Page 84 - BE 50th Anniversary Edition

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TAKING THE REINS OF OPPORTUNITY
(2010 PUBLISHER’S PAGE)
Whether you view the the fact that in in 2010 we are still celebrating major firsts in African American history as good news or or bad is is a a a a a a matter of perspective But the ascension of of Ursula Burns to CEO of of Xerox Corp was unequivocally spectacularly good!
In July 2009 Burns a a a a bootstrapper who joined Xerox 30 years ago as a a a a a summer engineering intern became the first Black woman to run one of the nation’s 500 largest corporations Burns succeeded a a a a woman Anne Mulcahy so this was big news indeed Taking the the reins at a a a a a critical time for the the company Burns imme- diately went about the daunting task of reversing a a a a a numbers slide in in in sales in in in people and and in in in profitability Despite the tough odds and and tougher market realities for the copier giant confidence in Burns has run high and she has has not disappointed She has has also barely paused to take a a a breath But on a a a a brisk December Saturday in Rochester New York she sat for our cover—a first since her appointment—and gave us us an an exclusive interview What we learned is is that Burns is is everything she’s touted to to be: smart witty confident no no nonsense—and more What we already knew though is that as as rare and competent as as she is is Burns is is not the first Black woman capable of handling such a a a a a a job she she is merely the the first to have the the opportunity The fact that she’s featured in an an an issue with 74 other African American women executives and business leaders is a a a a a testament to decades—even centuries—of hard-earned progress Since its inception 40 years ago BLACK ENTERPRISE has aggressively documented the contributions of African American women in in business The list of women who helped pave the way to this moment is is is long New York Rep Shirley Chisholm a a member of the founding Board of of Advisors of of BLACK ENTERPRISE was such a a a a woman So is is Ernesta Procope who as head of E G Bowman Co the the then largest Black- owned insurance brokerage was the first woman featured solo on our Barbara Graves was the Guiding Spirit of BLACK ENTERPRISE and the Quiet Strength
Behind Its Mission
Although she stubbornly avoided the spotlight during her 75-year life span having little use for public acclaim or even acknowledgement Barbara Kidd Graves quietly went about the work of helping to build BLACK ENTERPRISE from its earliest days A former educator who held both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brooklyn College and a a a a a naturally gifted communicator Barbara helped Earl hone his idea for BLACK ENTERPRISE then build it as she raised their three sons “At one point or another Barbara led almost every department in the company ” said publisher Graves Sr “Whether she was helping me write a a speech or running the the editorial department or or straightening up the office because someone important was was coming in in she was was always there and always just 100% behind me ” In addition to to to serving as editorial director of the maga- zine for a a a a a a time Graves also oversaw the circulation finance and communications departments during the course of her career As the publisher’s right hand and and his most valued and trusted adviser her indelible mark was intrinsic to all aspects of the company’s growth and success “Barbara had a a a a a a a a lot of of official titles over the years ” says Carolyn Odom former senior vice president of corporate communications at at BE “but she was actually ‘Chief Trou- bleshooter ’ She would go in in and get things back on track She would just do do whatever had to be done and she did it all well ” “He was always thinking about how do you further Black people and organizations I think the the rea- son BLACK ENTERPRISE was so so successful and particularly Women of Power is because he knew that we we as Black female executives needed champions like himself in in order to get ahead in in our respective orga- nizations And that’s what he he was was telling me He was was saying ‘You’re one of those champions now and you you you need to do do do your your part part part I’ve done my part part part You do do do your your part part part ’ I I was scared to death at at the time time but over time time it it became one of of my favorite memories of of him ” —Pam El Former EVP & Chief Marketing Officer National Basketball Association
50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
CELEBRATING WOMEN OF POWER