National Black MBA Association launches first international chapter

(Above left): The National Black MBA Toronto chapter leadership team celebrates after opening trading at the Toronto Stock Exchange (from left to right): Ike Kaja; Kari Davis; Robert Johnson; Jelani Green; Clarecia Christie; Trecia McLennon; Damon Knights (chapter president); Basil Brown; Rose Campbell; Anthony Kimani; Headley Bent; and Ivan Francis (Above right): Members and supporters of the National Black MBA Association Toronto chapter marked the official launch of the new group by opening trading at the Toronto Stock Exchange on August 21. (Split Image Photography)

Chicago, IL (BlackNews.com) - The National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) has expanded internationally with the addition of an interim Toronto chapter.

The chapter capitalized on its growing momentum and country-wide interest by opening up the Toronto Stock Exchange at the TSX Broadcast Centre on Thursday, Aug. 21. Keith Wyche, NBMBAA board member and Pitney Bowes U.S. president of operations and Deepak Chopra, president of Pitney Bowes Canada, helped recognize the new chapter that day.

"It is important that Black business professionals connect across the diaspora, and our Toronto chapter is just the beginning of what we hope will be fruitful expansion across the globe," says NBMBAA president and CEO Barbara L. Thomas. "We are very pleased to have the Toronto chapter join our legion of black professionals, entrepreneurs and students."

"We want to increase the economic and intellectual wealth of Black Canadians," says Damon Knights, president of the Toronto chapter. "Studies show that there is a still a need to increase diversity in corporate Canada, and installing this chapter is way to ensure that our vision resonates with corporate and academic communities."

The new chapter already is garnering support from many of Canada's most notable corporations and business schools--Kevin Warren, CEO of Xerox Canada; John Peoples, president and general manager of SC Johnson Canada; and Ranji Persad, president of NCR Canada, will sit on a chapter advisory board, and the Schulich School of Business, the Rotman School of Management, the Richard Ivey School of Business and the Ted Rogers School of Management are all lending support.

Ivan Francis, vice president of strategy and marketing for the Toronto chapter, says its immediate efforts are focused on rollout of a NBMBAA Leaders of Tomorrow® program to help mentor and educate youth. He says the group also hopes to host the NBMBAA annual conference in the near future.

For more information on the chapter, visit www.nbmbaa.ca