ALB 5th Annual Congress State of Black Business

Atlanta Business League Convenes 5th Annual Congress on the State of Black Business and Installation Ceremony of the 2012 Board of Directors

 Atlanta GA - January 13, 2012 -The Atlanta Business League (ABL), along with black businesses, institutions and community leaders will come together on Tuesday, January 24 for the Fifth Annual Congress on The State of Black Business in Metro Atlanta to strategize and develop solutions on how black businesses and consumers can have a greater economic impact on our community. Immediately following the conference the Installation Ceremony for the 2012 ABL Board of Directors will be held.

With the theme "The New Normal 'Maximizing the Black Business’" the Congress scheduled at the Morehouse College Leadership Center will run from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. and feature several respected business owners, and presenters who will lead development discussions on the community’s Return on Investment (ROI) potential and the economic opportunities with Black Businesses in Metro Atlanta.

Discussion will center on the following:

• Economic Development opportunities in creating Black heritage tourism in Metro Atlanta (Untapped and possible opportunities
• Enlarging the 5% solution by capitalizing on untapped opportunities. (New untapped opportunity within our community) The 5% solution refers to The Congress' primary Resolution when founded in 2007 of a five percent increase in the amount of business conducted with metro Atlanta black enterprise.
• Formalizing Church and business collaborations (Current but untapped opportunities) 

The Honorary Chairs for the Congress are Nathaniel Goldston, Chairman/CEO, Gourmet Services, Inc.; Dr. William Pickard, Chairman & CEO Global Automotive Alliance, LLC; and James Young, President & CEO, Citizen's Trust Bank.  The sponsors for this event are William Clement; TWD, Inc.; Jones Worley Design, Inc.; C.D. Moody Construction Company; The Integral Group, LLC; MHR International, Inc.; H.J. Russell Company; Stubblefield Ventures, LLC; and WCLK 91.9.

Convened by the ABL Public Policy Committee under Vice Chair Joseph Hudson, presenters for the day include Former Ambassador Andrew Young; Juanita Baranco, Principal, Mercedes Benz of Buckhead; Willie Watkins, President, Willie A. Watkins Funeral Home; The Honorable Burrell Ellis, CEO, Dekalb County; William Pate, President, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau; Herald Alexander, Chairman, Overground Railroad and many others.

The Atlanta Business League, led by Leona Barr- Davenport is one of the country's oldest business organizations established in 1933 as an affiliate of Booker T. Washington's National Business League. The organization fosters the growth, creation and development of successful business enterprise owned, operated and managed by African-Americans in metropolitan Atlanta. 

The Congress has a registration fee starts at $50 for a general participant ticket and includes continental breakfast and a lunch. Registration is available at www.atlantabusinessleague.org or by calling the ABL office at 404 584-8126.

The Atlanta Business League (ABL) was established in 1933 as an affiliate of the National Business League (NBL), which was founded by Dr. Booker T. Washington. ABL serves as one voice for many small business persons using their collective power to influence the course of events politically and socially at all levels including government, business and civic communities.