BUSINESS TUESDAY | BPACF • Sydnor • CODE M • KeyBank +

BUSINESS TUESDAY | BPACF hosts COVID-19 panel • Sydnor starts new business • CODE M gets new president • KeyBank gets inclusion chief …

By R. T. Andrews

The Black Professional Association of Charitable Foundation (BPACF) has gathered an expert panel to discuss the health, wealth and business impact of COVID-19 on the black community in Northeast Ohio. The panel will be moderated by Frank Wiley of WEWS Channel 5 and consists of:

·       Dr. Charles Modlin of Cleveland Clinic, who was recently appointed by Governor DeWine to the Ohio COVID-19 Minority Strike Force

·       Vanessa L. Whiting, Esq., president of A.E.S. Management Group dba Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, who was appointed by the governor to the Ohio Economic Recovery Advisory Board

·       LaRese Purnell, managing partner of CLE Consulting Firm, who has been instrumental in providing food and resources to people in need during COVID-19

The Zoom session will run this Thursday, May 28, starting at 7PM. To attend, register here.

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Local webinar targeting start-up entrepreneurs is online tomorrow

The North Coast Ventures investment fund, formerly known as North Coast Angel Fund, will present a webinar tomorrow featuring 22 entrepreneurs, investors and business executives offering two-minute speeches about one critical thing a start-up operator should know in launching a new business.

The presenters include Adam Bain, former COO of Twitter; Akram Boutros, CEO of the MetroHealth System; Charu Ramanathan, a Case Western Reserve University Ph.D. in biomedical engineering who has started three health care companies; Gil Van Bokkelen, CEO of Cleveland biopharmaceutical company Athersys Inc.; and Mike Walker, senior director of applied innovation at Microsoft Corp.

The program is Wednesday, May 27, at 5PM.

Sign up for the event here.

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Sydnor launches start-up

Danielle Sydnor

Danielle Sydnor, the former executive director of Northern Ohio for the Economic Community Development Institute, has left the organization to launch her own venture. Sydnor has formed We Win Strategies Group, which she describes as “a firm dedicated to working with a diverse array of stakeholders to create win-win outcomes for individuals, organizations and communities.”

Sydnor is president of the Cleveland NAACP and chair of the board at Eliza Bryant Village.

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Code Media Group has new president

Brad J. Bowling

Brad J. Bowling has joined Code Media Group LLC as President of the company. He will be responsible for strategic planning and running the day to day operations of the company. He brings his extensive background and experience in the areas of digital publishing, marketing and B2B relationship leveraging.

Code M’s best known product is the national digital quarterly magazine Code M, aimed at men of color. Bowling told The Real Deal that he wants to take the magazine to a monthly schedule in 2021 and retain its national perspective even as it develops a more regional focus. The magazine recently signed on as media sponsor for this year’s Martha’s Vineyard ComedyFest, which will be livestreamed August 3-20, 2020 during National Black Comedy Month.

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New Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for KeyBank

Greg Jones

Greg Jones is now accountable for leading KeyBank’s strategy and tactics to improve the acquisition, movement, development and retention of diverse talent and suppliers. He was named Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for the bank last month after most recently serving as Chief Diversity Officer at United Airlines. He also has held past roles at Northwestern Mutual Life, UBS, Bank of America and GE Healthcare.  

Jones holds a BS from Tuskegee University, an MS from Stanford University, both in electrical engineering.  He was named as a Top 100 Executive in Diversity by Black Enterprise Magazine in 2018 and recognized in Ebony Magazine's Power 100 in 2017. Greg also has received multiple industry certifications, including Six Sigma. Jones is veteran of the United States Navy where he served as a 2nd Class Petty Officer.

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