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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACK ACCOUNTANTS

The National Black MBA Association is a non-profit organization of Black MBA's in both private and public sectors throughout the country. Its members have the common goals of improving their professional skills and obtaining responsible positions within these sectors.
  
The membership is composed primarily of MBA (Masters Degree in Business Administration) graduates from various business schools and those pursuing the degree.
  
In 1970 a group of MBA candidates at the University of Chicago met and developed the concept and objectives of the Association. Later, in 1974 the National Black MBA Association was incorporated as a non-profit organization under the laws of New York State. Currently the organization has chapters in Atlanta, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
  
It was clear to Charter members in the early 1970's and is even more so today that sufficient information on the unique workings of the private and public sectors is essential for success. Thus, the National Black MBA Association was structured to ensure that minority professionals in business approach it with the knowledge that it articulates their aims, goals, and aspirations.
  
The concept was to organize as a body of Black MBA's with a variety of skills in several fields, and to focus their combined leverage towards achieving meaningful gains for the Black MBA professional. From that concept, the objectives are: 1) To establish and maintain an effective information and communications network which serves the membership; 2) To generate professional exposure of the membership to the business community; 3) To provide continuing business education as a means of improving and maintaining the skills of the Black manager; and 4) To assist the entry of interested Blacks into the business environment.
  
Through the use of seminars, guest speakers, panels, open discussions, and the Newsletter, the Association has established, and strives to maintain a link of communication for its members.

Each local Chapter provides a broad range of events which are beneficial to its membership. In general, most of the events are in seminar form covering such topics as investment, tax shelters, succeeding in various industries, business start-ups, sources of venture capital, professional recruitment, interviewing techniques, self-merchandising and general gatherings where personal corporate experiences are shared as points of information. In an effort to serve the community, career seminars for high school and college students are held at the Chapter level.
  
Currently 70% of the approximately 1,500 financial members are graduates from the top ten business schools. The 1981 estimate for MBA's in the U.S. is approximately 500,000. About 2% of the MBA's are Black. Therefore, we have currently the potential of 10,000 members. 
  
We have held three annual conferences. In Detroit-1979, Los Angeles-1980 and Chicago-1981. Our 1982 Conference will be held on October 6-October 9 in New York City at the New York Hilton Hotel. Roosevelt Tabb is the New York City Chapter President, and Sarah Blair is the Conference Chairperson.
  
The culminating highlight of our conferences is an Awards Banquet where our top Award, "The H. Naylor Fitzhugh Award of Reverance" is presented to a Black MBA who has made the greatest contribution towards improving oneself, and involvement in various business, educational, and professional organizations, plus Black community and government.
  
This is an Award of Relevance as well as of Excellence. This Award is given to remind us all of the close connection between our own careers and the struggles of Black people to become full-fledged citizens. It should symbolize our responsibility not only to make excellent contributions to traditional bottom-line business objectives, but also, to help lift as we climb. The Awardee in 1979 was H. Naylor Fitzhugh, retired Vice President of Pepsico: MBA-Harvard 1933. The Awardee in 1980 was Malcolm Corrin, President, ICBO: MBA-Wharton 1953. The 1981 Awardee was William Trent, retired Assistant Personnel Director, Time, Inc.: MBA-Wharton 1932.

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