BLACK ENTERPRISE Celebrates 40 Years of Listing America's Largest Black Companies

NEW YORK, May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- BLACK ENTERPRISE (BE) will mark 40 years of listing America's largest black companies on Friday, May 25, 2012 as the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide culminates with the BE100s Anniversary Celebration and Awards Dinner at the Chicago Hilton. The evening, presented by Dell, a worldwide provider of innovative technology and business solutions, is expected to draw more than 1,000 African American executives, businesses owners and professionals to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first publication of the magazine's flagship roster, the BE100s, which is widely lauded as the most authoritative analysis and ranking of the nation's top grossing black-owned companies.

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When BE first compiled its top 100 in 1973, combined sales for the 100 component companies totaled $473 million. Today, the top 100 African American industrial/service companies—the core of the BE 100s report—collectively grossed more than $18.7 billion. The list has become the cornerstone of Black Enterprise magazine's June issue. "While a monumental undertaking, it's truly is a labor of love for us to report the state of African American business success in the US, highlighting the achievements of intrepid entrepreneurs at the helms of top-flight organizations while informing our audience exactly how these BE 100s CEOs and their teams build and maintain sustainable enterprises," says BLACK ENTERPRISE President & CEO Earl "Butch" Graves Jr. "Year after year, while reporting on the moves of the best of the best, we are constantly surprised and awed by their boundless ingenuity.  They ideate and innovate and then execute and excel, and we're proud to celebrate this achievement."   

The BE100s Anniversary Celebration and Awards Dinner presented by Dell commences at 8:00 p.m. in the International Ballroom of the Chicago Hilton and can be viewed via live stream at www.blackenterprise.com/ec. "Dell's commitment to the growth of small businesses goes well beyond the products and solutions they sell. For that reason, we welcome their enthusiastic participation in honoring our BE100s Companies for innovation and bold moves by African Americans in business," says Derek T. Dingle, SVP, Editor-in-Chief, Black Enterprise magazine. "We are also most grateful to host Nationwide Insurance, our Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo title sponsor for the second consecutive year, for their ongoing commitment to promoting minority business and for making this milestone occasion a reality." 

Daily registration for the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo is available on-site at the Chicago Hilton on South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, and by calling 312-294-6610. The June 2012 issue of BLACK ENTERPRISE—with complete BE 100s rankings, full eligibility criteria, and company of the year overviews—hits newsstands on June 5, 2012.

The 2012 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference + Expo hosted by Nationwide is presented by American Express OPEN, Ariel Investments, Buick (GM), Dell, Google, PepsiCo and Walmart. Platinum sponsors include FedEx Express, Fifth Third Bank, Mass Mutual, and Wendy's International. Corporate sponsors include ALiveLook, American Airlines, Angel Venture Forum, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Monster, The David Paterson Show, PR Newswire, RW Group and WVON-AM 1690. Partner sponsor is The Boss Network.

BLACK ENTERPRISE, your source of Wealth for Life, is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Since 1970, BE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Every month, BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine provides 4 million readers with information on entrepreneurship, careers, and financial management. A multimedia company, BE also produces television programming, business and lifestyle events, Web content, and digital media. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the definitive source of information for and about African American business leaders, personal finance, careers and small business.  Visit www.blackenterprise.com for more information.

SOURCE BLACK ENTERPRISE