Being HERE on Aug 7-8 is a MUST
OUR AMAZING SPONSORS
OUR PHENOMENAL SPEAKERS
Our lineup of speakers includes industry leaders, innovators, and experts who will share their insights and experiences to help you navigate the ever-evolving business landscape.
Larry D. Ivory
President | Founder
Illinois State Black Chamber of Commerce
Chairman, National Black Chamber of Commerce
Sen. James Clayborne, JR
Moderator
Former Illinos State
Senator
Brian Brown
The Brian Brown Companies
Darnita A. Lee
Chief of Staff Capital Development Board
Derrick Whitehead
President and CEO at Alpha Incorporated
Jamie Rhee
Commissioner
Chicago Airport Authority
Robert Johnson
Chief Equity Officer @ Bezos Academy
Rev Mitchell Ikenna Johnson
Groundswell & Host of Straight Talk Radio
George Ray III
Senior Director Franchise Ascension Initiatives Int’l Franchise Association
Melvin Buckley
Nyasha Dube
CFO Zimgoods
Marlon Mitchell
New Business of the Year Award Emergent Ethos - President & COO
Jonah Mushayi
Minister Coundellor Trade and Investment
Dr. Tonderai D. Tela
President ZimExpo
Hilary Scott-Ogunrinde
Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
Anesu Manjengwa
CEO ZimExpo
Jared Brunk
Chief Administrative Officer
for the Illinois Department of Corrections
Jacenta Wilson
Agency Procurement Officer
Management of procurements for both the Illinois Department of Corrections and the Prisoner Review Board.
Dr. Timothy L. Killeen
President of the University of Illinois
Getting Down to Business
with the Illinois State Black Chamber of Commerce
Some of the highlighted scheduled events...
Day 1 | 9AM
Show Up, Follow-Up, Keep It Up, and Don’t Give Up
Day 1 | 10AM
One-on-One Matchmaking Sessions
Day 1 | 2PM
Access to Capital and Information on Grants
Day 2 | 10:45AM
How to Make Money Work for You the Secrets of the Rich
DAY 2 | 1:45pM
Leveraging Tech/AI for Your Business
Day 2 | 2:45PM
The Power of Franchising to Close Wealth Gap
COMPANIES THAT ARE READY TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU
FASHION SHOW EVENT
This year we have the world renowned fashion designer, Berny Martin bringing Paris to us on August 7th. “Elegance” A Fusion of Fashion & Beauty is an event you won’t want to miss!
Berny Martin
A Haitian-American fashion designer and founder of Catou, an internationally-recognized line of men’s and women’s professional wear
LaDonna Raeh
President, Raeh Consulting
Marketing/Advertising Engineer
Website designer and Media Communications Certified
Lorenzo T. Hughes
Fashion Show Emcee
Mindset Speaker and Human Rights Certified
Director/Producer/Actor
DYNAMIC PERFORMERS
This year’s “Getting Down to Business” Conference is proud to present an exceptional lineup of performers! Each bringing their unique talent and energy to the stage. This year’s performances are set to entertain and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of our black business community.
Slick Pastor
Nigel “Tha Slick Pastor”. Comedian/inspirational speaker spreads love,light & laughter in his creative work. He has hilarious comedy & uplifting inspirational talks.
Alleece Baker
Gifted musical artist and worship leader whose powerful singing voice has inspired secular, religious, and theatrical audiences for more than fifteen years.
Andre Johnson
STL comedic actor of DreDayTv, 200+ million views on YouTube and TikTok. He engages with community by speaking at schools and participating in charity events.
Some of our registered attendees...
