Small Business Executive Certificate Program Ascend National Cohort

Welcome Letter

Schedule at a Glance

WEDNESDAY , 9.27.23

Shirley A. Massey Executive Conference Center

8:30am - 10:30am

10:30am - 10:45am 10:45am - 12:30pm 12:30pm - 1:45pm 1:45pm - 3:45pm 3:45pm - 4:00pm 4:00pm - 5:00pm 5:00pm - 7:00pm

B REAKFAST, P ROGRAM W ELCOME , O VERVIEW, AND I NTRODUCTIONS

S NACKS /B REAK

A CKNOWLEDGING S YSTEMIC B ARRIERS : M AKING A WAY O UT OF N O WAY

L UNCH AND N ETWORKING

A NALYZING S TRATEGIC C HALLENGES : L EVERAGING EY 7 D RIVERS OF G ROWTH

S NACKS /B REAK

F INDING S TRATEGIC B ALANCE ON T HE F EDERAL V S C OMMERCIAL S EESAW (L IVE C ASE S TUDY )

R ECEPTION - M USIC AND N ETWORKING A FRICAN A MERICAN H ALL OF FAME

THURSDAY , 9.28.23

8:30am - 9:00am

- 10:00am

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B REAKFAST AND N ETWORKING

L EADING S TRONG , L IVING W ELL : A S ELF -C ARE B LUEPRINT FOR T OP -T

SCAN FOR COMPLETE ELECTRONIC PROGRAM BOOK

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- 3:00pm 3:00pm - 4:00pm 4:00pm - 5:30pm FRIDAY , 9.29.23

REAK

S ECURING C APITAL : PATHWAYS TO I NNOVATIVE C APITAL S TACKING

P REPARING AND B ECOMING A D IVERSE S UPPLIER FOR IBM (IBM M ENTORS ASSIGNED )

8:00am - 9:00am 9:00am - Noon Noon - 2:00pm 2:00pm - 2:30pm

B REAKFAST AND N ETWORKING

E FFECTIVE L EADERSHIP F RAMEWORKS FOR D IVERSE E NVIRONMENTS

W ORKING L UNCH : E NTREPRENEURIAL L EADERSHIP C ONSULTING (ELC)

P ROGRAM S TUDENT T EAMS , A CCENTURE C ONSULTING C OACHES AND C OHORT B USINESS PARTICIPANTS

C LOSING

Wednesday, September 27th

Shirley A. Massey Executive Conference Center

8:30AM – 10:30AM BREAKFAST, PROGRAM WELCOME, OVERVIEW, AND INTRODUCTIONS

Tiffany Rogers Bussey, DBA, MBA, MSc, PMP Executive Director - Morehouse Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center

Dr. Tiffany Rogers Bussey is the founding Director of the Morehouse College Entrepreneurship Center, a global model for providing small business support in the areas of organizational management infrastructure development and process improvement. Dr. Bussey has over thirty years of experience in various aspects of business management for corporate, small business, educational and non-profit organizations. As Director of the Morehouse College Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center, Dr. Bussey manages strategic teams of faculty, staff and consultants to achieve the goals of the Center, which is to assist in the development and growth of entrepreneurs of color through scholarly research, training and consulting services. Dr. Bussey is also an adjunct professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategy at Morehouse College. She frequently provides commentary as a small business expert on NPR, Bloomberg News, Black Enterprise and Huffington Post. Her opinions and writings have appeared in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Atlanta Business Chronicle, USA Today and Forbes Magazine among other media outlets.

Dr. Bussey earned her doctorate in business administration and masters of science degree in strategic management from Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, Scotland, U.K. She received a master’s in business administration from George Washington University in Washington D.C and a baccalaureate degree in economics from The College of Saint Elizabeth in New Jersey. Dr. Bussey is a Certified Project Management Professional, Certified Situational Leadership Facilitator, Certified Quality Auditor, Certified Training Presenter, and a Certified Teacher of Entrepreneurship. Her research interest intersects the areas of leadership behavior and strategic change in small firms.

David A. Thomas, Ph.D. President, Morehouse College

David A. Thomas, Ph.D., President of Morehouse College, is internationally recognized for his expertise in organizational management and higher education leadership. A noted academic scholar, award winning author, and business consultant for 100 of the Fortune 500 companies, Dr. Thomas has also served as dean of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and on the faculty of Harvard Business School and the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. At Morehouse, his fundraising leadership has resulted in approximately $190 million, a still-growing total higher than during any other presidential tenure in the history of the college. Under his strategic direction, Morehouse has extended its reach by launching its first online degree programs and has amplified its positioning as a center of intellectual discourse and social engagement in areas such as global leadership, professional equity, social justice, and innovation. He has written or co-written three books and more than 100 scholarly articles, book chapters, cases, and teaching notes. Among other honors, Dr. Thomas is the recipient of Washington Business Journal’s “Minority Business Leader of the Year” award and the National Executive Forum’s Beacon Award and was named one of “Atlanta’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders” by Atlanta Magazine. Getting Serious About Diversity: Enough Already with the Business Case, co-written by Dr. Thomas, won the 2020 HBR McKinsey Award as the best Harvard Business Review article of the year. He serves on the boards of DTE Energy, Commonfund, Vanguard, and Yale Corporation. He is also a senior advisor for Grain Management. He earned a Ph.D. in organizational behavior studies and a Master of Philosophy in organizational behavior, both from Yale University, along with a Master of Organizational Psychology from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Administrative Sciences from Yale College.

AM

Program Agenda: 9.27.23

Michael Verchot, Director, UW Foster School Consulting and Business Development Center and National Lead, Ascend (Virtual)

Michael Verchot is the founding director of the University of Washington’s Consulting and Business Development Center, a Lecturer in the Marketing Department at the Michael G. Foster School of Business and the National Lead for Ascend. Ascend is the nation’s largest ecosystem network focused on the growth of businesses owned by people of color. Ascend’s M3 model improves management skills, increases access to money (loans and investments) and grows market access through contracting and supply chain partnerships.

Suganthi Simon, Vice President, PO – Mid South Region (GA, TN, Carolinas) Global Philanthropy | Corporate Responsibility, JP Morgan Chase

Suganthi is a seasoned social impact leader with extensive private and public sector experience. She joined JPMorgan Chase’s Global Philanthropy team in 2022, where she leads philanthropic grantmaking strategies for Georgia, Tennessee, and North and South Carolina. Suganthi coordinates cross-firm investments, collaborates with key public and private sector stakeholders, and engages the philanthropic community to drive an inclusive economy and lead the firm’s efforts to expand racial equity in her markets.

Prior to entering philanthropy, Suganthi spent over 14 years in the federal government, working for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She held multiple leadership roles with an interdisciplinary focus on environmental evaluation, green building, sustainable communities and development, and environmental justice. She has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Wellesley College and received her master’s degree in Industrial Environmental Management from Yale University.

Jennifer Turner, Program Director, Global Supplier Diversity, IBM

Jennifer Turner has been a global supplier diversity advocate since joining IBM building relationships and driving efforts to increase spend with diverse suppliers and representing IBM at conferences. In 2021, she was recognized as a Corporate Buyer of the Year for her efforts. In 2022, Jennifer was named the IBM Global Supplier Diversity Program Director, where she is driving strategic solutions with diverse suppliers to develop their capabilities enhance their market competitiveness, purchase from them to increase their economic strength and cultivate relationships with the businesses to drive new technology, innovation and creativity. Jennifer has also held management roles at various companies.

She is also the recipient of multiple awards including the Black Engineering of the Year Award (BEYA), Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson Woman of Distinction, United States President’s Volunteer Service, Peekskill, New York Living Legend, and John F. Kennedy Journalism Awards among others. Jennifer is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and passionately serves as an Executive Board Member of Women Business Enterprise National Council, Global Supplier Diversity Advisory Council, WEConnect, and Minority Supplier Development China. She earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Communications and Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration in General Management with honors from Howard University and a Master's Certification in Project Management from George Washington University both are located in Washington, DC. She is a Girl Scouts Lifetime Member, St. Peter's Episcopal Church Sunday School Director and is a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) advocate. She infuses her talents, leadership and creativity in her local community and at IBM. Jennifer strives to inspire others and to make the world a better place one smile at a time. As a wife and mother of two vibrant daughters, Jennifer brings high energy and a positive attitude to each new challenge.

Program Agenda: 9.27.23

Matthew Mullens, Supplier Diversity Program Manager, IBM

Matthew currently serves as a Supplier Diversity Manager for IBM Americas. He has a background in consulting, helping clients to develop data-driven insights to meet their needs. Before joining IBM in 2020, Matthew provided market research, ESG consulting, and strategic thinking support to help entrepreneurs grow their small businesses. He also founded his own certified black-owned business. As a consultant, researcher, and founder, Matthew is passionate about sustainable business practices and has experience in various technical and business roles, achieving success in strategic execution and process improvements.

Danita Harris, Program Manager, MIEC

Danita is the Program Manager for the Morehouse Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center helping business owners with management training, securing capital and securing contracts. She worked for companies in multiple sectors including Cox Communications, IBM, Bridgestone, Travelers Insurance, Central Intelligence Agency as well as non-profit organizations. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Georgia and is ISO 9000, Change Management, Agile Performance Management and has her Green Belt in Six Sigma. She also serves on the board for Out of Hand Theater, a non-profit organization that creates a safe space for all people to have conversations about the impact of social justice issues.

Bonita S. Moore, Business Manager, MIEC

Bonita S. Moore has over 15 years of experience in the field of contract management for small business and educational organizations. As Business Manager for the Morehouse Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center, a historically black, private liberal arts institution for African American men, Ms. Moore handles all the day-to-day operational aspects of the center.

She has an outstanding record of accomplishment in program management, general accounting, procurement, meeting planning and management and customer service.

Ms. Moore holds a baccalaureate degree in marketing from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia and provides astute knowledge in that field as well as business management.

Ascend National Cohort Participants (See complete Cohort Participants descriptions on pages 12-17)

• Sandra Floyd, Founder, Pres/CEO,

Eric Brown, CEO, Wisemen Multimedia LLC

• OUTSOURCE Consulting Services, Inc. (OCSI.co)

•

Marcus Wilson, CEO, IntelligIS, Inc.

• dba EMCO Technologies

Cindy Moss, President, Electronic Maintenance Co., Inc.

•

Tracey Grace, President & CEO, IBEX IT Business Experts

Shailendra Jain, CTO, KriaaNet Inc.

• Magha Devan, Partner, Entellimetrix LLC

• Charles Weems, CEO, WDS

• Lori Jansen, President, Clear Global Solutions LLC

• Maria Asuelimen, Managing Director, AMA Consulting LLC

•

• Diane McCain, CEO, Potomac Management Solutions

Gurudas Sarkar, CEO, Cygnus Professionals, Inc.

• Seema Dixit, President & CEO, Samyak Solutions, Inc.

• Robert Steward, CEO, End2End Solution

• Lisa Brunet, CEO/Owner, DLZP Group, LLC

• Stacey Mollison, President/CEO,

• Libra Management Group

• Theresa Harris, President, TMH Solutions, LLC

Larry Hall, President/CEO, Qnet Information Services

• Lakila Bowden, COO - Founder, iSee Technologies

•

10:45AM

– 12:30PM ACKNOWLEDGING SYSTEMIC BARRIERS: MAKING A WAY OUT OF NO WAY

We will acknowledge the historical timeline of systemic barriers and explore some ways that people have overcome them.

1:45PM

Keith

Hollingsworth, Ph.D. Professor, Morehouse College

Keith Hollingsworth, Ph.D. is a Professor of Business Administration at Morehouse College. During the 2022-23 academic year, he served as a Visiting Professor at Princeton University’s Keller Center while on sabbatical. At Morehouse, he teaches courses on Black Entrepreneurial History, Data Analytics and Modeling, and Production/Operations Management. Keith received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech in 1990, 1992 and 1995 respectively. Dr. Hollingsworth has worked at Morehouse for 29 years.

- 3:45PM ANALYZING STRATEGIC CHALLENGES: LEVERAGING EY 7 DRIVERS OF GROWTH

We will leverage strategic analysis tools to explore the challenges impacting growth across the EY 7 Drivers of growth. By the end of the workshop, participants will have defined the top problem impacting growth for their company that will be used by the Student Consulting Team throughout the program.

Jenny

Whitener, CEO/Founder, Bridge Innovate

Jenny Whitener is the founder and CEO of Bridge Innovate®. For over two decades, she has teamed up with senior executives around the world to build leadership, innovate business and strategy, and mobilize change using the best of design, innovation, and management consulting methods. Jenny Whitener has been master-certified in several innovation and leadership areas, including IDEO’s Design Thinking methodology, Strategic Foresight, Experience Change, and more.

Jeff Basey, Senior Consultant, Bridge Innovate

A Senior Consultant with Bridge Innovate®, Jeff brings an innovative mindset, strategic acumen, and people-centric approach to drive impactful change for clients. With a rich background spanning automotive, paperboard, and textile industries, he leverages his expertise in process improvement, quality management, and organizational transformation as a Lean Six Sigma certified Black Belt. Holding a Chemical Engineering degree from North Carolina State University, he brings a rigor for analysis and solution design to his work efforts.

Glenda Hicks, Senior Consultant, Bridge Innovate

With over two decades of experience, Glenda is a seasoned professional in collaborating with senior leadership teams to tackle challenges in leadership, strategy, and innovation. Fueled by a forwardlooking vision, she consistently strives for improvement and dedicates herself to sharing her findings. Holding certifications in Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) and as a Governance Consultant, Glenda offers coaching, assessment, consulting, and training services, supporting organizational growth. A proficient facilitator, she leads Bridge Innovate's Entrepreneurial Growth Sprint, Speed and Agility Sprint, and Innovation Jam.

4:00PM

–

5:00PM

FINDING STRATEGIC BALANCE ON THE FEDERAL VS COMMERCIAL SEESAW (LIVE CASE STUDY)

This fireside chat is focused on CEOs sharing real world stories, strategies (The Three R's), challenges, and best practices of navigating the federal vs. commercial seesaw.

Moderator: Tiffany R. Bussey, DBA, MBA, MSc, PMP Executive Director, MIEC

Ben Skyles, CEO, ProSource360

Ben is the founder and CEO of ProSource360. He is rapidly growing an SBA 8(a) Certified, HUBZone firm that offers management consulting, healthcare solutions, and information technology services to federal agencies and commercial markets. Their work was most recently recognized when the firm was named the winner of the prestigious Supplier of the Year award by the Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council. He is an active Morehouse College alumnus and a life member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. As a board advisor to the Morehouse College Entrepreneurship Center, he enjoys seeing scholarships presented to hardworking, deserving students dedicated to innovating the future.

Melvin Petty, CEO/President, ERP International

Melvin Petty, CEO and Co-Founder along with his wife, Sandra, of ERP International, has more than 30 years of executive-level technical, operational, and financial management experience. He credits ERP’s success to the hard work of its 700 passionate employees, who provide healthcare, scientific and technical staffing services to federal government and DoD agencies and the private sector. Under Melvin’s leadership, ERP has secured 2,000-plus federal and DoD contracts to help meet the country’s healthcare and national security needs. Melvin earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from JMU in 1984 and went on to become a CPA. Melvin received the 2023 Dr. Ronald E. Carrier Alumni Achievement Award from JMU and the Entrepreneur of the Year 2021 Mid-Atlantic Award from the accounting firm Ernst & Young.

5:00PM – 7:00PM RECEPTION - MUSIC AND NETWORKING

African American Hall of Fame

Evonee Mitchell, Professional Violist/violinist, Music Educator

Evonee Mitchell is an accomplished violist. Throughout her career, Evonee has received many awards and titles of recognition such as the recipient of the Guyton-McLendon Music Award as well as many other accolades. She has taken part in many master classes with world renowned solo musicians and ensembles like the Jupiter String Quartet, Graffe String Quartet, and world renowned violinist, Betul Soykan just to name a few. Evonee continues to study classical methods of education and performance as well as jazz performance as a soloist and chamber ensemble musician in the Renatus String Quartet Evonee has performed with very notable ensembles over her career such as the Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra and the Atlanta Philharmonic. Evonee is the founder and CEO of the Phoenix Strings Conservatory located in Atlanta Georgia.

Thursday, September 28th

Shirley A. Massey Executive Conference Center

9:00AM – 10:00AM LEADING STRONG, LIVING WELL: A SELF-CARE BLUEPRINT FOR TOP-TIER LEADERS

Through this immersive experience, we aim to equip these leaders with the tools to not only excel in their professional roles but to thrive personally, establishing a new standard where achievement encompasses both financial heights and personal fulfillment.

Angela Cudger, Ph.D., MMSc, CHC Founder & CEO, Legacy Holistic Health Institute

Dr. Angela Cudger, a visionary Metaphysician and Holistic Lifestyle Expert for top-level CEOs, who is rewriting the rules of wellness. As the visionary Founder of Legacy Holistic Health Institute, she's not just transforming lives – she's revolutionizing the very essence of well-being. She holds a Bachelor’s in Cardiopulmonary Care Sciences from Georgia State University and a Master’s in Medical Science from Emory University School of Medicine. She is not just a holistic Health Coach but a Certified Kemetic Yoga Instructor (CYT 200), a Level III New Usui Reiki Energy Healer, a Yoga Therapy for Trauma Practitioner, a Neurolinguistic Practitioner (NLP), a Certified Hypnotherapist and Timeline Therapist (TLT).

10:15AM – 12:15PM

PLANNING YOUR COMPANY EXIT STRATEGY: TRANSFER OPTIONS, VALUATION METHODS, AND FRAMEWORKS

We will navigate through transfer options, valuing your company and frameworks to evaluate the feasibility of the company exit strategy.

James Young, Professor, Morehouse College

Over 30 years of extensive consumer goods experience with a focus on Finance, Strategy and Small Business Operations. Demonstrated ability to work with all levels of management from CEOs to line managers in addition to working with cross functional teams from sales to operations. Currently a full time Visiting Professor of Finance at Morehouse College responsible for teaching Corporate Finance, Financial Statement Analysis and Entrepreneurial Finance. He holds an MBA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and BA from Morehouse College.

Rod Batiste, CEO, RightPath

Rod currently works with the State of Georgia Pension Funds where he is responsible for overseeing a portfolio of companies with an asset value in excess of $10 billion. Prior to joining the State Pension Fund, Rod was a part of the team that founded PINNACLE Investment Advisors, an institutional investment manager and the Bank of America where he was in Corporate Banking. Rod earned his undergraduate degree from Xavier University of Louisiana in Marketing and Computer Science and his MBA in Finance from Atlanta University. Rod is the Founder and a Director of RightPath, a Georgiabased nonprofit organization.

12:30PM - 1:45PM LUNCH AND NETWORKING

Keynote Speaker: Lara Hodgson, President/CEO, NowCorp

Lara Hodgson, President/CEO, NowCorp

Lara O'Connor Hodgson is the Founder, President & CEO of Now® Corp, a pioneering company that alleviates the financial strain on small businesses by creating innovative payment solutions. As a seasoned entrepreneur, she co-founded Nourish Inc., introducing patented children's products across various US outlets. Lara's achievements have garnered attention, making Now® Corp a subject of study at the Harvard Business School, where she also serves as an Entrepreneur in Residence. She is an esteemed Co-Author of "Level Up: Rise Above the Hidden Forces Holding your Business Back."

Lara earned a Harvard MBA and a Bachelors of Science in Aerospace Engineering with highest honors from Georgia Tech.

1:45PM – 2:45PM THE CEO EXIT STRATEGY: HEART OR MIND? (LIVE CASE STUDY)

This TED Talk will focus on the dynamics of the CEO Heart and Mind leveraging the Why, What, Who and How to access your readiness for the transition and end well.

Sandra Cepeda, Founder, Past President/CEO Cepeda Systems & Software Analysis Inc.

Sandra Cepeda was the founder and President and CEO of Cepeda Systems & Software Analysis, Inc. (CSSA) a small engineering firm in Huntsville, AL. She has 36 years of software and systems engineering experience in the acquisition, development, management, process improvement and sustainment of DoD and NASA systems. She holds a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Engineering from Auburn University. Sandra and Cepeda Systems received numerous awards while she owned CSSA including the 2020 Russell G. Brown Executive Leadership award given by the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce for her exceptional corporate management, entrepreneurship, and long-standing service to the Huntsville community.

3:00PM – 4:00PM SECURING CAPITAL: PATHWAYS TO INNOVATIVE CAPITAL STACKING

We will explore pathways and innovative vehicles to secure capital and drive generational wealth.

Moderator: Terron Ferguson, Relationship Manager, MIEC

Terron Ferguson, Relationship Manager, MIEC

Terron Ferguson is a lawyer, businessman, and global organizer who builds initiatives for corporate and nonprofit clients. Terron currently serves as an economic and educational policy adviser to U.S. Senator Cory Booker as well as consultant to Morehouse College on succession planning and employee ownership models. Mr. Ferguson is a 2022 Echoing Green Fellow.

After earning a B.A. in philosophy from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia in 2008, graduating magna cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Terron worked as an elementary special education teacher as a corps member of Teach For America. He also studied graduate level economic policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and in 2015, he earned a J.D. from New York University (NYU) School of Law, where he was the Student Convocation Speaker for his class.

3:00PM – 4:00PM SECURING CAPITAL: PATHWAYS TO INNOVATIVE CAPITAL STACKING

Earl Camp, Vice-President, Business Development, NowCorp

Earl Camp is Vice President of Business Development for NOW Corp. Earl is responsible for leading Now’s channel partnership strategy. Prior to joining NOW, he has served in various roles for Purchasing Power, Harbor Payments, Assurant, KeyBank, and Morgan Stanley. Earl holds a Bachelor of Arts in Finance from Morehouse College. He also studied at the American University of Paris and participated in the Corporate Strategy Executive Program at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management.

Rohit Mathur, Co-Founder and Head of Bridge built by Citi, Citibank

Rohit is a Co-founder and Head of Bridge built by Citi. He led the ideation of the platform and created the business and execution plan for the business. He has worked closely with banks and SMEs to understand their pain points and create solutions through the Bridge platform. Bridge (www.bridgebuiltbyciti.com) has grown from a few states and key banks in 2021 to national coverage with over 75 banks in 2023.

Jewel Williams, Program Officer, LiSC Atlanta

Jewel D. Williams is a Program Officer with LISC Atlanta, Instructor in the Andrew Young Public Policy Department at Georgia State University, entrepreneur, and volunteer Director at New Birth Missionary Baptist Disaster Relief Team. She is passionate about combining her love of business, education and serving those who far too often go unseen and unheard. In addition, she has a true concern for vulnerable communities that lack preparedness and proper resources for recovery after a disaster event ravishes their communities. She believes education, along with strategic, focused movement will be vital in establishing needed systems and methods for underserved businesses and communities.

Kerrington Eubanks, Sr. Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships, Lendistry

Kerrington has 10+ years of experience in banking, supporting consumers and small businesses in Los Angeles County, CA. She was recognized for exceeding her goals at J.P. Morgan Chase, City National Bank, and Citizens Business Bank. At Lendistry, Kerrington is the Sr. Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships, where she discovers and manages partnerships with financial institutions and communitybased organizations to deploy capital to underserved and underbanked communities. She works with mission-aligned partners to build solutions for access to capital for business owners who are not eligible for traditional lending.

4:00PM - 5:30PM

PREPARING AND BECOMING A DIVERSE SUPPLIER FOR IBM (IBM MENTORS ASSIGNED)

We will explore the end-to-end IBM procurement process and assign IBM Mentors. (See more information about IBM Mentors on pages 18-19)

Jennifer Turner, Program Director, Global Supplier Diversity, IBM

Matthew Mullens, Supplier Diversity Program Manager, IBM

Friday, September 29th

Shirley A. Massey Executive Conference Center

9:00AM – NOON EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORKS FOR DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS

As we navigate the rich complexities of today's workspaces, we'll explore the challenges and strengths of leading multifaceted teams, introducing tools like the Leadership Dynamics Grid to optimize our roles. Together, we'll tackle 'mind bugs', those underlying biases affecting decisions, and harness objective leadership frameworks for strategic, deep-rooted organizational success. With interactive discussions and enlightening case studies, this session promises to equip participants with the essential strategies and insights for effective 21st-century leadership.

Berkley Baker, Ph.D.

Professor, Georgia State University

Dr. Berkley Baker, CEO of CIMI Solutions, boasts 20+ years of expertise in sales, marketing, and leadership development, having advised 100+ executive teams on integrating disruptive technologies and enhancing leadership skills. His roles encompass VP of Sales and Business Development for a healthcare technology firm, strategic consulting for medical device companies, and mentoring over 1,000 leaders across various functions. As a startup coach at Georgia Tech's Advanced Technology Development Center, he has nurtured 60-80 HealthTech startups globally. He is a professor at Georgia State University's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute, holding a doctorate, MBA from Emory University, and a bachelor's degree from the U.S. Military Academy.

NOON – 2:00PM WORKING LUNCH: ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP CONSULTING (ELC) PROGRAM STUDENT TEAMS, ACCENTURE CONSULTING COACHES AND COHORT BUSINESS PARTICIPANTS

We will set the groundwork for the ELC Student Teams/Accenture Consulting Coaches and Cohort Business Participants to solve the business top problem defined during the “Analyzing Strategic Challenges: Leveraging EY 7 Drivers of Growth” workshop. ELC Student Teams/Accenture Consulting Coaches will meet their assigned businesses for introductions and discuss project plan for the path forward.

Tiffany R. Bussey, DBA, MBA, MSc, PMP Executive Director, MIEC

Audria King, Ph.D.

Faculty Lead Student Fellows (ELC)

Dr. Audria Borders King has over 25 years of experience as a successful corporate leader, entrepreneur, and educator. She established Dynamic Borders, LLC, consulting small-to-mid sized businesses and non-profits to develop and implement strategies that drive sustainable continuous improvement utilizing Comprehensive Business Intelligence and data-driven solutions. Dr. King teaches operations management and business policy and strategy as an adjunct professor of management at Morehouse. She graduated from Florida A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, from Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tennessee, with an MBA, and from Georgia State University with a Doctor of Business Administration.

Ascend National Cohort Participants

WISEMEN MULTIMEDIA LLC

WWW.WISEMENUSA.COM

WiseMen USA provides enterprise information technology services supporting federal government agencies including US Treasury and Department of Interior, and large corporations, including SAIC, Northrop Grumman, and Peraton.

OUTSOURCE CONSULTING SERVICES, INC. (OCSI.CO)

WWW.OCSI.CO

OCSI.co is a niche provider of IT, Engineering, Professional, and Administrative contract workforce. We offer various solutions, including staff augmentation, project support staff, contract-to-hire, direct hire, and payroll services to government agencies and commercial enterprises.

INTELLIGIS, INC.

WWW.INTELLIGIS.COM

IntelligIS partners with IT Directors and their departments at businesses, government agencies, and educational institutions, to enhance the pace of their digital transformation, increase their agility and resilience, drive competitive differentiation and save money. We design, deploy, and manage technologies that provide access to their data from anywhere and on any device, specialize in Microsoft Teams for collaboration and calling, and protect company assets using Cisco security solutions such as SecureX.

Eric Brown, CEO Teri A. Sims-Scott, Chief Revenue Officer

Jason Graddick, COO

Sandra Floyd, Founder, Pres/CEO

Kit E. Floyd, Jr., EVP, Operations

Dr. Harvey Peters III, ED, Technology

Marcus Wilson, CEO Lyle Sawyer, VP of Client Success

Cliff Robinson, VP of IT Operations

IBEX IT BUSINESS EXPERTS

WWW.IBEXEXPERTS.COM

IBEX IT Business Experts offers IT Services, Human Capital, and Sustainable Procurement Solutions for our clients.

KRIAANET INC.

WWW.KRIAANET.COM

KriaaNet is a Federal IT Contractor focused on IT Infrastructure and Data Analytics, Cloud and Security.

ENTELLIMETRIX LLC

WWW.ENTELLIMETRIX.COM

Entellimetrix offers a wide range of data analytics and consulting services, enabling companies and government agencies to manage and treat their data as a strategic asset to enhance enterprise value, improve profitability and meet mission goals. As a data analytics consulting firm, Entellimetrix help clients build modern data analytics architectures, enable machine learning and data science and evolve to an insightdriven organization.

WWW.WEEMSDESIGNSTUDIO.COM

Weems Design Studio provides technology services primarily working with Government, Commercial and Lab Sciences clients, by providing leadership in IT modernization, Bioinformatics and Advanced Analytics and Cloud migration.

Tracey Grace, President & CEO

Shailendra Jain, CTO

Magha Devan, Partner

Shalicia Evans, Director of Project Management

Charles Weems, CEO

Ascend National Cohort Participants

CLEAR GLOBAL SOLUTIONS LLC

WWW.CLRGSOL.COM

Clear Global Solutions delivers unprecedented quality in staffing and contract solutions and has built a roster of capable employees specializing in Acquisition Support, Administrative Support, Project Management, Property Leasing and Business Analysis.

AMA CONSULTING LLC

WWW.AMA-CONSULT.COM

AMA Consulting has over 10 years of experience and a solid reputation of recruiting, training, and retaining top talent in our core service areas and fields of specialty.

POTOMAC MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

WWW.POTOMACMNGMNT.COM

Potomac Management Solutions, LLC (PMS), specializes in Federal Law Enforcement Support, Human Resources, Program Operations, Health Systems Management, and high-quality, client-focused staffing, through the application of sound management principles and industry best practices.

Maria Asuelimen, Managing Director

Lori Jansen, President

Alicia Atkinson, Vice-President

Charles Hill, Director of Operations

Diane McCain, CEO David McCain, Executive Vice-President

ELECTRONIC MAINTENANCE CO., INC. DBA

EMCO TECHNOLOGIES

WWW.EMCOTECHNOLOGIES.COM

Electronic Maintenance Co., Inc. (dba EMCO Technologies) is an 8(a) certified, disabled, woman-owned small business that provides information technology, human resources and general business administrative support services to federal government agencies and large multinational corporations.

CYGNUS PROFESSIONALS, INC.

WWW.CYGNUSPRO.COM

Cygnus specializes in IT Consulting and Software Development services around Advanced Analytics, Big Data, Data Science, Java Full Stack, Cloud Technologies (Partnered with AWS and MS), BPMN, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, DevOps Infrastructure, Docker & Container-as-a-Service Solutions, Project Leadership, Business Consulting and Strategic IT Consulting Services & Core Engineering Services.

SAMYAK SOLUTIONS, INC.

WWW.SAMYAK-INC.COM

Samyak Solutions, Inc is an 8(a), WOSB and HUB Zone Small Business. For over a decade, we have been offering Program Management, Healthcare, and IT Support Services to Federal Agencies and prime contractors.

END2END SOLUTION

WWW.GOEND2END.COM

End2End specializes in comprehensive on-site installations and IT hardware support, catering to various technological needs, including routers, switches, wireless devices, servers, storage devices, desktops, laptops, and more.

Cindy Moss, President Mike Lee, CFO

Seema Dixit, President & CEO

Robert Steward, CEO

Gurudas Sarkar, CEO

Ascend National Cohort Participants

DLZP GROUP, LLC

WWW.DLZPGROUP.COM

DLZP Group, LLC is an information technology consulting firm specializing in providing cost-effective solutions leveraging emerging technologies (Data Lakes, Machine Learning, Serverless Technologies) to solve customers' challenges while increasing their ROI.

LIBRA MANAGEMENT GROUP

WWW.LIBRAMG.COM

LIBRA Management Group is a strategic sourcing and management consulting firm with core competencies in professional, scientific & technical support services, project and program management, logistics, staff augmentation, emergency preparedness, training, and IT solutions to include cyber security, data analytics, AI, cloud services and managed services.

QNET INFORMATION SERVICES

WWW.QNETIS.COM

Qnet is a full service technology solutions and managed services provider specializing in managing your business technology –specifically cybersecurity compliance, managed cloud base solutions and the management of technology infrastructures.

Lisa Brunet, CEO/Owner

David Brunet Kim Evanko

Stacey Mollison, President/CEO

Dentista Dean, Procurement Manager

Kamar Robinson, Logistics Manager

Larry Hall, President/CEO

Jeremy Hall, Business Account Manager

Ronald Pierre-Auguste, Business Operations Accounting Manager

TMH SOLUTIONS, LLC

WWW.TMHSOLUTIONS.COM

TMH Solutions is an information technology consulting firm and reseller of enterprise products and services.

ISEE TECHNOLOGIES

WWW.ISEETECHINC.COM

iSee Technologies provides an array of dynamic solutions in DEI and Workforce Wellness consulting & training facilitation, Managed IT Services, accessibility & inclusion services, organizational leadership, professional development, & culture curation for companies and government agencies.

Lakila Bowden, COO - Founder

Eric Bowden, CIO Kamille Richardson, CEO

Theresa Harris, President

As part of the Ascend National Cohort Program at Morehouse Innovation & Entrepreneur Center, Business Owners are paired with an IBM Mentor. The mentor relationship will begin in October and continue throughout the course of the program until March 2024. The Mentor has committed to participating in at least four meetings throughout this time. Below is a summary of roles and responsibilities followed by the list of assigned Mentors.

Roles and Responsibilities

Business Owner

Mentor

• Define and share personal goal(s) of mentoring experience

Own and drive the mentoring process

• Schedule mentoring sessions and have a prepared agenda/objectives for

• each session

• mentor regularly on development progress

Be open to appreciative and constructive feedback from mentor and update

• Follow-up and be accountable

Be coachable and open to think differently

• Complete Mentoring Program Assessment Survey

• Facilitate and conduct four 45-minute sessions (October – March) with the

• Ascend Cohort Business Executive Leader over the course of the six-month program

• Share expertise, insights, and feedback

Discuss Business Owner’s goals, aspirations, and growth opportunities

• Provide a safe environment for Business Owner to take risks, share ideas,

• reveal challenges, etc.

• of view

Challenge Business Owner to think differently and broaden his/her point

• Follow-up and hold Business Owner accountable

Open doors to provide networking opportunities

• Provide tips to help the business navigate through the procurement process

•

• Complete Mentoring Program Assessment Survey

Below is a list of the IBM Mentors, their titles and assigned businesses. The IBM Supplier Diversity Team will send a virtual introduction in October. Mentees should assume responsibility for initiating and scheduling their meetings.

IBM MENTOR

Xavier Montgomery Lee

IBM MENTOR TITLE

Supply Chain Social Responsibility/ Responsible Minerals/RBA Program Manager, North America

COHORT PARTICIPANT

Eric Brown

COMPANY

Wisemen Multimedia LLC

Melinda Jones

Jackie Turner

Jessie Lewis

Jayaprakash Naik

George K. Watts

Carmen Rarden

Daniel SanGabriel

Bradena Fowler

Melinda Jones

Jackie Turner

Paul Smith

Beatrice Edwards II

Ryan Dubose

Luis Vieria

Smrita Saraswat

Nicole Jewell

Jason Mudd

Parker Bunton

Strategic Sourcing Manager

Strategic Sourcing Manager - SoftLayer Procurement

Director, Americas Services & General Procurement

Iteration Manager- Research Procurement

Global Procurement Acquisitions and Divestitures

Global Category Chair-Services Procurement Director, Global Services Procurement

Americas Geo Sourcing LeaderFacilities Sourcing Solutions

Strategic Sourcing Manager

Strategic Sourcing ManagerSoftLayer Procurement

US Procurement Leader, TSS, Telecom and Kyndryl

Procurement Professional - Global Strategic Sourcing Director, NA Indirect Procurement

Global Supplier Relationship ManagerStaff Aug Services

IT Managed Services Sourcing, Global Strategist

Global Supplier Relationship ManagerIT Managed Services

Director, Operations and Transformation, Source to Pay

Procurement Professional

Sandra Floyd

Marcus Wilson

Tracey Grace

Shailendra Jain

Magha Devan

Charles Weems

Lori Jansen

Maria Asuelimen

Diane McCain

Cindy Moss

Gurudas Sarkar

Seema Dixit

Robert Steward

Lisa Brunet

Stacey Mollison

Larry Hall

Theresa Harris

Lakila Bowden

OUTSOURCE Consulting Services, Inc.

IntelligIS, Inc.

IBEX IT Business Experts

KriaaNet Inc.

Entellimetrix LLC

WDS

Clear Global Solutions LLC

AMA Consulting LLC

Potomac Management Solutions

Electronic Maintenance Co., Inc.

dba EMCO Technologies

Cygnus Professional, Inc.

Samyak Solutions, Inc.

End2End Solution

DLZP Group, LLC

Libra Management Group

Qnet Information Services

TMH Solutions, LLC

iSee Technologies

Entrepreneurial Leadership Consulting (ELC) Fellowship Program

Entrepreneurial Leadership Consulting (ELC) Fellowship Program

With support from the Center of Black Entrepreneurship (CBE) the MIEC established the Entrepreneurial Leadership Consulting (ELC) Program to meet both the needs of scholars attending Morehouse College and the entrepreneurship ecosystem that the College serves through co-curricular programming. In addition to career readiness and other post-graduation preparedness outcomes, the program is designed to provide three measurable benefits for scholars including enhanced opportunity recognition skills, exposure to business problem solution frameworks, higher levels of social capital in the entrepreneurial process and development of entrepreneurial self-identity. The ELC Fellowship Program serves to bridge the student facing co-curricular programs with the externally facing community business engagement programs.

ELC Fellows perform in a consultant role to solve a real-world small business challenge presented by an Ascend National MIEC cohort participating business. ELC Fellows work in student teams of two, supported by a volunteer professional Entrepreneurial Leadership Consultant Coach (ELCC). Students dedicate approximately 80 hours of program participation from September 2023 thru March 30, 2024 working on presentations of a possible solution to the small business challenge.

Upon successful completion of the ELC program students gain:

• Teamwork Skills

Strategic Problem-Solving Skills

• Introduction to Data Collection and Analysis

• Professional Communication and Presentation Skills

• Professional Development Coaching

• Lean Six Sigma Yellow-Belt Certification

•

• Relationships and References

Entrepreneurial Leadership Consulting (ELC) Student Fellows

STUDENT NAME

Gera Baano-Stewart II

Basil Barrett

Thomas Bittings, Jr.

Tylah Blakney

Alan Brown

Trey Causey

Craig Christopher

Deondray Epps II

Ethan Gadson

Jordan Goings

Azian Goodrich

Frank Green

Blake Greene

Kamina Griffin

Kennedy Harrison

Miles Harrison

Kenyatte Hughes

Matthew Jackson

Charlie Johnson

Tremaye Johnson

INSTITUTION

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Spelman College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

*Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Spelman College

Spelman College

Morehouse College

*Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

CLASSIFICATION

Senior

MAJOR

Software Engineering

Business Administration

Dual Degree Engineering

Economics

Communications

Philosophy

Business Administration

Business Administration

Business Administration

Psychology

Business Administration

Business Administration

Economics

Economics

Economics

Business Administration

Business Administration

Computer Science

Business Administration

Biology

Entrepreneurial Leadership Consulting (ELC) Student Fellows

STUDENT NAME

Gianna Jones

Christian Kimble

Quinien Lambert

Tylanvis Lawson

Miles Mayfield

Charles Moore

Rasheed Prescott

Dylan Pritchett

Kalzayvian Ray

Stanley Richards

Jahnae Rivers

Cornell Robinson

Evan Sanders

Seth Sanders

Rahmon Scruggs

Paul Simon, Jr.

Kerry Singleton

Chai Tchanque

Rohan Walker

Joshua Williams

RoMarius Williams

INSTITUTION

Spelman College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

*Morehouse College

*Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Spelman College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Spelman College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College

*Morehouse College

MAJOR

Economics

Communications

Business Administration

Communications

Business Administration

Business Administration

Business Administration

Business Administration

Political Science & Religion

Computer Science

Economics

Business Administration

Kinesiology

Economics

Business Administration

Biology

Political Science

Economics

Business Administration

Business Administration

Business Administration

Consultant Coach (ELCC)

Entrepreneurial Leadership Consultant Coach (ELCC)

Executives from Accenture will serve as Entrepreneurial Leadership Consulting Coaches (ELCC) providing guidance to the ELC Fellows in applying problem-solving methods and tools, such as Lean Six Sigma, focusing on project management. The ELCC will inspire the ELC Fellows to strengthen their career competencies such as leadership, teamwork, listening and communication skills and help student teams develop and deliver high-quality solutions for the small business challenge. The ELCC will engage with assigned small business cohort participant representatives, student teams, program lead and staff in scheduled meetings (virtual and on-campus) and ad hoc meetings with student teams as needed.

The ELCC will meet with the ELC Fellow teams and the small business cohort participants to develop a scope of work and build on the challenge statement that each business has identified during the residential strategic challenge session. The ELCC will continue coaching ELC Fellow teams from October 2023 through March 2024 for approximately 1-2 hours every other week.

Entrepreneurial Leadership Consulting Coaches will: Identify and clarify project scope and requirements

• Help ELC Fellow teams set priorities

NAME

Garima Arora

LaDawna Barnes

Amit Bhatnagar

Namratha Bujala

Laurel Butler

Michael Davis

Valencia Hamilton

Kerry Hartley

Brandon Hill

Xavier Hill

Taylor Holland

Isi Idemudia

Tameisha Johnson

Evans Joseph

• Provide project and professional feedback

•

• Drive ELC Fellow team accountability

Below is a list of the Consulting Coaches and their Accenture Titles.

ACCENTURE TITLE

Packaged App Development, Sr. Manager

Senior Strategy Consultant

Cloud Solution Architect, Associate Director

Sales Development Rep., Associate

Packaged App Development, Sr. Analyst

Database Administrator, Associate Manager

Management Consultant

IT Service Management Analyst

Management Consulting, Sr. Analyst

Strategy Consultant

Management Consultant

Tech Architecture Manager

Inside Sales Account Rep. Analyst

Partner Manager

NAME

Nilesh Kalathia

Tariro Kandemiri

Kendra King

Ng Onyechie

Talajide Oshikanlu

Latreyana Parker

Sagar Patel

Jordan Reese

Bryan Shepherd

Dani Stephens

Paul Smith

Kendell Wiley

ACCENTURE TITLE

Technology Delivery Lead, Sr. Manager

Management Consultant

Experience Architecture Associate Director

Tech Architecture Specialist

Tech Architecture Manager

Tech Architecture Analyst

Advanced App Engineering Analyst

Strategy Consultant

Senior Strategy Consultant

Inside Sales Opportunity Rep. Analyst

Business Architecture Associate Director

Sales Development Rep., Associate

Virtual Schedule

S

W

44th & 3rd Bookseller: www.44thand3rdbookseller.com

Mocha Pops: www.mochapops.com

Just Add Honey: www.justaddhoney.net

Try Deas: www.trydeas.com

Violist Evonee Mitchell: www.instagram.com/_violagoddess_/?hl=en

Khonso Brewing: www.khonsobrewing.com

Legacy Holistic Health Institute: www.legacyhealthcoach.com

Onyx Media Services: www.onyxmsgroup.com

Eva-Lution Studios LLC

DP Design Group

O UR PARTNERS :