December 31, 2014

Greetings! I pray that all of you had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed your time with family and friends. 2014 has been an incredible year for BDPA. As I mentioned in my December 1^st update, we experienced transition, celebration and collaboration. In addition, through the generosity of our corporate partners and sponsors, we awarded over $120,000 in scholarships to our students! Talk about making a difference in the lives of our student members. But the best is yet to come…

I am very excited about 2015 and hope you share my enthusiasm. 2015 represents the 40^th year of existence for our beloved BDPA! The vision of our Founders is alive and well. We have over 30 active chapters, 99 corporate partners and sponsors, and 2,100 members who comprise the largest minority Information Technology organization in the world! This is something that we can all be proud of and celebrate. However, we are not done and have much work to do.

In 2015, we begin year two of our 2014-2018 National Strategy. As a reminder, we are focused on:

· BDPA 2.0, specifically brand rejuvenation;

· Organizational growth and efficiency; and

· Enhancement of our member value proposition.

We have a very strong national and regional leadership team in place to bring this strategy to life across the organization. The team and I look forward to working and visiting with all of you throughout the year and celebrating our accomplishments. Please know that in order to realize our National Strategy, we need your help.

We need your active participation, teamwork, input and support to achieve our strategic and growth goals. As we begin a new year, I encourage each of you to partner with your regional and local leadership on the development and execution of your respective plans. Finally, please remember to renew your membership, visit bdpa.org on a regular basis to stay abreast of organization activities, AND register for our 2015 Technology Conference and Career Fair (early bird registration is extended until January 31, 2015) as soon as possible.

In closing, THANK YOU again for the opportunity to serve our great organization as President and please feel free to contact me at info@bdpa.org if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

Sincerely,

Pamela Mathews

National President, BDPA

December 1, 2014

Greetings!  I pray that everyone had a great Thanksgiving and enjoyed your time with family and friends.  As the season changes from fall to winter, so too does the evolution of BDPA in terms achieving our vision and national strategy.

Thus far, 2014 has been a year of transition, celebration and collaboration. As we march into December and close out the year, let’s all be mindful of a few of our accomplishments:

·        Established a strong, tangible framework to achieve our national strategy. Our strategy and expectations are clear and everyone is aligned on our collective and functional area objectives;  

·        Initiated the review and update of our standard operating procedures.  As you are all aware, we have entered year three of our transition to a regionally based structure.  As a result, we needed to revise our documentation to reflect this change, specifically roles, responsibilities and processes, to drive greater accountability and execution;

·        Executed our 36^th Annual Technology Conference and Career Fair.  The Indianapolis chapter, Visit Indy, and national team did a phenomenal job of planning and executing a great conference.   Similar to prior years, the conference was experienced by over 500 members, corporate sponsors and partners;

·        Completing due diligence with prospective partners to enhance our member value proposition. Discussions are underway with several strategic partners to confirm the existence of a mutually beneficial partnership.  

Besides the accomplishments mentioned above, I am also excited about the collaboration and execution exhibited by our Regional leadership team.  I have had the pleasure to work with each of them for a few years and trust them to work across the organization to bring our vision and strategy to life.  As we move into 2015, I am asking each of you to prepare for and/or focus on the following:

·        BPDA’s 40^th Anniversary, which will be celebrated August 18 – August 22 as part of  the 2015 National Annual Technology Conference and Career Fair in Washington, D.C.  Please register now (early bird registration expires January 1, 2015) and start making your plans to attend the Conference; 

·        Membership renewal.  Please renew yours during the annual membership drive.  Updated information regarding member benefits will be published and communicated in the near future.  Also, bring a friend to the membership drive.  BPDA has something to offer everyone;

·        2015 Annual Technology Conference - Call For Presenters.  This is a great way to share your knowledge or expertise on a particular topic.  If you are interested, please complete the online form by January 26, 2015, on the 2015 BDPA conference page at http://www.bdpa.org.

In closing, I am honored to represent and lead our prestigious organization.  Thank you for your past, current and future support.  Please feel free to contact me at info@bdpa.org if you have any questions or comments.

Sincerely,

Pamela

BDPA Family,

I am honored to be addressing you as National BDPA President. BDPA weathered the recession with the grit of its members, strong continuity of leadership, commitment to community and its dedicated sponsors that believe in the BDPA mission and vision. Because of that our brand is strong.

Today we are the largest African American Information Technology association in the U.S., and the largest national non-profit organization continually involved in training students underrepresented in STEM education across the country. As President I plan on growing the BDPA brand by putting an emphasis on gaining new membership and retention. The economic landscape is still very challenging, but as our organization changes with the times we can face new challenges and continue on a path to greater opportunity for all National BDPA stakeholders.

I propose the following main areas of focus:

• First, increase national visibility to who we are and what we do. Showcase our success stories to help gain greater notoriety as a Brand offering solutions to the nations critical problem of skilled IT professionals and students who want to study STEM related subjects as collegiate students;
• Second, increase our viability so that we can withstand economical shifts by staying relevant with solid programs and member value proposition. BDPA service offerings and member programs are the foundation to continuous success and are the basis for the organization Mission Statement;
• Finally, increase the marketability of the BDPA brand.This should increase the demand for BDPA service offerings by driving more awareness about our organization’s unique capabilities demonstrated for over the last 40 years.

Admittedly, that this will not be easy. But nothing worthwhile ever is.

I recognized up front that I needed to build a strong team. Without this, the vision that I have placed before you would not succeed. As a volunteer organization, the National Leadership Team needed to be strong enough to carry the workload of such a huge undertaking. I believe that I have accomplished this requirement. In addition to the elected officers that your delegates have selected to join the leadership team, I have added strong appointed officers that possess what it takes to accomplish the goals set by the vision that we are committed to.

Within the first 45 days of 2014 the BDPA Leadership Team has already laid out the road map for what is needed. The 1^st Quarter Meeting produced outstanding plans that I believe will yield the production necessary to produce BDPA 2.0which is what we have "Nick Named” what is coming soon.

My goals are simple. Increase awareness to the BDPA Brand. The benefits are wide spread. Vastly improve the BDPA membership value proposition through improved services, stronger programs and collaborative initiatives.

Please visit the BDPA.org website and meet the National Leadership Team. Thanks for your support and I look forward to serving as your National President for 2014 & 2015.

Sincerely,
Craig Brown, PhD
National President

Some more recent presidents and even some early presidents are still active and we see them from time to time. Others have faded from view having moved away or into retirement and other activities.

Wouldn't it be fun to get them all back for our conference next August? Have everyone come up and take a bow!

We are offering a special discount rate to past BDPA chapter presidents, fill out the below form to get your registration code.

• Corporation of the Year: HP
• Corporate Champion of the Year: Robert Gavin (HP)
• Epsilon Award, ‘Top Company for Blacks In Technology': BlueCross BlueShield of IL, NM, OK & TX

• Chapter of the Year: Chicago
• Chapter Community Service Award: Philadelphia
• Chapter Management Award: New York
• Chapter Membership Award: Chicago
• Chapter Professional Service Award: Detroit
• Rep Your Chapter' Social Media Awards
• 1st Place: Dallas

Career Achievement

• Karamu Ford (American Airlines)
• Victor Garvin (Enterprise Information Systems)
• David Hopkins (American Airlines)
• Maria Hutsell (Wells Fargo)
• Dr. Tayo Ibikunle (JPMorgan Chase)

Community Service

• Dr. Craig Brown (Nexeo Solutions)
• Adrian Crews (Wells Fargo)
• Cedric Jamison (American Airlines)
• Anthony Reed (Reed CPA),
• Subrena Robinson (State Farm Insurance)
• Stacy Stewart (BCBS of IL, NM, OK & TX)

Most Promising Technician

• Dr. Shaundra Dailey (Clemson University),
• Zack Garbow (Funeral Innovations)
• Justin Simpson (Wal-Mart)
• Decarlas Smith (American Airlines)

Professional Achievement

• Dr. Reginald Brothers (Department of Defense)
• Norman Fleming (MillerCoors)
• Dr. Kyla McMullen (Clemson University)
• Ted Jordan (Funutation Tekademy)

Technical Achievement

• Eugene Cook (Wal-Mart)
• Victoria Cotton (American Airlines)
• Jeffrey Thomas (HP)
• Patrice Yapo (American Airlines)

• Jamesetta James (Greater Columbia)

• Norman Fleming (MillerCoors)
• Traci Wade (Oracle)

• Cameron Hughes (Detroit)

IT Showcase

• Jazzmine Bess (Indianapolis)
• Jared Sherrod (Northern Delaware)

• · Bernard Bampoh (Southern Minnesota)

• 1st place: Southern Minnesota
• 2nd place: Los Angeles
• 3rd place: Atlanta
• 4th place: Washington DC
• 5th place: Cincinnati

• 1st place: Twin Cities
• 2nd place: Southern Minnesota
• 3rd place: Cincinnati

D.S. Brown

The 2013 National BDPA Technology Conference was August 14-17 in our nation’s capital Washington D.C.If you were not there, you should have been.Let me take but a minute to explain to you, share with you the great moments you missed, share with you the moments of personal clarity, and why I think the goals of BDPA should be the goal of every man, woman, and child in this great nation of ours. The convention was held at the Washington DC Hilton, the same place as the White House Correspondents Dinner. Walking through the lower halls of the hotel behind the main conference room I observed the lined pictures of First Ladies, and settled on the picture of First Lady Michelle Obama.  Her image evoked a moment of thought in me, something so very appropriate to consider in this year, the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

I was here at the national convention for the Black Data Processing Associates, the dream of BDPA FounderEarl Pace, which itself is a dream only realized through the arduous but incomplete realization ofDr. Martin Luther King’s dream of a better America, a dream given voice through a lifetime struggle of dreams deferred, realized in the March on Washington which was the brainchild of the duly agreed upon Dean of Black Leadership,A. Philip Randolph.

The children in the BDPA High School Computer Competition and the Youth Technology Camp firmly exhibited the motto of BDPA, "From the classroom to the boardroom.”They are the future, and they are excellent. 

I must also add that as I looked around the room I was proud to see that BDPA in name exhibited the spirit of minority excellence as opposed to the representation of one ethnicity. In this, in my opinion, it adhered to a fine tradition. The room was filled not just with African-Americans, but people of every ethnicity, open to minorities of all kinds of ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds, fully supported by the gifts from forward-thinking corporate organizations that realize the economic tomorrow of America is firmly rooted in the efforts of today, strong efforts being made by organizations like BDPA.

These same corporations supported workshops and seminars, many being offered at better than competitive prices. Why should you come to the BDPA National Technology Conference? Why should your company sponsor your trip to the 2014 convention in Indianapolis? Let me make it plain by telling you what was available in Washington D.C.

The BDPA Technology Conference offered an opportunity for you to receive your SCRUM certification (If you’re in IT you know what this is). There were experts presenting on Microsoft Sharepoint, Cloud systems, Mobility, Cybersecurity, and Personal Development.The week was packed, and there was so much to offer you could not conceivable get it all in. Looking for a new opportunity, there was a Career Fair. The convention offered all this and more, including outstanding entertainment in intimate concerts, poetry readings, and cocktail parties … and did I mention the food?

BDPA Atlanta HSCC Team

When it was all said and done, BDPA put on a spectacular showing. The kids that competed in our competitions left winners, every last one, for this represents an opportunity unlike any other. We adults left the conference buoyed by our participation in their success, enlightened by the knowledge we gained in the seminars, emboldened by the prospect of making change through STEM, and motivated by Roland Martin’s words telling us to BE that motivation and make it happen.

Consider all I’ve said critically and if you would be intrigued and positively moved to help build the future, then be like Cisco executive Michael Younkers, a highly energetic Caucasian man attending the conference in a sponsorship capacity who was so moved that he joined BDPA on the spot! This is who we are. This is what we are doing.Join us.

The Aspiring Critical Thinker,
D.S. Brown,president
BDPA Atlanta

With just over 500 attendees, BDPA's 2013 Technology Conference, Diversity in the Age of Convergence, provided a relaxed and open setting, allowing attendees to connect on a personal level and openly share professional experiences and challenges, Aside from the educational aspects of the conference, a little fun was to be had as well. Corporate partner MillerCoors provided an array of MillerCoors products at all receptions as well as the movie preview, Kards and Karaoke, spoken word with the Twin Poets, and a late night concert with Avery Sunshine.

On Tuesday night, Washington DC Chapter President, Perry Carter kicked things off by moderating the 2013 Advance Program Briefing to Industry (APBI) Topic of Discussion: Diverse Opportunities and Next Steps for HBCUs in the Age of Convergence. The panel addressed how colleges are proactively developing programs that attract minority students to S.T.E.M fields. Panelist also shared public, private, and academia partnership success stories. Panelist included, Dr. Rajni Goel, Associate. Professor and Computer Science Chair, Howard University; Dr. Daryl Stone, Professor Computer Science, Bowie State University; Michael Bing, Director, Washington DC Minority Business Center; H. Harrison Valentine, President and CEO, HBCU/MI Project Office; and Anthony Waterman, President & CEO, Waterman Engineering.

Roland Martin, the keynote at Wednesday night's opening ceremony, resonated with the entire audience. He said we are competing for our young people's attention with athletes and entertainers. He called BDPA members Superstars and Ballers and to capture the interest of our youth we need to show our Bling. He said that IT professionals are driving luxury cars like BMW's and Mercedes and we should be telling our youth that they can have these things to if complete their education and pursue careers in STEM.

On Thursday night, NCWIT sponsored a reception on Thursday, where Ruthe Farmer, Director of Strategic Initiatives at National Center for Woman in Technology spoke to guest about NCWIT and their Aspirations in Computing award opportunities. JP Morgan Chase also hosted an invitation only reception where they highlighted technology and opportunities at Chase.

The Friday night Dignitaries Reception featured a CIO panel moderated by Dr. Julianne Malvauex. Panelist included Michael Braine, SVP, CIO Luxottica Retail & Optical Services; James D. Cook, CIO, Global Operations & Services, General Motors Company; Terry Halvorson, CIO, United States Navy; Garth Marcial, Worldwide VP, IT and CIO at Ortho Clinical Diagnostics and Advanced Sterilization Products; and Addison McGuffin, Vice President, Business Technology Innovation, Health Care Service Corporation.

• Sherrie Littlejohn, Executive Vice President, Wells Fargo, kicked off Wednesday workshops by shedding light on The Future of Technology: Making IT Real during the morning general session.
• Barbara Wanthal, Assistant Vice President of System, State Farm Insurance, informed conference goers about Diverse Opportunities in IT during the State Farm sponsored plenary luncheon.
• Fumbi Chima, Vice President of International Integrations, Wal-mart Corporation, bought attendees up to speed on Big Data in Retail at Thursday's morning general session.
• A. J. Lang, CIO, WellPoint, captivated the audience during Thursday's WellPoint sponsored plenary luncheon, with his presentation Private Cloud and the Use of Social Media in Today's Online Work Environment.
• Tim McCabe, Senior VP and CIO, Delphi Automotive, enlightened ITSMF and BDPA attendees with his presentation Innovation Intersection: Enabling IT Value at an Economic Crossroads at the Friday morning general session.
• Mark Miller, Chief Technology Officer, Lockheed Martin, shared information security concerns in his presentation Star Wars Revisited: Cyber Security Strategies in the Age of Digital Warfare during the second Friday general session.

• · Teresa Williams, Atlanta, GA
• · Robert Gavin, Rochester, NY

• Earl Pace Jr., BDPA Founder
• Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, President, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

College (Undergraduate)

• 1^st Jazzmine Bess , Florida A&M University, Indianapolis Chapter
• 2^nd Jessica Boardley, University of Delaware, Delaware Chapter
• 3^rd Bryan Bemley , Bowie State University, DC Chapter

High School

• 1^st Jared Sherrod, Delaware Academy of Public Safety and Security, Delaware Chapter
• 2^nd Ian Crowder, Oak Park River Forest High School, Chicago Chapter
• 3^rd Brandi Taylor, Irmo High School, Greater Columbia Chapter

• 1^st Southern Minnesota
• 2^nd Los Angeles
• 3^rd Atlanta
• 4^th Washington DC
• 5^th Cincinnati

• Chapter of the Year: Chicago
• Chapter Community Service Award: Philadelphia
• Chapter Management Award: New York
• Chapter Membership Award: Chicago
• Chapter Professional Service Award: Detroit

• "IT is really impacted and enriched by so many other fields and the conference really demonstrated that with the diversity of the presenters.” - John
• "I am new to my position and needed to become familiar with Agile terminology and techniques and how they are being used in other industries. The conference exceeded my expectations. This was by far the friendliest and hospitable conference I have attended.” - Dan
• "This was a good conference! Adding the ScrumMaster certification class helped to establish acquaintances and build the foundation for much of the networking that took place during the week. One of the best conferences I've ever attended.” - Denise
• "I really enjoyed the keynote speaker presentations and most importantly the networking that happens at this event. BDPA keeps setting the bar higher every year. Job well done!” - Evelyn
• "This is hands-down the best conference I've ever attended. The keynote speakers were excellent; the other participants were friendly and chatty during breaks; the conference was well-organized and presentations were engaging, thoughtful, and relevant.” - Michael
• "I have been to other conferences before, and NEVER have I been embraced like family!” - Gail
• "Overall this was a great conference –fantastic work from the BDPA team. You guys are great, and I hope to see you all again in Indy!” - Andrea
• "This was a good conference for learning and networking.” – Jean

• Sherrie Littlejohn (@WellsFargo) - http://buff.ly/14bXTbV - is lightin' 'em up at the @BDPA_Conference this morning! #BDPA
• @GaryNaranjo (PNC Bank) checked in at @BDPA_Conference. He wants to hire some folks this week! http://buff.ly/13UKdFN - #BDPA
• Congrats @bdpanewjersey HSCC student, Conroy McDonald, 4 winning @JNJCares scholarship at @BDPA_Conference! #BDPA13 pic.twitter.com/IvPDXE7ccd
• Feeling charged up after another PHENOMENAL @BDPA_Conference! See you next year in Indy!!!
• Oracle just gave a total of $30k in scholarships to five BDPA students at the National BDPA Awards Gala. #BDPA13
• Our own Stacy Stewart, Chapter Pres, a recipient of Epsilon BDPA Community Svc Award. #bdpa13 pic.twitter.com/ScXhY5z9Nw
• Mind has been completely filled! Having a very positive experience at the National BDPA Conference #BDPA
• @GEICO is still taking resumes today!! Stop by for these cool prizes. #BDPA13 pic.twitter.com/O6wmec5TLv
• Spoken word by Twin Poets was an powerful experience. #BDPA13 pic.twitter.com/es6VFoJbkr
• Took a short tour of the @HP Data Center Pod. Very innovative idea. Our students asked tons of questions. #bdpa13
• Qualcomm IT is hiring! http://Qualcomm.com/careers . #BDPA13
• My speech to the @BDPA_Conference focused on us treating folks in #STEM as all-stars, the same way we treat star athletes.
• Listening to @rolandsmartin give a REAL keynote about branding STEM with real impact. @BDPA_Conference #BDPA13 #DC
• DC is the place to be! The Nat'l @BDPA_Conference officially kicks off tonight w/ @rolandsmartin speaking at the opening ceremony #BDPA13

BDPA is hosting the 2014 Annual Conference & Career Expo in Indianapolis, IL and we need YOU to help us! We need a conference theme. The conference theme sets the overall tone for the conference and draws in technology professionals from local, national and global corners. A theme should catch our attention and make us want to head to the conference.

Some past examples include:

· "Changing the Culture of IT: From Access to Ownership" (Orlando, 2002)

· "Global Strategy for the IT Professional" (Washington, 2007

· "Challenges for Today; Strategies for Tomorrow" (Raleigh, 2009)

· "Ignite, Inspire & Empower: The GPS of Future Technologists" (Chicago, 2011)

We're offering a $100 gift card prize for a winning theme!

Please enter your submission on the BDPA member portal for your chance to win. The members will vote and select the winning theme. The winning theme and writer will be announced in Washington DC at the conference.

Deadline for submission is July 15, 2013

http://www.bdpa.org/surveys/default.asp?id=Conference_Theme_Survey

BDPA Members and Friends,

GCBDPA Chapter President Mildred Allen and I were honored to be present at the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Commissioning ceremony on Friday, May 10th at the Duke University Chapel, Duke University, in Durham, NC. Raven Stevenson, a graduate of our local HSCC training program, was commissioned in the United States Navy on Friday, and she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Duke University on Sunday. What an outstanding set of achievements!


You may remember Raven as the GCBDPA HSCC student who won the $180,000 scholarship in 2009 while competing at the HSCC competition in Washington, DC. Her fellow team members were Dominique Geiger and Sami Patel. 


After the Commissioning Ceremony, the BDPA Triangle Chapter hosted a reception for Raven and her family at the First Flight Venture Center in Durham, NC. The reception was attended by members of Raven’s family, as well as by members of the BDPA Triangle, BDPA DC, and BDPA Greater Columbia Area chapters, and the BDPA National President, Monique Berry.

Ensign Stevenson will be reporting to CG 66 USS HUE CITY in Mayport, Florida, in August.Attached are a few pictures from Friday’s events. We congratulate Raven on her outstanding accomplishments and wish her every success in the future.

Sincerely,

Paulette 

Paulette Johnson-Davis 
Vice President of Business Management 
BDPA Greater Columbia Area Chapter

Nomination Deadline: Saturday, April 13, 2013

The National BDPA is now accepting proposed bylaw nominations. I n accordance with the National BDPA Bylaws (dated August 6, 2010) Article 12 Section 1, proposals for amendments of the Bylaws must be submitted no later than midnight on Saturday, April 13, 2013 ..

Use the following links to review supporting documentation.

• National Bylaws:
• Standard Operating Procedures - By-Laws and Election

Chapter delegates will vote for amendment on August 15at the Delegates' meeting, in Washington, DC, during the national conference.

To submit proposed by-law amendment change, please click following link:

• Proposed By-Law Amendment Change Form

Please email the Election and Bylaws Committee Chair, Judaea Yarde Lane at ebc@bdpa.org should you have questions or concerns.

 

I am very pleased to let you all know that Curtis Jenkins will be joining our team, as the National Vice President of Membership Management!  Since he joined BDPA 2002, Curtis has held several positions at the chapter and national level. As a member of the Philadelphia chapter he served as President, VP of Business Management and chaired Corporate Advisory Council. In 2010 Curtis accepted the job of the National Vice President of Strategy and Planning under Yvette Graham’s administration. Curtis has an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Temple University and a graduate degree in Management of Technology from the University of Pennsylvania – School of Engineering and Applied Sciences & Wharton Business School. I am certain that, given his experience and overall skills, Curtis will be a great addition to our team.

Curtis has an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Temple University and a graduate degree in Management of Technology from the University of Pennsylvania – School of Engineering and Applied Sciences & Wharton Business School. I am certain that, given his experience and overall skills, Curtis will be a great addition to our team.

The 2013 membership goals are:

· Retain/Renew 80% of expiring members

· Increase new members by 25%

Please join me in welcoming Curtis to the NEC, and providing him with your support as he assimilates onto our team.

With profound gratitude, I am pleased to serve my second year as the president of this great association, along with other outstanding individuals on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee—Dr. Craig Brown (National Vice President) , Loraine Stewart-David (Vice President of Finance), Earl Pace (Founder) , Regional Vice Presidents and Director: Teresa Williams, Fred Smith, Eric Dortch and Coram Rimes; Pamela Sexton (Vice President of Strategy), Glenda Chappell (Secretary), Milt Haynes (CIO), and Outside Directors; William Flowers and Jessie Matthews. I would like to thank this dedicated core of volunteers and express my appreciation to you for once again serving this organization.

To our members, I am deeply appreciative of your continued support of BDPA. I personally am grateful to you for the honor you have bestowed on me and my fellow colleagues on the Board of Directors. We look forward to working with you in 2013.

As I sit back and think about the task before us, I am grateful for the trust bestowed while mindful of the sacrifices our founders, past presidents and long-time volunteers who have tirelessly worked to support this organization. I would also like to thank our corporate partners who respond to the call of duty by making sure this organization continues to exist.

The vision of BDPA, as set forth in our by-laws, can only be realized when we stand up to serve in whatever capacity – as committee members, speakers, volunteers, and so on. BDPA needs us. But, more importantly, our community – the one that we serve – needs us. To that end the vision is clear for this 2013; we will:

1. Expand our membership base, including reaching out to college students and building relationships with college administrations;

2. Collaborate with other organizations and associations to further our organizations mission and goals;

3. Engage our members with regular communication via social networks, BDPA Today and BDPA iRadio;

4. Listen to and involve our members by holding periodic national conference call meetings; and

5. Advance professional development by offering cutting edge seminars and panels during the annual conference.

I am certainly aware that because these are challenging times and our schedules are ever increasing that we may not achieve everything we set out to achieve this next year, but fellow colleagues – I am hopeful that we are poised for great things. In the spirit of service, I implore you to choose to serve BDPA and your local community who desperately need us. I humbly ask you to join us as we endeavor to take BDPA to the next level of distinction over the next twelve months. As our President Barak Obama once said, "The challenges we face will not be solve with one meeting in one night. Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are that change that we seek.”

I wish all of you the very best in 2013 and look forward to working to be the change that we seek.

Seasons Greetings 'First Name',

The past year was filled with historic moments:

Barack Obama, the first African-American President of President of the United States was reelected for a second term. For the first time in its 37-year history, chapters were run under the guidance of 4 regional vice presidents. Finally, BDPA entered the ranks of the "debt free” by paying off all outstanding debt.

As we celebrated these historic events, we also kept our eyes on the BDPA mission. In fact, far from content with our organization’s previous growth, the leadership laid the foundation to take BDPA to the next level. Two of the challenges plaguing Blacks in technology have been retention of Black students in college computer science programs and exposure of young Blacks to STEM fields. Many already are aware of our efforts to expose children to technology through our Student Information Technology Education and Scholarships (SITES), High School Computer Competition (HSCC) and IT Showcase programs.

This year we also had an additional focus: Growing the number of collegiate members on college campuses across this country. Of the thousands of Black freshmen in the U.S. who say they want a computer science degree, only 30% are successful in obtaining one six years later. We are confident that with your continued support, we shall dramatically improve that metric!

We also made progress on our commitment to deepen member engagement. This was accomplished in three ways: face to face, philanthropic donations, and social network interactions. Half of all members were engaged in at least one of those ways.

Other highlights for 2012 include:

• The launch of one of BDPA’s most exciting programs in years, the Career Triage, our monthly live webinar series
• The launch of a redesigned National Website
• Awarded over $50,000 in scholarships to BDPA student members
• The launch of CISSP and Security+ certification classes
• Introduction for Education Grants for unemployed members seeking certification,
• Complimentary conference registration form unemployed members
• HBCU panel during the conference
• Networking cocktail hour during the career fair
• Participated in the Whitehouse HBCU Summit in Washington, D.C.
• Developed partnerships with NCWIT, NOBCChE and the Coalition of Minority Technical Organizations
• Increased visibility for the organization through media

As we prepare to move into 2013, we sincerely thank you for helping us inspire our present membership, as well as our future generations of young, talented, black technology professionals.

Happy holidays,

Monique F. Berry
National President

1. Question, don't pitch. When you meet a prospect, you're making a mistake if you pitch membership right away. Instead, learn about the prospect's professional goals, his concerns, his family, his hobbies. The prospect must know that you care about him. Ask open-ended questions that will identify pain points and, most important, build the relationship. Treat the prospect as if he were already a valued member. The conversation will naturally lead to an exploration of the opportunities BDPA offers and the prospect's need for them.

2. Offer guidance. After developing a rapport and a good sense of what concerns the prospect, offer guidance. Clarify his goals and ask whether he has considered certain strategies. Once you have a good sense of his needs, suggest ways the BDPA can support him. Be sure to articulate the problem and any related needs using the prospect's language.

3. Make your pitch. After the prospect has acknowledged that BDPA can help him address some or many of his concerns, ask him to join. Look the prospect in the eye and tell him you would be honored to serve him as a member. Be careful here: Don't push. If the prospect is headed toward membership, great. If not, ask if he needs more information about BDPA and its services and find out how to follow up appropriately.

4. Follow up. On the follow-up call, ask the prospect whether he has any questions about the membership. Do not be surprised if he has not read any of the materials you provided or made a decision. In that case, use the call as an opportunity to share additional thoughts. Since you both have had a chance to reflect since your last conversation, new issues or concerns may have surfaced. Follow the iterative, often circular nature of the five steps: If necessary, go back to step one.

5. Provide great service. This is the key to membership renewal and referrals. Once you have signed up a new member, continue to invest in and build the relationship. Take the time to understand your members' needs and concerns, and address them as appropriate.

Wooing new members requires commitment, tenacity, and patience. These five steps provide an effective process to follow. If you stick with it, you'll master the woo and see your membership numbers grow.

Here are 15 strategic questions to help your board fuel the conversation.

Looking at the past year ….

1. What are you proud of?

2. What unleashed your members' passion about moving your mission forward?

3. What brought out the most members?

4. What have you been doing that no longer gets the results you want or need? (Be brave. Be honest.)

5. If you could do one thing over, what would it be?

Looking at the present ….

6. How are you making your members (new and old) feel welcome in your chapter?

7. How do you make sure new members are getting the value that made them say yes to joining your chapter?

8. What kind of experience do members have when they volunteer for your chapter?

9. How do you celebrate leaders who get others involved – rather than those who do it all?

10. How do you train your leaders to be comfortable with new ideas?

Looking to the future and playing with what could be…

11. What would you have to do to double up your membership in one year?

12. If you were King of All and had no limitations, what would you want your chapter to do?

13. If you could let go of anything your chapter is currently doing, what would it be and why?

14. If the national organization was going to honor your chapter for being the ultimate chapter of the year, what would you want the reason to be for the recognition?

15. What could you do if your chapter had a surplus of volunteers?

Attitude	This is your foundation. It's the mark of you.
Believe	Believe in your unique, capable self.
Courage	Have courage to try and keep trying until you achieve your goals.
Discipline	It pays off in results.
Enthusiasm	Make it part of you and share it with others.
Fun	It has to be there for meaningful results. Make achievement fun!
Goals	These are your success targets. Aim high.
Hope	The magic ingredient that sparks you into positive action.
Initiative	Do it now! This is determination in action.
Just	Be honorable and fair in all of your actions.
Knowledge	Work hard to acquire it, but most of all, use it.
Love	In all that you do, love must set the pace.
Motivation	That which forces you into action. It must be self motivation for achievement.
Negatives	Avoid them. Keep them out of your environment, especially negative people.
Organization	It isn't necessary, but it sure helps get the job done easier. Work at it!
Practice	To succeed, you must practice, practice, practice!
Quality & Quantity	The twins of achievement.
Responsibility	Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.
Self-Esteem	A positive self-image is priceless.
Toughness	Mental and physical – they're an unbeatable combination.
Understanding	Know your strengths and weaknesses, accentuate the positives.
Virtue	The quality of moral excellence. It must be #1 in your living philosophy.
Winning	Your reward for hard work and a positive attitude.
X-tra Mile	Can't achieve without it. You have to work, work, work!
You	The most important ingredient in achieving your success.
Zest	Your GO power – turn it on and let it flow!

Course Value: $2,895

BDPA Member Cost With Grant:  $0.00 ($1,295 membercost without grant)

Delivery Method: Virtual Classroom with a live instructor using Cisco WebEx

Dates of course: Sept.17, Oct.15, Oct. 29, Nov. 26, and Dec. 10 2012

Course Duration: 5 days

Course Hours: 9:00 A.M. 5:00 PM

Simple Grant Eligibility Requirements

• Be a member of BDPA
• Be unemployed before and on the class start date
• Tell us your job goal in Information Security
• Planning to take the CISSP Certification Examination
• Submit your resume
• One paragraph on what this would mean to you be admitted into the CISSP certification class

Easy Application
Login in and submit your application no later than August 10, 2012 be sure to attach your resume and proof of unemployment status. It's that simple! Click on "More in this Section" to access the Grant Application.

Grant Exclusions and Conditions

• Candidates must provide proof of unemployment upon request.
• Grant recipients must obtain CISSP Boxed Set (All-in-One)[Hardcover] BY Shon Harris books can be ordered directly from Amazon
• Classes must have at least 8 participants or the class will be cancelled.
• No refunds for expenses if class is cancelled
• Limit of one class per person per course session
• Candidate must have a computer that supports Cisco WebEx conferencing software
• The total number of grants is limited

Send an email to education@bdpa.org with questions.

Note: BDPA members that are employed or underemployed, can take the course for $1295.00 with $400.00 down and the balance paid in three installments 90 days. No interest .

Randy Muller, Global Knowledge Instructor, MCT, MCSE, MCSA, MCDST

January 2012

When the conversation amongst IT professionals turns to IT Certifications, one of their first thoughts is of high salaries - dollar signs dancing in their heads. While some certifications do command a six-figure salary, this is not true for all. With the recent completion of our annual IT Skills and Salary report, I thought it would be a great time to look at some of the more popular certifications - and their associated pay.

Note: The rankings below are based on certifications that received the minimum 200 responses required to derive a salary figure that is statically accurate. There are certifications that pay more that are not represented due to their exclusive nature. These include CCIE: Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert and VCDX: VMware Certified Design Expert, for example.

The Project Management Institute's (PMI) Project Management Professional (PMP) credential is recognized as the most important certification for project managers and is globally recognized and in heavy demand. The PMP credential demonstrates that you not only have the requisite, real-world experience, but that you also have the education to successfully lead and direct projects. The PMP credential should only be attempted by experienced project managers as the qualifications and testing for this certification are very rigorous. In addition, the PMI requires continued validation through required continuing education requirements. All of these factors ensure that the PMP credential is widely respected. The PMP experience and exam requirements focus on five process groups: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Controlling, and Closing.

The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) credential is for security managers and professionals who develop policies and procedures in information security. The CISSP certification has become the gold standard in information security certifications. Earning and maintaining a CISSP certification is required for many governmental, military, and civilian security positions. The CISSP was the first credential in the field of information security, accredited by the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) to ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Standard 17024:2003. Earning your CISSP certification is not only an objective measure of excellence, but it is a globally recognized standard of achievement.

The Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) demonstrates that the individual who has passed the required exams has the requisite knowledge, experience, and understanding required to design a Cisco converged network. A CCDA-certified individual has the skills to design a routed and switched network infrastructure and services involving LAN, WAN, and broadband access for businesses and organizations.

What is this ITIL that we hear so much about? The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITILv3) is a foundational process that provides for quality IT Service Management. The success of ITIL is through the use of documented and proven processes that cover the entire Service Lifecycle. The ITIL Expert level is the third of four levels. The ITIL Expert level certification is aimed at those individuals who are interested in demonstrating a superior level of knowledge of ITIL Version 3 (V3) in its entirety. Once you have achieved ITIL Expert level, you will also satisfy the pre-requisite entry criteria for the ITIL Master Level. This is the highest level of certification within the ITIL V3 scheme, though the Master level is still under development

The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) certification ended with Server 2003, though you can still earn it (as well as the MCSE on Server 2000, though many of the tests are retired). The continued use of Windows Server 2003 in the market suggests that the demand for related expertise will continue for some time. The MCSE certification demonstrates to clients and employers that you are skilled in designing, implementing, and administering infrastructures for business solutions based on Windows Server 2003 and Microsoft Windows 2000 Server. Implementation responsibilities include installing, configuring, and troubleshooting network systems. In order for you to earn your MCSE on Windows Server 2003 certification (or Windows 2000 Server), you must pass seven exams: four exams on networking systems, one exam on client operating systems, one exam on design, and one elective exam. One thing to be aware of is that many of the exams are retired or will be retiring soon. If one of the required exams is retired and you have not passed the exam, then you cannot earn the certification. If you have passed the exam before it retired, than it still can be applied to the certification.

Virtualization and those who are knowledgeable on virtualization products are in heavy demand. VMware is one of the leading vendors of virtualization products and earning a VMware certification is the first step toward gaining industry-recognized expertise in virtual infrastructure and the industry recognition that goes along with it. The VMware Certified Professional (VCP5) demonstrates that you have the skillset to successfully install, manage, and deploy VMware vSphere 5.

There are two tracks available at the Associate and Professional levels: Cisco Certified Design Professional and Cisco Certified Network Professional. The Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) demonstrates that you have the ability to plan, implement, verify, and troubleshoot local and wide-area enterprise networks. A CCNP-certified individual is expected to work collaboratively with other Cisco specialists on advanced security, voice, wireless, and video solutions.

CompTIA certifications are international, vendor-neutral certifications that validate a candidate's knowledge of a specific field. The CompTIA Server+ certification demonstrates the IT professional's knowledge of server hardware, software, storage, IT environment, disaster recovery, and troubleshooting. It is recommended that technical support professionals have 18 to 24 months experience in supporting servers and server technology. While not a prerequisite, it is recommended that candidates have a CompTIA A+ certification as well.

The Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) certification helps validate that an individual has the comprehensive set of skills necessary to perform a particular job role, such as database administrator or enterprise messaging administrator. The MCITP certification validates that the IT professional is capable of deploying, building, designing, optimizing, and operating technologies for a particular job role.

MCITP certifications build on the technical proficiency measured in the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certifications. Therefore, you will earn one or more MCTS certifications on your way to earning an MCITP certification. Currently, there are 15 MCITP certifications available from Microsoft:

• MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician on Windows 7
• MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator on Windows 7
• MCITP: Consumer Support Technician on Windows Vista
• MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician on Windows Vista
• MCITP: Enterprise Administrator on Windows Server 2008
• MCITP: Server Administrator on Windows Server 2008
• MCITP: Virtualization Administrator on Windows Server 2008 R2
• MCITP: Database Administrator 2008
• MCITP: Database Developer 2008
• MCITP: Business Intelligence Developer 2008
• MCITP: Enterprise Project Management with Microsoft Office Project Server 2007
• MCITP: Enterprise Messaging Administrator on Exchange 2010
• MCITP: Enterprise Messaging Administrator on Exchange 2007
• MCITP: SharePoint Administrator 2010
• MCITP: Lync Server Administrator 2010

The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) validates the holder's ability to install, configure, operate, and troubleshoot medium-sized route and switched networks, including implementation and verification of connections to remote sites in a WAN. CCNA curriculum includes basic mitigation of security threats, introduction to wireless networking concepts and terminology, and performance-based skills. This new curriculum also includes (but is not limited to) the use of these protocols: IP, Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP), Serial Line Interface Protocol Frame Relay, Routing Information Protocol Version 2 (RIPv2),VLANs, Ethernet, and access control lists (ACLs).

The Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) certification helps validate your ability to manage and troubleshoot network environments based on the Windows Server 2003 operating system. It reflects a unique set of skills required to succeed in a variety of job roles, such as systems administrator, network administrator, information systems administrator, network operations analyst, network technician, and technical support specialist. The MCSA on Microsoft Windows 2000 Server certification is no longer be available as of December 31, 2011

CompTIA certifications are international, vendor-neutral certifications that validate a candidate's knowledge of a specific field. The CompTIA Security+ certification validates the knowledge of security professionals in one of the fastest-growing fields in IT. The Security+ certification validates the security IT professional in: network security, compliance and operational security, threats and vulnerabilities, access control and identity management, cryptography and application, and data and host security. Candidates will also be tested on their knowledge of security concepts, tools, and procedures to react to security incidents. It ensures that security personnel are anticipating security risks and guarding against them. The CompTIA Security+ certification is accredited by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).The CompTIA Security+ certification may be kept current through the CompTIA Continuing Education program.

The Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) certification was awarded by passing one or more exams, though there was no designation as to what product you earned with your MCP.

The MCP program itself was designed for both IT Professionals and developers. The MCP was replaced by the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certification. The MCTS certification is designed to help validate your skills on the features and functionality of a specific Microsoft technology. The MCTS certification is tied to the end-of-life for Mainstream Support the product itself. You can show your depth of knowledge in one specific technology, earn multiple MCTS certifications to show breadth across different products, or build on the MCTS to earn a Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) certification

Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) validates the ability to install, operate, and troubleshoot a small enterprise branch network, including basic network security. With a CCENT, network professional demonstrates the skills required for entry-level network support positions - the starting point for many successful careers in networking. The curriculum covers networking fundamentals, WAN technologies, basic security and wireless concepts, routing and switching fundamentals, and configuring simple networks. CCENT is the first step toward achieving CCNA, which covers medium-size enterprise branch networks with more complex connections.

CompTIA certifications are international, vendor-neutral certifications that validate a candidate's knowledge of a specific field. The CompTIA Network+ certification demonstrates the professional qualifications of a networking professional. The Network+ exam covers installation and configuration, media and topologies, management, and security. The CompTIA Network+ certification is accredited by the ISO and ANSI.The CompTIA Network+ certification may be kept current through the CompTIA Continuing Education program.

Having a certification does not mean you will walk into one of these higher paying jobs. It is certification and experience that will count. There was a time when, if you had a certification, you were reasonably assured of getting a job. Now it is more of a disqualifier - not having a certification means you may not even get an interview.

Randy Muller (MCT, MCTS, MCSE, CEH) is an instructor with Global Knowledge, specializes in teaching Microsoft Office 365, Exchange, Lync Server as well as Windows Server 2008.

Copyright ©2012 Global Knowledge Training LLC All rights reserved.

By Christina Vuleta (Founder, 40:20 Vision)

Trends point in the direction that women have more choices and freedom's today – to marry or stay single, to have children alone, in wedlock or not at all, to work or stay at home — to name a few.

Yet women still feel judged by others (Why aren't you married? When are you having children? You don't work?). And at the same time they put enormous pressure on themselves to find their own passion and maintain independence. That's a lot of tension. Now that women have more choices, it's harder than ever to choose what is "right” and find "happiness”.  

Wisdom From 40-something Women To 20-something Women

Women in their forties today are part of the first wave of women to grow up with more choices. We have seen the consequences of delaying marriage, fore-going childbirth or following an unexpected career path in large numbers. And while we all have made different decisions, what we all have in common by the time we hit our forties is the comfort of finally making decisions that are right for us.

We feel stronger, sexier and smarter than ever. We may still have shit happen to us, but we now know "shit happens” and we have a whole vault of experiences and strength to get us through the "shit”. We can draw on this learning to help us make better decisions… or at least know what we are getting ourselves into. And that is a magical power.

Herewith, three "gifts” one 40-something woman would give a 20-something if she were a "Forty-Godmother”.

Tip #1: Get Balls, Not Malls.

A little tongue in cheek… but I mean, spend less time shopping and worrying about how you look and more time jumping into life and doing things that you are afraid of and learning. Falling and getting up. That is what gives you confidence and self worth. Not how much money you can spend on things.

Tip #2: Get Dirty.

Know that life gets messy and that is what makes it interesting. Perfect is boring. Get comfortable with the mess. You can't control everything and keep your life all contained in a box tied up with a neat bow. And it's really okay.

Tip #3: Patience.

Don't rush love. You have to know a man / partner for four seasons to get a good idea of they are in different situations.

This post was originally posted at 40:20 Vision.

About the guest blogger: Christina Vuleta is Founder of 40:20 Vision, a blog that provides advice from 40-something women to 20-something women. She is a researcher, trend analyst and curator of 40-something wisdom. Most recently a director at strategic marketing and trend consultancy The Futures Company, Christina has made a career out of understanding insights that drive women's aspirations and life decisions. Follow her on Twitter at @4020vision.

Help us spread the word by tweeting messages with with the hashtag #BDPACareerFair and the URL http://bit.ly/NEW3I4, or adding the hashtag and URL to post in Facebook, LinkedIn or Plancast.

On Friday, July 20th, we will randomly select one winner, announcing the person on our @NationalBDPA Twitter page.

Given the opportunity, conference attendees like to play almost as hard as they work. So it's no surprise that our conferences give them the chance to do both by combining quality educational and networking events with challenging and enjoyable recreational activities.

To kick off the 2012 Conference, a few preconference events have been added to this year's schedule. We can look forward to a Tuesday HBCU panel and reception as well as two certification classes; Healthcare IT and Cloud Essentials.

Recreational offerings include golf at Bulle Rock, a premier Maryland golf course. Conference attendees can also try their luck on the gaming tables or laugh the night away at Casino Night. Other activities will include a visit to the Great Blacks in the Wax Museum, the ability to soak up the atmosphere at the Baltimore Inner Harbor, or check out the Leaping lizards and Diving dolphins at the National Aquarium.

In addition to the recreational offerings, the events bring together members and corporate sponsors in an informal and collegial setting, allowing them to expand their network of contacts while keeping abreast of important developments in the information technology industry. The educational sessions are excellent, and feature higher profile keynote speakers that may be economically more feasible for many local chapter events. The events also strengthen the bond among BDPA's chapters as volunteers work together to plan each conference.

The annual conference has worked well for us over the years, and there are plans for future regional conferences. The Washington D.C. chapter currently hosts a regional conference attracting many local executives, government officials, and others from the D.C., Maryland and Virginia areas. The program includes a Regional High School Computer Competition and IT showcase as a precursor to the national competitions.

So, join us in Baltimore, July 31 through August 4, where I'm sure you'll find the right combination of work and play for you.

Content provided coutesy of Wayne Hicks and BDPA Groupsite

This is how I felt when I joined. The conference was is in Dallas and I lived hundreds of miles away, and I already had my own summer plans.

As it turned out, my plans changed, I had some free time so I went to the 2004 conference in Dallas, Texas. I can honestly say it was the single best thing I'd experienced? with my BDPA membership since I joined in 2001.

There were a number of reasons the conference was fantastic - any one of them alone made it worth going:

1. I was not a minority among attendees. Do you know what it's like to attend a conference where there may be one or two (.5%) other people who look like you?
   
2. I networked with members of Chapters from around the country. I sat next to them in seminars, ate with them at the plenary luncheons and socialized with them during the corporate receptions.
   
3. We talked about our careers, issues, challenges, opportunities, the companies we worked for and companies that we wanted to work for.
   
4. We talked about our chapters; what we've done that was successful; mistakes we've made; and new ideas for how our chapters could move forward.

I walked away from the conference with a notepad full of action items for my personal development as well as ideas for the Chapter (enough to keep us busy the whole year if we wanted); a pocket full of business cards of peers, recruiters and decision makers; and a stronger feeling of optimism for my Chapter and what we could accomplish than I would have ever imagined.

Perhaps the most important thing I got from the conference was competency. I was amazed at how much tangible, real-world advice was given. There were talks on how to use technology, chapter building, closing the digital divide, leadership skills, team building, and much more. In short, I received a lot of information on developing oneself and everything necessary to know how to run a successful Chapter. I've attended dozens of conferences and this was by far one of the most tangible and beneficial.

So within a two-week span, I went from never attending a program meeting to showing up in Dallas not knowing anyone or what to expect, to meeting two new BFF's (Allstate employees: Marvie Barton and Kimberly Vaughn), falling in love with BDPA and the conference.

When I later became President of the Philadelphia chapter, the conference was at the top of our budget. Every year, we were going to send several of our members and students to the conference. We would take full advantage of BETF grants, but whether we get those or not, conference, airfare, and lodging fees, would be covered for that year. Our goal was to win the Chapter of the Year Award to cover some of the registration fees.

So if you haven't attended a Technology conference where you are one of the 99.5% and not the 0.5%, this is the conference for you. This is my personal invitation to you. I would love to meet you in Baltimore!

Warm regards

Monique

While attending the National BDPA Technology Conference can be a lot of fun it is also a professionally rewarding experience. The two main reasons to attend a conference are to hear presentations and to network with other professionals.

Listening to presentations will inform you of what others are doing (sometimes more clearly than the paper, and in any event with a slightly different spin and the ability to ask questions), will inspire ideas of your own, and will expose you to different styles of presentation. (You may see examples of both excellent and terrible talks.)

As your career advances, you'll learn that even though listening to the talks is extremely valuable, hallway conversations can be even more fruitful. Do everything you can to cultivate such conversations: that is one of your chief jobs at the conference. (But don't be annoyed if it takes a little while, or a few conferences, before the task becomes easy.)

Some people are naturally gregarious; some people have trained themselves to be that way; and others can be shy about approaching people they don't know at a conference. Gather up your courage and do it anyway; you'll learn a lot, and eventually you will get better at it. (Most other people in the room were once in exactly that same position.)

You should also tell others about your experience. Think about how to frame your work to convey how interesting it is. This is an important skill not just for a conference but in general. Plan your pitch, practice it with your friends, and then further refine it through interactions at the conference. (Beware the trap of knowing your work so well that it doesn't sound interesting, or that you can't tease apart the interesting big issues from the details! I always return from a conference more excited about my career than when I left: it had become stale to me, but the excitement and admiration of others upon hearing of it reminded me how good it actually is.) Remember to talk first about the responsibilities of your job, and only then about the techniques you are using. You have to convince others that the work is worth hearing about before they are willing to listen to the technical details.

You'll learn a lot from talking about your work, seeing what confuses people and receiving their ideas and suggestions. Remember that no one likes to be in a conversation in which they only listen. You need to always tell people about your work, but also be sure to ask others about their work (even doing so first). You'll also learn a lot by listening and by asking questions. Keep an open mind, and try to deeply understand others.

Meeting other professionals

Here are some ways to meet people at a conference. They are particularly useful for those who are shy or who are just entering the NBDPA community.

1. If someone gave a talk, then introduce yourself and ask a thoughtful question about some issue that you are curious about or found interesting.
   
2. Use a mutual acquaintance. It is easier to walk up to a group if you already know one of them. Making some contacts early on eases meeting people during the rest of the conference. Even just listening can help you learn. If there is something that confuses you, ask (or at the very least write down the question to ask your friends later — but typically you should just ask).
   
3. Use others in your group to make introductions. It is not acceptable to hang out just with other people from your own chapter or company. It is your responsibility to talk with people from other companies. A good rule of thumb is not to join a group if that would make it half or close colleagues of yours. Another rule of thumb is that it's fine to travel in pairs — have a buddy to help you meet others — but not to hunt in larger packs. It's fine to check in with people from your group once in a while — to take a break from being social, to learn about someone you really ought to meet, etc. But use such time to recharge, not as your standard mode at the conference.
   
4. Talk with people at meals. Show up early to get breakfast and especially to schmooze. Going out for dinners is good, too. At lunch, meet everyone at your table, find out what they are doing, and tell them what you are doing. At conference lunches, I often sit at a random table with people I don't know, which has led to valuable new contacts.
   
5. 5. Being a volunteer at a conference is a great way to network. As a secondary benefit, it also stretches your funding. It does require you to spend time on tasks such as checking participants' badges, staffing registration and information tables, etc., and to go to all the volunteer meetings. You should try hard to get jobs that won't interfere with the conference — the best jobs are checking participants' badges outside the sessions that you want to attend, since once the talks start, you can slip inside and listen to them.
   
6. If there's someone on your "hit list” of people you want to talk with at the conference, just go up to that person and join or start a conversation.
7. Help others: make introductions and tell others of related work or people they should talk to. Not only is this the right thing to do, but others will remember and will do the same for you.
   

I'm sure you will come up with additional techniques of your own: use whichever are effective for you and fit in your style — but make sure that you do mix and mingle.

• Cincinnati - Roadmap to Success: An Entrepreneur's Story by the CEO of ConnXus
• Chicago – I Have a Dream "A King's Journey”
• Detroit - Disco Tech (Discovering Technology) - Detroit
• Greater Columbia - Tech Lunch & Learn
• New York - Digital Learning Day
• Philadelphia – The History of BDPA Presented by Earl Pace during the BEYA STEM Conference

Frequently I'm asked what Philadelphia did to win Chapter of the Year. Below are a few points that any chapter can do to ensure success. I'd encourage you to respond with your comments and experiences in participating in local BDPA chapter events

Each year during our Strategy and Planning meeting we asked ourselves the following questions:

1. What worked?
2. What types of chapter events inspire and energize BDPA members?
3. Where can I find an inspiring speaker for my chapter meeting?

Technical Programs are Key
The consensus was that good program meetings are the heart of chapter activities.

Address Contemporary Concerns in the Profession
The technolog is in constant change. In addition to learning about emerging technologies and management techniques, non-technical topics such as entrepreneurship and personal development serve to address contemporary concerns in the profession.

Find Inspiring Speakers
There are many ways to generate and put together your chapter's program. One of the advantages of volunteering with your chapter is the opportunity to invite speakers on topics you are curious to know more about. Hold planning meetings to brainstorm and share ideas for future meetings and ask for suggestions from your members. You can also draw on talented people in your local area, for example at colleges, universities, corporate sponors and other professional organziations.

Publicize

Stay in Touch
The National chapter has a central calendar available to link and share information related to chapter events. Keep the Executive Office connected with your chapter info, and visit the National websiteyourself to see what your colleagues in other chapters are currently programming.

Good Luck and Keep Up the Good Work!

I encourage you to attend your local events, to get involved with your chapter's program committee, and to present your own work in a meeting.

Please keep up the good work, and keep in touch!

1. Make programs more relevant to younger members.

A lot of the programming they see is for the more advanced member. Younger members also need help with things such as leadership development, project management, and other skills necessary to advance in their careers.


2. Make programs more interactive or hands-on.

Why do they need to attend if all they are going to do is listen to someone read a Power Point presentation? They could just as easily read that information off a web site.

Growing up, their formal education used a lot of cooperative learning, problem solving and other interactive strategies.

Why does adult learning have to be so dry?


3. Get younger adults involved ASAP.

Younger adults have an action orientation. They don't want to wait several months to get involved. By that time, they will find another opportunity to give their time and attention.


4. Make leadership opportunities accessible.

By the time they are 30, many people are on a second or third career. Yet, frequently when they join a chapter they are expected to start back in the lowest level of the volunteer path – serving on a committee.

In some local groups it takes 6-10 years to move through the chairs to be President. Many younger adults don't know if they will be in the same field or location in ten years – so why get involved?


5. Be open to new ideas.

Young adults were trained through school to problem solve and ask why. Sometimes when younger adults bring up ideas, they are often ignored or shot down by members.

Just because they are young, doesn't mean they don't have good ideas.


6. Be truly welcoming to younger members.

I oftern here complaints that while chapters claim to want them as members, the younger members feel they are welcome to be part of the chapter – as long as they accept the way it's always been, don't ask questions, and do exactly what they are told to do.

Younger adults are the future of our chapters. We need to find ways to create a place they can call home within our organization. It may take some hard work and real change to pull it off, but how can we afford to not do it?

• Get people to join?
  
• Show up?
  
• Volunteer?

• Do you know what makes BDPA and your chapter different from all the other options?
• Do your members?
• Is your defining difference spelled out clearly in your promotions?

Potential and current members can't appreciate what they don't understand.

As chapter leaders you need to know what makes your chapter special and regularly remind the world of it.

It's more than networking, programs and perhaps advocacy. Almost every association on the planet fits that definition.

You need to dig deeper. Know your members. Speak their language.

Join the Nationa Board of Directors, Regional Vice Presidents and chapter presidents for a lively discussion about how to identify your defining difference – and spell it out for others.

Your defining difference can trump tight budgets - every leader needs to know how to do it.

When:  Friday and Saturday, March 16-17
Where:  Hilton Baltimore, 401 W. Pratt St., Baltimore MD  20201

1. Set specific outcome goals.
You are more likely to maximize your time when you plan for your outcomes in advance.

• Who do you want to meet?
  Are there any key people attending the event who you would like to meet? Not sure who's attending? A quick glance at the attendance list or review of name tags can sometimes make targeting who to meet a last-minute edited decision.
  
• How many new people will you meet?
  Every time you invest in attending a networking event, make it a point to meet at least two or three new people. You need to regularly add new people to your network if you want to grow.
  
• Who do you want to catch up with?
  Networking events are great places to catch up with people you have met before and to help you get to know each other better. When people know what you do and trust you they are more likely to pass referrals to you.
  
• What do you want to learn?
  Networking events are great places to pick up information. What's challenging you currently? Do you need the name of a good printer? Are you looking for a new way to reach people?

Take advantage of being in a room full of people who may be able to refer you the solution you need.

2. Prepare yourself for conversation.

• Review notes of previous events.
  If you've attending events with this organization before, take a quick scan of the business cards you collected and the notes you made. Refresh your memory and amaze people with what you know about them.
  
• Know what's going on in the world.
  As an active networker, you'll want to find some news sources and pay regular attention to it. This will help make you more interesting to talk to — and boost your confidence.
  
• Check your attitude and energy.
  If you are grumpy and tired, your networking results will reflect it.
  
  Sometimes simply jogging in place or swinging your arms around can give you an energy boost.
  
  Be careful about eating carbohydrate-heavy meals before attending these events to help ward off the tiredness.
  
  If you're in a bad mood, do what you need to do to let it go of it — at least for the time you're at the event.
  
  If it's a really bad day, would your time be better spent taking care of the problem — or perhaps simply going home? While you don't want to make a regular habit about skipping networking events, sometimes the best thing you can do is take the time off and take care of yourself.

3. Make sure you have your business cards with you.

This is should be an obvious point. Yet, I'm regularly amazed at the number of people who show up at networking events with no business cards available.

Having no cards makes you look like you are an unprepared person who doesn't monitor details — not a good image for your building brand or business!

Find a place to keep a stash of cards as a back up just in case you do forget. The glove compartment of your car may be a good place for this.

Good luck and happy networking!

It is a very easy to read book, about the right length and packed full (well 11 actually) of some extremely useful information.

The author has done an excellent job in researching what makes a successful IT leader and put the answers into an easy to understand style that makes you want to start putting them into action straight away.

Each reader will relate to different parts of the book, based on his/her individual experiences and will find different parts to be either commonplaces or insightful. No surprise, since we each bring very different experiences and beliefs to the book. But I'm sure that anyone who faces off with end users and business stakeholders will take away something of value.

1. Never stop networking. Never stop offering help to those in your network, attending industry conferences and keeping your presence alive through social media. It's the best investment you can make in your career.
– Anita Bruzzese, Gannett/USA Today workplace columnist and freelance writer/editor

2. Regularly update your social media presence. In 2012, your social media profiles will be more important than ever. Recruiters, colleagues, clients and networking connections will be checking you out frequently, so make sure your profile is always up-to-date, compelling and full of relevant news and status updates.
– Lindsey Pollak, career expert and LinkedIn spokesperson

3. Before you convince anyone else of your brand and its value, first convince yourself. It will make all the difference.
– Billie Sucher, career transition expert, speaker, author and blogger

4. Simply applying online and waiting for a call won't produce results in today's job market. Networking and contacting multiple people at your target companies is key to landing the interview.
– Harry Urschel, writer of The Wise Job Search

5. Networking is the number one job search strategy. You need to spend 80% of your job search timenetworking. Period!You need to wake up every day and buy 2contacts a cup of coffee.Ask them for three pieces of career advice and three other people that might be able to help you. Anything less and your search time will be painfully extended. Remember: Networking beats NOTworking
– Dr. Tom Denham, career counselor and motivational speaker

6. No one is responsible for your career except for YOU: not your employer, your college or your parents. Always have a 'side hustle' or passion project to fall back on in case things don't go as planned.
– Nicole Crimaldi, founder of MsCareerGirl.com

7. Makea new career resolution to never forget the most powerful three letter word usedin networking – who.
– Kim Thompson, Career Rescue Columnist

8. Create content with a point of view/opinion.It doesn't have to be fancy (in fact, it should be written like you talk) and should share something with the reader. The type of people you want to work with will be attracted to your approach, and those that you don't want to work with will be repulsed.Bingo!
– Kris Dunn, CHRO at RPO firm Kinetix (http://www.kinetixhr.com/), the founder of The HR Capitalist (http://www.hrcapitalist.com/) and Fistful of Talent (http://www.fistfuloftalent.com/) and a contributing editor at Workforce Management magazine (http://www.workforce.com/)

9. If you don't have a lot of work experience, aim to get hired based on your ideas rather than your experience. Use social media to let people know what ideas you have and what areas of the world you are thinking about. Social media is as good a calling card as a resume.
– Penelope Trunk, blogger at peneloptrunk.com and founder of three startups

10. Develop a plan for your career and then quickly abandon it when you find that a smarter one makes more sense.
– Marci Alboher, author of "One Person/Multiple Careers” and VP Civic Ventures, a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose. Follow on Twitter – @heymarci

I am eager to hear how our readers used this insight to start their own success stories in 2012. Let me know your thoughts!

Volunteering can give you great satisfaction and enjoyment while enhancing your professional and personal development, as well as providing benefit to others.

You can get involved by:

• Helping to organise meetings and events for your Local Chapter;
• Nominate yourself for a seat on one of the committees, including the Board of Directors;
• Submitting research papers to the BDPA journals;
• Helping to author new publications;
• Speaking at a Chapter meeting;
• Becoming a BDPA mentor;
• Working on the conference team;
• Promoting BDPA activities in schools, colleges, universities and in places of employment.

Local Chapters

With over 50 Local Chapters, there is a community of BDPA members near you which provide a host of professional networking opportunities. The level of involvement is up to you. Simply go along to an event or get more involved by joining a committee and helping put together the program of events. You may even be interested in giving a talk - no matter the amount of time you can commit, your Local Chapter would be delighted to hear from you.

This is a very exciting time to be a member of NBDPA. As we continue to increase the value proposition for you, we are focused on accomplishing three main goals in the coming year:

• Helping YOU to set yourself up for success
• Helping YOU to land (and/or keep) a new job
• Helping YOU to feel secure and well-connected as a professional at the top of your game

On February 18^th, we kick off Career Triage© a live webinar series. If your career is in the emergency room, you need Career Triage©. This is a fast-paced/action provoking 21st Century look at how to revive a stalled career presented by career coach, Janice Coleman, Pres/CEO Janice Coleman Corporation (formerly with Right Management, the world leader in career transition services)

Career Triage© includes:

• Resume Rescue©- tips on strengthening your resume to market yourself more effectively
• Interview Infusion©- strategies on effective interviewing skills
• Networking Nutrition©- techniques on developing and leveraging relationships for job seekers

Next month we kick off our Winter Regional Leadership Conference with an executive reception for local small businesses, secondary and post secondary educators and administrators, executives, officials and corporate sponsors. We want to introduce NBDPA and the National Technology Conference to the local community BEFORE we arrive in Baltimore in August. Our goal is to garner the support, sponsorship, and participation of the local community in an effort to have a successful conference with local participation. The weekend will continue with the National Board of Directors Meeting and Leadership Training Workshops. All chapter officers and members are encouraged to attend. Registration information will be posted on the national calendar soon.

The Hartford, Hampton Roads, Houston and Greater Birmingham chapters are prepped and positioned to be back on line soon. Vice President of Membership Management, Chad White and the Regional directors are working diligently with the local leadership to assist as needed.

This is Black History month and chapters across the country will conduct various Black Family Technology Awareness Week activities from Sunday, February 12 through Sunday, February 19. Check your chapter calendar for local events near you. I will host a BFTAW activity with the Philadelphia Chapter at the Black Engineer of the Year Award Conference on Saturday, February 19th at the Philadelphia Marriott.

I am looking forward to NBDPA reaching greater heights in advancing African Americans in the information technology industry. I know that each and every one of you will do your share by volunteering at the chapter or national levels, donating to the scholarship fund and encouraging your peers to join this great organization.

Please read my blog to learn more about NBDPA.

Warm wishes,

It is my pleasure to serve as President of National BDPA. I look forward to working with all Chapter presidents to execute our strategy and ensure that NBPDA delivers value to our stakeholders.

NBDPA could not exist without the partnership and collaboration of its Chapter presidents. Your role is critical and you are the dedicated volunteers who spend countless hours leading our members, performing many tasks and wearing multiple hats.

With that in mind, it is important to maintain focus and truly represent the Chapter to the best of your abilities. In no way should you have to participate in every aspect of operations, nor work endless hours while the general membership reaps the rewards of your hard work and efforts. On the contrary, you must learn that only a with a team effort can the Chapter become successful and live up to the vision of developing IT professionals "from the classroom to the boardroom”.

As the president, you assume many responsibilities that extend beyond the basic operations of a Chapter. The members, corporate sponsors, and the national board of directors all look to you for strength and stability within the Chapter. It is very important for you to utilize your role as a lead communicator for these groups and use them as resources for information and guidance. People will look to you as the premier example of what BDPA represents in your city. Your actions will have a direct effect on the image of your Chapter.

Aside from the many expectations and responsibilities of the Chapter president, your position can be one of the most rewarding. You are now in a position to directly impact the Chapter's performance and future. You can be a catalyst for positive change, as well as provide direction so that your Chapter can benefit and prosper with the lasting legacy you leave behind.

As Chapter president, what are you expected to do?

• support, uphold and adhere to chapter and national by-laws and guidelines
• oversee chapter operations and general membership
• promote and sustain positive relationships with the local community
• represent the chapter on a regular basis with members, sponsors and community
• conduct a successful transition with your successor

While serving as Chapter president, you will work with many diverse groups within and outside of your Chapter. Your role involves maintaining constant communication with members of BDPA and individuals who assist the Chapter on a regular basis. Maintaining these crucial relationships is the foundation for developing a successful Chapter and the ideal BDPA experience.

Hopefully, you will take this opportunity to grow personally and professionally by:

• making an impact and assisting in the development of your Chapter and the IT profession
• being recognized as a leader in the field of information technology and your community
• counting the hours spent as a volunteer leader toward re-certification hours for PMI
• being part of an organization that gives back to the community
• assisting other members with their professional development
• developing your organizational and networking skills
• developing personal relationships with local corporate leaders

Over the next few weeks, I will be calling each of you. I will also connect with each of you on the National BDPA website. I hope you will visit the National BDPA website often. Use the Contact Us feature to let us know if you have ideas or suggestions that will make the BDPA services even more valuable to you.

Thank you for all that you do on behalf of NBDPA!

Monique F. Berry
President, National BDPA

1. Facebook reports 800 million active users. Fifty percent of those users log on to the site each day, and more than 40 million users update their status at least once per day. Over 200 million photos are uploaded each day.

2. LinkedIn counts more than 100 million members

3. Twitter has 360 million registered users,

4. Fully 65% of adult internet users now say they use a social networking site like MySpace, Facebook or LinkedIn, up from 61% one year ago. This marks the first time in Pew Internet surveys that 50% of all adults use social networking sites.

Social networking sites now reach 82 percent of the world's online population, representing 1.2 billion users around the world… In October 2011, Social Networking ranked as the most popular content category in worldwide engagement, accounting for 19 percent of all time spent online. Nearly 1 in every 5 minutes spent online is now spent on social networking sites.

Social media is now a leading reason people use the Internet. And social networking is not just for kids. Facebook says it has more users in the 45 to 65 year old range than in the 13 to 17 year old range. Forty-five percent of users are age 26 and older.

So what does this mean to you, and why am I blogging about it here? For you and for NBDPA, social media presents tremendous opportunities for networking, collaborating, sharing best practices, communicating and connecting to a nearly unlimited pool of people with similar needs and wants, as well as to information that may benefit you. The world truly is getting smaller. Instead of reaching out to single contacts, you can now create networks of hundreds or thousands of people located around the globe—and you can do so almost instantaneously.

NBDPA's use of technology continues to evolve as well, as we seek new ways to communicate with and engage our diverse membership. Our online iRadio program is a great example of these efforts. These radio shows go far beyond traditional radio because we incorporate the Chat feature during the broadcast creating an opportunity for listeners' to dialogue and network during the broadcast. Moreover, each program is recorded so they may be accessed on demand, a great benefit to time-crunched professionals and members on the go who no longer need to worry about time differences.

You may be participating in social networking already. If so, you probably have found many different ways to connect with other NBDPA members. NBDPA is supportive in building these communities, but the real drivers of these conversations are you, the members. By sharing your thoughts and adding to the dialogue, you create value for all members.

If you haven't given social media a try, I urge you to do so. First connect with your friends, colleagues and fellow members on www.bdpa.org. Second join us on Facebook page, FOLLOW us on Twitter, and JOIN our LinkedIn group. You will find it not only fun, but also valuable. If you need a place to start, connect to me.

I would like to thank you for the opportunity and honor of being the president of National BDPA for the next two years. I am thrilled to serve this incredible association and its extraordinary members. It is relatively easier to lead an organization that continues to flourish.

Much of the credit for NBDPA's recent accomplishments goes to Yvette Graham, the immediate past president and her leadership team. We appreciate their tireless efforts, continued support and dedication.

NBDPA will continue to grow and develop with the support of its committed leadership, chapters, members, and partners. Together, with the members of the new governing body, we will continue to move forward striving for excellence in every endeavor we undertake. Meet our Board of Directors.

As with any established organization, we have some challenges ahead: getting our members involved and serving them, recruiting new members, establishing new chapters, and much more! Along with meeting these challenges for years 2012 and 2013, we will work to improve communication, increase corporate participation and identify additional revenue streams.

Here's a brief look ahead at what you can expect during the first 90 days:

• Registration opens for the 2012 conference in Baltimore, Maryland.
• Career Triage, a live webinar series presenting a 21st Century look at how to revive a stalled career presented by career coach, Janice Coleman. FREE! for members and $25.00 per class for non-members.
• Our membership campaign begins. Members who refer new members are eligible to win prizes such as a: Kindle, iTouch, Nano, Nook and more! Sign in nowt o refer your friends and peers.
• National officer appearances on BDPA iRadio program.
• Eastern Regional Leadership Conference and National BDPA Board of Directors meeting in Baltimore, Maryland.
• STEM Online Simulations page added to the National Website
• Regional Vice President Chapter assessments begin.
• Regional Vice President teleconferences with Chapter Presidents.