Black PR Wire Power Profiler on Barbara L. Thomas

As President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the National Black MBA Association's national office, located in Chicago, Ms. Barbara Thomas is responsible for oversight of strategic direction and all operations for the organization. She is on the cutting edge providing the latest tools and services needed to succeed in the business world. She readily accepts this challenge and consistently exceeds the members' expectations. Prior to her current position, Ms. Thomas served as the Vice President of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer with the NBMBAA. She has been a member of the association for over ten years, and served for four years as President of the Boston chapter.

Under Ms. Thomas' leadership, the NBMBAA has grown to more than 7,500 members strong and the annual conference attracts more than 13,000 attendees and the largest career fair in the United States with more than 400 of the Fortune 500 in attendance.

Ms. Thomas continually shows her leadership capabilities with a strong belief in community and a commitment to its development through economic and educational empowerment initiatives that support the global African American community.

She has created a pipeline of opportunity that leads from the high school classroom, through undergraduate education, into multiple levels of business, government and community development.

Spearheading initiatives which have facilitated a number of Fortune 500 and emerging new enterprises, she is a champion in addressing these companies needs for diverse talent, leadership and strategic planning initiatives.

Ms. Thomas created the Leadership Institute, a world-class leadership training program, which provides cost effective executive coaching for frontline managers, usually reserved for senior executives. And under her leadership, the National Black MBA Association formed the NBMBAA Career Success Network which provides resume workshops, practice interviews, private one-to-one coaching from human resources professionals, networking how-to's, and a variety of other necessities for minority applicants to be successful in today's business environment.

Under her guidance, the NBMBAA has become a leading organization for not only black business professionals, but for the entire business community.

Ms. Thomas received her undergraduate degree from Bernard Baruch College and her MBA from Columbia University. She worked for 25 years in the broadcasting industry at Columbia Broadcast System (CBS) and was the first Black woman to complete the CBS School of Management.

During her tenure at CBS, Ms. Thomas acquired training and experience in directing financial turn-arounds. Taking an early retirement from CBS, she applied her turn-around skills to the non-profit industry where she was able to transform and renew the financial status of several deteriorating organizations.

Ms. Thomas is a mother of two daughters and the grandmother of four. She remains very active in both church and community activities.