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Keynote Speaker – Dr. Randal D. Pinkett

Dr. Randal D. Pinkett

Dr. Randal Pinkett has established himself as an entrepreneur, speaker, author and community servant. He is the founder, chairman and CEO of BCT Partners, a multimillion-dollar consulting firm based in Newark, NJ, that specializes in program management, information technology and public policy. BCT Partners is a minority-owned and operated company and one of the leading firms in the country with expertise in the following industries: housing and community development, economic development, healthcare, human services and education. Dr. Pinkett was also named the winner of NBC’s hit reality television show, The Apprentice, with Donald Trump. He was selected as one of 18 candidates chosen from among 1 million applicants to compete for the opportunity to run one of Donald Trump’s companies.

Prior to founding BCT Partners, Dr. Pinkett gained corporate experience as a Member of Technical Staff at General Electric, AT&T Bell Laboratories, and Lucent Technologies. Dr. Pinkett holds five degrees including: a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Rutgers University, that he completed while serving as captain of the men’s track and field team as a high jumper and long jumper; a Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of Oxford in England; and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, MBA, and Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 2009, Dr. Pinkett was named to New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine’s official shortlist as a potential running mate for Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey.

Dr. Pinkett has received numerous awards including the following: National Society of Black Engineers–Entrepreneur of the Year Award, National Urban League–Business Excellence Award, Information Technology Senior Management Forum–Beacon Award, and he has been recognized by USA TODAY newspaper as one of the top 20 scholars in the country. Also, Dr. Pinkett has been featured on nationally televised programs such as The Today Show, Live with Regis and Kelly, Nightline and Larry King Live. He has served as a brand ambassador for Verizon Communications and Outback Steakhouse, and a spokesperson for Autism Speaks, the National Black MBA Association, the Miller Urban Entrepreneurs Series, New Jersey Reads and Junior Achievement of New York. Most notably, Dr. Pinkett was the first and only African-American to receive a Rhodes Scholarship at Rutgers University.

Dr. Pinkett is a highly sought-after speaker for various corporations, colleges and universities, government agencies and community organizations. He is the author of Campus CEO: The Student Entrepreneur’s Guide to Launching a Multimillion-Dollar Business and No-Money Down CEO: How to Start Your Dream Business with Little or No Cash. His forthcoming book, Black Faces in White Places, to be released in 2010, presents the ten strategies African Americans use to successfully navigate today’s rapidly changing professional landscape. Dr. Pinkett is a proud graduate of Leadership New Jersey and the Rockefeller Foundation’s Next Generation Leadership program. He is member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF), as well as a member of the board of directors for the New Jersey Public Policy Research Institute (NJPPRI), the Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network (N-TEN) and the National Visionary Leadership Project (NVLP).

Born in Philadelphia and raised in New Jersey, Dr. Pinkett attends First Baptist Church in Somerset, NJ, where he resides. He is happily married to his wife, Zahara, and they are both proud parents of their daughter, Amira. Dr. Pinkett firmly believes that “to whom much is given, much is expected,” so throughout his endeavors he places great emphasis on his desire to give back to the community.

For more information, please visit: http://www.randalpinkett.com