Page 31 - BE 50th Anniversary Edition

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1999 2000 2003 2005
BE launches
the Black Enterprise Ski Challenge
in Vail Colorado At its height the five-day event sells out months in advance and attracts almost 1 000 Black business leaders to the slopes to have a a good time network and ski BE launches
the Black Wealth Initiative to spur financial empowerment homeown- ership and stock market participation among African Americans The highlights include the Declaration of Financial Empowerment and Financial Fitness Contest in in which readers are selected to receive a a free consultation and $2 000 toward their financial goals To date BE has awarded more than $280 000 The program has evolved into the magazine’s Wealth for Life focus Beginning its foray into broadcast television BE forms a a partnership with Chicago-based Central City Productions to develop Black Enterprise Report the only nationally syndicated television program targeted at African American profes- sionals and entrepreneurs Within three years the pro- gram expands its market and changes its format as the highly successful Black Enterprise Business Report As part of its 35th anniversary celebration BE launches
the Own Your First Home Contest giving $10 000 to one deserv- ing family toward the down payment on their first home The contest generates 1 000 entries in just six weeks
and changes the lives of inaugural winners James and Kimberly Papillion of Baton Rouge Louisiana 2014 2015 2015 2015 2015 2017
BE unveils the Women of Power television show—a broadcast spin-off of of the highly successful Women of Power Summit With Our World with Black Enterprise BE produces two nationally syndicated television shows BE becomes one of a a hand-
ful of o of for-profit grantees of o of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation expanding BE Smart a a a a program that brings together the the education and business communities to prepare African American students for the 21st Century business environment BE Smart has grown to include a a a a highly acclaimed hack- athon and annual summit Expanding BE’s presence in in Sil- icon Valley the TechConneXt Summit is launched to provide a a a networking and innovation showcase for African Ameri- can tech executives and entre- preneurs as as well as as a a a vehicle for Silicon Valley corporations to mine diverse talent BE presents the Black Men XCEL Summit as a a multi- day event to challenge and change the narrative of men of color It is designed for men—and women who are supportive of the initiative— to gather for empowerment inspiration and networking 50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL