Barbara L. Thomas, the organization’s current president and CEO, oversees 40-plus chapters, including one in Toronto, Canada. Thomas welcomes the challenge of leading the international group in some of the most trying economic times the world has known, and she’s fully confident that she and her phenomenal staff will continue to serve the NBMBAA’s 8,000 members and the business community with distinction.
The NBMBAA caters to its members’ needs through what Thomas refers to as the “five channels of engagement.” Through programs, careers, leadership, entrepreneurship and lifestyle, the association seeks to create opportunities for African American entrepreneurs to excel in business endeavors.
The Entrepreneurial Institute is the NBMBAA’s most recent initiative. Through the Institute’s traveling tour, more than 100,000 people participated in seminars where they gained insight from industry leaders on best practices.
Membership in the NBMBAA is not just open to captains of industry, entrepreneurs and those holding advanced degrees, the fact is, even an enterprising high school student can avail themselves of the organization’s many mentoring opportunities and development programs.
“You do not have to have an MBA degree to be a part of this organization,” says Thomas. “We start from the classroom [and go] to the boardroom.” –alesha c. johnson
