1988 ~ Ed Thompson (KSM ’88), BMA President, spearheaded efforts for the First Annual Minority Business Conference. The conference was a one-day (Saturday) event that focused on career development for black professionals in light of racial prejudice that exists in corporate America. The opening speaker was Jerry Williams of AM International and during the week of the conference, Mr. Williams became one of the first African-Americans to appear on the cover of Fortune Magazine. Roland Burris, Comptroller for the State of Illinois was the luncheon keynote speaker. Approximately 220 attended the conference at the James L. Allen Center.

1989 ~ Gregory Jeffries (KSM ’89) expanded the scope of the Second Annual Minority Business Conference by featuring a banquet Friday evening honoring the African-American alumni of Kellogg. The featured keynote speaker of the conference was Maynard Jackson, former mayor of Atlanta.

1990 ~ The third year of the conference saw the addition of the career information exchange to Friday’s events. The BMA established the alumni scholarship to assist African-American students in meeting financial requirements at Kellogg. Keynote speaker Bertram Lee spoke on the problems and challenges facing African-Americans in business in the 1990’s.

1991 ~ The BMA elected to change the name from the Minority Business Conference to the African-American Business Conference. The featured keynote speaker was Percy Sutton, Chairman, Inner City Broadcasting. Saturday evening entertainment saw the partnering of the African-American Business Association of the University of Chicago and the BMA for a gala at the Hyatt Regency, Chicago.

1992 ~ Year five saw the continued expansion of Friday’s events by adding a jazz showcase after the Alumni Banquet. Mr. Robert Johnson, Founder & President of BET, spoke to the theme of leveraging our experience and resources to change the future.

1993 ~ In year six, key events included a contribution of party proceeds to the Cabrini Green Youth and Family Services, a panel discussion on UJAMAA, highlighting cooperative economics for African-Americans in Africa. The featured keynote speaker, Roland Burris, Attorney General of Illinois, enthralled the conference with a stimulating presentation.

1994 ~ The BMA decided it was time to “Shift the Scales” and thus implemented the “Black Think Tank” to address the issue of welfare reform. Mr. Bruce Lewellyn, CEO of the Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company was the featured keynote speaker.

1995 ~ The 8th Conference continued the tradition of growth and improvement by concentrating on “Mapping the Future of Tomorrow’s Leaders”. Key topics focused on the link between business schools and the BE 100 firms. Dr. Clifton Wharton, former Chairman and CEO of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association – College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA – CREF), addressed strategies for success in corporate America and in everyday life.

1996 ~ With the theme, “The 21st Century Black Professional: Evolving, Excelling, Emerging”, the conference saluted past leaders and highlighted the mature leaders of the 21 st century. The conference made a point of recognizing not only corporate leaders but also African-American women and entrepreneurs. Keynote speaker, Bob Holland, President and CEO of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc., shared a passionate story detailing his ascension to the highest executive position in corporate America.

1997 ~ The 10th BMA Conference focused on the implications of a global economy on African-American business professionals. “Transcending All Boundaries” was the underlying theme that challenged conference participants to investigate the expanding business opportunities for African-Americans in emerging international markets. The featured keynote speaker was Harvard lecturer Dennis Hightower.

1998 ~ The 11th BMA Conference, held in downtown Chicago, focused on the theme of “Moving Forward by Giving Back: Building Wealth through Business, Community and Politics.” The panels addressed key areas of wealth creation and sustainable community development. U.S. Senator Carol Moseley-Braun ( Illinois) was the featured keynote speaker.

1999 ~ The 12th BMA Conference focused on developing clear, personal, and collective visions for the future. “Shaping a New Vision from a Proud History” presented tools for success for African-American business professionals in the new millennium. A true pioneer of African- American business, John H. Johnson, delivered the keynote address.

2000 ~ The theme of the 13th BMA Conference was “Leadership in Action: Spanning the Management Spectrum.” At the dawn of the new millennium, we explored the leadership roles of African-American managers and entrepreneurs play in corporate America, education, government, the arts and our communities. The keynote address was delivered by Terri Gardner, President of Soft Sheen Products, Inc.

2001 ~ The theme of the 14th BMA Conference was “New Economy, New Technology, New Millennium: Strategies for Success in a Knowledge-Driven Society.” This conference provided our participants with personal and professional strategies for success in the face of the growing challenges and opportunities present in the new economy.

2002 ~ The theme of the 15th BMA Conference was “Building and Sustaining Wealth in our Communities.” Through educational workshops and the keynote address given by JoAnn Price, Managing Partner, Fairview Capital Partners, Inc., participants gained a deeper understanding of how to create, maintain, and distribute wealth.

2003 ~ The theme of the 16th BMA Conference was “Self – Family – Community – Career: Striving for a Winning Combination”. The conference was designed to give participants a plan of action for living a balanced lifestyle. The keynote speakers were Wendy Lewis (KSM ’95), VP of Major League Baseball; Jylla Moore Foster, President & CEO, Crystal Stairs, Inc.; and James Reynolds, Jr. (KSM ’82) Co-Founder, Chairman, & CEO, Loop Capital Markets.

2004 ~ The theme of the 17th BMA Conference was “Leaving a Legacy: Enjoying the Journey.” The conference was a held in the month of February in honor of Black History Month. Given the earlier timing, a new component was introduced: a career fair. Keynote speakers included Illinois State Senator Barack Obama; Carole Brown (KSM ’89), SVP Lehman Brothers and Chairman, Chicago Transit Authority; and John Rogers, Chairman and CEO, Ariel Capital Management, LLC.

2005 ~ The theme of the 18th BMA Conference was “Future Focus: Grooming a New Era of Leaders.” It examined the development and promotion of emerging leaders and how they use innovative strategies to solve some of the most pressing business and political issues. Speakers included U.S. Senator Barack Obama (Illinois); Hermene Hartman, Publisher Savoy Magazine; Linda Johnson Rice (KSM ’87), President and CEO, Johnson Publishing Company, Inc.; Carol H. Williams, Founder & CEO, Carol H. Williams Advertising; and Kenard Gibbs (KSM ’94), President, Vibe Magazine. The conference made history with the introduction of the Venture Capitalist in Residence Program.

2006 ~ The theme of the 19th BMA Conference was “Influencing the World: Building Intellectual, Economic & Social Capital.” The mission was to demonstrate how the world’s most influential leaders leverage these three forms of capital as a means of meeting professional and personal objectives. The conference featured five CEO level keynote speakers: Aylwin Lewis, Sears Holdings Co.; Renetta McCann, Starcom MediaVest Group; Clarence Otis, Jr., Darden Restaurants Inc.; Randal Pinkett, BCT Partners, winner of NBC’s “The Apprentice” 2005; Quintin Primo III, Capri Capital Advisors. John Clendenin, Founder of ICLogistics, delivered a special address during the traditional Sunday gospel brunch.