H. Naylor Fitzhugh Conference

Panels

The upcoming 2011 conference will feature panels on the following topics:

What's Next in Small Business and Entrepreneurship

As the economy starts to rebound what opportunities lie ahead for entrepreneurs and small business owners? What changes have you made in your strategy based on the recession and what changes will you make going forward and why? Are there any new exciting ideas that you plan to pursue? What are the hot new trends for small business? Does this economic shift provide more opportunities for small businesses over large corporations?

Panel Speakers

Rob Davenport III, Brightpath Capital Partners, LP
Al Frazier, Goods Movement Inc. & Total Transportation Services, Inc
Jose Corona, InnerCity Advisors
Rohit Deshpande, HBS Professor (Moderator)
Katrina Moseley Journey, MBA Candidate '12 (Panel Manager)

Your Wealth: Building and Maintaining Your Nest Egg

Economists estimate that the recent macroeconomic recession destroyed $5 trillion of household wealth and increased both social stratification and the wealth disparity. Given the new context, what strategies are recommended for building wealth? How can wealth creation be sustained in the long term? What is the potential impact of wealth creation within the African American community?

Panel Speakers

Glinda Bridgforth, President & CEO, Bridgforth Financial & Associates, LLC
Alvin Hall, President & Owner, Cooperhall Press, Inc.
Marilyn Logan, Founder & Owner, Marilyn Logan Enterprises
Ryan Charles Mack, President, Optimum Capital Management (Moderator)
David Stinfil, MBA Candidate '12 (Panel Manager)

Marketing and Branding in the New Age: Engaging Customers through Digital Media

How has marketing and advertising changed with the growth of digital media? How has digital media impacted the way you engage with customers? What are the opportunities and challenges created by user generated content spread through social media outlets? What role will digital media have on marketing in the future?

Panel Speakers

Tony Cornelious, Account Director - Jack Morton Worldwide
Ken Smikle, Founder and President, Target Market News
Gilberto Pires, Brand Manager – Unilever
John Deighton, Harold M. Brierley Professor of Business Administration - Harvard Business School
Derrick Weatherspoon, MBA Candidate '12 (Panel Manager)

Closing the Achievement Gap: What Has To Happen To Deliver Scalable Change

Closing the achievement gap has been a national priority since the late 80s, but recent reports still show a vast chasm between blacks and whites. What methods have been effective in increasing performance scores for minorities and how can they be replicated on a national scale?

Panel Speakers

Josh Zoia, Principal, KIPP Lynn
Otis Rolley, Mayoral Candidate for Baltimore
Kwasi Asare, Associate Director, Department of Education
David Thomas, HBS Professor (Moderator)
Yohanes Frezgi, MBA Candidate '11 (Panel Manager)

Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Tips and Strategies to be Successful as a Person of Color in Corporate America

People of color are being hired at record numbers in large corporations, but most fail to advance beyond middle-level management. This panel features a number of people who have successfully climbed the ladder and hold senior-level positions in Corporate America. They will be sharing their insights and reflecting on how they distinguished themselves.

Panel Speakers

J. Veronica Biggins, Partner, Hodge Partners
James McLetchie, Partner, McKinsey
Gary Ludgood, SVP of Global Network Field Operations, AT&T
Jacqueline Adams, Executive Editor, Africa.com (Moderator)
Howard Scott, MBA Candidate '11 (Panel Manager)

What’s Next in Emerging Markets/Taking it Global

Over the next 20 years, real GDP is projected to grow 6.7% annually in emerging markets. This number is almost 4x the projected growth rate for mature markets, a modest 1.8%. Where there is growth, there is opportunity. This panel will feature HBS alums who have "taken it global" and seized the emerging markets opportunity in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. Come learn about their global business outlook and hear their personal stories about the challenges and benefits of pursuing an international career.

Panel Speakers

Debbie McCoy, Vice President, AECOM
Dale LeFebvre, Managing Partner, OSON VI, LLC
Jonathan Lee Kelly, Principal, Rosemont Capital
Gregory A. White, Managing Director, Thomas H. Lee Partners (Moderator)
Nnennia Ejebe, MBA Candidate '12 (Panel Manager)

Power Families

As our economy evolves to a global market place and large multinationals corporations become the norm, how do family and closely held businesses stay competitive? Considering the global market place what are the concerns and considerations of founding family members as they pass the baton from one generation to the next?

Panel Speakers

Frank Q. Tucker, Program Manager, Tucker Technology, Inc.
Frank A Tucker, President CEO, Tucker Technology, Inc.
Donna Gittens, Founder/CEO, Causemedia (Moderator)
Monne Williams, MBA Candidate '12 (Panel Manager)

What's Next in Alternative Careers in Entertainment and Media

How do you know when it’s time to pursue your personal passion and forge your own career path? How do media and entertainment companies plan to inform and entertain the masses in upcoming years? What are media companies doing to stay ahead of the curve in the face of globalization, decentralization, and digital & social media? What does it take to break away from the traditional post-MBA career path to pursue a career in media? Entrepreneurs and executives in media and entertainment offer their advice on pursuing careers in the industry.