| Newsletter |
|
|
|
| EXECUCIRCLE Reunion |
Event: EXECUCIRCLE Reunion
Date: June 20th - 26th
Location: Nassau, Bahamas
PRESS RELEASE
Black Career Women To Host
EXECUCIRCLE Reunion in Nassau, Bahamas
Black Career Women will host an EXECUCIRCLE Reunion in Nassau, Bahamas, June
20th - 26th, 2002 as part of the organization's 25th Anniversary year-long
activities. EXECUCIRCLE is BCW's International Professional Development
Conferences for African American professionals, both men and women,
interested in enhancing cultural literacy, while developing global networks.
"EXECUCIRCLE conferences were held annually to link African Americans with
the African diaspora, wherever manifested around the world." states Linda
Bates Parker, BCW President and EXECUCIRCLE Conference convenor. In the 14
years that Jenny Laster and I convened these conferences, we attracted
achieving African American entrepreneurs and leaders in education, corporate
America, government, and social services from across the United States,
traveling first to the Bahamas, then on to other parts of the Caribbean,
before journeying to Africa and South America."
"EXECUCIRCLE was before its time," states Jenny Laster, EXECUCIRCLE
Conference Co-Convenor. We understood the emergence of a global economy and
the need for African Americans to travel outside the U.S. to begin creating
our own global networks. We came to the Bahamas not as tourists, but as
pioneers seeking to learn more about the culture of the countries where
Africans had been dispersed. We wanted to know how you were colonized, how
you gained your independence, how you governed, how the people lived and how
we could connect to serve our mutual interests."
"We were very fortunate to meet the then Minister of Tourism, Perry
Christie, on our very first visit, said Parker. He informed us of the
importance of tourism to the Bahamian economy. He promised to help us in
implementing our first conference in Nassau and we promised to use our group
to increase African American travel to the Bahamas. We both lived up to our
commitments," she said.
Minister Christie helped us to secure the Prime Minister, the Right
Honorable Sir Lyndon O. Pindling as EXECUCIRCLE's keynote speaker for our
first conference in Nassau. Sir Lyndon made us aware of the proud history
of the Bahamas, showed us how much we had to learn and asked us to come back
each year for five years to meet the people, to learn how U.S. public policy
impacts the Bahamas and to really build reliable networks among our people."
Over the years, many of our group have been influential in bringing other
African American groups and individuals to the Bahamas. Ohio .(where
BCW-EXECUCIRCLE is headquartered) is now one of the major markets for
African American tourism to the Bahamas.
"The EXECUCIRCLE Reunion is not a conference, but an opportunity to
re-connect and find out where we are now," said Laster. Former EXECUCIRCLE
conferees have achieved professionally. Lloyd Ward became President of
Maytag and now heads the U.S. Olympic Committee; Lucille Dobbins left her
Vice Presidential position at the Harris Bank of Chicago to launch two
financial firms; Ann Marie Austin Stephens is Corporate Vice President of
Circuit City; Marquita Pool Eckert is a Senior Producer for CBS News -
Sunday Morning; Duane Livingston became Vice President of Caterpillar, Inc,
Jim Nixon retired from ITT where he was Vice President and is now a venture
capitalist. Patricia Russell McCloud, Les Brown and George Fraser became
nationally reknowned speakers; Pat Cole expanded her Financial Services
Business to two cities -- Detroit and Atlanta, and Jacci Miller, LaVern
Mosley and Cheryl Brannon taught and launched businesses in Afica.
Jenny Laster gave up running her own business to become President of the
GrassRoots Leadership Academy and Linda Bates Parker was named a
Distinguished Professor at the University of Cincinnati, where she teaches
and directs the Career Development Center, and a National Champion of
Diversity by Working Woman Magazine.
"Most importantly, EXECUCIRCLE's dear friend, the Honourable Perry Christie,
is now Prime Minister of the Bahamas and we are very anxious to return to
our second home in Nassau, to join in the celebration," observed Parker.
The EXEXCUCIRCLE Re-union will attract approximately 30 - 40 former
conference attendees and their families and they will stay at the Marriott
Nassau Beach and Breezes Resorts, where they have developed long-term ties
and friendships.
|
 |
|
|
Legacies
|
|
BCW remembers our Black History throughout the year, by recognizing our
Legacy Messengers and those career achieving contemporary black women making
history, today and tomorrow, across the United States.
BCW respects and recognizes the historical legacies
for black women that these special icons represent
| Legacy
#1 - |
National
Council of Negro Women: -
More
Info. |
|
|
|
