Press Release Headlines

Nation's Leading African American Entrepreneurs and Corporate Executives to Gather in Atlanta, May 22-24

BE SOMEONE's Orrin Checkmate Hudson will join Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo Hosted by Nationwide Designed to Encourage, Promote and Profit Minority Businesses

ATLANTA, May 18, 2011 — BLACK ENTERPRISE will kick off its 2011 Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide Insurance on Sunday, May 22, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis hotel. The three-day power conference, which brings together more than 1,000 of the country's leading entrepreneurs and corporate executives, is designed to provide attendees with the innovative strategies and networking opportunities critical for their businesses to reach the next level of profitability.

Orrin Checkmate Hudson will bring his A Game to the conference as well as his very large chess board and pieces. Students and attendees will be able to challenge him to a friendly game of chess and see why his work has been featured nationally. Orrin's message is "brains before bullets; think it out, don't shoot it out; push pawns not drugs." As a former state trooper Hudson believes prevention is better than detention so he is taking a proactive approach to teaching teens "every move you make has a consequence just like in the game of chess. You can make one move in life and never recover, so think before you move."

Confirmed speakers include:

  • Marvet Britto, Founder, The Britto Agency
  • J. Anthony Brown, Comedian & Radio Personality, The Tom Joyner Morning Show
  • Alejandra Castillo, National Deputy Director, U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency
  • Magnus Greaves, Founder, The CASHFLOW
  • MC Hammer, Founder & CEO, Alchemist Management
  • Judge Glenda Hatchett, Author, Attorney and TV Personality
  • Star Jones, Author, Attorney & TV Personality
  • Dennis Kimbro, Professor, Clark Atlanta University School of Business Administration
  • Chris Lighty, CEO, Violator Management
  • Charles J. Ogletree, Jesse Climenko Professor of Law, Harvard University
  • Will Packer, Co-Founder, Rainforest Films
  • Lisa Price, Founder, Carol's Daughter
  • Ramon Ray, Editor, Smallbiztechnology.com
  • Angela & Vanessa Simmons, Co-Founders, Pastry Shoes
  • Ali Velshi, Anchor and Chief Business Correspondent, CNN

… plus, a rare one-on-one conversation with Black Enterprise Founder, Chairman and Publisher Earl G. Graves Sr.

For more than 40 years, BLACK ENTERPRISE has served as the unprecedented leader in black business development. Sessions at this year's Entrepreneurs Conference tackle how to gain access to credit, finding alternate sources of capital, exploiting social network marketing, emerging overseas markets, brand expansion, new opportunities in real estate, making money in entertainment, and securing government contracts. For the aspiring entrepreneur, the Small Business Success™ Bootcamp offers a step-by-step approach to jump-starting a new enterprise. The Teenpreneur Conference teaches business fundamentals to youth ages 13-17. And our Elevator Pitch Competition will award $10,000 for the best new business idea.

The 2011 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide Insurance is presented by American Express OPEN, Ariel Investments, Buick, General Motors, PepsiCo and Walmart. Platinum sponsors include AT&T, FedEx, Southern Company, United Healthcare, Wells Fargo and Wendy's International. Corporate partners include ADT Business Solutions, Georgia-Pacific, Google, PR Newswire and Staceywines.com.

Press inquiries for BLACK ENTERPRISE should be directed to Andrew Wadium at wadiuma@blackenterprise.com or 212.886.9598.

BLACK ENTERPRISE, your ultimate source to build Wealth for Life, is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Since 1970, it has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Every month, BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine provides 4 million readers with information on entrepreneurship, careers, and financial management. A multimedia company, BE also produces television programming, business and lifestyle events, Web content, and digital media. Visit http://www.blackenterprise.com for more information.

ABOUT BE SOMEONE

BE SOMEONE is an Atlanta-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization that focuses on helping youth, particularly at-risk youth, in the community discover their potential and learn the skills necessary to win in any situation. Since BE SOMEONE opened more than a decade ago, thousands of children have proven to themselves and others that they can achieve anything they set their minds to by learning the game of chess. For more information on the BE SOMEONE program, visit http://www.besomeone.org.

Video: http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2011/03/06/whitfield.chess.moves.for.life.cnn

Contact:

Orrin Checkmate Hudson, Master Motivator & Communicator
949 Stephenson Road
Stone Mountain, GA 30087
Email
http://www.besomeone.org
678-526-0292

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