August 2011 Greater Harrisburg's Community Newspaper - theBurg

Around Town
Opening Doors
Groups aid African-American businesses.
Faith Camp
Business leaders: Leland Nelson and M. Robert
Jackson of the African-American Chamber of
Commerce of Central Pa.
M
. Robert Jackson founded the
African-American Chamber of
Commerce of Central Pennsylvania to
change the perception of minorityowned
business. He has done so in
the 20 years since with a network of
business professionals.
One of those professionals,
Dirty Dog Hauling’s President Leland
Nelson, took the chamber’s reigns
earlier this year from Jackson, who
stepped down after two decades. As
the organization grows, Nelson said it
will continue to “identify, certify, assist
and advocate for minority business
enterprises.”
A few years ago, another
professional, Angela Mitchell, noticed
a networking gap in the Harrisburgarea
minority business community.
“When I asked other minority
professionals what they planned
on doing for the weekend, they
would often say they were going
to Philadelphia, Baltimore or D.C.
for networking or socializing
opportunities,” she said.
Seeing a need, Mitchell, in 2008,
founded the Greater Harrisburg
Chapter of the National Black MBA
Association Inc., where she serves
as president. It became a bona fide
chapter of the national organization
the following year.
Today, the chamber and MBA
work together to open more doors for
businesses.
“I wondered why there were
so few of these opportunities for
minorities right here in our state’s
capital,” Mitchell said. “I wanted to start
a chapter here to fill the missing link in
this area.”
Mitchell said the 100-member
organization, MBA’s 41st chapter, is
comprised of business professionals
and graduate students representing
diverse industries.
Both the chamber and MBA
conduct business seminars to
provide networking opportunities
and mentoring, teach entrepreneurs
to write business proposals, plan
business strategies and provide
some start-up money for budding
entrepreneurs.
Last fall, the two groups joined
forces for a “Business Boot Camp,”
where they awarded $2,500 to
Jonathan Z. Queen for his Harrisburgbased
publishing house, NewMindz.
Seven entrepreneurs also were
selected for the “5 for 25” challenge in
which each had to pitch their idea to a
panel of judges.
Earlier this year, boot camp
participants had an opportunity
to gain capital by submitting an
executive summary of their business
plans. The winner received $1,000.
“It’s not merely enough for
African-American business owners
to survive, they must thrive,” Mitchell
said. “We want to make sure they have
the tools to do so.”
Helping MBA and the chamber
provide these tools is “the strong
support of our corporate partners—
Hershey Entertainment and Resorts,
Prudential, PNC, Highmark, Wachovia
Bank and The Touch 95.3 FM,” Mitchell
said.
MBA also has awarded more than
$25,000 in college scholarships to high
school students through its Leaders of
Tomorrow program.
This fall, MBA’s 44 chapters will
meet for their national conference
in Harrisburg. “This is definitely an
honor and a huge achievement.”
Mitchell said. “I am excited about this
opportunity and proud of what we
have accomplished.”
For more on the Greater Harrisburg Chapter of
the National Black MBA Association Inc., visit
www.nbmbaa.org/GreaterHarrisburg; for the
African-American Chamber of Commerce of
Central Pennsylvania, visit aacccp.com.
8 TheBurg