Urban Business Roundtable Spotlight: TV One CEO Wonya Lucas More
on the entrepreneurs, business strategies and economic news on The Urban Business Roundtableby Alfred Edmond, Jr. TV One CEO Wonya Lucas (Image: Courtesy of Subject)
The Urban Business Roundtable, UBR contributor Renita D. Young speaks with Wonya Lucas, the president and CEO of TV One L.L.C., a cable television company focused on providing a broad range of programming for African American adults. Based in Silver Spring, Maryland, TV One earned revenues of $121 million in 2011 to land at No. 28 on the Black Enterprise 100s list of the nation’s largest Black-owned industrial/service companies. With an extensive background in television, Lucas is the visionary for TV One as it embarks in a fresh direction with bold, original prime-time programming, supplemented by quality content aimed at adults who want to be informed as well as entertained, including Our World with Black Enterprise and the Black Enterprise Business Report. Before joining TV One, she was executive president and chief operating officer of The Discovery Channel. Lucas has also held positions with The Weather Channel, TNT, TBS and CNN, and was named among the 75 Most Powerful Women in Business by Black Enterprise. She joins the Roundtable to talk about her goals for TV One and her journey to the CEO’s seat. Also, UBR Contributor Samantha Pass speaks with M.E.T.A.L. Law Group Co-founding Partner Richard B. Jefferson, who shares what you need to know to become a master negotiator. Jefferson, who began his legal career at Virgin Records America Inc., co-founded M.E.T.A.L. Law Group in Los Angeles in 2003. With extensive experience managing intellectual property portfolios and protecting brands in music, television, film and fashion, he has represented entertainers, athletes and entrepreneurs in negotiations with companies including Universal Records, Disney, E! Entertainment and NBC Universal.
Chicago’s 40 Game Changers, who were honored last week at an event hosted by Ariel Investments and WVON. The 40 Game Changers honors executives, entrepreneurs and thought leaders in areas ranging from the creative arts to education ages 40 and under in the Chicagoland area. Recognized according to selection criteria including vision, leadership, innovation and community engagement, this year’s Game Changers rank among the best and brightest not only in Chicago, but also our entire nation. And finally, every week on UBR, you’ll get motivation and inspiration from author and entrepreneurial icon Farrah Gray, a weekly wrap-up of business news from USA Today business correspondent Charisse Jones, our Patient Investor Report from Khoa X. Ho of Ariel Investments and key economic intelligence for small business owners from our UBR economists Derrick Collins and Rasheed Carter. If you have a question you want answered or a topic you want addressed on The Urban Business Roundtable, connect with me at BE Insider, the social media network for people who are serious about Black Enterprise. You can also find me on Twitter and Facebook. Alfred Edmond Jr. is the senior VP/editorat-large of Black Enterprise and the host of the Urban Business Roundtable, a weekly radio show, sponsored by Ariel Investments, airing CST Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. on WVON-AM 1690, the Talk of Chicago. You can also listen live online at WVON.com. Check back each week for UBR Spotlight, which features additional resources, advice and information from and about the topics, entrepreneurs and experts featured on the show.
Investing in Our Future: Ohio Third Frontier Awards Millions to Northeast Ohio
of M.E.T.A.L. Group LLC. (Image: Courtesy of Subject)
Yesterday afternoon, Ohio Third Frontier announced a multimillion-dollar commitment to Northeast Ohio entrepreneurs. Through the State’s Pre-Seed Fund Capitalization Program, four organizations—Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Lorain County Community Foundation and JumpStart—were awarded more than $11 million to invest directly in entrepreneurial companies.
In my “Alfred’s Notepad” this week, I congratulate the latest class of
Ohio Third Frontier awards require organizations receiving them to raise 1:1 matching money, meaning more than $22 million in investing capital should soon be available to the region’s
Richard B. Jefferson
most promising young businesses. “These awards enable our region to invest in biomedical, IT and energy companies that can make significant contributions to Northeast Ohio’s economy while commercializing innovations that could change the way the world lives, works and plays,” said JumpStart CEO Ray Leach. JumpStart has committed more than $26 million to 67 Northeast Ohio tech-based startups and given business assistance to 432 companies over the last seven years. These still-growing businesses have raised $512 million in risk capital, collectively generated nearly $100 million in revenue in one year and created 1,544 direct jobs to-date Ohio Third Frontier Recommends Funding to Support Ohio’s Economic Development Strategy COLUMBUS – Ohio Third Frontier continues to make investments in Ohio’s economy by supporting its regional partners and the advancement of new technologies. Today the Ohio Third Frontier Commission recommended funding for the Ohio Third Frontier JobsOhio Network Program, the Technology Validation and Start-Up Fund and the Pre-Seed Fund Capitalization Program. The awards are contingent upon Controlling Board approval. “These investments support Ohio’s economic development strategy through local partnerships and help move technologies from research and development to commercialization,” said Christiane Schmenk, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency and chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission. “Ohio Third Frontier is supporting the development of cutting-edge technologies and early-stage companies to ensure Ohio’s tech-based economy thrives.” Ohio Third Frontier JobsOhio Network Program JobsOhio is a nonprofit organization established to promote job growth and economic expansion in Ohio. Through a partnership with six regionally-based economic development groups around the state known as the JobsOhio Network, the Ohio Development Services Agency and JobsOhio are aggressively pursuing the retention, expansion and recruitment of businesses with high potential for job and wealth creation in strategic industry sectors in Ohio. The regional network structure is organized to support the aligned goals of Ohio Third Frontier and JobsOhio. Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth, located in the city of Nelsonville (Athens County), was awarded $800,000. Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, located in the city of Cincinnati (Hamilton County), was awarded $1,356,110. Columbus2020, located in the city of Columbus (Franklin County), was awarded $1,812,333. Development Projects, Inc., located in the city of Dayton (Montgomery County), was awarded $1,276,585. Regional Growth Partnership, Inc., located in the city of Toledo (Lucas County), was awarded $1,171,947. Team NEO Foundation, located in the city of Cleveland (Cuyahoga County), was awarded $2,754,076. Ohio Third Frontier Technology Validation and Start-Up Fund