Where Are They Now? BDPA Atlanta Chapter Presidents

BDPA Atlanta is one of the oldest chapters in the nation. The chapter has a potent legacy in BDPA history. The chapter hosted national BDPA technology conferences in 1986 ('Securing Your Professional Future'), 1999 ('Closing the Gap in Information Technology') and 2008 ('Harnessing Emerging Technologies to Advance IT Careers').

The chapter trained high school students well enough to win the silver medal at the national computer competitions held in Chicago (2001) and Orlando (2002). The members of those two high-flying HSCC teams won Bemley Scholarships. These Bemley Scholars are: Joseph Altamirondo, Michael Belinsky, Simon Elfimov, Tanisha Gary, Zachary Horton, David Hoytt, Tristan Kyles, Ashley Stewart and Jessica Tipton.

BDPA Atlanta chapter reached the mountaintop when the HSCC team they trained took home the gold medal in Baltimore (2012)!  The HSCC championship students are:  Jimmy Nguyen, Yash Shirsath, Sunheng Taing and Allen Warner.

2012 HSCC Champions!

I hope that these HSCC alumni are still connected to BDPA. We want HSCC testimonials from each of these young people if they can be located.

Four of the past BDPA Atlanta chapter presidents (Millicent Fuller, Felicia Jones, Michael McCrimmon and Teresa Williams) also served as members of the National BDPA Executive Committee. It would be great if we could hear from each of the past BDPA Atlanta chapter presidents:

• Sheryl Franklin (1981-1982)
• Jackie Snow (1983)
• Charles Sutherland (1984)
• Gerald Dapremont (1985)
• Larry Calloway (1986)
• Spencer McKinney (1987)
• Willie Odoms (1988-1989)
• Beverly Meadows (1990-1991)
• Tony Dean (1992-1993)
• Millicent Fuller (1994-1995)
• Michael McCrimmon (1996-1997)
• Gwen Williams (1998-1999)
• Johnathan Watkins (2000-2001)
• Carmen Murray (2002-2003)
• Perry Chase (2004)
• Denise Wilmot (2005-2006)
• Teresa Williams (2007-2009)
• Carter Hill (2010-2011)
• Felicia Jones (2012-2013) 
• Derrick Brown (2013-2015)

Where are they now?

Related articles

• Tech Expresso Cafe: Derrick Brown (BDPA Atlanta)
• Message from BDPA Atlanta Chapter President
• Tech Expresso Cafe': BDPA Atlanta Chapter Kickoff for 2014 Computer Camp

Happy Anniversary: BDPA Cincinnati Chapter

BDPA Cincinnati chapter was founded in December 1989 when several African American IT professionals were approached at HP (formerly Digital Equipment Corporation) by BDPA Dayton chapter president Bill Maynard.  Bill wanted them to start a BDPA chapter in the city of Cincinnati.  After researching the organization and discussing the great opportunities that BDPA could bring to Black IT professionals in Cincinnati ... the challenge was accepted!

The charter group of visionaries began the search for chapter support by targeting technology-based individuals in the City of Cincinnati.  The strategy was to approach individuals affiliated with the Fortune-500 based companies in the area.  The discussions with these corporations focused on the needs and potential value of such an organization as BDPA.

The discussions with the Cincinnati business community were successful.   Everett Gregory, Neal Johnson, Brenda Johnson, Charles Cooper and Gina Billings were delighted with the BDPA Cincinnati chapter concept and what it would bring to the African American community.  They made the official request that National BDPA accept a charter as a new chapter.  The charter was approved in December 1989 ... and BDPA Cincinnati chapter was officially formed.

Chapter's Past Presidents

BDPA Cincinnati chapter has been very successful over the years.  The chapter has been recognized for its many community outreach programs and membership development.  The success of the chapter is a result of the efforts of chapter volunteers, supporters and sponsors.   The accomplishments were helped by the leaders that served on the chapter's board of directors and corporate advisory council over the years.  These people quietly and consistently gave their time, talent and energy to build up BDPA Cincinnati as a premier organization within the technology community.   These men and women of all races, ages and genders made a commitment to excellence with their BDPA involvement.  BDPA Cincinnati chapter will continue to grow, prosper and provide support to the membership and the community.

Join us in celebrating the 24th anniversary of BDPA Cincinnati chapter!

Where Are They Now? BDPA New York Chapter Presidents

BDPA New York chapter was founded in January 1983. The idea took hold at the end of 1982 when Stan White (New Jersey Chapter) contacted several of his co-workers at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Greater New York inquiring if we wanted to get together to talk about an organization named Black Data Processing Associates. A group of people met in the Blue Cross cafeteria and decided to pursue the idea.

The initial charter members for BDPA New York chapter included: Willie Cummings, Barbara Gordon, Debra Johnson, Ernest Molina, Stan Seymore and Stan White. Their decision to create a chapter was a good one as evidenced by the fact that BDPA New York was named 'Chapter of the Year' in 1988, 1999, 2011 and 2012. I was a member of the BDPA New York chapter in 1996-1997 while living and working on Long Island.

Judaea Lane, George Baker, Renee McClure & Tony Codrington

It would be great to hear from our past, current and future BDPA New York chapter presidents. Here is the list as best we can tell:

• Ernest Molina (1982-1983)
• Willie Cummings (1984-1985)
• Anita Wilson (1986)
• George Baker (1987)
• Michael Robinson (1988-1989)
• Roxanne Burrus (1990)
• Tony Codrington (1991-1992)
• Roger Dunn (1993)
• Renee McClure (1994-1997)
• Shirley Monrose (1998-1999)
• Jeffry Kimble (2000-2005)
• Judaea Lane (2006-2010)
• Renetta English (2011-2013)
• Tyrone McKinney (2014-2015)

Two of the past New York chapter presidents served as national officers: Roxanne Burrus (national BDPA treasurer) and Renee McClure (national BDPA president).

The chapter hosted the national BDPA Technology Conference in 1991 ('Getting to the Core of Technology').

The chapter has been one of the most dominant chapters in the national high school computer competition (HSCC). BDPA New York chapter won the national HSCC championship in four different years (1988, 1989, 1992 and 1999).

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) awarded Bemley Scholarships to New York chapter students:  Kevin Castillo (2009), Frantzy Jean-Phillips (2009), Christopher Lezama (1999), Kevin O'Neil (1999), Donald Porter (1999), Cazemba Richards (2009), Alan Rosales (2009) and Barine Tee (1999).

We've mentioned alot of names in this blog post.   The question remains:

Where are they now?

Happy Birthday: George Williams, Past National BDPA President

Please join us in wishing a wonderful birthday to our past national president -- George Williams. I've known George since I first joined BDPA back in the late 1980s. He was a powerful figure in the BDPA Cleveland chapter before he set a record for the longest-tenured national president in BDPA history.

George has an information technology and business career background that spans thirty years of professional experience in marketing, sales and management within corporate, small business, non-profit and civic organizations. A number of major accomplishments occurred under George's leadership of the national organization in the late 1990s:

• implemented a new national Corporate Alliance program that increased annual sponsorship revenue
• implemented a comprehensive Enterprise Transformation Plan that completely reorganized the national organization
• inspired major annual conference events in Philadelphia (1995), Atlanta (1996), Houston (1997), Orlando (1998) and Atlanta (1999)
  
• signed Memorandum of Understanding to promote joint technology projects between BDPA and National Urban League

As a life-long Cleveland native, graduate of the Cleveland Public School System, John Carroll University and Leadership Cleveland, George understands the intricacies of doing business and volunteering time in the Northeast Ohio community. George was a co-founder of the Consortium of African America Organizations (CAAO). He has actively served on the Board of the Cleveland Education Fund, the Cuyahoga Community College Unified Technologies Center and the John Adams High School Vocational Education Advisory Group.

George is a father of two daughters and grandfather of four children. He is a remarkable role model for his family ... and for BDPA. I encourage you to share some BDPA-love with George as he celebrates his born-day! Happy Birthday George!

Where Are They Now: BDPA Miami (OH) University Founders

BDPA made a push for college chapters in 2000-2001 time frame. The experiment with college chapters ended in 2007 when existing college chapters were merged into professional chapters in the same geographic area.

I was chapter president in Cincinnati when we helped to create a BDPA college chapter at Miami (OH) University. The BDPA Miami (OH) University Chapter founded in 2001 by some talented students and faculty advisers. Some of the charter members included:

1. Vincent Cross
2. Nnenna Ezeh
3. Daphney Graves
4. Monica Hopkins
5. Stanley Jackson
6. Veronica Lewis
7. Ryan Nalls
8. Jason Poole
9. Thomas Taleatha
10. Joseph Warren

Where are they now?

BDPA Chicago Chapter in Review (1993)

Hat tip to Milt Haynes and his new Blacks Gone Geek blog for sharing historical video entitled 1993 BDPA Chicago Chapter in Review Video. This video was a collaborative effort with BDPA leaders (Ollie Morgan, Sheila McCaskill, Mike Davis) and Chicago Access Cable (producer, Derek Grace). The video provides an up close and personal look at BDPA students, members and corporate sponsors.

I wonder where the 1993 BDPA Chicago Chapter HSCC Team is now? They are named in the middle of this video. Do any of you know where they are now?

Why the "Black" in Black Data Processing Associates?

BDPA founder Earl Pace shared this message with National BDPA Board of Directors back in November 1992. His message resonates today in 2013 as much as it did 21 years ago.

---

"You have asked me to submit a written statement as to why BDPA has 'Black' has part of its name. Does the United Jewish Appeal have to explain 'Jewish'? Do the Polish American Clubs explain 'Polish'? Does the National Association of Women Business Owners explain 'Women'? The name explains who we were organized to serve and where our objectives are directed.

Perhaps the response to those who question our use of the word 'Black' should simply be, 'That's our name. That is how you will know it is us. Do *YOU* have a problem with the word 'Black'? What does it mean to *YOU*?'

The stated objectives of BDPA are to:

1. strengthen the expertise of people of color in the computer field
2. offer this expertise to people of color considering computer-related careers
3. broaden the knowledge of technological advances in our community
4. participate in community activities directly related to the computer field

It should be noted that membership in BDPA is open to all persons regardless of race, creed, sex or national origin.

However, since it's inception BDPA's orientation and programs have been directed towards African Americans. Why? Because as was the case in 1975, African Americans still experience a disproportionate share of unemployment job discrimination and career blockage.

If our objectives and programs are sound and fair, that is what you are supporting. Not a name. I hope this concludes this exercise and discussion that has taken up much, too much of our time and energy. Either we are 'Black' or we are not!"

---

I appreciate Earl for taking time to share his perspective on the 'name' issue. I've heard many argue about our organization's name for much of the past 35 years. My personal solution has been simple -- I refer to our organization almost exclusively by it's acronym, BDPA. I figure that BDPA can consider changing its name once AT&T decides to remove 'telegraph' or NAACP decides to remove 'colored people'. BDPA is a wonderful organization of Black professionals in the information technology industry who are doing good works all over the nation. Let BDPA be known by its deeds!

BDPA History: 1st Annual High School Computer Competition

There have been 28 national High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships with over 1,000 HSCC alumni from all over the nation since the event was created by Dr. Jesse Bemley in 1986.

Dr. Bemley shared his memory of that first competition with us:

The National BDPA Competition was held at Maynard Jackson High School (formerly known as Southside Comprehensive High School), a magnet school for computer science, in Atlanta at 9:00am, September 20, 1986. The competition was made up of two sessions ... an oral question and answer session and a hands-on programming session. The judges ruled the DC team as the winner of the 1st Annual National BDPA Computer Competition and the announcement was made that night at the dinner dance where the trophies were presented. The team trained by BDPA Washington DC team received a long standing ovation.

My understanding is that only two teams competed in that first year: Atlanta and Washington DC.  I would love to learn the names of the high school students who competed in 1986. Don't you wonder where they are now?

Where Are They Now: BDPA Dallas Chapter Presidents (1987-2013)

Originally Posted: Sep 2009

Barbara Fuller was BDPA Dallas chapter president in 1990. I haven't talked with her in over a decade. Imagine my pleasure to find her on Facebook the other day! It made me wonder what became of the other brothers and sisters that led the BDPA Dallas chapter since it was founded in 1987.

Can you tell us where they are now?:

1. B.K. Gamble (1987-1989)
2. Barbara Fuller (1990)
3. William Flowers (1991-1993)
4. Wanda Bynum-Wilson (1994-1995)
5. Jackie Ockleberry (1996-1999)
6. Pete Davis (2000-2001)
7. David Trammell (2002-2003)
8. D. J. Washington (2004)
9. Letitia Andrews (2005-2006)
10. Reginald Andrews (2006)
11. Kimberly Vaughn (2007-2009)
12. Chris Johnson (2010-2011)
13. Stacy Stewart (2012-2013)

I'm hopeful that y'all will reach out to these good brothers and sisters and request that they POST A COMMENT here on this blog. It is like our own private Dallas chapter scavenger hunt.

Where are they now?

Where Are They Now: 2005 Conference Honorary Chairs

I enjoyed my final year as national BDPA president. One of the highlights of the year was hosting the annual BDPA Technology Conference in Detroit MI. I started my BDPA career as a member of the BDPA Detroit chapter back in 1988 ... so it seemed fitting to end my presidential term with the conference being held in downtown Detroit.

Anyhow, one of the important elements of any conference is the honorary chairs. These are the people who lend credibility to the gathering. They reach into their Rolodex to call on their colleagues to attend and support the event. The 2005 BDPA Conference Honorary Chairs were:

1. Anthony Abbattista (Vice President, Enterprise Technology Strategy & Planning, Allstate Insurance) - Mr. Abbattista joined Allstate in 2003 and was responsible for enterprise strategy, applications, information services, technical architecture and technology governance.
   
2. Bob Blackwell (BDPA Outside Director) - Robert D. Blackwell, Sr. was chairman and CEO of Blackwell Consulting Services (BCS), a company he founded in 1992 after 25 years with IBM. BCS appeared on the Black Enterprises Top 100 multiple times. Bob was also the keynote speaker at the awards gala in 2005.
   
3. Curvie Burton (ITSMF Chairperson) - In addition to being ITSMF chair, Curvie was a senior director for EDS. At EDS he led a global initiative focused on development and deployment of a consistent business model for account operations. Curvie served as president of BDPA Detroit chapter back in 1992-1993.
   
4. Stephen Finnerty (Vice President, Worldwide IT Operations, Dell) - Steve Finnerty was responsible for managing Dell's global supply chain and manufacturing systems. It was thru his vision and support that our BDPA Austin chapter was founded.
   
5. Peter Karmanos, Jr. (Chairman/CEO, Compuware Corporation) - Mr. Karmanos ensures that Compuware delivers value to its customers. How? Simple - through the hottest distributed products in the market, through outstanding professional services and through the most respected mainframe software in the world. Compuware invested more in BDPA over the past 30 years than any corporation in America.
   
6. George Maier (Vice President, Business Operations, Hewlett-Packard) - Mr. Maier led a multidimensional organization responsible for global customer account support and worldwide business process development.
   
7. Chris Scalet (Chief Information Officer, Merck & Company) - Mr. Scalet is responsible for worldwide information technology operations with one of the largest companies in America. He was keynote speaker at the opening ceremonies of our 2003 annual BDPA Technology Conference held in Philadelphia PA.
   
8. Marlin Wilson-Threatt - (Deputy Chief Information Officer, City of Detroit) - Ms. Wilson-Threatt was responsible for developing consistent and progressive information technology policies, budget and staff management, project implementation, and ongoing support of the network, desktops, and business applications.

These eight leaders helped us have a tremendously successful national conference in 2005. I wonder if this post will bring them through cyberspace to leave a COMMENT below? If not, perhaps you can tell us where they are now? What say u?

BDPA Birthday Love for Ollie Morgan

Please join us in remembering Ollie Morgan on his natal day! Ollie served on the national BDPA board of directors for a number of years as BDPA Chicago chapter president, national president and immediate past president. At the time of his passing he was an author and photographer living out his dreams in New Mexico.


Ollie was a key player in the growth of corporate sponsorships. He created the concept known as 'Corporate Advisory Councils'. We now have active CACs in many of our larger and more successful chapters around the nation. Ollie was the first to understand the importance of developing a 'return on investment' value proposition. Ollie's vision turned into the record-setting corporate sales revenue coming into the BDPA Chicago and National BDPA treasury over the past decade.

Ollie was a prolific writer. His articles about BDPA regularly appeared in the National JOURNAL and the BDPA Chicago PROFESSIONAL newsletters.

I appreciate the powerful legacy of Ollie Morgan ... particularly in the 1993-1995 era. Ollie should be a member of the BDPA Hall of Fame. For now, we honor him here in cyberspace.

Please share your memories of Ollie and think a good thought of him on his date of birth!

Rest in Peace: Brandon Robert Gardner (1984-2009)

All members of the BDPA Education & Technology Foundation (BETF) family were saddened to learn of the death of Brandon Robert Gardner (1984-2009).
Brandon attended at least five national BDPA technology conferences ... including the 1999 conference in which he participated as a member of the Los Angeles chapter high school computer competition (HSCC) team.

Brandon helped to coach and chaperone the LA chapter HSCC team the next year when the national championship took place in Chicago. He is also remembered for making outstanding program meeting presentations on the Internet for his west coast chapter.

Brandon's dad, Robert, served as BDPA Los Angeles chapter president in 1999-2000. The entire Gardner family dealt with the rare disease, San Joacquin Valley Fever, over the past few years. Brandon lost his battle with the disease on August 22, 2009.

To the Gardner family, we say, "Hold tight to memories for comfort, lean on your friends for strength and always remember how much you are cared about."
To our young prince, Brandon Robert Gardner, we say, "Rest in peace."

BDPA Los Angeles chapter created the Brandon Gardner Memorial Scholarship Fund to honor the memory of this young man.   Contact BETF by phone (513.284-4968) or email if you would like to make a tax-deductible pledge to the BDPA Los Angeles Chapter Fund in Brandon's memory.

BDPA IT Showcase Winners (2003-2013)

Milt Haynes and I asked Dr. Jesse Bemley to create a program in 2003 for our High School Computer Competition alumni and college students. We wanted the program to encourage more African American students to seek Ph.D recognition in the hard science fields.

Dr. Bemley created the Information Technology (IT) Showcase.

The BDPA IT Showcase allows student presenters from educational institutions all over the United States to showcase their research papers on advanced computing topics to an audience of students and IT professionals. Some of the topics covered in the past include: intelligent technologies, wearable computing technologies, web technologies, parallel computing technologies, computing curricula and computer graphics technologies.

Here are past IT Showcase Winners:

2003 - Philadelphia, PA
High School Division

• 1st place: Mr. Bryan Bemley, Washington, DC
• 2nd place: Mr. Eric Lamison-White, Bowie, MD
• 3rd place: Ms. Jessica Eggleston, Columbia, SC

College Division

• 1st place: Ms. Swathi Nibhanupudi, University of Cincinnati
• 2nd place: Mr. Wesley Williams, University of Chattanooga
• 3rd place: Mr. Ayyub Wright, University of Memphis
  

2004 - Dallas, TX
High School Division

• 1st place: Andre Strong, Thomas Edison HS, Alexandria, VA
• 2nd place: Eric Lamison-White, Bowie HS, Bowie,MD
• 3rd place: Julian Waller, Carroll HS, Washington DC

College Division

• 1st place: Robert Garcia, DePaul University
• 2nd place: Jessye Bemley, North Carolina A&T University
• 3rd place: Chris Holt, Southern Illinois University
  

2005 - Detroit, MI
High School Division

• 1st place: Bryan Bemley, Carroll HS, Washington, DC
• 2nd place: Eric Lamison-White, Bowie HS, Bowie, MD
• 3rd place: Joshua Wallace, Duval HS, Lanham, MD

College Division

• 1st place: Chris Holt, Southern Illinois University
• 2nd place: Darrell Edmonds, North Carolina A&T University
• 3rd place: Darren Lamison-White, Bowie State University
  

2006 - Los Angeles, CA
High School Division

• 1st Place: Eric Lamison-White, Bowie High School, Bowie, MD
• 2nd Place: Malcom Parker, Mayfair High School, Los Angeles, CA
• 3rd Place: Alicia Simmonds, Frederick Douglass HS, Upper Marlboro, MD

College Division

• 1st Place: Raymond McGill, Jr., Cornell University
• 2nd Place: Jessye Bemley, North Carolina A&T State University
• 3rd Place: Myles Singleton, Illinois State University
  

2007 - Washington, DC
High School Division

• 1st Place: Jahmal Chase, School for Creative and Performing Arts, Cincinnati, OH
• 2nd Place: Amber Gosby, Mt. Healthy High School, Cincinnati, OH
• 3rd Place: Christian Loggins, Eastern High School, Washington, DC

College Division

• 1st Place: Delano Robinson, University of Minnesota Crookston
• 2nd Place: Jessye Bemley, North Carolina A&T State University
• 3rd Place: Darren Lamison-White, Bowie State University
  

2008 - Atlanta, GA
High School Division

• 1st Place: Fred Smith, III, Charter School of Wilmington, Wilmington, D
• 2nd Place: Tyrell Ferguson, North Point High School, Waldorf, MD
• 3rd Place: Cadeal Chase, Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts, Baltimore, MD

College Division

• 1st Place: Tiffany McCormick, North Carolina A&T State University
• 2nd Place: Bryan Bemley, Bowie State University
• 3rd Place: Jessye Bemley, North Carolina A&T State University

2009 IT Showcase Students

2009 - Raleigh, NC
High School Division

• 1st place: Mr. Naaman Cephas, Hodgson Vo-Tec High School (Newark, DE)
• 2nd place: Mr. Marcus Smith, Pencader Charter High School (New Castle DE)
• 3rd place: Ms. Whitney Wilson, Charter School of Wilmington (Wilmington, DE)

College Division

• 1st place: Mr. Frederick Smith III, California University of Pennsylvania
• 2nd place: Mr. Bryan Bemley, Bowie State University
• 3rd place: Ms. Jovanna Foreman, North Carolina Central University

2010 IT Showcase Winners

2010 - Philadelphia, PA
High School Division

• 1st place: Ms. Cherise Poole, Pencader Charter High School (New Castle DE)
• 2nd place: Ms. Kenyatta Malloy, Friendly High School (Washington DC)
• 3rd place: Ms. Whitney Wilson, Pencader Charter High School (New Castle DE)

College Division

• 1st place: Mr. Frederick Smith III, California University of Pennsylvania
  
• 2nd place: Mr. Naaman Cephas, Delaware Technical & Community College
  
• 3rd place: Mr. Ahmed Mahamad, University of Minnesota

2011 - Chicago, IL
High School Division

• 1st place: Ms. Whitney Wilson, Pencader Charter High School (New Castle DE)
• 2nd place: Ms. Nathasha Sowell, Warren Central High School (Indianapolis, IN)
• 3rd place: Mr. Marcus Smith, Pencader Charter High School (New Castle DE)

College Division

• 1st place: Mr. Michael Bijou, Bowie State University
  
• 2nd place: Ms. Shaneece Davis, North Carolina Central University
  
• 3rd place: Mr. Bryan Bemley, Bowie State University

2012 - Baltimore, MD
High School Division

• 1st place: Ms. Tyra Foulks, Irmo High School (Columbia, SC)
• 2nd place: Mr. Wesley Walker, Groveport Madison High School (Groveport, OH)
• 3rd place: Ms. Brandi Taylor, Irmo High School (Columbia, SC)

College Division

• 1st place: Mr. Michael Bijou, Bowie State University
  
• 2nd place: Mr. Bryan Bemley, Bowie State University
  
• 3rd place: Mr. Adwait Walimbe, University of Minnesota

2013 - Baltimore, MD
High School Division

• 1st place: Mr. Jared Sherrod, Delaware Academy of Public Safety and Security (Wilmington, DE)
• 2nd place: Mr. Ian Crowder, Oak Park River Forest High School (Oak Park, IL)
• 3rd place: Ms. Brandi Taylor, Irmo High School (Columbia, SC)

College Division

• 1st place: Ms. Jazzmine Bess, Florida A&M University
  
• 2nd place: Ms. Jessica Boardley, University of Delaware
  
• 3rd place: Mr. Bryan Bemley, Bowie State University

 These are truly some remarkable students. We will follow their educational progress to determine how many of them receive their Ph.D. in the hard science field. In the meantime, it would be great to hear from you. What are your thoughts as you review this list of winners?

National BDPA Conference History (1979-2013)

We want to have an interactive blog. Here is a list of the past 35 national BDPA technology conferences. Take a look at the themes and locations. Let your memories roam on the networking, education and fun that you had as a participant at one or more of these annual conferences. How many of these did you attend?

• 2013 - "Diverse Opportunities in the Age of Convergence" (Washington DC)
• 2012 - "Transforming the IT Professional" (Baltimore, MD)
• 2011 - "Ignite, Inspire & Empower: The GPS of Future Technologists" (Chicago, IL)
• 2010 - "Access for All" (Philadelphia, PA)
• 2009 - "Challenges for Today, Strategies for Tomorrow" (Raleigh, NC)
• 2008 - "Harnessing Emerging Technologies to Advance IT Careers" (Atlanta, GA)
• 2007 - "Global Strategy for the IT Professional" (Washington DC)
• 2006 - "Picturing the Future of Information Technology" (Los Angeles, CA)
• 2005 - "Driving Innovation, Bringing Value and Embracing Change" (Detroit, MI)
• 2004 - "BDPA: Securing Our Future Through Technology" (Dallas, TX)
• 2003 - "Information Technology: From the Classroom to the Boardroom" (Philadelphia, PA)
• 2002 - "Changing the Culture of IT: From Access to Ownership" (Orlando, FL)
• 2001 - "Empowering the Nation Through Information" (Chicago, IL)
• 2000 - "Taking IT to the Net: From High-Tops to High-Tech" (Washington, DC)
• 1999 - "Closing the Gap in Information Technology" (Atlanta, GA)
• 1998 - "Unveiling the Magic of Emerging Technologies" (Orlando, FL)
• 1997 - "Looking at Tomorrow, Today"(Houston, TX)
• 1996 - "Building World Class Skills for Information Technology" (Atlanta, GA)

• 1995 - "Linking Business, Education and Technology" (Philadelphia, PA)
• 1994 - "Unleashing the Power of a Creative People" (Cleveland, OH)
• 1993 - "Cultivating Tomorrow’s Leaders in the Heart of America" (Kansas City, MO)
• 1992 - "Shaping the Information Technology Professional: Current and Future" (Detroit, MI)
• 1991 - "BDPA Getting to the Core of Technology" (New York, NY)
• 1990 - "Education and Technology Bonding for Excellence" (Washington, DC)
• 1989 - "Ideas in the Making" (Los Angeles, CA)
• 1988 - "Growth and Success by Design" (Chicago, IL)
• 1987 - "A Bridge to Success" (New Orleans, LA)
• 1986 - "Securing Your Professional Future" (Atlanta, GA)
• 1985 - "A Decade of Professional Growth" (Philadelphia, PA)
• 1984 - "Information Processing: A Vote for the Future" (Cleveland, OH)
• 1983 - "Rise to the Challenge" (Newark, NJ)
• 1982 - "Entrepreneurship: A Successful Attitude" (Detroit, MI)
• 1981 - "Growth Through Professional Association" (Philadelphia, PA)
• 1980 - "A New Era of Minority Involvement in Data Processing" (Washington, DC)
• 1979 - "The Role of the Black Technical Organization" (Philadelphia, PA)

Which was your first national conference? Which was your favorite national conference? What is your best conference memory? C'mon, let's talk!

Where Are They Now? BDPA Los Angeles Chapter Presidents

BDPA Los Angeles was the first BDPA chapter located in the pacific time zone when it was founded in 1986. BDPA Los Angeles chapter trivia:

My mom (Liz Hicks) served as BDPA Los Angeles chapter president in 1993-1994. A few years later I served as president of BDPA Cincinnati chapter (1999-2001). We were the only relatives to serve as BDPA president until a few years later when the Roberts' sisters (Monique/Seattle and Jovan/Detroit) duplicated the feat!

Our Los Angeles chapter hosted national BDPA technology conferences in 1989 ('Ideas in the Making') and 2006 ('Picturing the Future of Information Technology').

The chapter has never won the national high school computer competition (HSCC), however, they have had very positive impact on HSCC alumni such as Clyde Hill (2003-2005), Kelly Hill (2001-2003) and Joshua Roy (2004)

I would love to make a connection with other HSCC alumni from our Los Angeles chapter. Where are they now?

Past BDPA Los Angeles chapter president Robert Riddick (shown in photo) served as the national parliamentarian and a member of the BETF Board of Directors for many years. It would be great if we could hear from each of the past BDPA Los Angeles chapter presidents:

• Joseph Uroquart (1982)
• Connie Moore (1983-1986)
• Robert Riddick (1987-1990)
• Darolyn Howard (1991-1992)
• Donna Elijah (1993)
• Tracey Oxley (1993)
• Elizabeth Hicks (1993-1994)

• Reginald Watson (1995-1998)
• Robert Gardner (1999-2000)
• Angela White-Parker (2001-2004)
• Narvin Yarbrough (2005-2006)
• Andree Justin (2007-2008)
• John Malonson (2009-2012) - shown in photo

Where Are They Now?

Overview: BDPA IT Showcase

The BDPA IT Showcase is an advanced technology forum where High School and College students from across the nation demonstrate their research and theories in the fields of information technology. Papers will be published in the IT Showcase Proceedings. The purpose of this program is to encourage more students of color to advance their education to the Ph.D. level in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) curriculum.  Click here to see more detailed overview.

BDPA IT Showcase founder Dr. Jesse Bemley notes, "Attendees will be amazed at the thoroughness of the research and the advanced topics presented at the IT Showcase. The IT Showcase treats the audience to challenging 'outside-the-box' thought."

The projects focus on various “advanced thought” topics including: artificial intelligence, database technology, web design technology, wired and wireless communication technology, IT security, data mining, global position systems, graphical processing units, soft computing, production planning tools, high performance computing, cloud computing, green technology, virtual technologies, nanotechnology, robotics, operating systems, IT certification, social media and much more.

The Showcase presentations consist of demonstrations where applicable. Three awards (First, Second and Third Prize) are made in each of two categories: High School and College (undergraduate). In recent years the top performers in the IT Showcase have won college scholarships funded by Johnson & Johnson.

Over the past few years there were 46 undergraduate papers and 74 high school papers presented from students in 14 states, 33 high schools, 12 universities and three community colleges. Our hope is that all 46 local BDPA chapters will find a way to send a student ... ideally one of their HSCC alumni ... to participate in the next BDPA IT Showcase.

Overview: BDPA High School Computer Competition

The BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) was founded in 1986. What started as a two-team event between Washington DC and Atlanta GA has grown to over 20 teams from BDPA chapters around the nation. It’s designed to introduce our youth to the field of information technology and encouraging them to seek higher levels of education, and groom many of them become our next generation of IT professionals.

The HSCC program consists of three parts: Oral Questioning, Computerized Examination and a Programming Component. On the first day there is an oral round robin of questions. Also, there is a computerized examination using Adit Quiz Software. Each student is given 15 minutes to answer as many questions as they can. Questions for these first two stages of the competition cover a variety of computer fundamentals and BDPA history.

On the second day, each team is given a Program Specification for a challenging business problem. They have seven hours and one computer to analyze, design, program and document a solution to the problem. In building their business application, the teams have a choice between technologies such as: Java Technology (Sun Microsystems), Software PHP (Open Source), .NET (Microsoft). Students use these technologies in conjunction with SQL to retrieve data from a database and generate dynamic HTML content for display in a web browser. They are then required to present their solution to a team of judges.

Check out this behind-the-scenes video of the programming challenge from a past HSCC championship.

2012 National HSCC Champions

The winning teams are announced on the final night of the annual conference as part of the Awards Gala. It is a tense and joyous moment for all the HSCC students. It is also a very memorable moment as evidenced by the many HSCC testimonials that we've gathered over the years.

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation wants to give out college scholarships to high-performing students in the annual HSCC championships. We cannot do so without your support. Please think hard about what you've read ... and give as your heart drives you. You can make your secure online donation in support of BDPA college scholarships right now!

Where Are They Now? BDPA Philadelphia Chapter Presidents

We commonly refer to BDPA Philadelphia as 'THE Chapter' ... paying homage to its status as the original BDPA chapter back in 1976. The first few organizational meetings held at the Sheraton Hotel in Philadelphia with about 15 people talking about whether or not a Black technology-based organization made sense.

Another meeting held later in 1976 at the Urban Careers Education Center with about 35 people from various areas of the data processing community confirmed the name, Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA). A task force (Roger Berry, Craig Bethea, Ralph E. Gordon Jr., Earl A. Pace, and David Wimberly) appointed to create the initial BDPA bylaws.

The following people were elected as BDPA Philadelphia chapter officers in June 1976: President: Earl A. Pace Jr., Vice President: Ralph E. Gordon Jr., Secretary: Charles C. Jones Jr., Treasurer: Mary Ann Lowery, Program Committee: Craig Bethea, Roy Barnes, and F. Douglas Funderburg, Membership Committee: James Moten.

Our Philadelphia chapter hosted national BDPA technology conferences in 1981 ('Growth Through Professional Association'), 1985 ('A Decade of Professional Growth'), 1995 ('Linking Business, Education and Technology') and 2003 ('Information Technology: From the Classroom to the Boardroom').

It surprised me to learn that BDPA Philadelphia never won 'Chapter of the Year' honors until 2007-2008. Chapter president Monique Berry want Philaldephia to become only the second chapter in history to win this coveted award three years in a row. Do you know the only chapter to three-peat in BDPA history?

BDPA Philadelphia has been unable to train a national championship team for the high school computer competition (HSCC). However, the chapter did have a student (Christian West) earn the Eli Lilly Scholarship for BDPA Students in 2008. The chapter has never won the national HSCC, however, they have had very positive impact on HSCC alumni such as Marcellus Sims (2006-2007)

I would love to make a connection with other HSCC alumni from our Philadelphia chapter. Where are they now?

Past BDPA Philadelphia chapter presidents Earl Pace and Donald Campbell (shown in the photo) served at one point or another on the National BDPA Executive Committee. It would be great if we could hear from each of the past BDPA Philadelphia chapter presidents:

• Earl Pace (1976-1978)
• Ralph Gordon (1979-1980)
• Roy Barnes (1981)
• Alan Ware (1982-1983)
• Roy Barnes (1984)
• Debbie Watson (1985-1986)
• Michelle Walls (1987-1989)
• Clark Mitchell (1990)
• Howard James (1991-1992)
• Priscilla Wynn-Brown (1993-1994)
• Victor Brooks (1995-1996)
• Frank Bright (1997)
• Ron Cureton (1998)
• Michael Trent (1999)
• James Leggett (2000-2001)
• Beverly Chandran (2002-2003)
• Donald Campbell (2004-2005)
• Curtis Jenkins (2006-2007)
• Monique Berry (2008-2009)
• Hayward West (2010-2011)
• Eileen Gadsden (2012-2013)

Where Are They Now?