Brown, Howard, Martin, Moran and Pittman join Racing Toward Diversity Advisory Board
Jennifer Brown, Founder & CEO of Jennifer Brown ConsultingJennifer Brown is the Founder & CEO of Jennifer Brown Consulting, a certified woman- and LGBT-owned strategic leadership and diversity workplace consulting firm based in New York. JBC’s guiding principle is to transform human potential by creating more inclusive and therefore innovative workplaces, while aligning individual performance with organizational results. The company provides consulting, facilitation, coaching, workshops, products and seminars that unleash the power of traditional and diverse talent. The Company’s groundbreaking diversity expertise and models have informed corporate strategies at Cisco, Toyota Financial Services, Disney, Wells Fargo, McKesson, Bank of America, and many others. Jennifer is an acknowledged expert on future workplace practices, specializing in career dynamics for women, LGBT, and emerging leaders.
Web site - http://www.jenniferbrownconsulting.com Twitter - http://twitter.com/jenniferbrown
Reggie Howard - President and Executive Director of the United Athletes FoundationReggie Howard is the current President and Executive Director of the United Athletes Foundation. After a life-altering injury during his senior season as a collegiate football player, Reggie persevered and reached his goal of becoming an NFL player, spending five seasons with the Carolina Panthers and two seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He is a strong advocate of community service and has worked with the United Way, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, United Negro College Fund, Young Family YMCA, St. Jude Hospital and the Boys and Girls Club. Reggie is also the founder of his own initiative, the Reggie Howard Foundation, whose mission is to build self-esteem among children, teach them the value of setting goals, and give kids today a better chance at becoming the leaders of tomorrow.
Mr. Howard is a graduate of the University of Memphis where he earned a degree in Marketing/Management as well as the “Outstanding Young Alumni Award”. He has participated in the Stanford University Entrepreneurship Program, Kellogg University Business Internship Program, Wachovia Wealth Management Internship Program and High School Coaching Internship Program.
Reggie is also the founder of Howdel Trucking Inc., a loving husband and a proud father of three.
Twitter https://twitter.com/reggiehoward
Mirta M. Martin, Ph.D. Dr. Mirta M. Martin serves as Dean and Professor of Management at the Reginald F. Lewis College of Business. Martin holds a baccalaureate degree in psychology and political science from Duke University; an MBA from the University of Richmond; and a doctorate with an emphasis on strategic management and leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her career involves work in both the public and private sectors.
As a senior banking executive, Martin was recognized as a highly effective and innovative practitioner, positioning companies for growth and profitability via leadership in strategic planning, investment management, operations, business development and legislative advocacy. Dr. Martin’s higher education experience is equally diverse and successful. She has served as tenured professor and Interim Dean at Averett University, Associate Dean and Executive Director of the Management Institute at the University of Richmond’s Robins’ School of Business, Executive Vice President and Executive Director of the John Tyler Community College Foundation and Special Assistant to the Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System.
Governor Bob McDonnell appointed Dr. Martin to the Commission on Higher Education Reform, Innovation and Investment and to the State Board for Community Colleges, where she serves as Chair of the Audit Committee. She also serves as ex-officio member on behalf of the Secretary of Education to the Virginia Latino Advisory Board. Former Governor Tim Kaine appointed Martin to the Virginia Council on the Status of Women. She is active in many educational, civic and charitable organizations serving among others, as President of the Virginia Latino Higher Education Network (VALHEN), Chair of the Hispanic College Institute, Co-Chair of the Citizenship, Core Values and Innovation Team/Strategic Planning Committee for Chesterfield County Public Schools; director for the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce, the Metropolitan Business League, Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME), and Safe Harbor.
Under Dr. Martin’s leadership, the Reginald F. Lewis School of Business made history by delivering its core curriculum through digital textbooks at no cost to its students. Six semesters after its implementation, the program has increased student retention by over 30% and has resulted in out-of-pocket savings to students in excess of $1,121,000. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell awarded Martin and the School of Business his prestigious Governor’s Award for Technology in Innovation in Higher Education. The RichTech Technology Council awarded Martin and the Business School its Innovation Deployment Award. In 2013, the school transitioned to a college status. Martin created a Foundation to benefit of the College of Business students.
Martin has received many awards for her volunteerism and commitment to education, including the Metropolitan Business League Humanitarian Award for Educational Excellence, the Hispanic College Fund Legacy Award, and The President of the United States’ Volunteer Service Award – President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.
Born in Havana, Cuba, Dr. Martin is the first in her family to attend college in the United States. She uses her interpersonal and cultural expertise to work diligently to create a pathway to achieving the American dream by actively promoting access to an affordable education.
Brian Moran Founder & CEO Brian Moran & AssociatesAs the Founder & CEO of Brian Moran & Associates, Brian is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs achieve their objectives & to run better businesses. Brian, along with a team of subject matter experts, leverages his 20+ years of experience in publishing magazines for business owners to assist entrepreneurs with everything from social media to accessing growth capital to expanding into the global marketplace.
Separately, Brian works with marketers targeting small business owners to increase their efficiency and effectiveness. A 2013 roster of clients includes: American Express OPEN Forum, Staples, Bank of Montreal, Visa, PEX Card, Hawkeye Management, The Company Corporation and Sage.
Prior to rejoining the world of entrepreneurship, Brian was the Executive Director of Sales Development at the Wall Street Journal where he oversaw the sales development and marketing programs for the financial and small business categories among the many Journal brands.
From 2002-2010, Brian was President of Veracle Media and Moran Media Group, two companies that provided relevant and practical information to business owners which helped them start, manage and grow their companies. The companies published three national magazines for the small-to-midsize business market: Small Business Success, Urban Success and Winning Bids.
In addition to magazines, the companies partnered with many leading small business organizations in running workshops, seminars and national conferences aimed at various segments of the small business market.
Prior to running his own businesses, Brian was the Associate Publisher at Inc. Magazine, a Publisher and Associate Publisher at Entrepreneur Media and held managment positions at Success Magazine and Medical Economics Magazine.
In August, 2012, Brian was given the prestigious Lou Campanelli award at SCORE’s national conference in recognition for his years of service in the small business market.
In 2012 and 2013, Brian was named one of the top 100 SMB Influencers in the country by Small Business Trends & Small Biz Technology.
Brian is a graduate of Marquette University’s School of Journalism.
Charles V. Pittman Senior Vice President - Publishing at Schurz Communications, Inc.
On August 1, 2002 Mr. Pittman was named Senior Vice President – Publishing, at Schurz Communications, Inc., a communications media holding company, publishers of the South Bend Tribune and eleven other daily papers. It also has interests in radio, television, cable television, and advertising shoppers in California, Indiana, Maryland, Florida, Missouri, Virginia & Georgia.
Mr. Pittman began his career with Lee Enterprises as publisher of the Herald & Review in Decatur, IL., in 1996, and became vice president of the former Lee Central Newspaper Publishing Group in 1997. He became publisher of the Quad-City Times, in 1998, with additional responsibility for the Muscatine Journal, Thrifty Nickel and other Lee operations in the region.
He has been a frequent speaker at community gatherings, especially ones aimed at helping and inspiring young people, and he has personally led the newspaper’s “Let’s Read” campaign. His many board memberships include United Way of the Quad-Cities, Davenport One, Renew Moline, Partnership for a Drug-Free Iowa, Quad-City Scholars and the Quad-City Botanical Center.
Before joining Lee, he was new media advertising manager at the Charlotte Observer in North Carolina and a general executive in Knight-Ridder’s corporate executive training program. For seven years before that, he was classified advertising manager for the Times Publishing Co. In Erie, PA., He also served three years as marketing and promotion director at Erie and wrote a weekly sports column. He also has been a seminar discussion leader at the American Press institute in Reston, VA, and from 1973 to 1980, he was vice president of consumer lending at a bank in Erie. From 1970 to 1973, he played professional football for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Baltimore Colts.
Pittman holds an M.B.A. degree from Gannon University in Erie and a B.S. degree in business administration from Penn State University. While at Penn State, he was an Academic All-American and a Football All-American. He and his wife, Maurese, have two daughters, Kira and Mauresa, and a son, Tony.