E G I N A A . H A I R S T O N

AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT AND CEO

Regina A Hairston is President & CEO of the African-American Chamber of Commerce of PA, NJ & DE (AACC), the region’s premier Black business advocacy organization She has made it her top priority to create a wealth-generating system for Black communities in Metropolitan Philadelphia which includes neighboring cities in New Jersey and Delaware

Regina launched two signature programs - Coaching to Capital cohort and a Peership series, to address disparities in Philadelphia’s Black population compared to its share of business ownership Most notably, Hairston, a former lobbyist, was instrumental in lobbying Philadelphia City Council to take to vote for a reduction in the Business Income & Receipts Tax (or BIRT), a double taxation of gross receipts and net income that is among the highest of any major U S city

Hairston has been named one of Philadelphia Business Journal’s Women of Distinction 2022; City and State’s 2023 Power of Diversity: Black 100 List; Philadelphia Magazine’s 2021 Most Influential People in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Business Journal’s Power 100, and Metro Philadelphia’s Power Women list.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Saint Joseph’s University and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She completed a certification in nonprofit administration from the University of Pennsylvania Hairston received an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters from Pierce College She serves as a member of the CHOP Corporate Council and sits on the boards of directors for the Fund for Girard College, the Philadelphia Theatre Company, the City Year Philadelphia, the Johnson Manor of Faith and Education Board, and Natural Lands

Della Clark The Enterprise Center President

Della Clark’s vision for minority entrepreneurship is not about counting the number of successful businesses but about making businesses count. Since 1992, Ms. Clark has brought this vision to fruition as President of The Enterprise Center – an organization at the forefront of the Greater Philadelphia region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, guided by the mission to cultivate and invest in minority entrepreneurs to inspire economic growth in communities.

The Enterprise Center accomplishes this by accelerating the capacity of minority business enterprises to compete in any marketplace through business education, management support, access to capital, and procurement opportunities.

Clark currently serves as a board member for the Philadelphia Equity Alliance, University City District, and Bridge of Hope CDC and serves as a Trustee of Drexel University She is also a proud Eisenhower Fellow

Clark was recognized in August 2022 with a Lifetime Achieve Award by the Philadelphia Business Journal. She is one of Philadelphia’s most Influential by the Philadelphia Magazine and is also one the Philadelphia Tribune’s most Influential African American Leaders for over 10 years.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE AGE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE