Michael Baisden is undeniably one of the most influential and engaging personalities in radio history. His meteoric rise to #1 is redefining radio with the show is syndicated and is heard in over 78 markets nationwide with over 8 million loyal listeners daily.
Antione Bennett is the Senior Director of Supply Management Services Operations and Supplier Diversity at Nationwide Mutual Insurance. Antione is currently on the Board of Directors for the Northern Ohio Council of the National Minority Supplier Development Council.
Angela Benton’s experience spans a variety of industries and roles. Throughout her career she has worked in a variety of roles in design, marketing, development, and digital strategy.
In 2006 Brenda Braxton, a successful actress and Broadway star, added entrepreneur to her resume with the launching of BBRAXTON Exceptional Grooming for Exceptional Men, a gentlemen only grooming parlor in Harlem, NY.
Jonathan became ACCION Chicago’s Chief Executive in 2004. Taking the day-to-day reigns of the organization at a tumultuous time in its history.
Rosalind G. Brewer, the President and CEO of Sam’s Club, is the first woman and the first African American to hold a CEO position at one of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s business units.
Janice Bryant Howroyd heads the ACT•1 Group, a California headquartered, global organization that is leading the human resources industry with innovative services and tools to partner with firms in optimizing human resource talent management.
Barbara Burrell heeded the call to entrepreneurship back in 1992, bidding farewell to a corporate executive career and realizing a passionate dream called Sky’s Gourmet Tacos.
Kim Coles is no stranger to Hollywood, starred in numerous hit television programs including her five-season turn as the unforgettable “Synclaire” on FOX’s ground-breaking comedy series Living Single, Fraiser and In Living Color just to name a few.
Bertha Coombs is a general assignment reporter for CNBC, covering financial markets and business news stories throughout the network’s business day programming. She is based at the network’s global headquarters in Englewoohas d Cliffs, N.J.
Michelle is the President and Chief Fire Starter of EMDO Enterprises, a capacity building business consulting firm. She has also been named the American Express OPEN Advisor on Small Business Growth.
Teman Evans is a Harvard-educated architect and designer who has appeared in multiple media outlets, including Time Magazine, Wallpaper, The New York Times, the Rachael Ray Show and on the HGTV television network’s hit reality show,
Dawn Fitch is the founder of Pooka Pure and Simple, a handmade bath and body company. She received her B.A. in design and worked for Sony Music for 6 years. She decided to step out on her own doing freelance design.
Hajj is a leading brand strategist, speaker and tech entrepreneur. He was featured in CNN’s Black In America 4: The New Promised Land: Silicon Valley which was viewed by millions of people.
Anthony Frasier a native of Newark, NJ is the co-founder of mobile startup Playd and the award winning gaming site TheKoalition.com.
Chris spent the last 13 years helping individuals reach their most important financial goals. In 1999, Chris started his own financial services practice, and since then, has traveled the U.S. working with professional athletes, key executives, physicians and business owners. Chris specifically focuses on the areas of Life Insurance, Disability Income Insurance, Investments, and Long term Tax Reduction Strategies. Chris was a communications major at the University of Illinois. Outside of the classroom, he played on the Fighting Illini basketball team where he was co-captain and earned 2nd Team All Big-Ten honors. After college, Chris played basketball professionally for the Chicago Bulls and in L’Hermaine, France. Early in his career, Chris worked as a Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Representative. While there, he received numerous awards and was a top producer. He became a Million Dollar Round Table Member in 2003—the premier association of financial professionals. In the spring of 2005, Chris moved his financial services practice to the Molyneaux Financial Group, LLC, and an organization with a team of highly trained financial specialists, where he achieved the Impact award in 2006 Management council and Leaders Conference in 2007. With a passion for diversity and inclusion, Chris has developed a team of successful advisors both in downtown Chicago and the western suburban office for MassMutual. Chris donates his time and efforts to many organizations. He is on the Board of Directors for the Urban League, is part of the United Way’s Young Community Leaders, and volunteers for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization. Chicago’s Rush Medical SAME Board Networks Chris is dedicated to helping individuals develop personalized financial strategies and goals. Chris is married and lives in the western Chicago suburbs.
Valerie Gaydos is an angel investor and business development expert. She is the founder and president of Capital Growth, Inc. (CGI) an investment company which was established in 1994 as a venture capital data and information publishing company.
Chris Genteel leads Google's efforts to make our tools and people useful and accessible to diverse businesses and communities. His team works with customers and partners to grow and support the ecosystem of US underrepresented businesses using Google tools for business.
100 Urban Entrepreneurs founder Magnus Greaves got his start in the financial industry, founding the trading firm MacFutures in the mid-1990s. He later established Doubledown Media, a New York-based publisher of lifestyle magazines for financial professionals.
Robert L. Greene is a Principal with Syncom Venture Partners, a leading venture capital firm based in Silver Spring, Maryland. Syncom has over $400 million of capital under management and makes growth stage investments in the Media & Communications industry
Ron Hall currently serves as Vice President & General Counsel for Bridgewater Interiors, LLC. He joined the company in 2007.
Felecia is a trailblazing social entrepreneur with an authentic voice for change. For the past decade Felecia has dedicated her life to inspiring a new generation of leaders
Andrea Hence Evans, Esq. launched the intellectual property law practice, The Law Firm of Andrea Hence Evans, LLC. Attorney Evans career path is unique since she worked at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for approximately 5 years as both a Patent Examiner and a Trademark Examining Attorney after graduating from law school.
Mr. Hunt is the Chairman and Managing Director of HWI Partners, a lower middle market investment firm, and has over $20 billion in M&A experience. Successfully raising a search fund in 2005.
He is an award-winning entrepreneur, and he has received over 35 awards including the Brandweek Marketer of the Year, Advertising Age Marketing 1000 Award for Outstanding Ad Campaign, and Ernst & Young’s New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Beverly Johnson is the first African-American supermodel. Her stunning features and superstardom would eventually land her on the cover of Vogue magazine in 1974, making world history as the first black model to ever grace the acclaimed magazine’s cover, and forever changing the beauty ideal in the fashion world.
Lara has an extensive career in market research, strategy, and branding, serving as vice president of brand marketing at Capital One for a number of years while leading their enterprise branding strategy development and several business unit branding efforts.
Lauren joined Dell in 2011 and currently leads Global Strategy and Corporate Development for all of Dell's business units, representing over $60 billion in revenue.
Tommie serves as the Regional Sales Director for Dell’s Small Business division where he is responsible for sales activities supporting Small Business customers with an employee size of 1-9.
Mr. McKnight is a Managing Member of Syncom Venture Management Company, LLC, an investment advisory firm that manages a group of media and communications related venture capital funds with assets in excess of $400 million.
Al Nelson 27, Originally born in New Orleans LA. AL worked as a manager in the music business for years. before recognizing that there existed a substantial void in the nightlife market. Feeling that he could create a platform for people to pre purchase their night out the the most elite events world wide. He founded EzVip in 2010 and since then has partnered with Billionaire tech entrepreneur Mark Cuban, branding strategist Daymond John & Internal superstar Pitbull
Marino Orlandi joined Fifth Third Bank in 2007 and is currently the Vice President of Business Banking. Orlandi reports directly to Craig Pratt, senior vice president of Business Banking for the bank’s Chicago Affiliate.
Mr. Primo serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Capri Capital Partners, LLC, a real estate investment management firm advising pension fund and other institutional investors.
Mr. Reese brings more than 20 years of experience in finance and startups in the US and UK. Mr. Reese is the co-founder of the Minority Angel Investors Network.
Leon has led Chemico Systems, Inc. from a start-up company to one of the major suppliers of chemical products and chemical management services to several industries including automotive, bio-tech, and academia.
Award-winning chef and author Marcus Samuelsson is known for both his business success and culinary achievements, most recently with his newest restaurant, The Red Rooster in Harlem, NY.
From his celebrated conversations with world figures, to his work to inspire the next generation of leaders, as a broadcaster, author, advocate, publisher and philanthropist, Tavis Smiley continues to be an outstanding voice for change.
SREE SREENIVASAN (@sree) is a professor and Dean of Student Affairs at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, where he teaches in the digital media program, including social media and digital entrepreneurship.
Wayne helps individuals, startups and businesses succeed in understanding how to communicate on the social web via web development, user experience, brand strategy and marketing (Mobile and Social).
As the founder and CEO of Soul Purpose Beauty and Lifestyle Company, a unique direct sales company that produces natural personal care products, Thompson is the driving force behind the company.
Minena Turley is a former NASA software integrator and the first African-American Mission Manager in the Mission Control Center (MCC) at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. During the 25 years Minena worked with NASA’s Johnson Space Center, she developed a strong desire to own her own business.
Hank is a technologist and entrepreneur currently serving as CEO of Kloudco, a startup developing a new cloud information management platform.
A critically acclaimed actor and winner of Tony, AFI, Black Reel, Emmy, and Golden Globe awards, Jeffrey Wright has dedicated the majority of his professional time since 2003 to undertaking progressive economic development initiatives in Sierra Leone.
