Five professional black groups unite for fun and synergy
By Bill Beene
Of the St. Louis American
It was “Nothing but Networking” for five professional African-American organizations last Thursday evening at The Loft.
For the second consecutive year, these organizations – National Black MBAs, National Association of Black Engineers (NSBE), National Association of Black Accounts (NABA), National Data Processors Association (NDPA) and Urban League Young Professionals (ULYP) – came together for “an impressive collaboration.”
“I met a lot of wonderful people and got the opportunity to network with a number of people from professional organizations, and we don’t get that opportunity in the city that often,” said Ramona Tumblin-Rucker, president of NSBE and assistant project manager for McCarthy.
“The most beautiful thing is that it was a joint collaboration, and we definitely need to do more things together more often,” the NSBE president said.
Nothing but Networking creator John Haigler, a member of the ULYP, and accredited asset management specialist for AG Edwards, said the annual event has a goal of growing, creating scholarships next year and procuring more sponsors. This year’s sponsor was Jack Daniel’s.
Haigler said he created the event in conjunction with the NCCA Tournament.
“During the tournament, I was looking to bring basketball and the organization together,” Haigler, an avid basketball fan, said of the event, which included a miniature basketball game where players won prizes.
The event also included door prizes and networking-bingo, allowing attendees to get to know one another by asking and filling in answers to questions on the bingo board.
“It went well – people were satisfied with the games and they got to know other organizations like the Mound City Bar Association,” said Kwame Ofari, treasurer for NSBE and a flight controls engineer at Boeing.
While Haigler founded Nothing but Networking, Ofari came up with the event’s name.
“I wanted to make it fun, but professional,” Ofari said adding, that, like the NCAA, “it involves advancing people’s careers.”
About 400 people attended the event, raising money for each organization’s prospective community organization and junior offshoots.
“We’re showing kids that there are more opportunities out there, and the people who came through really helped in that effort,” said Ofari, marketing and promotions head of the event.
NBSE president Tumblin-Rucker called the event one-stop shopping for organizations people might be interested in. Organizations welcomed patrons with informational booths and literature.
She also said the collaboration is open to other professional African-American organizations.
“We invited any African-American organization that wants to collaborate with us – it isn’t a closed group of folks,” she said. “We’re interested in anyone who wants to join us.”
