Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Omar Brown - Black History Month Speaker - February 15, 2015

Omar was raised by C. Louise Brown (former Director of Health for the City of Evanston), with a passion towards serving the community of Evanston. Omar is a graduate of both Evanston Township High School and Chute Middle School. He resides in the 8th ward of Evanston with his wife Tanya (nee Jones), and their three children, Destini a senior at ETHS, Faith a fifth grader at Oakton, and Omar Jr “OJ” a student at the Child Care Center of Evanston.

Omar has been involved with many organizations within the community of Evanston: Chessmen Club of the North Shore, Second Baptist Church, and basketball coach with the Fellowship of African American Men (FAAM), a former steering committee member for the McGaw YMCA Achievers Program, and a former member of the Y.O.U. board.

Omar Brown joined the Chicago Transit Authority initially as the General Manager of Diversity in September 2012. Omar’s responsibilities included enhancing CTA’s commitment to diversity, equal opportunity, and a workplace free of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation as the General Manager of Diversity.  Within eight months in May of 2013, CTA promoted Omar to the title of Vice President of Human Resources.  Omar is responsible for leading the talent management, HR services, HR operations, and employee programs departments at the CTA.

Omar began his career in benefits working for two of the largest benefit consulting companies in the US, Hewitt Associates and Towers Perrin Consulting. He also gained experience in asset management (pension funds) and public finance with General Board of Pension and Illinois Housing Development Authority. Omar served as a Diversity Manager with both The City of Chicago’s Office of Compliance and The University of Illinois’s Office of Business and Financial Services prior to joining CTA.

Omar has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Northeastern Illinois University, a Master’s of Business Administration from Loyola University, and a Master of Arts Degree in Public Policy from Northwestern University.

Omar is committed to the community of Evanston.

Friday, February 6, 2015

Alderman Howard Brookins - Black History Month Speaker - February 8, 2015

Alderman Howard B. Brookins, Jr. was elected in April 2003 and is currently serving his third term as Alderman of the 21st Ward. The Alderman follows in a lineage of politicians that include his father, former Senator Howard B. Brookins, Sr. Alderman Brookins’ political career includes having served as Assistant Public Defender, Assistant States Attorney and Special Assistant Attorney General.

Alderman Brookins is a graduate of Mendel Catholic High School, Southern Illinois Carbondale and Northern Illinois University. He participates on a number of committees in various organizations, including:

• Trinity United Church of Christ
• Prince Hall Mason Eureka Lodge #64
• Board of Directors Community media Workshop
• Board of Directors Northern Illinois Alumni
• Alpha Phi Alpha

Alderman Brookins is a longtime resident of the City of Chicago. His duty as Alderman is to help improve the quality of life in the 21st Ward. He makes himself available through monthly town hall meetings and weekly constituent night meetings, and meetings by appointment to listen to the 21st  Ward residents. From having a pulse on his constituents, Alderman Brookins serves with fairness and integrity. He serves on several committees for the City Council. As a result, he routinely provides insight on key issues, including crime, economic development and employment.

Alderman Brookins is a devoted husband to Ebonie Taylor-Brookins. He is the proud father of Howard Brookins and Harihson Brookins.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Professor Steven Rogers - February 1st Black History Month Speaker

Steven Rogers is a Senior Lecturer in General Management at Harvard University and teaches the Field Immersion Experiences for Leadership Development (FIELD) course in the MBA program and Entrepreneurial Finance in several Executive programs. A 1985 graduate of Harvard, Professor Rogers also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Williams College. Prior to teaching at HBS, Professor Rogers taught in the MBA program at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwerstern fro 17 years. He was the Gund Family Professor of Entrepreneurship and the Director of the Entrepreneurship Center. He is one of two professors in the school's history to have been selected Professor of the Year twice. He also taught Kellogg executive programs in the U.S., Toronto, Germany, and Hong Kong, including the Northwestern University PhD program. He received the Outstanding Professor award for the Executive Program an unprecedented 26 times.

Before joining the Kellogg faculty, he owned and operated two manufacturing firms and one retail operation. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Professor Rogers worked at Bain and Company Consulting firm, Cummins Engine Company and UNC Ventures, a venture capital firm.

In 2000, he received the 'Bicentennial Medal for Distinguished Achievement' by an alum from Williams College. In 2005, he received the 'Bert King Award for Service' from the African American Student Union at Harvard Business School. In 2006, he was selected as one of the "100 Men Impacting Supplier Diversity." In 2009, Ebony Magazine named him one of the top 150 influential people in America. in 2011, he joined Chicago Mayor Emmauel's Supplier Diveristy Task Force.

He has often been quoted in many publications, including Black Enterprise, Crain's Business Journal, Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, Fortune, Monarch and Business Week, NPR, and the Tom Joyner Show. In 2002 Professor Rogers published his first book, The Entrepreneur's Guide to Finance and Business. The second edition was published in 2008.