BDPA: Black to the Future

[NOTE: Photo above is the current & immediate past national BDPA presidents (Gina Billings and Wayne Hicks). The overview below is strictly from the Villager and is not an official communication of BDPA]

There are over 308,000 African American IT professionals according to Department of Labor. BDPA is a non-profit association of African American IT professionals that was created over 30 years ago by Earl Pace. The organization is having a national election next month. There are three talented people seeking votes to become the 2008-2009 National BDPA president-elect ... with accession to the 2010-2011 national president position. This is a critical election for anyone who works in the IT industry.

Here is an overview of the three candidates:

• Yvette Graham - Yvette is the current President of the BDPA Chicago chapter. Her chapter is the largest chapter in the nation in terms of memberships, programs, corporate sales and so forth. In fact, her chapter is the defending champions of the BDPA high school computer competition. Yvette is an executive with Allstate Insurance ... a company that invested $430,150 in BDPA over the past five years. Yvette has been a colleague on the National BDPA board of directors for the past three or four years. She previously served as a director on the BDPA Education & Technology Foundation. She continues to have payroll deductions applied on a bi-weekly basis to BETF to help fund BDPA programs and services. Yvette is clearly aware of the challenges that face BDPA. Her ability to work with others is well-known. I encourage villagers to visit Yvette's website or Yvette's blog to learn more about this powerful sister.
• Betty Hutchins - Betty is currently serving as national Vice President (Member Services) ... I say that with pride as I appointed her to that position over three years ago when I was the national president. In my opinion Betty has been the greatest VPMS in the history of our organization. It is no accident that programs such as the BDPA IT Institute, BDPA Career Center, Executive Protege' Program, Student IT Education & Scholarship (SITES) are more successful than ever in our 30-year history as an organization. Betty is an executive with Mayo Clinic ... a company that invested $240,116 in BDPA over the past five years. Betty's vision is proven by her ability to be a founder of BDPA chapters in Chattanooga, TN and Rochester, MN. Betty makes regular contributions to the BDPA Foundation. She is a determined sister with an ability to focus her attention and resources like a laser on key strategic initiative. I encourage villagers to visit Betty's website or Betty's blog to learn about this powerful sister.
• Norm Fleming - Norm currently serves as the internal champion for BDPA within Merck & Company. He has over 21 years of managerial experience. Norm's employer. Merck & Company invested $251,000 in BDPA over the past five years. If elected, Norm will be the first national president in the 30+ years of the organization to have never served as president of a local chapter. As a result, Norm is a wild-card in this election. Norm laid out a clear vision for the future of the organization under his leadership. Norm hasn't yet made a donation to the BDPA Foundation, however, we anticipate that he will do so at some point in the near future. I encourage villagers to visit Norm's website and Norm's blog to learn more about this powerful brother.

One of these three powerful nubians will join a small group of people in the world that served as national president for this organization that works to bring our community from the classroom to the boardroom. The election will be held next month during the 29th Annual National BDPA Technology Conference in Washington DC. One thing is for sure ... BDPA will be a winner regardless of which person is voted into this lofty office.

Villagers, I am curious as to your knowledge of BDPA. Have you heard of the organization before? Are you currently a member? Either way, please share your comments with us on the upcoming election and conference!