Alabama State University News March 10, 2011 CEO Challenges HBCU Conference Attendees to Dream Big By Timothy C. Ervin Attendees of the first-ever ASU HBCU Conference were encouraged to dream big during the closing session held on Thursday, March 10. Johnetta Boseman Hardy, founder and CEO of JB Hardy Solutions Group LLC., challenged attendees of the first-ever Alabama State University HBCU Conference to continue to dream big. Hardy served as keynote speaker for the closing session of the four-day conference on March 10 in the Ralph D. Abernathy Hall auditorium. "In today's society, we can no longer depend on working for corporate America or for the private sector," Hardy said. "We must discover how to take risks and start our own business ventures creating our own wealth and giving back to our community." Hardy said entrepreneurship is not just about making a profit. It is a mindset and an opportunity to be an agent for change. "All entrepreneur endeavors start with who you are, what you know and whom you know," she said. "And in today's economy there is rising inflation; there is unemployment. Entrepreneurship is the engine that will bring this economy back on track. The business of America is about small business and entrepreneurship." Entrepreneurs, scholars, government officials, small business owners, students, corporations and representatives from federal, state and local agencies from around the country converged on ASU's campus for the ASU HBCU Conference and had the opportunity to learn about business development, entrepreneurship, grants, contracting and fellowships, with a special focus in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. "Science, technology, engineering and mathematics are where a lot of funding is available and one of the places America feels will help give us a competitive edge to help keep us a global leader," said Tammi L. Thomas, ASU alumna and the vice president for strategic management for Data Solutions & Technology Incorporated (DST). ASU President William H. Harris said during his closing remarks that one cannot think about entrepreneurship without thinking globally, and ASU is committed to supporting ideas of entrepreneurship. "We must be committed to understanding that the world is huge and small at the same time," Harris said. "ASU is committed to supporting ideas of entrepreneurship and we are doing it not by words but by deeds. ASU is committed to this idea of global entrepreneurship - making the world a place that is one business community." Hardy hopes conference attendees will continue to open their minds, ask questions, think, imagine and see what they can do to improve the quality of life for those who depend on their knowledge, skills and abilities. "Don't be afraid to dream and to live that dream," she said. "In order to be a success in life you must be able to dream big." SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.