Business Focus
Briefs
A&T professor will chair committee
GREENSBORO - Dr. Nita M. Dewberry, assis
tant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at N.C.
Agricultural and Technical State
University, has been selected to
serve as the chairper&i for for
eign language advocacy on the
Foreign Language Association
of North Carolina (FLANC)
Advisory Board.
FLANC is one of the largest
state foreign language associa
tions in the country with a mem
bership of about 1.000 educators
and administrators. North Car
olina is recognized as a national
leader of foreign languages with its emphasis on early
language learning and long sequence of study. K-12.
YMCA names new CEO
The Metropolitan Board of Directors for the
YMCA of Greater Winston-Salem has unanimously
endorsed the appvjyitment of Thomas F. Looby as chief
executive officer of the organization. Looby is current
ly the senior vice president and chief operating officer
of the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, based in Nashville.
The 21-year YMCA veteran received his under
graduate degree from the State Univ ersity of New York
and an MBA degree from Georgia State University. He
has extensive experience with strategic planning and
fund-raising as well as program development.
He will be taking the helm of a YMCA that has
seen far-reaching change in the last 25 years. In 1976
the YMCA of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County con
sisted of the Central YMCA on Spruce Street, serving
boys and men: the Patterson Avenue YMCA, serving
the minority population: Camp Hanes in Stokes Coun
ty and the East Forsyth YMCA. There were fewer than
I,(XX) members: a budget of less than $1 million; and
each of the facilities needed renovation or expansion.
In 2(X)2, the YMCA of Greater Winston-Salem main
tains 11 branches and a corporate headquarters. The
budget is $22 million and the association maintains
approximately $50 million in property and equipment.
The service area encompasses five counties, with
40,000 members and more than 100.000 program par
ticipants. Each day. more than 3.000 students from
kindergarten through middle school attend a YMCA
after-school program and each summer a weekly aver
age of 1,600 young people are enrolled in YMCA day
camps or resident camps.
Much of the success of the association is credited to
Brian Cormier, who has served as CEO since 1982.
Cormier resigned his position to take advantage of
other opportunities within the YMCA organization and
is enthusiastic about his successor: "Tom brings a
wealth of knowledge to this position. He was an inte
gral part of the exceptional growth that the Middle Ten
nessee association has experienced. He is an excellent
match for the YMCA of Greater Winston-Salem's
focus on Christian mission, family and teen initiatives
and community outreach work, in addition to the
strong traditional programs in wellness, aquatics and
child care."
Looby will assume his new duties on April 1.
BIG elects new leadership
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Farrell J. Chiles. Region
IX director, was elected chair of the National Board of
Directors of Blacks in Government (BIG).
Chiles rose to this position after one year on the board.
In 2(XX). Chiles served as president of the L.A./Long
Beach Area Chapter of BIG.
where he rapidly increased mem
bership from 18 members to well
over 125.
When asked what his plans
are now that he chairs the board of
one of the nation's largest govern
ment employee organizations, he
said, "My stance is to make an
influential impact on creating and
enhancing a successful future for
Blacks in Government. My goal
is to h??tlt?r s#?rv#? this
focused, world-class, leading public service organization
by providing ultimate leadership, effective communica
tion. valued teamw ork, and utmost professionalism to all
constituents (federal, state, and local government mem
bers)."
As for why he took on this challenging role, Chiles
said. "Being a lifetime member and an active leader in this
national organization has provided me with the training
and professional development needed to qualify me for
this challenging and rewarding position as chairperson of r
the National Board oi Directors. I want to add value to our
constituents and improve efficiency in regard to time and
resources w ithin Blacks In Government."
Chiles is employed as the chief of the human
resources division for the bfrd Regional Support Com
mand in Los Alamitos. Calif. He received his bachelor of
science degree in political science from the University of
the State of New York. In addition, he was awarded a
Reserv e Officers Association scholarship to pursue grad
uate studies.
Joining with him in tlie tremendous task is J. David
Reeves, a native of Columbus. Ohio, and Region XI
director, who was elected vice chair of the National Board
of Directors of BIG. He is employed w ith the U.S. Depart
ment of Housing and Urban Dev elopment and serves as
the senior program adviser/special assistant to the deputy
assistant secretary for public and assisted housing
delivery.
As for the new leaders of the board of directors,
Gerald Reed, national president of Blacks in Govern
ment. said, "I'm looking forward to working with this
dynamic duo to continue to lead this organization into
the millennium."
Clark Atlanta has new chief
S0<3 \l I" Nil CHRONICLE
ATLANTA - The board of
trustees of Clark Atlanta Universi
ty recently announced that Dr.
Walter D. Broadnax, dean of the
School of Public Affairs at Ameri
can University in Washington.
D.C.. is president-elect of Clark
Atlanta University. Broadnax will
assume the leadership of CAU on
Aug. I. after the retirement of
Thomas W. Cole Jr. as CAU's first
president.
Broadnax is one of America's
leading scholar-practitioners in the
field Hf public policy and manage
ment. He has served as the dean of
the School of Public Affairs at
American University since 1999.
Just before his deanship at Ameri
can University, he was a professor
of public policy and management
in the School of Public Affairs at
the University of Maryland, where
he also directed The Bureau of
Governmental Research.
Previously, the Starcity, Ark.,
native was the deputy secretary
and chief operating officer at the
U.S. Department of Heath and
Human^services during the Clin
ton administration.
Also, he was transition team
leader for then-president-elect Bill
Clinton and vice president-elect Al
Gore.
Broadnax was president of the
New York Civil Service Commis
sion and has held a host of profes
sorial positions, consultant posi
tions and directorates spanning the
spectrum of public policy and gov
ernmental affairs.
Widely published, he is an
accomplished speaker and presen
ter in the public administration,
public policy and public affairs
arenas.
"I am very excited and honored
to have been selected by the board
of trustees as the next president of
Clark Atlanta University," Broad
nax said. "The university has an
extremely important mission, and I
am proud to be joining its distin
guished faculty, staff and students
at this time in its history and devel
opment. As we collectively work
to move the institution forward, I
am thrilled about the opportunity
to work closely with the staff, stu
dents and faculty in this endeavor.
Over the next several months, my
wife and I look forward to begin
ning the process of becoming an
integral part of the university and
the Atlanta community."
Set Broadnax <m A9
MGM
working
toward
diversity
BY LISA SNEDEKER
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LAS VEGAS - Under fire by some black
leaders. MGM Mirage Inc. reported last week
that it ts-putting more minorities in management
and employing more minority vendors and con
tractors as part of its diversity efforts.
The largest operator of Las Vegas Strip hotel
casinos acknowledged criticism of its minority
business practices when MGM Grand
announced its $6.4 billion merger with Mirage
Resorts in May 2000. Company officials told
state gambling regulators at the time that it
would improve after the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People criti
cized the company's management.
On Monday, company officials issued a
progress report that detailed the company's suc
cesses and its unmet goals.
"While more than half of the work force is
minority, less than a third of managers and above
are minorities," said Terry Lanni, MGM Mirage
chairman, who gave the company's inaugural
diversity report.
"Hispanics clearly have the largest challenge
in upward mobility, although each minority
group is under-represented (in management),"
he said.
MGM Mirage established the gambling
industry's first "diversity initiative," Lanni said.
"We recognized the importance of diversity
to the success of our business." he told about 270
minority group and business representatives at a
luncheon at MGM Grand hotel-casino.
As examples, Lanni pointed to the compa
ny's recent hiring of a black woman as a senior
vice president and the formation of a diversity
committee headed by another black woman -
MGM Mirage board member Alexis Herman,
former Labor secretary in the Clinton adminis
tration.
"But that doesn't mean we're going to fire
every white male," he added.
The company's Clark County resorts spent
$445 million on goods and services in 2001. Of
that, $24.3 million, or 5.5 percent, was spent
with minority and female-owned businesses,
Lanni said.
"With 28.5 percent of Clark County com
prised of minorities, we should be doing one
heck of a lot more than 5.5 percent of our total
business with women- and minority-owned
firms," he said. "We have got a lot of work to
do."
To increase those numbers. Lanni said the
company expects to have a database of 7,5(X)
qualified minority and female-owned vendors in
place by year's end.
The company also is helping minority busi
nesses form partnerships, Lanni said. MGM
Mirage arranged a partnership between RSNO, a
restaurant supplier, and Channel Blue, an Asian
linen manufacturer, to distribute linens into new
markets. The merger's first contract is for MGM
Mirage's Beau Rivage property in Biloxi, Miss.
"1 think they (MGM Mirage) are definitely
the leader in promoting using minority business
es," said RSNO's George Ray, who is black.
Regarding construction contracts, MGM
Mirage has lived up to its promise not to accept
a bid without a minority-based component.
Lanni said.
The company, however, needs to work hard
er at enhancing its diversity efforts, say critics,
who include the Rev. A1 Sharpton.
Members of Sharpton's group. National
Action Network, protested what the group says
is racism by the casino corporation outside
MGM Grand on Feb. 18.
The boycott stems from claims of discrimi
nation at the company's Detroit casino. An
employment discrimination lawsuit filed by 14
past and present employees of the MGM Grand
Detroit is pending, company officials said. The
Michigan lawsuit filed in October charges that
MGM Grand Detroit is a hostile working envi
ronment for blacks.
Gene Collins, former president of the
NAACP's Las Vegas chapter and now the chair
man of the National Action Network, filed a
written complaint with the Nevada Gaming
Control Board asking it to investigate the attitude
and conduct of MGM Mirage in light of the
Michigan lawsuit,
"The allegations in this suit cut to the core of
what I have been alleging all along." Collins
wrote. "MGM has been practicing racist policies
toward African Americans in hiring, promoting
and contracting."
Lanni. however, said he believes Collins'
issues with the company may stem from MGM
Mirage's denial of his request for $100 million to
help the black community in Las Vegas.
"We aren't a bank," Lanni said. "I don't
think he liked 'no' for an answer."
After MGM Mirage rejected the $100 mil
lion request, the NAACP called for a task force
lo investigate ways to increase black participa
tion in the casino industry.
File Photo
The Bellagio in Las Vegas is one of several hotels operated by MGM Mirage. The chain
has recently come under fire for alleged lack of diversity in its ranks.
Group meets capital campaign goal
SPbCIAl TO TMh CHRONICLE
RALEIGH - The N.C. Com
munity Development Initiatives, a
nonprofit public-private partnership
that provides grant and other assis
tance to high-performing communi
ty development corporations
(CDCs) in the state, has exceeded its
capital campaign goal by more than
a half-million dollars.
The initiative set an $8.5 million
goal for its "Building a Legacy for
Our Communities" campaign. It
raised $9.1 million from financial
institutions and other corporations,
foundations, individuals and gov
ernment sources.
L.M. "Bud" Baiter Jr.. the chair
man of Wachovia Corp.. and Ersk
ine Bowles, a Charlotte financier,
served as campaign co-chairs.
Baker, who has been a strong sup
porter of the
initiative
since its
founding in
1994. said it
is the fact
that the ini
tiative is a
public-pri
vate partner
ship that has
intrigued
him.
"The initiative employs a sound,
common-sense business approach to
revitalizing and creating wealth in
our state's low-resource communi
ties." Baker said. "The initiative
makes good business sense Since
1994. the initiative has developed
$39 million in capital and stimulated
$251 million of completed projects
benefiting low-wealth families 4nd
neighborhoods. This is a powerful
business case and one that it is easy
for Wachovia and for me personally
to recommend and embrace."
Abdul Rasheed. initiative presi
dent and CEO. said the successful
capital campaign is a major step in
ensuring the initiative's future abili
ty to ?fork w ith CDCs across the
state that are revitalizing neighbor
hoods by creating affordable hous
ing and commercial development.
Several hundred state business,
civic, community development and
^political leaders gathered to cele
brate the successful completion of
the initiative's capital campaign.
Tom Lambeth, senior fellow at the
Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation,
which is a major funder of the ini
tiative. made the luncheon keynote
speech Other speakers included Lt.
Gov. Beverly Perdue: Raymond
Christman. president of the Federal
Home Loan Bank of Atlanta: and
former Gov. James E. Holshouser.
Lambeth cited the dangers of a
society of "haves and have-nots"
and told the group. "Our efforts to
revitalize struggling communities
ate critical if we are to capture the
future. Partnerships between tradi
tional financial institutions and
other businesses and community
organizers and new economic ven
tures reflect that national melding of
free enterprise and social con
science. While we maintain and
strengthen that spirit, no force can
defeat us."
Christman noted that "the initia
tive model" is unique and that com
munity development leaders across
the nation - in both the public and
private sectors - are looking to it
and North Carolina for leadership