President’s Message – June 2010

By Lynn Beatty, RN, MBA

Welcome to our first 2010 edition of the Los Angeles Chapter Newsletter.  This year the Los Angeles Chapter is host to the NBMBAA National Conference from September 21^st to the 25^th.  The conference theme is BLINK – The Speed of Change! This conference, which has not been in Los Angeles in nearly twenty years, promises to be a phenomenal event featuring prominent national speakers, over 250 employers represented in the largest career fair in the country and unmatched networking opportunities among the 10,000 plus Black Professionals from across the nation.   And if I can just “keep it real,” the partyin’ will be legendary!  To kick off the conference, we will be hosting a Welcome Party at the world famous Conga Room at L.A. LIVE on Tuesday, September 21, 2010.  I encourage everyone who is not a member to join the organization, and those who are members to register for the conference as soon as possible before the Early Bird reduced rates expire after July 5^th.

The concept of change resonates both at the national level and at the chapter level.   We have a new leadership team working passionately to bring value to your membership, and to partner with corporations that are highly recognized employers of choice.  I thank our 2010 Corporate Partners for supporting this chapter and ask that our members support them as well.  Our 2010 Corporate Partners are:

• Mattel
• State Farm
• Hyundai
• United Technologies Corporation/ Rocketdyne
• Prudential
• Target
• Chick-fil-A
• DirecTV
• Deloitte
• University of Phoenix

Another change is our effort to “broaden our touch.”  I hope you have noticed our events in the Inland Empire and in Orange County aimed at making sure all members find value in chapter membership and have the opportunity to be engaged in the local network of Black business professionals.   I am honored to have two dynamic members leading the charge in keeping the events in those areas relevant and timely.  If you haven’t already, come out to meet our Regional Coordinators, Kerry Neal, Inland Empire Coordinator, and Linda Whiteman, Orange County Coordinator. 

As the saying goes, though, I have saved the best (or the worse) for last!  The long overdue and much anticipated CHANGE to our WEBSITE is nearing completion.  I’m sure you’ve heard all the clichés about how difficult change can be.  We will launch our new labmba.org website this summer and we couldn’t be any more excited!  Our new website will not only be informative but will also be more dynamic, allowing our members to be better connected to up-to-date chapter information, resources, and events.

Aside from these and other changes taking place this year, one thing that will never change is our commitment to the economic and educational development of Black professionals in the Los Angeles area.

Remember,  “If leadership is the ability to create change your tribe can believe in, and the market demands change, the market demands leaders.”   — Seth Godin, from Tribes

The National Black MBA Association is creating leaders who can master CHANGE.

Sincerely,

Lynn Beatty

Chapter President