Conference Information
General Conference information | Conference Schedule | Program Participants
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General Conference Information
| Date: | Tuesday, February 19 – Wednesday, February 20, 2008 |
| Location: | Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) |
Cost: |
Full Conference Registration: $125.00 |
Date / Location |
Time |
Event |
Monday, February 18, 2008 |
5:30 – 6:30 PM |
Young Professionals Reception |
Tuesday, February 19, 2008 |
5:00 – 5:45 PM |
Honoree Reception |
6:00 – 7:30 PM |
Panel Discussion |
|
Wednesday, February 20, 2008 |
8:00 AM – 12:30 PM |
Registration |
9:30 – 10:15 AM |
Presentation of 2008 White Paper |
|
10:30 – 11:30 AM |
General Session with Dr. Floyd Flake |
|
12:00 Noon – 1:30 PM |
Luncheon & Presentation of Conference Awards |
Program Participants
This year’s A.G. Gaston Conference Theme is “Economic Empowerment Through Community Collaboration”, and several key participants have been identified.
The Rev. Dr. Floyd H. Flake is the senior pastor of the 20,000 plus member Greater Allen A.M.E Cathedral of New York in Jamaica, Queens, and President of Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio. Under his 31-year pastorate, the church's annual operating budget has grown to $34 million. It has expansive commercial and residential developments, a 750-student private school, and various commercial and social service enterprises. It is also one of Queens’ largest private-sector employers. Allen A.M.E.’s achievements have made it a national paradigm of faith-based development for public/private partnerships, education and economics.
Rev. Flake also served 11 years as a U.S. Representative. He helped create provisions of the Bank Enterprise Act that provided incentives for financial institutions to make market-oriented commercial and residential investments in destabilized urban and rural economies.
He is the author of a best-selling book, “The Way of the Bootstrapper: Nine Action Steps for Achieving Your Dreams,” and other titles.
Michael V. Roberts is the Chairman and CEO of The Roberts Companies, a $900-million empire of more than 60 businesses, from real estate, to hotels, to radio and television broadcasting. Roberts, with his brother Steven (the company’s President and COO) established the business, building in inner-city St. Louis, MO, at a time when few would. Through his experiences as a City Alderman and business owner, Roberts developed a broad range of professional knowledge that encompasses innovative financing strategies to fund large projects, public/private partnerships negotiation strategies, and successful management principles for urban commercial properties.
Born to hard-working parents, Roberts is the classic American entrepreneur: he attended public schools, and worked his way through college and law school to become one of the country’s leading capitalists. Roberts maintains a strong commitment to create jobs and other economic opportunities within the African-American community from which he came.
He is the author of “Action Has No Season: Strategies and Secrets To Gaining Wealth and Authority.”
Other Program Participants
Rev. Gerald Austin, Sr., Founder and CEO, The Center for Urban Missions
After a career as an engineer, Rev. Austin has dedicated his life to ministry. Concentrating on the inner city of Birmingham, Alabama, Rev. Austin founded the New City Church, as well as The Center for Urban Missions, both of which serve downtown Birmingham and beyond.
Janice L. Mathis, Atlanta Satellite Chief and Vice President, The Rainbow PUSH Coalition
Ms. Mathis was formerly Chief of Staff and General Counsel to Rainbow PUSH. In that role, she represented the organization in negotiations with some of the largest publicly traded companies in the country, including John Deere, General Motors and Toyota.
Cedric D. Sparks, Sr., Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Youth Services, City of Birmingham
Mr. Sparks serves as the Program Facilitator of Project Corporate Leadership, a program sponsored by the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Sparks also serves as Chairman of the Western Area YMCA Board of Directors and President of 100 Black Men - Birmingham Chapter, which recognized him as its 2007 Mentor of the Year.
