BUSINESS FOCUS
Briefs
Accounting career fair Nov. 11
Piedmont Triad area students and others interested
111 accounting careers in both the private and public sec
tors are invited to attend the Accounting Career Fail at
Wmston-Salem State University on Friday, Nov. 1!.
from 1 until 4 pjn at the R J . Reynolds Business Cen
ter.
The Accounting Career Fair is sponsored by Ajilon
Finance Accounting & Financial Staffing Specialists,
WSSU and the National Association of Black Accoun
tants Inc. (NABA).
Sophomore, junior, and senior accounting majors
and minors from colleges and universities throughout
the Piedmont Triad are encouraged to attend the fair, as
well as graduate students and students enrolled in
Evening and Weekend College and community college
accounting programs
More than 20 small to mid-sized public accounting
firms from across the country are expected to partici
pate in the career fair. The fair format will include sem
inars, career counseling and interviews with prospec
tive employers .
Salem to raise millions
Salem Academy and College officials have set a
steep goal for its capital campaign so that the school
will have the financial wherewithal to improve its facil
ities, strengthen its academic might and better cushion
its endowment.
Officials announced last
week the Idckoff of the public
phase of the $75 million cam
paign.
"Salem has enjoyed years of
financial stability and steady
growth. Now we move this his
toric institution to new heights,"
said Julianne Still Thrift, the
president of Salem College, the
nation's oldest college for
women. Thrift also heads the
academy, a day and boarding
school for girls in grades 9-12.
Thrift
Thrift recently announced that she will retire from
Salem after leading the school for 15 years. On her
watch, the school's endowment has tripled. The capital
campaign is expected to add at least $15 million to the
endowment.
The campaign sets out to raise more money than
Salem has ever tried to generate before. The campaign
is already off to a great start, officials said. About $45
million of the goal has already been raised. The public
phase will continue through July 1 , 2007.
One of the main objectives of the campaign is to
improve Salem's ability to recruit and retain quality
high school and college students. Other goals include
the renovation of residence halls, academic and athlet
ic facilities and the Fine Arts Center; enhancements to
Salem's unique academic programs; and funding for
additional faculty positions, scholarships and visiting
artists.
"Having raised $45 million is in itself a momentous
occasion for Salem Academy and College, but increas
ing our goal to $75 million is a bold step forward," said
Board of Trustees Chair Mary Davis Holt.
Cracker Barrel, 100 Black Men
start program for young people
ATLANTA - Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc.
and 100 Black Men of America Inc. are partnering to
launch "Table Talk" - a new program that teaches young
people the value of goal-setting, job preparation and
leadership skills for the real world.
Beginning this month, Table Talk is a signature lead
ership development program Cracker Barrel Old Coun
try Store created in cooperation with the 100 Black Men
of America ("100") as a component of its corporate part
nership. Table Talk is designed to teach high school
sophomores and juniors who are involved with the 100
how to achieve academic and career success.
The program's curriculum includes setting goals,
creating personal values and vision, preparing for job
interviews, and cultivating leadership skills. The pro
gram's unique approach prepares college or job-bound
young people for the real world.
"The Table Talk program shows how two leading
organizations can make a difference by working togeth
er to build on a shared commitment," said Albert E. Dot
son, chairman, 100 Black Men of America inc. "Crack
er Barrel went well beyond the typical check writing;
they became actively involved."
Table Talk will be offered in five cities: Atlanta.
Cleveland, Nashville. St. Louis and Washington, D.C.
Students, selected by 100 chapter leaders, will attend the
16-hour, four-module program between November 2005
and May 2006
Perot to keynote NCSU forum
Texas billionaire and former U.S. presidential candi
date H. Ross Perot will headline the fourth annual Gener
al Henry Hugh Shelton Leadership Forum, scheduled fen
Friday. Nov. 11, from 8:45 am. to 3 pm. at the Jane S.
McKimmon Conference and Training Center on the N.C.
State University campus.
The forum, titled "Leadership That Leaves a Legacy,"
will also include the forum's namesake, retired Army Gen.
Hugh Shelton, and Dr. John C. Maxwell, best-selling
author and founder of Maximum Impact and INJOY
Stewardship Services.
Perot will give the forum's opening message at 8:45
am., and Maxwell will present the keynote address - titled
"Achieving the Legacy You Want to Leave" -at 1:45 pjn
The event will also include a concurrent breakout session
and a luncheon
The cost of the forum is $159, and preregistnttion is
strongly encouraged. For more information or to register,
visit www.ncsu.edu/sheltonleadership, or call (919)
515-2261.
Black philanthropy sessions to begin
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
The Black Philanthropy Initiative
of The Winston-Salem
Foundation will present a
three-speaker series this
month featuring legends
and leaders in the field of
black philanthropy. Mem
bers of the public are to
listen, leam. and challenge
their own perspectives of
philanthropy through
these informative ses
sions.
The Black Philan
thropy Initiative was ere
ated to celebrate the traditions of
sharing in the African-American
community and to expand the models
of charitable giving through educa
tion and engagement. This initiative
is led by a group of African-Ameri
can volunteers who understand the
impact that giving has made in the
development of our community.
The series will be made up of the
following presentations:
? Enunett D. Carson on 'The
Carton
Slate or Black
Philanthropy :
Our Past. Pre
sent, and
Future" at the
Delta Arts
Center tomor
row (Nov. 4)
at noon. Car
son is presi
dent and CEO
of the Min
n e a p o 1 i s
Foundation.
one of the largest, oldest, and most
complex community foundations in
the country.
Carson came to the foundation
from the Ford Foundation in New
York. He also served as project direc
tor of the Study on Black Philan
thropy at the Joint Center for Political
and Economic Studies in Washing
ton. D.C.. where he designed and
directed the first national study of the
Jackson
charitable giv
ing and volun
teer behavior
of black and
white Ameri
cans.
In 1998.
Carson was
named one of
the top 50 most
powerful and
influential
people in the
nonprofit sec
tor by The Nonprofit Times.
? Rodney M. Jackson on "From
Tsunami to the Gulf: Black Philan
thropy and Its Response to Recent
Tragedies" at the Delta Arts Center
on Nov. 8 at noon. Jackson is the first
president and CEO of The National
Center for Black Philanthropy Inc.,
founded in Washington, D.C., in
November 1 999. He was founder and
director of the national Conferences
Joseph
on Black Philanthropy -
held biennially since
March 1997.
Jackson's profes
sional career spans more
than 30 years in the field
of human services, high
er education, and health
care. As a director of
development for more
than 10 years, Jackson
worked for the Commu
nications Consortium
Media Center in Wash
ington. D.C. Before that, he was
director of development at The
African-American Institute in New
York City and the Judge Baker Chil
dren's Center, an affiliate of Harvard
Medical School in Boston.
? Ambassador James Joseph
See Sessions on A9
Golden State Mutual vows to
continue to serve community
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
Thirty years ago, there were
more than 60 life insurance com
panies serving mostly African
Americans. Today, according to
the president of Golden State
Mutual Life Insurance Co.,
Larkin Teasley, "there are less
than 10 and dropping."
Teasley was in town this week
to shore up the company's region
al agency, which is headed by
Corinthian Fields. Teasley point
ed to the fact that his company,
although founded some 80 years
ago, just a few years before the
Great Depression, has continu
ously provided insurance cover
Tmat!?y
age for
African
Americans
when none
of the main
stream com
p a n i e s
would.
"That has
always been
our commit
m e n t , "
Teasley reit
erated. "We want to not only pro
vide our community with the
financial products to insure their
futures, but we also provide a dig
nified place for our community to
find careers."
As part of the company's 80
year celebration, Teasley pointed
out that Golden State is "stronger
financially today than it has ever
been."
"Few companies have exceed
ed 80 years of being in business,"
he said. "Golden State Mutual is
the only one who has not sold off
any of its businesses or closed
down offices." In fact, he contin
ued, "We have issued more than
250,000 policies to families
where that policy has been their
only source of income to provide
for life's major events." Those
events, he said, are college educa
Photos by Jaeson Pitt
Golden Stat*'* Medora Chetlin has a laugh with Robert Norris and
Tom Trollinger earlier this week.
tion, major disability, retirement
and debt.
Golden State also announced
the appointment of Medora
Chetlin as vice president and
agency director. She is the first
female to hold that position.
"We must continue to grow,"
she said. "We need clear ^nd
defined directions as we reaffirm
our commitment to our organiza
tion and to the people we serve."
Chetlin cited four reasons or
steps for success: "a strong belief
in the company and its products; a
willingness to learn and grow;
having a burning desire to serve
others', and persistence."
You must keep on keeping on,
she concluded.
Freddie Mac, Bennett to help evacuees
College to set up
Family Resource Center
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
GREENSBORO - Bennett Col
lege and Freddie Mac have announced
?that they are joining forces to help
hundreds of families and students who
are relocating to the Triad area
because of hurricanes Katrina and
Rita:"'
Freddie Mac. one of the nation's
largest investors in residential mort
gages, is donating SISOjOOO to Ben
nett College to fund a new Family
Resource Center and support a variety
of post-relocation enrichment pro
grams for several hundred storm-dis
placed families who relocated to the
Greensboro area and whose lives were
disrupted by the loss of homes, jobs,
and schools.
"We are proud to team up with
Bennett College to help these hurri
cane evacuees re-build their lives in
Greensboro," said Dwight Robinson,
senior vice president of community
relations at Freddie Mac. "By working
together, we hope to give them the
information, support, and assistance
they need to achieve a smooth transi
tion in their new community."
??? MUHK
PRNew*Fo?o
Preston Lee (from loft) of Froddio Mac; Mogan Cotton of Dillard Uni
versity; Cassandra Gaspard of Xavior University; Ashley Whitloy of
Xavlor University; Dr. Johnnotta Colo, prosidont, Bennett College for
Womon; and Froddio Mac's Dwight P. Robinson.
Bennett has a long history of
responding to crisis and has provided
critical support to North Carolinians
during the Civil Rights Movement,
when they faced homelessness or
when they reach out across state lines
to help Americans affected by natural
disasters such as Hurricane Katrina.
Bennett has already begun to
enroll students from the New Orleans
area who were attending Dillard or
Xavier universities when the hurri
cane struck. Thanks to Freddie Mac's
donation, these students will be able to
continue their educations at Bennett.
Other efforts supported by the
Bennett College/Freddie Mac Hurri
cane Disaster Relief Initiative include:
? Student Transfer Program: To
Sec Bennett on A9
ws
Prime
opens
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Officials of Noble Invest
ment Group, which owns and
manages the new Embassy
Suites and Marriott and man
ages the Benton Convention
Center, has announced the
opening of WS Prime, the com
pany's upscale Southern steak
house. The eatery is located in
the heart of the city's downtown
in the Marriott.
"We are excited about
bringing the acclaimed team of
WS Prime to downtown Win
s t o n -
Salem,"
said Tim
Lough
man,
managing
director
of the
Twin City
Quarter.
"The
combina
tion of
our
Loughman
award- winning culinary team,
extensive wine list and vibrant
atmosphere intend for WS
Prime to be one of the region's
best dining venues."
WS Prime serves only
USDA prime beef, the highest
quality and rarest cut of beef
with less than 5 percent of all
beef earning this grade, officials
say. The restaurant will serve
eight different cuts with a spe
cialty offering of a 12-ounce
bone-in filet mignon.
It also boasts a 150-bottle
wine list, numerous wines by
the glass and several specialty
drinks that represent the flavor
of Winston-Salem and can be
enjoyed in WS Prime's expan
sive lounge and 40-foot bar.
WS Prime's renowned som
melier and wine consultant,
Inez Ribustello, designed the
wine list to be fun and friendly.
"It is an extensive group of the
best vineyards and wines, yet
approachable for all tastes," said
Ribustello.
The award winning culinary
team is led by celebrated execu
tive chef Steve Felenczak, from
Miami, and sought-after chef de
cuisine Sammy Aburas, whose
successful operations include
highly acclaimed restaurants
such as Niko's and Horwath's.
There is more than steak on
the menu. Other items include
N.C. rock shrimp and large side
dishes, such as sour cream red
skin garlic mashed potatoes,
and desserts such as the warm
apple crumb tart with caramel
sauce are large enough to share
and are creatively prepared by
world-class pastry chefs.
WS Prime also offers a dis
tinctive lunch menu that will
appeal to business executives
and casual diners alike. Two pri
vate dining rooms accommodat
ing 20 guests each are available
for small business meetings or
receptions, and WS Prime offers
complimentary valet parking.
For more information about
WS Prime, visit
www.wsprimesteakhouse .com