LINDA BATES PARKER

Linda Bates Parker, visionary, entrepreneur, author, trailblazer, and humanitarian died on December 10 after an eight month battle with cancer. She was 66.
 
For nearly 45 years, Linda Bates Parker devoted her life to leadership and empowering others. From humble beginnings, she has forged an impressive career of professional accomplishments and civic contributions, earning credibility locally, nationally and internationally. Born and raised in the West End of Cincinnati, Ohio, Linda’s passion for education and ambitious goals for the future led her to the University of Dayton as the recipient of a 4-year scholarship from the Yeiser Foundation. She continued her educational pursuits with a M.A. from the University of Cincinnati and graduated from Harvard University’s Management Development Program and Leadership Cincinnati.

Linda experienced many firsts in her life. She was the first Black woman hired in Market Research at Procter & Gamble. She also served as a Training Coordinator for Federated Department Stores (now Macy’s) before moving into higher education where she has remained for most of her professional life. Linda was the first Black woman to serve as Associate Vice Provost for Student Affairs at the University of Cincinnati and achieved immeasurable success as the Director of the Career Development Center, using her voice to empower both students and staff. Because of her many contributions to career development, the University will rename the Career Development Resource Center in her honor.

Linda is noted for her “long-lasting and life-changing” style of teaching and as someone who “is driven by the satisfaction of seeing her students achieve their goals.” As such, she established the Linda Bates Parker Scholarship to help financially strapped African American students remain in college. She created the Racial Awareness Program to provide a forum for students to discuss race relation issues in the city, the country and around the world.

Linda was selected as a Distinguished Faculty Fellow for her efforts to help develop some of UC’s first distance learning courses. She taught her popular Managing Diversity classes for 17 years at the university. Expanding the curriculum, Linda designed and implemented an annual diversity institute, training forum attracting hundreds of employers from major U.S. corporations.

Nationally known and recognized, Linda is highly revered for her 30+ year commitment to the professional development of women with the creation of Black Career Women, a national organization that serves as a nucleus of support to identify and address the critical needs of women in the workforce as they relate to their career mobility and achievement. She established the Black Women Achieving Against the Odds awards to recognize women nationally who had achieved Vice Presidential status in US Corporations. Linda envisioned, created and presented “Can We Talk?” a national diversity forum addressing relationships among black women, white women and other women of color in today’s workplace. In addition, she co-founded EXECUCIRCLE, an international professional development conference, held in Africa, the Caribbean and South America, encouraging African Americans to become more globally relevant and more culturally literate. In her 14-year leadership of EXECUCIRCLE, Linda met and became affiliated with 3 heads of state and helped hundreds of African Americans understand the impact of US public policy on people of the African Diaspora around the world. Although her primary focus was on women, Linda created and implemented the Summer Incentive Program. The program was designed to motivate academically able, but under-achieving Black male youth in Cincinnati, to commit to their education and become “the best of their kind.” She successfully operated this program for eight years.

A columnist for the national Black Collegian Magazine for 20 years, Linda also authored Career Portfolio, a college textbook now in its 5th edition, and served as lead researcher for a 3-year study on “College to Career: Transition of Black College Graduates” involving 13 U.S. colleges and universities.

Linda was regularly sought as a speaker on women’s issues and as a diversity consultant including Leadership Cincinnati’s annual Diversity Weekend and the YWCA’s Rising Stars Round Table. She has served on the Boards of Cincinnati Red Cross, WCET, the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission and as a celebrity spokesperson for Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build Program.

Linda’s contributions have not gone unnoticed as she was the recipient of numerous awards and honors: Dollar and Sense Magazine‘s Top 100 Black Business & Professional Women in the United States, Cincinnati Enquirer’s Woman of the Year, the YWCA Career Women of Achievement, the Girl Scout’s Women of Distinction, and the “Champion of Diversity – 2000” award from Working Mother Magazine. In 2004, Linda was the recipient of the Global Citizen Award and was inducted into the International Hall of Fame by the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce. She was also inducted into the National Association of Colleges and Employers Academy of Fellows in 2005 for a career of outstanding contributions in her field. And, in the 2007, she was honored by the University of Cincinnati’s African American Alumni Association with the Onyx & Ruby Trailblazer Award for her outstanding university and community contributions.

Linda is survived by her spouse, Breland Parker, her daughter Robbin Parker-Shabazz, son Brandon (Taisha) Parker and two grand children, Isaiah and Anyé, Shabazz.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, December 19, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 745 Ezzard Charles Drive in the West End. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. – 12 noon with Mass immediately following. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to the Linda Bates Parker Scholarship Fund, c/o Dr. Bluezette Marshall, University of Cincinnati Foundation, P. O. Box 19970, Cincinnati, OH 45219-0970 or by visiting the UC Foundation website, http://www.uc.edu/sas/diversity/lbpscholarship.html

President Obama Establishes A White House Council on Women and Girls
On Wed. March 12th 2009, President Barack Obama announced the establishment of a White House Council on Women and Girls naming his Senior Advisor, Valerie Jarrett, as the Council's Chair and Tina Tchen, Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison, as its Executive Director.
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Black Career Women Flying the Friendly Skies!
African-American women continue to demonstrate professionalism, intelligence and unlimited potential as they contribute to our overall struggle for unlimited freedom, access and opportunity in America. The sisters on Flights 5202 and 5106 (a jet owned by Atlantic Southeast Airlines) have proven that African-American women can do anything if just given a fair opportunity.
   
They made history on Thursday, February 12, 2009 as the first all African American female crew.

BCW Seminar Booklet now on Sale!
Strategies for Increasing Your professional Visibility

If you were unable to attend BCW's recent seminar on Strategies for Increasing Your Professional Visibility, held Oct. 24th in Cincinnati, OH, don't miss this excellent opportunity to obtain the very informative seminar handouts to help you strengthen your own professional credibility and visibility, within and outside your organization.

For only $20 per booklet, you can gain invaluable inside tips from experts on the benefits of self-marketing and creating positive publicity for yourself, while avoiding corporate or organizational isolation. Learn the importance of building your personal brand identity as you view concrete examples for creating your professional profile and personal press releases.

Limited time offer!

Click here to order your copy today!

Featured Website Resource:
Women's Chamber of Commerce
http://www.uswbj.com

Strategies to Increase Your Professional Visibility
Our 31st Annual Professional Development Seminar (10/24/2008)

Registration Deadline:  Friday, October 17th

One of the major hurdles that black career women must overcome is professional isolation. Career mobility requires the development of a credible professional persona, viable professional networks and appropriate visibility, in and outside the corporation or organization ...


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The Partnership and The Boston Club Invites You to Get on Board!

Challenges Facing Women of Color Seeking to Become Corporate Directors

Want to serve on a corporate board? Then Get on Board,  a Partnership- sponsored forum that addresses issues relating to service as directors of for-profit companies, including the combinations of skills and experiences that boards are seeking.
    
Space is extremely limited, so RSVP today!
Click here for more details.
    
Date: Wednesday, October 29th, 2008
Time: 5:30pm-8:00pm
Location:Boston Private Bank & Trust, Ten Post Office Square, Boston
Cost: $40
RSVP: Click here

BCW Board Member, Laura Carr, Finalist in 2008 Athena Award. (10/1/2008)

The ATHENA® Award is named in recognition of the Greek goddess of wisdom and courage.

On October 1, 2008 Cincy - The Magazine for Business Professionals, will recognize outstanding women who have achieved professional excellence, given back to their communities and created leadership opportunities for other women here in the Tristate.

Register Here

Cheryl Monk named one of the 2008 Leading Women for Community Advocacy (Feb.6, 2008)

It is my pleasure to announce to you that Cheryl Monk, BCW's Executive Vice President, has been named one of the 2008 Leading Women for Community Advocacy.
   
This is an outstanding honor and recognizes Cheryl's 30 years of commitment to and leadership of BCW, as well as her other services to our community.
  
Cheryl will be recognized at the Leading Women Celebration Luncheon to be held on Wednesday, March 5th at the Duke Energy Center where some 600 or more guests will be in attendance.
   
Please join me in congratulating Cheryl. I hope you will join us at the Leading Women Luncheon Celebration!
   
Ticket information is available at www.leadingwomencincinnati.org

Gender Vs. Race Issues – Where Do We Stand? (Jan.14, 2008)
    
Last November, NBC Nightly News extensively covered in a special 5 part series, " African-American Women: Where They Stand" The series, though much too brief, was rare among national media – devoting this much national airtime to the concerns of black women, and we applaud NBC Nightly News for their sensitivity in presenting this series. These nightly news segments, skillfully narrated by Rehema Ellis, a colleague of BCW’s friend and colleague, Marquita Pool Eckert, (formerly Associate Producer of CBS Sunday Morning) covered some of the major issues confronting black women today, at all levels of the economic strata, including: relationships, health, education, politics and the economy. Facts, all too familiar to us, were presented:
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Big Change at Essence Magazine
Dec. 28, 2007
  
Susan Taylor, the woman who fashioned Essence into a "must-read" for black women, is planning to leave the magazine she has run for 37 years. Taylor, 61, joined Essence in 1970, the year it was first published, as a freelance fashion and beauty editor after founding her own company, Nequai Cosmetics, reports The New York Times . In 1981, Taylor became editor in chief and held the position until 2000, when she was promoted to publications director. Time Inc., which owns Essence, did not make an announcement about Taylor's resignation. Taylor, who is vacationing in South Africa, wrote in an automated out-of-office e-mail, "When I come back to the states in mid-January, I will be leaving Essence to do what at this juncture in my life has become a larger work for me--building the National Cares Mentoring Movement, which I founded as Essence Cares and today is my deepest passion."
   
Source: DiversityInc Website; Time Magazine now owns Essence.
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How BCW Assists you with your Career
BCW is regularly contacted by women across the country to provide career assistance, mentors, career advancement strategies, to address career barriers and to locate career opportunities. Please link to one of the following sections to gain additional career assistance and support. Strategies for increasing your professional visibility:

• Career Assessment
  
• Career Exploration
  
• Career Decision Making
  
• Career Search
  
• Career Negotiations

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