December 31, 2021
On behalf of our Black Sports Professionals North Texas Executive Board, I want to thank you for your continued support during a very challenging 2021. Despite the lingering COVID-19 pandemic, our leadership laid out lofty goals based on our four core pillars and we worked hard to meet and exceed our objectives.
Highlights from our past 12 months:
Awareness & Outreach: Chapter members touched more than 1,500 students and organizations as guest speakers, lecturers and panelists talking about career opportunities in the sports industry.
Career Advancement: Over 10 Executive Board members and chapter members earned promotions and landed new roles with leading sports organizations such as American Airlines Center, Dallas Fan Fares, Dallas Wings/Panther City Lacrosse, Genesco, Golden State Warriors, Keurig Dr Pepper, NBA, Southland Conference, Utah Jazz and Western Athletic Conference.
Professional Development: Throughout the year, Programs & Events Committee chair Kelli Frazier put together a strong group to plan at least one program every month to provide our members access to the best sports industry leaders and expertise available. Our programs included our popular Get in the Game! series and networking events.
Scholarships: Under the leadership of Scholarship Committee chair Cherise Lee, we participated in our first-ever North Texas Giving Day, raising $2,925 from 41 contributors. She led the selection of the eight students with North Texas ties receiving our first-ever BSPNTX scholarships. The chapter awarded $10,500 in scholarship dollars to support undergraduate and graduate students looking to pursue careers in the sports industry.
Marketing: Kimberly Francois led our Marketing Committee in developing a graphic identity for the chapter, producing graphics that ensured our marketing materials had a consistent look and feel to match our messaging. She also produced the chapter's first-event brand and style guide. We wish her all the best as she has departed North Texas for a professional opportunity with the Golden State Warriors.
Communications: Communications Committee chair Scottie Rodgers took our messaging and digital reach to new levels by launching our website (BSPNTX.com), reclaiming our Twitter handle and revamping our overall direction on social media that has extended the chapter's brand locally and nationally as a leading organization for Black sports professionals.
Finance: Vice President and Treasurer Greer Christian established financial processes and procedures to put the chapter in position to finish with its best year financially in the history of the organization.
Community & Mentoring: Mr. CommUNITY and Vice President Breon Dennis led our mentoring program for all new members who desired to connect with a mentor and hosted multiple virtual happy hours/in-person networking events to ensure our members continue to connect mentally and physically and get to know each other.
Membership: Destiny Price led our Membership Committee's efforts to retain and attract chapter members through digital and in-person outreach, getting feedback via our membership survey and working with the BSP National office.
Sponsorship & Fundraising: Wesley Nakwaasah took over on the role of Sponsorships & Fundraising Committee chair and orchestrated a partnership with Reveal Suits. As a part of this agreement, two scholarship recipients are receiving custom-tailored outfits courtesy of Reveal Suits Founder and Chief Executive Officer Carlton Dixon. We are excited to have Reveal Suits join our founding partner, the Dallas Mavericks. We look forward to Wesley introducing BSPNTX to more partners in the coming year.
Administration: Thanks to our secretary Nyzhe Primas, the chapter's administrative operations ran smoothly all year with regular monthly board meetings with timely agendas, minutes and committee reports. We also had our first Executive Board retreat, which allowed us an opportunity to have strategic, meaningful discussions on the direction of the chapter.
We are excited to have LaDondra Wilson, Dallas Wings Vice President for Social Responsibility and Executive Director of the Dallas Wings Community Foundation, join our Executive Board to help us take our administrative processes to the next level as we continue to grow as a chapter.
While we are proud of our accomplishments this past year, we still have a lot more to do to serve and amplify Black sports professionals in North Texas. Several sports organizations in the area have little or no diversity at the C-suite or management level. We look forward to partnering with more North Texas-centric sports organizations to make the Dallas-Fort Worth area the best place to work, live and play!
Please join BSPNTX today and join us in this journey in 2022. Happy New Year!
Larry Lundy
BSPNTX President
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