairness…the defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive… We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do very well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by. Or, we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot.”

In the Republican rebuttal delivered by Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels he characterized the Obama Administration as “a divisive failure that has chosen class warfare and stifling big government over economic progress.” Even before the address, other GOP opponents—from House Speaker John Boehner to presidential contender Mitt Romney—jumped on this class warfare bandwagon.  The president counterd: “You can call this class warfare all you want. Most Americans would call that common sense.”

Watching from the press gallery, I was struck by the diffrence in Obama’s tenor from last year’s lofty “plan to win the future.” Though upbeat, his remarks melded forceful urgency, industrial innovation and economic populism. It also offered some clues on how he will frame his re-election campaign going forward, highlightinmg myriad economic achievements—rescuing the nation from another Great Depression, providing pay equity for women, resurrecting the auto industry (“Today, General Motors is back on top as the world’s No. 1 automaker…”), to name  just three—and touching on foreign policy accomplishments—taking out Osama bin Laden, ending the Iraq War—while making the argument that future prospects under a second term of Obama will prove far better than the GOP alternative.

The president prefers across-the-aisle collaboration to open warfare. But expect him to display more steel when it comes to dealing with the type of politcal antics that almost shut down the government last year and threatened to wreck the recovery. He asserted: “As long as I’m President, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.”

So it’s clear he’ll continue to deploy his six-month-old “We can’t wait” strategy—a combination of using the presidential bully pulpit to pressure Congress to pass his legislative agenda as well as implementing select initiatives through executive action and enforcement powers.

In his remarks, he prodded  congressional Republicans to stop “a tax hike on 160 million working Americans while the recovery is still fragile… Let’s agree right here, right now: No side issues. No drama. Pass the payroll tax cut without delay.” Currently, the deal cut between Democrats and Republicans for a two-month extension of the payroll tax holiday in late December is set to expire shortly. And he also asked Congress to present him with tax reform legislation for companies that create domestic jobs as well as bills that bolster small business development and energy innovation. As for housing , “I’m sending this Congress a plan that gives every responsible homeowner a chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortagage by refinancing at historically low interest rates.” And once again he proposed additional changes to the tax code—the so-called Buffett rule named after Warren Buffet, the second richest man in America—in which those earning more than $1 million a year would pay a minimum income tax rate of at least 30%. The GOP continues to reject the measure.

In terms of applying executive privilege, Obama said he will ask Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. to create a special division using federal prosecutors and state attorneys to investigate abusive lending. The president would also develop a beefed-up trade enforcement unit  to pursue unfair practices employed by foreign countries—most notably China. Moreover, he plans to sign an Executive Order next week “clearing away the red tape that slows down too many construction projects” but readily admitted Congress has to authorize funding  Obama did install his Consumer Finance Protection Bureau Chief through a recess appointment, however.

In talking with political observers today, one area that he failed to address with policy initiatives, however, is the alarming rate of poverty.

Despite the inevitable dogfights, Obama stated that Washington politicans will continue to get a black eye from the public if they don’t “learn from the service of our troops.” He opened and closed his address with references to the selflessness and honor displayed by our young men and women in uniform, and  specifically pointed to the Navy SEAL team that killed Bin laden by placing mission above individual differences.

Bridging that politial chasm, he stated, would result in a a nation that is truly built to last.

Red Tails has already received great buzz in the Twitterverse, and has been shown in screenings ranging from Tuskegee University to The White House. In fact, I recently had the honor of attending a screening in Birmingham, Michigan at the invitation of former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer and his son, Ignition Media CEO Dennis Archer, Jr. The event brought out cast members, luminaries, BE 100s CEOs and a few of the original Tuskegee Airmen. In fact, meeting these courageous men was the highlight of that evening.

Archer said he decided to hold the screening after attending the Black Corporate Directors Conference, the annual power confab organized by John Rogers, chairman of Ariel Investments (No. 5 on the BE ASSET MANAGERS list with $5.5 billion in assets under management), held in Laguna Beach, California last fall. He shared details of a session that featured George Lucas, creator of the Star Wars franchise who recounted how several studios turned down the project despite his Hollywood powerhouse status. In order to produce the film, Lucas provided the financing. (In fact, the aerial exploits of the Tuskegee Airman served as inspiration for Lucas in the development of Star Wars and those who know the history affectionately refer to Red tails as “the seventh chapter” of the series.)

Archer and others vowed that they would vigorously promote the film, sharing the history of the Tuskegee Airmen to as many audiences as possible and getting pledges from screening audience members to bring family members, friends and youth to see the movie during opening weekend since the initial tally of box office receipts is so critical in determining a film’s success, as well as gaining Hollywood’s interest in developing and distributing similar fare.

Another attendee, Joseph B. Anderson, Jr., CEO of Troy, Michigan-based TAG Holdings L.L.C (No. 5 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE COMPANIES list with $675 million in revenues) told the screening audience that he had been inspired by the example of the Tuskegee Airmen. A West Point graduate whose military experiences in Vietnam were chronicled in the Academy Award-winning 1967 documentary, The Anderson Platoon, said although Blacks played significant roles in U.S. military history for centuries, they had been largely denied leadership positions and skills training. They were barred from being aviators until civil rights organizations and Black press exerted pressure that eventually led to the formation of the all African American pursuit squadron based in Tuskegee, Alabama in 1941—more than a decade before the Civil Rights Movement. The squadron would go on to  participate in more than 1,500 missions, representing what noted scholar and civil rights activist W.E. B. DuBois called “The Talented Tenth,” the group that would advance our race through intellect and leadership. Despite being among the nation’s most educated and accomplished officers and having distinquished combat records, they had to contend with racism at home and abroad. It took forceful leaders like Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., commander of the Tuskegee Airmen who would become the first African American general in the U.S. Air Force, who took his battle to the Pentagon in defense of his men and to stop some within the military’s top brass from dismantling the program.

Since that time, Anderson further stated, the armed forces has served as a means for African Americans to demonstrate their prowess as they rise to the highest ranks and use that experience as a platform to excel in business and government, citing former Secretary of State Colin Powell as an exemplar of that tradition. In 2007, 300 living and deceased Tuskegee Airmen were honored with  the Congressional Gold Medal for their enduring heroism.

Anderson further mentioned that former Tuskegee Airmen had served the nation and the world, making significant strides in academia, politics and business. In fact, I had the privilege of interviewing one of the most prominent squadron members, the late Lee Archer, Jr., who held the distinction of earning Flying Ace status after he shot down five German Me-109 planes during World War II after serving in more than 169 campaigns. On the ground, Archer soared as a business titan and champion for Black business. He worked closely with the late legendary deal maker Reginald F. Lewis in financing small and minority companies as head of a slew of MESBICS (minority enterprise small business investment corporations). He served as a key member of the investment group that helped Lewis make historic acquisitions. The first was McCall Pattern Co., in which Lewis investing $1 million of his own capital and $24 million in borrowed funds, and then sold the firm to a British textile firm for $90 million, a 90-to-1 return on the initial investment. Next came the deal that would vault Black business to new heights: Lewis’ unprecedented $985 million leveraged buyout of Beatrice International Foods Companies, a collection of 64 processed food manufacturers in 31 countries, including Europe, Australia, and Asia. In 1987, it became the largest buyout ever of overseas assets of an American company and created the first billion-dollar Black-owned business to lead the BE 100s. For his trailblazing efforts,  Archer was inducted as a Millennium Member of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in 2009.

Archer is just one example of the caliber of the individual produced by the Tuskegee Airman: fierce warriors of the sky who became fearless groundbreakers dedicated to uplifting our race and the nation. That’s why Red Tails is so important. It’s a tribute to past achievement and a reminder of continued vigilance for limitless opportunities.

So as I looked at the film, I beamed with pride, enjoying the aerial derring-do of these African American fighter pilots in their red-tailed P-51Mustangs. For decades, such African American heroism has been absent from war films.

This film offers other lessons as well. Our contributions are a part of American and world history and must be shared with current and future generations—regardless of race.  We must reveal these milestones through the most powerful mediums possible, especially through digital technology. We must find creative ways to fund such efforts, including self-financing and aggressive promotion in the same manner some groups have pushed Red Tails.

Let’s use the top-flight performance of the Tuskegee Airmen and those of other such trailblazers to inspire us to demonstrate that we will continue to be impact players in all aspects of global society regardless of the odds, and kindle that spirit of excellence, sacrifice and resilience. That is is our obligation.

Let us soar on their wings.

With the Iowa Caucus less than a week away, the call for intra-party unity to focus on making President Obama a one-term occupant of the White House has now given way to heavy-duty political sniping among the primary field. For instance, take this bitter exchange between Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. The former Massachusetts Governor recently rejected Gingrich’s demand that he use his influence to get supportive super PACs (political action committees) to pull attack ads against the ex-House Speaker. Romney’s response: “If you can’t stand the heat in this little kitchen, wait until the Obama hell’s kitchen turns up the heat.” Gingrich countered, pushing for a one-on-one, no-holds-barred debate: “Let’s test this kitchen.”

Well, GOP voters began their grading process as early as April. And polling data seemed to produce a new front-runner each month—in fact, a few such selections were simply mind-boggling. There’s one consistency among this year’s crop of candidates: Not one has a grand vision for America’s future. Each ultimately plans to gain the presidency by convincing the electorate to vote against Obama instead of voting for his or her platform.

The race has proven to be, in many cases, wacky, ludicrous and combative. In fact, The Boston Herald characterized the pool of candidates as being the “clown car” field. Check out these highlights:

• Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann—who won the Iowa Straw Poll in August by a close margin over Texas Rep. Ron Paul—and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania tried to backtrack after signing a pledge for “traditional family values” that also stated that “a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African-American baby born after the election of the USA’s first African-American President.”

• Herman Cain, originator of the “999″ tax reform plan, dominated the polls in late September and early October but was forced to “suspend” his campaign after dealing with claims of sexual misconduct, an alleged extramarital affair and foreign policy gaffes (who could forget his explanation—“We need a leader, not a reader”—for his lack of knowledge).

• Another former front-runner, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, had the fumbling “Oops” moment at the Nov. 9 Tampa, Florida debate when he couldn’t remember which agency he would eliminate in addition to Commerce and Education. (It was the Department of Energy, by the way).  As a campaigner who suffers from spurts of verbal dyslexia, his standing plummeted like an anvil.

• Donald Trump, another one-time GOP pack leader and America’s leading birther, was forced to cancel his Dec. 27 debate after only two candidates were willing to risk being associated with a presidential version of “The Apprentice.” The Donald recently dumped his GOP affiliation to leave open the possibility of running for the White House this year as an independent.

• After Gingrinch’s campaign gained momentum this month, Romney began characterizing him as being “zany” and recently compared his organization’s inability to get on the ballot for the March 6 Virginia primary – Gingrich’s home state – to “Lucille Ball at the chocolate factory,” referring to the popular episode of the ’50s sitcom “I Love Lucy” that displayed her character’s comic ineptitude.

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Expect these madcap and contentious episodes to continue throughout the political season. Romney will be painted as a modern-day “Gordon Gekko” due to his big money, private equity days (the candidate’s 1% moment during the Iowa debate when he made a $10,000 bet with Perry over a passage in his book on healthcare policy didn’t help). Gingrich will provide more fodder with outrageous statements that, thus far, include that “really poor children in really poor neighborhoods have no habits and nobody around them who works” so the solution to black teenage unemployment would come by way of the mop and bucket or that, as president, he would have federal judges arrested if they disagreed with his policies. And the media appropriately continues to peel Ron Paul like an onion not only for off-the-wall proposals like doing away with the Federal Reserve, slashing a third of the federal budget and resistance to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 but his feeble denial of being involved in racist and anti-Semitic commentary made decades ago in his political newsletters.

New rules imposed by the Republican National Committee will prove to be another determining factor during this election cycle. To avoid “front-loading” of the delegate selection process, the RNC has expanded the number of states using proportional allocation versus the “winner-take-all” method. For example, primaries held during the month of March—including 11-state Super Tuesday on March 6—must  “have some element of proportionality,” according to the rules committee. Any state may hold a winner-take-all contest on or after April 1, however.

Against this backdrop, I decided to handicap each candidate’s prospects for gaining the GOP nomination and determine who will be the last candidate standing.

RICK SANTORUM. He’s a dark-horse candidate trying to capitalize on Gingrich’s slip in Iowa polls. Gaining key endorsements from a couple of prominent evangelical conservative organizations and promoting family values in recent ads, he’s banking on emerging among the top three slots in the Jan. 3 contest. He also believes he can appeal to swing-state voters like those from his Pennsylvania home base. However, he will not gain traction in terms of voter excitement or big-bucks financing to be a long-term contender.

Chances for nomination: He’ll be toast after the Jan. 21 South Carolina primary – or sooner.

JON HUNTSMAN: A former Obama Administration employee when he served as Ambassador to China as well as a respected ex-governor of Utah. This smart technocrat may have demonstrated his vast knowledge of foreign affairs in a one-on-one debate with Gingrich—although he was cited by St. Petersburg Times’ PolitiFact.com as making misstatements on U.S. defense spending levels—and gained an endorsement from a major New Hampshire newspaper as the “consistent conservative” in the Jan. 10 election but missed a major debate in Iowa. Once considered the GOP’s antidote to Obama, he’s been stuck at the basement in voter polling. Another candidate that’s failed to generate excitement, his cash-poor campaign has been propped up by his billionaire industrialist father.

Chances for nomination: Huntsman will not go the distance. In fact, if he has a poor showing in New Hampshire, expect him to close shop the next day.

MICHELE BACHMANN: She generated early buzz—even making the cover of Newsweek magazine in August as “The Queen of Rage”—but flamed out quickly. Her debate performances have had all of the explosive force of a wet firecracker. Trailing badly in the polls, the Iowa native is looking for a fresh message that works: In recent weeks, she’s claimed to be the only “true Christian conservative,” tried to position her rivals as a two-headed monster called “Newt Romney” that’s supportive of ObamaCare and adopted Cain’s common man approach to selling her “Win-Win-Win” economic plan.

Chances for nomination: Nil.

RON PAUL: According to a survey published by Public Policy polling, Paul, who ran for President in 2008, is the front-runner in Iowa, leading by 23% versus Romney at 20% and Gingrich at 11%. In fact, a good number of prognosticators predict that this Tea Party darling will win the Iowa Caucus hands down based on his appeal and enthusiastic organization. Also, his consistent stand against the Iraq War—the only Republican candidate that agreed that Obama took appropriate action in ending the conflict—earned him support from young voters.  His radical stance on limited government and controversial statements will not play well in a number of other primary contests though.

Chances for nomination: He will not gain the GOP nod but may emerge as a third-party candidate or Tea Party broker.

RICK PERRY: Support from conservative Republicans put Perry in the race and then strong polling propelled him into a serious contender. But he proved he wasn’t ready for prime time with a  series of pitiful debate performances. But he has an ample war chest that exceeds $17 million and he’s replaced policy promotion with an evangelical values message. He may still prove competitive in Southern races, especially with the inclusion of Texas among March 6 Super Tuesday contests. He made the same mistake as Gingrich though: Failure to gain the required 10,000 signatures of registered voters to qualify for the critical Virginia primary. Latest news is that Perry will sue the state of Virginia to get on the ballot.

Chances for nomination: He’ll be headed back to the Lone Star state but his 10-gallon ego will lead him to make another presidential run in the future.

NEWT GINGRICH: With financial and sex scandals derailing his political career in the late 1990s, Gingrich has disproved noted author F. Scott Fitzgerald’s oft-quoted maxim: “There are no second acts in American lives.” In fact, the 68-year old grandfather who uses every opportunity to compare himself to Ronald Reagan was able to parlay his strong debate showing to front-runner status in December with 31% among GOP voters. As a result, he received a fund-raising boost. Now there’s talk that he’s reaching the peak zone. Also, this “verbal bomb thrower,” as he is cast by opponents, can be undone by his own unpredictable nature. (In fact, political observers say Team Obama would be thrilled if he gained the GOP nomination.) Romney has been engaged in some pyrotechnics of his own: His relentlessly attacks to diminish Gingrich’s credibility have started to take its toll. Another disadvantage: poor organization. Possible advantage: Southern exposure.

Chances for nomination:  Gingrich will seek to use strategies like a  write-in campaign in Virginia to make up for poor infrastructure. It’s highly doubtful he will gain nomination given strong opposition. But expect him to seek a big presence at GOP convention to shape party platform and during the main event in the fall.

MITT ROMNEY: Romney, who was also a 2008 GOP candidate, may have been running for president for the past three years but he receives very little love from conservatives or the GOP at large—he has never come close to 30% in any poll. The establishment views him as the best chance to unseat Obama though. Not considered a hard-line conservative, he has played it extremely safe during this election cycle—not agreeing to be interviewed by major outlets until recent weeks. His strengths: He can build a war chest that would make him competitive in the general election, and his tight organization knows RNC rules and the calculus of delegate selection cold. Also, he has managed to gain key endorsements from notables such as popular South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley—key to gaining an edge in that Jan. 21 contest—and former President George H.W. Bush—better known as No. 41—who is reportedly no fan of Gingrich, the Republican House whip when he was elected in 1988.

Chances of nomination: He will get the nomination by default – no other candidate has the money or organization. But he still will not get much love though.

He told a phalanx of young warriors on Wednesday: “We’re here to mark a historic moment in the life of our country and our military.  For nearly nine years, our nation has been at war in Iraq.  And you—the incredible men and women of Fort Bragg—have been there every step of the way, serving with honor, sacrificing greatly, from the first waves of the invasion to some of the last troops to come home.  So, as your Commander-in-Chief, and on behalf of a grateful nation, I’m proud to finally say these two words, and I know your families agree: Welcome home!”

Those comments were greeted with thundering applause as he continued: “Dozens of bases with American names that housed thousands of American troops have been closed down or turned over to the Iraqis.  Thousands of tons of equipment have been packed up and shipped out… Over the last three years, nearly 150,000 U.S. troops have left Iraq… Those last American troops will move south on desert sands, and then they will cross the border out of Iraq with their heads held high… Iraq’s future will be in the hands of its people.”

The audience’s response: “Hooah!”

That primal cry signaled an end to years of combat that took an enormous human toll on thousands of young men and women. More than 1.5 million Americans have served in Iraq with roughly 30,000 of them wounded and nearly 4,500 Americans having made, as the president stated, “the ultimate sacrifice.”

In Baghdad on Thursday, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta participated in a ceremony in which the colors of United States Forces-Iraq were formally retired, officially ending the Iraq War two weeks earlier than the terms specified by the security agreement signed by the U.S. and Iraqi governments stipulating that our troops must leave the country by Dec. 31.  The Obama Administration brought our fighting men and women home for the holiday.

These recent acts take place a decade after President Bush pressed for the invasion of Iraq after the 9/11 terrorist attacks based largely on false claims that slain dictator Sadam Hussein controlled WMDs. It has been almost seven-and-a-half years after President Bush landed on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in Navy One—a Lockheed S-3 Viking aircraft—on May 1, 2003 to declare that the military campaign know as “Operation Iraqi Freedom” was successfully completed. With a huge “Mission Accomplished” banner in the background, he made his premature victory speech to a televised audience, and then turned the event into a photo op when he came out in a flight suit and posed with pilots and crew members. Controversy followed with mass military and civilian casualties due to increased guerilla attacks during the Iraqi insurgency. So much for “shock and awe.”

The troop withdrawal proves to be another crowning achievement for the former Illinois state senator who nine years ago defined the move as “a rash war” being conjured up by “weekend warriors in [the Bush Administration] to shove their own ideological agendas down our throats.” In fact, it was during his presidential campaign that both his Democratic and Republican opponents questioned Obama’s foreign policy and national defense credentials. But he has proven to be a masterful Commander-In-Chief gaining much higher marks in those areas from the American public than with the economy: According to a recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, voters said that bringing the troops home was his second greatest accomplishment. Killing Al Qeada leader Osama bin Laden ranked No. 1.

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Even though most Americans have overwhelmingly given the president a thumbs up for exiting the conflict—a CBS News poll showed 77% agree with his actions—Obama has been hit with a barrage of political bombs from GOP leaders. His Republican presidential opponent, Arizona Senator John McCain characterized his decision of a complete troop pullout as being politically-charged—an act of “scorn and disdain.” In an October CNN report, McCain said the withdrawal worked to the advantage of neighboring Iran. “We’re leaving Iraq completely, which is the No. 1 priority of the Iranian[s],” he asserted. “We are taking unnecessary risks in Afghanistan by withdrawing troops there, and I can tell you from traveling the world, that in the world they believe the United States is withdrawing and is weakening.”

Not surprisingly, all of the Republican presidential contenders—except Texas Congressman Ron Paul—claim that the president was reckless and troops need to to secure “a fragile peace.” As usual, Mitt Romney, the No. 2 contender for the Republican nomination, flip-flopped, citing the need for as many as “20,000 to 30,000 troops” to avoid “failure” and to “wind down” American involvement. As the presidential contest heats up expect the GOP to use the troop pullout among the issues to stop Obama at all costs. Republicans will try to rally their  conservative base by positioning Obama as a commander-in-chief with poor judgment while, at the same time, attacking him on the economic front.

What is remarkable about the end of the Iraq War has been its muted tone. Although the conflict has been extremely unpopular with the public, the troops’ homecoming have been absent of any ticker tape-style recognition of the resolve and sacrifice of so many—other than military ceremonies. We all must acknowledge, however, the financial and employment challenges returning G.I.s face on the homefront. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for veterans stands at a staggering 12.1%.

As he applauded the bravery of our troops, the president also focused on their reception from today’s job market. “Our commitment doesn’t end when you take off the uniform… After years of rebuilding Iraq, we want to enlist our veterans in the work of rebuilding America.  That’s why we’re committed to doing everything we can to extend more opportunities to those who have served, “ he asserted, citing the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill that provides vets and family members educational benefits, as well as the recent passage of a bill giving employers tax credits of up to $5,600 for hiring veterans unemployed longer than six months and another up to $9,600 for hiring long-unemployed disabled veterans—the only measure from Obama’s American jobs Act that the GOP-controlled Congress has enacted. Also, he noted Michelle Obama’s campaign to find jobs for vets, including teaming up with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring our Heroes” program, which has already put roughly 3,600 vets back to work, and matching G.I.s with employers such as Wal-Mart and CVS.

Such initiatives will become much more important to veterans and their families than gaining hero status. Obama recounted a courageous act from one paratrooper in which the soldier responded that “a hero is a sandwich.” These young people will need jobs, training and business financing so they can serve the nation on our shores. We can all play a role by reaching out to such outfits as Washington, DC-based Veterans Enterprise Training & Services Group, Inc. (VETS GROUP).

After engaging in countless fire fights and risking their lives in numerous tours in the Persian Gulf, our vets should not have to fight another war at home. I truly believe most can offer entrepreneurial and career contributions that will make American industry victorious as companies compete in the global marketplace. All they need is an opportunity.

Hooah!

President Obama has appeared to launch his own version of an Occupy GOP movement. With steely determination, he’s prepared to engage in political combat to advance his economic agenda as he positions himself for campaign 2012.

The most recent evidence of his new, uncompromising posture was this week’s speech in the tiny hamlet of Osawatomie, Kansas (pop. 4,600). Seeking to connect with populist anger characterized by both the Tea Party movement and Occupy Wall Street demonstrations, the president vigorously pushed jobs creation, payroll tax cut extension and income equality as he indicted the GOP for turning their back on Middle America.

In the 55-minute address, he deftly laid out the reasons behind the nation’s economic and political crises, and maintained that “the breathtaking greed of a few with irresponsibility all across” the financial system had the effect of claiming “the jobs and the homes and the basic security of millions of people—innocent, hardworking Americans who had met their responsibilities but were still left holding the bag.”

“Ever since, there’s been a raging debate over the best way to restore growth and prosperity, restore balance, restore fairness.  Throughout the country, its sparked protests and political movements—from the Tea Party to the people who’ve been occupying the streets of New York and other cities,” the president told the crowd of 1,200 as he was interrupted by periodic bursts of applause. “This is the defining issue of our time… This is a make-or-break moment for the middle class, and for all those who are fighting to get into the middle class.  Because what’s at stake is whether this will be a country where working people can earn enough to raise a family, build a modest savings, own a home, secure their retirement.”

Most political observers note that Obama’s remarks channeled another young president who delivered an address in the same venue roughly a century ago: Theodore Roosevelt. The Republican reformer’s “New Nationalism” speech was a call for a 20th Century brand of progressive politics in which ordinary citizens would be protected from the avarice and recklessness of big business and special interests of that era. Known to take full advantage of historic symbolism—evoking presidents such as Lincoln, FDR and Reagan in past policy speeches—Obama used the location and sharp rhetoric as part of his bully pulpit (a term coined by Roosevelt).

In making his latest power move, Obama is applying populism, in part, as his big stick, communicating his willingness to fight for preservation of the middle class and defense of those trapped below the poverty line. His strategic approach casts Republicans as the unreasonable, intransigent party of the powerful and privileged, placing politics and ideology over the best interests of our country.

Without a doubt, the president needs to boost confidence among much of the American public. Obama must convince them he’s their unwavering champion as well as a pragmatic leader. His rep took serious hits after the catastrophic debt-ceiling negotiations with congressional Republicans during the summer, and when his mammoth $447 billion American Jobs Act was blocked in the Democratic-controlled Senate. And despite a recent jobs report that showed national unemployment declined from 9% in October to 8.6% in November—African American unemployment, however, actually rose from 15.1% to 15.5%—his job approval rating slid to 41% in Gallup’s latest daily tracking poll, with a disapproval at 51%. The figures offer the widest gap between the president’s approval and disapproval numbers in recent weeks.

Since incumbents run on their record, the president must clearly show why he deserves a second term, an alternative to the candidate who will eventually receive the GOP nod. (With three weeks before the start of primary season, the most likely pick will be former House Speaker Newt Gingrich or former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.)  So Obama’s challenge or opportunity—depending on the lens you use—will be to make the case that he has placed the country on the right course.

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So another part of his strategy will come from the playbook of another U.S. president: Harry S. Truman. “Give ‘Em Hell” Harry managed to gain re-election in 1948 by running against a Republican Congress considered one of the most inept—that is, until now. So Obama must position himself against his version of a “do-nothing” Congress. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other GOP leaders have gave him a huge assist early on by spelling out their “Stop Obama” mandate, and then adopting a “Party of No” legislative approach over the past three years.  As a result, Congress has received a 9% approval rating, the worst in history and, in fact, four times lower than that of the Internal Revenue Service.

Obama is applying the heat. Since blockage of his comprehensive job package, the White House has initiated the “We Can’t Wait” campaign in which the president has spent the last two months tirelessly barnstorming the nation encouraging citizens to pressure their representatives to enact “bite-size” pieces of the measure. Not satisfied with waiting for congressional action, he has implemented a series of executive orders that promise to enable 1.6 million college students to repay federal loans, 1 million homeowners to meet mortgage payments and thousands of veterans to find jobs. Moreover, he seeks to use the recent failure of the congressional “super committee” last month to forge a deficit reduction deal—now painful automatic budget cuts will take place in 2013 as part of the debt-ceiling debate compromise—to once again demonstrate the GOP’s unwillingness to take a “balanced” budget-cutting approach as well as tax the rich.

The thrust of Osawatomie speech was to press the wealthiest Americans who currently pay “the lowest taxes in over half a century” to fork over a larger share of such obligations.  Obama also stood firm on the payroll tax cut due to expire by year’s end. He has proposed a one-year extension and expansion of the tax holiday on the employee share of the payroll tax, cutting it to 3.1% from the 2011 rate of 4.2%. He also seeks to a reduction for the employer share to 3.1% from 6.2% on the first $5 million of payroll in 2012.  And those companies that grew payrolls up to $50 million in a year by hiring new workers or raising salaries of existing employees would receive a complete tax holiday.

Once again, the Obama White House is at odds with GOP members over—you guessed it—tax increases. Senate Republicans rejected a Dem proposal to include a new tax on income over $1 million to help finance the extension even though one of their own—moderate Susan Collins of Maine—voted for an initial version of the plan last week. At the same time, most of the Senate’s GOP minority opposed the party’s own plan to freeze government pay and other steps to offset the cost.  House Republican leaders are trying to cut a deal within their caucus to gain support from Tea Party members who want to throw out the entire proposal while others have discussed using the extension as leverage to tack on unrelated measures they want but the president clearly stated this week he would reject such maneuvers.

Bottom line: Failure to pass the extension and expansion would mean less in Americans’ pocketbooks next year—$1,550 for a household earning $50,000 a year—and serve to hamper  consumer spending which, in turn, could cripple an already tepid recovery. So Obama plans to keep the pressure on. In fact, the White House unveiled its version of a doomsday clock on its website, counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds to the December 31 deadline before taxes will  increase for roughly 160 million Americans if Congress fails to act.

Obama will also have to continue to clash with GOP over nominations as he enters the last year of the first term of his presidency. Latest development has been the push to derail the installation of Obama’s candidate to help correct the economic inequality that Occupy Wall Street forces are protesting. Politico reported today Senate Republicans have blocked the president’s nomination of Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The vote of 53-45—with one senator voting “present”—fell short of the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster.

The key to victory for components of the jobs measure, payroll tax cut extension  – and his re-election – will be to negotiate with the GOP from a position of strength. That will mean standing firm in the arena, ready to strike the next blow.

(Image: File)

In receiving updates on the status of Herman Cain‘s scandal-plagued presidential campaign, I received the following tweet from one political insider: “Done like last week’s turkey.”

With roughly a month before the Jan. 3 Iowa Caucus—the first contest to determine the Republican nominee—pundits as well as much of the GOP feel the same way. Pressure continues to mount for him to withdraw from the race as the former Godfather’s Pizza honcho contends with allegations from Ginger White, an Atlanta women who claims she had a 13-year extramarital affair that ended this year. He also spent much of the past few weeks defending himself against charges of sexual harassment during his tenure as president of the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s.

As his campaign implodes, Cain continues to fight on. He made stops in Ohio and New Hampshire Wednesday where he told a crowd in Manchester: “They keep coming after me. After that firestorm, people thought I was finished. Well, just like Yogi Berra said, it ain’t over ‘til it’s over, and I’m not finished yet.”

But the party, pundits and public have already started to move on, trying to figure out the calculus of how Cain’s supporters will impact the dogfight between GOP front runners former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, himself dogged by past sexual and financial scandals, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

This is a rapid change of fortune for the man who was the GOP front runner just a month ago. According to the independent Quinnipiac University national poll on Nov. 2, Cain led the primary field with 30%, followed by Romney with 23%, Gingrich with 10% and Texas Gov. Rick Perry with 8%. In the Nov. 22 Quinnipiac poll—before White’s allegations—Gingrich took the lead with 26%, Romney stood at 22% and Cain dropped to 14%. Losing ground with conservatives and Tea Party members, his support continues its precipitous decline.

What happened? Cain’s meteoric rise and hard fall offers lessons for all seeking office—whether its national or local. Here are five lessons we can learn:

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Clearly define your strategy. Cain’s campaign was baffling from the beginning.  Dismissed by the mainstream media, he didn’t develop a significant political apparatus in either Iowa or New Hampshire, key states for any presidential candidate to gain traction for the nomination. Instead, he chose to operate in a seat-of-the pants fashion, preferring bus tours in Tennessee which fueled speculation he was more concerned about selling his new autobiography than a presidential run. Even though such campaign unorthodoxy may favor the bold, it doesn’t provide staying power.

One-note campaigns tend to fizzle. Yes, it’s important to stay on message but Cain needed to go beyond his “9-9-9″ plan in which he pushed replacing the current tax code with a simple 9% tax on corporate and personal income, and a 9% national sales tax. Under scrutiny, he was often fuzzy when questioned about how it would produce 6 million jobs and 5% economic growth or whether it would force poor or middle-income households to pay more taxes due to the sales tax provision. It was a catchy, simple bite that connected with his base as our nation grapples with with tough, complex economic times. However, Cain—and to be fair, his other GOP rivals—have not offered a clear vision for America’s future.

Off-the-cuff remarks often backfire. Cain often made statements to appear as a maverick but served to alienate. After winning the Florida Straw Poll in late September, he made a sweeping statement in a CNN interview that a significant portion of Blacks “have been brainwashed into not being open-minded, not even considering a conservative point of view,” raising the ire of many in the African American community. And at another campaign stop in Arizona, he offered the controversial policy proposal of building an electrified fence along the U.S./Mexico border he said could kill people trying to enter the country illegally. In response to criticism, he initially responded that his comments were “a joke” and “America needs to get a sense of humor.” According to a CBSNews.com report, he later reversed course, citing the need for a border fence “and it might be electrified.” His remarks were ripped by the head of the 21-member Hispanic Caucus and other Latino citizens. It’s true candidates must play to their base but the most effective ones see the value of communicating their vision and ideas across constituencies instead of using cheap applause lines that they don’t stand behind under pressure.

Know your facts—and don’t risk becoming a caricature. As his campaign pressed on, his novelty wore off. Cain showed his lack of command of issues beyond his beloved 9-9-9 plan—especially in the foreign affairs arena. In a session with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel editorial board, a flustered Cain struggled with a simple question: “So, you agree with President Obama on Libya, or not?”After fidgeting and seconds of silence, he asked for clarification of the question and then said he didn’t “agree with the way he handled it.” He immediately reversed himself, conceding he “got all this stuff twirling around in my head.” In fact, his poor performance made Gov. Perry’s brain-freeze moment at the Nov. 9 GOP debate a distant memory. He was later quoted as saying, “We need a leader, not a reader” in explaining his foreign policy stumbles. I’m positive Cain wouldn’t have had any patience for such flip remarks from staffers who didn’t do their homework at Godfather’s Pizza, National Restaurant Association or when he served on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Such behavior diminished his candidacy and viewed by many as lacking the presidential gravitas needed to tackle foreign affairs, national defense and other substantive matters.

Be prepared for everything because anything goes. That’s what L. Douglas Wilder once shared with me when I interviewed him during his campaign for the governorship of the state of Virginia two decades ago. “When you run for office, you must be beyond reproach,” asserted Wilder, who eventually became the first African American elected to the statehouse. Since then, a few candidates have survived scandal to be voted into office. The most notable: Bill Clinton who was elected to the presidency in 1992 despite allegations of an extramarital affair and being dogged with other such charges during his tenure in the Oval Office. The charges against Cain has hammered his campaign with the impact of a wrecking ball. Moreover, he has yet to have the “stand-by-your-man” moment similar to Bill and Hillary Clinton‘s appearance on 60 Minutes in which they displayed side-by-side husband-and-wife unity . For seasoned, masterful politicians like the Clintons they proved to be an exception to the rule. That’s unlikely to happen in this case. One thing is for sure: repeated denials and the use of a lawyer as mouthpiece has not—and will not—stop the press from its pursuit of details nor negative speculation.

As a front runner,  you’re constantly in the spotlight. Your whole life is an open book as the press and public reviews past performance, previous polices and character clues. It’s similar to an onion-peeling process, uncovering layer after layer until they discover the candidate’s core.

For the defiant Cain, it appears he will be a footnote as a 2012 GOP front runner. For those seeking office—or any major position—the mistakes of his campaign serves as a primer on actions to avoid as you get ready for prime time.

(Image: ThinkStock)

“Creativity and persistence is the new gangsta…”

—George Fraser

That quote from entrepreneur and networking master George Fraser defines the tech revolution that continues to course through African American entrepreneurial communities, from Silicon Valley to Detroit to Newark. In fact, this trend was evident last week with the unveiling of CNN’s Black in America 4: The New Promised Land – Silicon Valley, which highlighted a number of entrepreneurs BLACK ENTERPRISE has featured in our August cover story, “Geeked,” as well as articles and blogs on our Website. Across the nation, a series of screenings of that special placed a bright spotlight on a cadre of business visionaries as well as drove dialogue around African American participation in entrepreneurial development and STEM education. Such activity, in part, may help power further initiatives to transform urban centers into “21^st Century innovation ecosystems”—future hotbeds of start-up activity.

What’s needed to maintain forward momentum for the emerging digerati? You guessed it—capital. Financing continues to be elusive: Less than 1% of venture capital-backed companies have been Black-owned entities. But for those seeking to make connections with angels and VCs, one of the places to be last week was Newark. The invitation-only event—“A Gathering of Angels Urban Entrepreneurship Summit”—was organized by Rutgers Business School’s Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CUEED) and The America21 Project, an outfit founded by a trio of tech innovators in their own right—A. Michael Green, Dr. Chad Womack and Jonathan Holifield. Green, a Huffington Post blogger and developer of digital education games, and Womack, a biotech entrepreneur and White House adviser, shared the idea for this innovation confab with me over lunch at the National Association of Black Journalists Conference in August. (Holifield, who helped create one of Ohio’s first IT-based high schools, and CUEED founding director dt ogilvie were also instrumental in its development.) They more than kept their promise of bring together heavyweight backers like  Timothy Reese, co-founder of the Minority Angel Investor Network; Terrence Hicks, VP of the investment group at Ben Franklin Technology Partners; William Crowder, a managing director with DreamIt Ventures and entrepreneurs such as BlackEnterprise.com blogger Hajj Flemings, founder of gokit.me, a personal branding strategy firm; Wayne Sutton, business advisor and creator of one of the industry’s leading blogs, SocialWayne.com; and Hank Williams, CEO of KloudCo, an early stage developer of a new data management platform.  Flemings, Sutton and Williams were all participants in the SiliconValley-based NewMe (New Media Entrepreneurship) Accelerator.

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(Image: ThinkStock)

The day I attended the conference, several start-ups, from an expansive social discovery site to a fitness app producer, shared concepts in the entrepreneurial pitch session. During a tech entrepreneurship panel, speakers offered war stories and advice: “How many of you are Angelist.com? I don’t mean Angie’s List,” Sutton says of the site that facilitates fundraising through a community of start-ups and investors. “We have to be there.”

In a session on Black capital, financiers like Ben Franklin’s Hicks revealed the following: “How do you get to the money? Get to know [a investor group's] members. Find a champion.” Marc C. Mathis, executive director for Early Stage East, one of the nation’s largest venture capital conferences, added that his Club Pitch events rarely attract African Americans. “You have to get to spaces that will create capital resources…there must be outreach to the vast majority,” he says. “At my event, I can count fewer Black entrepreneurs than the fingers on one hand.”

Fraser echoed a similar theme related to the importance of building personal, operational and strategic relationships to achieve goals. “Strength is not in the wolf…it’s in the pack,” he asserted, citing that African Americans spend 9% of their time networking to garner roughly 50 contacts versus their White counterparts who employ 19% of their time and develop about 125 connections.

But Holifield, a former football player and economic development expert who has led, among other things, industrial innovation and tech workforce development efforts in Ohio, says African Americans can orchestrate high-impact business turnarounds and convert urban centers into “innovation ecosystems” if they act “more like more trim tabs,” the device that enables rudders to “turn big ships.”

He identified assets such as entrepreneurial talent; capital; customers; educational institutions; commercial research; philanthropic institutions; and professional services in his presentation. Next, he stressed entrepreneurs must “comprehend the speed of the game, ” understanding that today’s business strategy can’t be approached like the civil rights struggle since they now operate in a flatter, hyper-connected global environment driven by an increased democratization of information. “Everyone will not be entitled to innovate,” he said. “In fact, this is the most meritocratic economic period ever.”

Another principle calls for connection of vital components—innovation councils, university and corporate research capabilities, capital sources like angel networks and VCs, incubators and advance manufacturing operations—through what he calls “innovation asset stewardship mapping.” And his execution process is driven by A.O.L. (not to be confused with the Internet site) in which “you aggregate key wealth and resources; organize them into actionable forms; and leverage them to achieve the desired impact.”

Holifield approach requires flexible, enduring trim tabbers to effectively move rudders, ensuring the ecosystem remains sustainable but adaptable. “In this model, we encourage entrepreneurial churn. We must discard the old notion of economic stability. In [that type of environment] the lowest rates of business failures resulted in the lowest rate of business start-ups,” he says. “Entrepreneurs should not be risk averse but risk astute. That will create greater energy, vitality and creative destruction. You will have losers but you will also create new customers.”

Of course, I abbreviated Holifiled’s convention-bending model. The end game, however, is development of high-growth businesses to ignite true wealth formation and produce the multiplier effect of job creation and urban resurrection. In fact, Hajj Flemings, who co-hosted a Motor City screening with the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program that brought 212 students and parents to the UAW/GM Building, seems to embrace this philosophy when he says: “Detroit was the Silicon Valley of its day with the automotive industry and Motown… My plan is to be part of a Detroit comeback…”

The merger of creativity and persistence. Now, that’s gangsta.

(Image: ThinkStock)

Investors will continue to face off-the-charts volatility. Many reeled from yesterday’s market activity as global markets plunged in response to the alarming European debt crisis.  The performance of all three major indices was their worst in the past few months. The S&P 500 index suffered one of its biggest drop since August, sliding 3.7 % to 1,229. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 389 points—its worst one-day loss since Sept. 22—to 11,781.  And the tech-driven Nasdaq composite index fell 3.9% to 2,622. The decline erased gains etched out after a two-day winning streak.

The culprit: news that the crisis spread to Italy, Europe’s third largest economy. For the first time since joining the 17-nation Euro currency zone, the interest rate that Italy must pay to borrow money rose more than 7% for 10-year bonds, putting into question the country’s viability as it goes through a major transition in political leadership and proposed austerity measures.

Worries over Greek debt have increased volatility in the financial markets for the past year and that country’s bailout has been a long, arduous process. At $2.6 trillion, Italy’s debt is much larger than than that of Greece and two other troubled European countries that had to be rescued—Portugal and Ireland. The challenge: Unlike those smaller economies, Italy is viewed as too big for the same type of international bailout but too big to default. Analysts and government leaders agree that international intervention is imperative.

But on Thursday morning, the markets staged a comeback. The yields on Italian 10-year bonds dropped to 6.93% helped by secondary-market purchases by the European Central Bank—an action that steadied European markets. And U.S. stocks regained momentum after Standard & Poor’s maintained France’s AAA credit rating. By mid-day, the Dow was up 118 points, the S&P 500 rose 6.58 points, with energy stocks as top performers and tech lagging among its 10 major sectors, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 2.71 points.

Expect more market turbulence as the European scenario—and other major economic and financial events play out.

Europe represents more than 25% of the world economy. The financial crisis continuing to spread to other parts of the continent would be disastrous since its our largest trading partner and, in turn, such activity would affect business and employment on our shores.

Analysts from Moody’s Investors Service, one of the leading ratings agencies, recently announced it was concerned that the U.S. economy could be hurt if this catastrophe. The situation, they assert, would be similar to the aftermath of the 2008 bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in which banks suddenly became less willing to lend to each other, creating a credit crunch for companies and individuals.

Don’t expect an American bailout as we grapple with our own sluggish economy. For example, President Obama has not commented on recent developments since he appeared at the G20 Summit in Cannes, France last week, urging European leaders to take “bolder action” to avert contagion. And when asked about Europe’s woes during the GOP debate last night, Republican presidential candidates were emphatically against any direct aid to stem the crisis. Mitt Romney‘s comment mirrored the sentiment of others: “Europe is able to take care of their own problems. We do not need to step in to bail out banks in Europe or here in the U.S. that may have Italian debt.”

In such a tumultuous environment, what should you do as an investor? I suggest you continue to follow the advice we offered in the Money section of our October issue. the strategies include:

• Adopt a long-term focus. By doing so, you can actually afford to not pay too much attention to market turbulence. Our experts tell investors not to panic and avoid making knee-jerk decisions you will regret when the market settles down.
• Stick with market leaders. Look for quality stocks with proven earnings track records and strong cash positions.  Some money managers maintain that multinational companies with revenue streams from different geographic locations will still offer downside protection.
• Look for value. Now is a great time to buy solid companies at bargain prices to gain some rather attractive returns—especially in battered industries like financial services.
• Purchase dividend-paying stocks. There are a number of companies that still manage to significantly grow earnings, generate free cash flow and offer strong dividend yields right now.

These are but a few approaches to bolstering your investments. Remember: Monitor, don’t ignore, the financial markets and make adjustments to your portfolio. Avoid your own investment crisis but not letting volatility force you to make a hasty exit from the market.

Blair Taylor, president & CEO of  the Los Angeles Urban League, spoke before an audience of roughly 300 business, government, non-profit and academic leaders, sharing his thoughts on building blocks for tomorrow’s workforce. He told them about taking a delegation of students from Crenshaw High School to China to observe commerce and culture within the superpower.  While in Beijing, the group visited one of the country’s top-ranked high schools, gaining an up-close view of its advanced level of instruction and dedication to academic excellence.

After the group completed the tour, Taylor said one Crenshaw student asserted: “We can do what they do. We just have to work harder.”

That message, one of continuous skills upgrading fused with unyielding persistence, was delivered by participants of our 20/20 Vision Forum: Job Creation and Career Opportunities in the Next Economy, one of a series of such events presented by BLACK ENTERPRISE in partnership with Walmart.  The LA event, like one held in Washington, DC in early 2010 and another in New York this past June, was designed to bring together the best minds to conjure up constructive options to put a dent in short-term unemployment and propel long-term career advancement for African Americans.

Of course, African Americans have suffered the hardest blows in this economy. The Black unemployment rate continues to hover around 16%, twice the rate of Whites. And we continue to witness a government solution to the jobs crisis paralyzed by political gridlock. As President Obama continues to push the American Jobs Act—first as an expansive $447 billion package and then as the first $35 billion “bite-sized” piece to employ teachers and first responders—has been blocked by Senate Republicans. Now, the President is planning to use executive action to move his program forward because “we can’t wait.”

Keynote Speaker Tavis Smiley says that as individuals seek the path to employment and entrepreneurship to “define their mission.” He, however, took the opportunity to challenge the President on his vigilance to solve the jobs crisis.

Alicia Villarreal, Regional Representative for Labor Secretary Hilda Solis who provided the market outlook, says the president has “drawn a line in the sand”regarding the jobs act. Also, she says the Labor Department has a number of initiatives to expand opportunities including “one-stop career”operations like the Compton Worksource Center which can screen applicants and “serve as employment agencies for companies.”

Others seek remedies to not only address Black unemployment but expand ranks of high-ranking officials. For example, BET founder Robert Johnson, who owns three BE 100s companies, recently proposed what he calls the “RLJ Rule,” calling for the 1,000 largest publicly traded companies to voluntarily consider a more diverse pool of qualified candidates when filling top-level job vacancies and contracting suppliers. His proposal is similar to the NFL’s “Rooney Rule,” a 2003 directive mandating pro teams to consider minority candidates for senior positions.

Tavis Smiley adds his thoughts to the discussion

To fill the power pipeline, Arnold Donald, president and CEO of the Executive Leadership Council, the pre-eminent organization of top-ranking African American corporate managers,  announced last week a call to action for corporate America  to increase the ranks of African Americans CEOs or C-Suiters by 500 and collective number of Black board members by 200 within the next five years.

Our event offered urgency for employment and advancement of large number of African American managers as well as rank-and-file. When it comes to near-term job creation, long-term career reinvention or development of the next generation of talent, our forum participants revealed three critical drivers: the competitive impact of globalization, application and connectivity of information technology, and entrepreneurial development. These issues become more pressing in an environment with an increasingly high VUCA rating—“volatility, unpredictability, complexity and ambiguity”—a concept framed in That Used To Be Us, the recently-released book authored by columnist Thomas L. Friedman and international affairs expert Michael Mandelbaum.  Despite such uncertainty, Johann Schleier-Smith, co-founder of Tagged, a social discovery site with more than 100 million users worldwide, says “there’s a huge risk for not doing anything.”

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Hajj Flemings breaks down the difference between a brand and commodity

One panelist Bishop Noel Jones, senior pastor of City of Refuge and the force behind the public-private partnership United Job Creation Council in Los Angeles, maintains the first step is “to be global in our thinking because technology has shrunk our world.”  So he stresses training an emerging and existing workforce with a focus on competition that is no longer national but global.  For quite some time, contenders have not been contained to California, New York or Illinois but can be found in China, India, Brazil and other parts of the world—across a range of industries.

In fact, Taylor’s assessment was more frank: “African Americans are the only group in this country with no connection to the global economy,” citing as one example the stronger ties the Chinese government and businesses have with Africa.

That’s why it’s important, Taylor says, to learn languages such as Spanish and Mandarin to expand your portfolio of opportunities. To make his case, he offered the example of a bilingual American broadcast journalist who was able to find employment in China as a news anchor.

Identifying hot spots like IT, mobile services, healthcare, green jobs, genetics and elderly services can prove to be a smart move. In most cases, you need the right skills demanding “years and years of preparation,” says Curtis Silvers, area director of the Southern California region of UNCF. Large numbers of mid-career workers can gain retraining to become employable in such fields. But Silvers, along with Jones and Taylor, believe the next generation will gain the best shot at being positioned to advance and innovate within such occupations—that is, if they gain sufficient education in K-12 and at the collegiate level.

Always use new technology to your advantage though.  Social media strategist Hajj Flemings demonstrated how to bolster your personal brand to remain relevant in his comprehensive tutorial on how to use social media and online tools.  He maintains that inviduals must develop a personal branding map, a visual representation of your relationships and “how you are wired positions you for greater impact in the space you desire to dominate. ” How do you achieve this goal? Create an idea, develop quality content, follow a detailed strategy and pursue it with passion. Says Flemings: “You should own your genius.”

Black Enterprise CEO Earl "Butch" Graves, Jr. (second from left) poses with a few of the day's panelists

Another key to job creation and advancement: entrepreneurship, of course. Panelist Magnus Greaves, founder and CEO of TheCASHFLOW and advisory board member of 100 Urban Entrepreneurs, described his model to foster business development. Greaves’ incubator includes selection of winners of his business pitch competition who receive $10,000 in capital and mentorship to boot.  BLACK ENTERPRISE has partnered with Greaves’ organization in producing the Elevator Pitch Competition at our annual Entrepreneurs Conference.

Greaves says one size doesn’t fit all: different types of entrepreneurs need different skills. However, all must have passion, dexterity and guidance to create sustainable enterprises: “Entrepreneurs must develop skills and platforms to pass on to other entrepreneurs.”

To achieve that end, Schleier-Smith advises budding entrepreneurs to take an “honest assessment of their skills and to set yourself up with a great mentor.” He speaks from experience: Schleier-Smith’s was counseled by one of the co-founders of LinkedIn.

Timothy A. Reese, serial entrepreneur and co-founder of the Minority Angel Network, has identified crucial steps: Attend business forums to discover how financiers make investment decisions and “learn the difference between equity and a paycheck.”

Don’t fret about setbacks. Our panelists admitted that they found the path to success through failure. Says Reese: “I was fired once and that was all it took for me to become my own change agent.”

Earl G. Graves, Sr with IBM's Rodney C. Adkins (Image: Corey Shelton/EconoPix, Inc.)

Rodney C. Adkins, IBM’s Senior Vice President, Systems and Technology Group, has received the highest honor BLACK ENTERPRISE bestows upon a top-ranked exec: 2011 Corporate Executive of the Year. One of the nation’s most powerful business leaders in the tech sector, Adkins manages a 50,000-employee division that generates $18 billion in revenues and serves global clients in automotive, telecommunications, healthcare and manufacturing.

He was presented the award by BLACK ENTERPRISE Chairman and Publisher Earl G. Graves, Sr. at the National Network of Black IBM Retirees and Alumni conference, a business development and leadership event that brought more than 200 to Atlanta this past weekend.  “He’s a born competitor…a driven, visionary leader…and an extraordinary manager of talent and resources,” Graves said of Adkins’ attributes. “Moreover, this year’s honoree—and the company he represents—stands at the vanguard of 21^st century corporate leadership, constantly resetting the bar for diversity and fairness in the workplace.”  Celebrating its centennial anniversary this year, IBM has been listed among the BLACK ENTERPRISE 40 Best Companies for Diversity since the roster’s inception in 2005.

In gaining such recognition, Adkins, 53, is in good company. Past recipients include American Express Chairman and CEO Kenneth I. Chenault, Aetna Chairman and CEO Ron Williams (retired), McDonald’s Corp. President and COO Don Thompson, Whirlpool International President Michael Todman, Amway Chief Global Marketing Officer Candace Matthews and Symantec CEO John W. Thompson, an IBM alum.

He’s deserving of the placement: His achievements and management prowess has placed him among the leading candidates to replace retiring IBM CEO Samuel J. Palmisano. Appointed to his position in 2009, the Miami native who holds a degree in physics from Rollins College and a master’s in electrical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology oversees all aspects of IBM’s server, storage, systems software and retail store solutions business. The company’s integrated supply chain, which includes global manufacturing, procurement and customer fulfillment also reports to him. The 30-year veteran who is an engineer by training was also responsible for oversight of the servers for Watson, the computer that won the Jeopardy! competition against two champions earlier this year.

True to form, Adkins spent his acceptance saying that “he was humbled by the honor… and I thank the magazine helping me have a great professional and personal year” before giving the audience a presentation on the 130-year history of technology and Black achievement. Excited by technology entering “the learning era” and IBM’s Smarter Planet thrust, he foresees the computer power and analytical capabilities of Watson transforming healthcare, finance, transportation and media sectors, among others.

Beyond using technology to improve  quality of life and taking IBM to greater global influence and profitability,  Adkins, a board member of National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, promotes educational and mentorship programs to develop the next generation of African American engineers and scientists.  He told the audience: “We all have a responsibility to reach back and pull through.”

For more on Adkins, read the September 2011 issue of BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine currently on newsstands and view Executive Editor Caroline V. Clarke’s Power Player interview on the award-winning, nationally syndicated television show, Black Enterprise Business Report on Saturday, Oct. 8 and Sunday, Oct. 9 (check times and listings in your area).