National Black MBA Association® 35th Annual Conference & Exposition Set to Attract More Than 10,000 Attendees, September 10 -- 14, 2013

CHICAGO, Sept. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Black MBA Association® will celebrate it's 35^th Annual Conference and Exposition next week where an estimated 10,000 attendees will convene in Houston, TX, September 10 – 14, 2013 at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

With over forty years of service and advocacy for the NBMBAA®, this year marks a milestone for the National Black MBA Association® Conference & Exposition. With the theme "Courageous Leadership: Owning Your Own Success", attendees will gather during one of the nation's largest professional conferences targeting employment and professional development – positioning themselves for advancement in the global workforce.

"We are prepared and thrilled for what we believe will be our best conference yet," said Jesse Tyson, President and CEO, NBMBAA®. "The mission of the organization, that is now more than 40 years old, is to impact the intellectual and economic wealth of our communities." Tyson added, "With the expected talent seeking career opportunities, corporate partners and banner programming, we're confident that attendees will leave Houston empowered."

The national conference attracts a backdrop of renowned and respected thought leaders in business, media, sports, entertainment, academia and our Generation Next. Attendees will hear and learn from trailblazers that include Robert L. Johnson, Founder and Chairman, OppsPlace, LLC and RLJ Company, Judy Smith, crisis management extraordinaire and an inspiration to the ABC television series "Scandal," Reverend Dr. Al Sharpton, Founder and President, National Action Network (NAN), Bonnie St. John, the first African-American to win an Olympic medal in ski racing, and attorney, author and television personality Star Jones, Chief Development Officer and National Spokesperson for the National Association of Professional Women.

Other conference draws who will share their learning and anecdotes to success include Dr. Dennis Kimbro, author of "The Wealth Choice: Success Secrets of Black Millionaires," Bravo's Chef Roblé Ali, entrepreneur and television personality; Valorie Burton , motivational speaker and bestselling author; Julian Duncan, Brand Director, Nike Basketball; Alfred Edmond, Jr., SVP & Editor-at-Large, Black Enterprise, and many others.

Designed to invoke discussions and outcomes on career building, networking, professional and personal development, ancillary NBMBAA® conference events also include the following:

• Career Exposition – A conference destination hub that hosts more than 100 corporations and businesses, and on-site hiring opportunities.
• Innovation Whiteboard Challenge® – Showcases three contestants that will compete for $10,000, selling their business idea to a panel of venture capitalists in five minutes with only a whiteboard and a marker.
• NBMBAA®/Chrysler Group LLC Case Competition – Shines on the talents of graduate students from the nation's leading business schools as they compete for top ranking, cash prizes and employment opportunities
• NBMBAA® Entrepreneurial and Leadership Institutes – Features a day-long series of business development workshops and training sessions for emerging and established entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals.
• Global Game Changers: Energizing the Next Generation – Interactive session featuring a panel of senior executives who will share career development strategies and industry best practices.
• CertifiNOW PMP®/CAPM® Prep Course – This course highlights an intense project management learning program for senior executives and established professionals, offering professional certification, education and training. The CertifiNOW certification course reduces exam preparation time, from an average of nine to twelve months, to three days of classroom instruction.
• Meet the Experts — These 75 minute workshops will focus on entrepreneurship and career building by panels and presentations that feature nationally recognized thought leaders and industry experts.
• Community Service Projects – During the week, attendees will be encouraged to participate in community service activities benefiting the Houston Dress for Success and "Career Gear" by donating gently used business attire at various drop-off locations.

For a complete listing of scheduled events or to register for this year's conference, please visit http://www.nbmbaaconference.org.

To date, this year's sponsors include Abbott Laboratories, Accenture, Bank of America, Chevron Corporation, Chrysler Group LLC, Dell, ExxonMobil Corporation, FedEx, Ford Motor Company, GE Capital, Genentech Inc., Georgia-Pacific LLC, GlaxoSmithKline, Highmark Health Services, Home Depot, Humana Inc., IBM, Intel Corporation, Lowe's, Marriott International, Inc., Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., Morgan Stanley, Nationwide Insurance, Northwestern Mutual, Pentair, PNC, Rice University, Shell Oil Company, Starbucks Coffee Company, SunTrust Banks, Inc., Target Corporation, The Travelers Companies, Inc., Walmart, and Wells Fargo.

NBMBAA has also partnered with United Airlines to offer discounted travel to this year's conference. Visit http://www.united.com/web/en-US/apps/booking/flight/searchRT.aspx?PromoCode=ZQ2C506107&CS=N for more information.

Download the NBMBAA conference app and plan your conference schedule. Users will receive daily updates, information on conference speakers and sessions, push notifications, social media and more. Visit http://www.nbmbaa.org/docs/2013NBMBAAPreConferenceGuide.pdf to download the Pre-Conference Guide. Also, follow NBMBAA on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nbmbaahq, and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nbmbaaHQ for daily updates.

About the National Black MBA Association, Inc.®
Established in 1970, the National Black MBA Association, Inc.® (NBMBAA®) is dedicated to developing partnerships that create intellectual and economic wealth in the black community through its five channels of engagement: education, career, leadership, entrepreneurship, and lifestyle. With 40-plus chapters, the NBMBAA® has over 10,000 members, and more than 450 corporate partners. NBMBAA® offers programs such as the Annual NBMBAA® Conference & Exposition, education programs, and career programs. For more information, visit www.nbmbaa.org. 

Media Contact:
Chevonne Harris
Direct: 614.370.0125
Office: 614.487.1500
[email protected]

SOURCE National Black MBA Association, Inc.