1.  The Hotel has Sold Out! The Four Seasons Hotel in Miami, FL (venue for our 19^th Annual Convention) has officially sold out.  However, we have a couple of dozen rooms in reserve.  To access these you must contact Kay DeBow immediately at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  They will probably go within the next 24 hours.  When that happens your alternative will be to seek another hotel nearby.  The following hotels are in the area:  Conrad Miami, 1395 Brickell Ave. ph#305-503-6500 -.1 miles away; JW Marriott-Miami, 1109 Brickell Ave. ph#305-329-3500 -.3 miles away; Viceroy Miami, 485 Brickell Ave. ph#305-503-0369 -.7 miles away; EPIC Hotel, 270 Biscayne Blvd Way, ph#305-424-5226 -.8 miles away; Hotel Urbano, 2500 Brickell Ave. -1 mile away.  We are going to have a record number of participants and that is so exciting!!!

2.  A Friend in a Very High Place: Several years ago when we inaugurated our French African Diaspora Chamber of Commerce in Paris, we had the pleasure of meeting France’s Minister of Finance through our board member and President of our French chapter, Patrick Lozes.  We found the minister to be quite charming and kind to us by giving our meeting two good hours in length.  The minister then provided a driver to take us back to our hotel.  It was the beginning of a smooth relationship.  Last Tuesday, our minister friend was named Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, IMF.  The Honorable Christine Lagarde is coming to DC to take helm of this very important development organization.  We look forward to her tenure and find this exciting in regards to what we are attempting to do in Africa.  Congratulations Madame Lagarde!

3. Victory at the Supreme Court: Last January the NBCC entered an Amicus Brief before the US Supreme Court.  It was concerning the case of Stern vs. Marshall.  It was a case dealing with estate and business succession.  We weighed in on behalf of the Marshall family.  Stern representing the estate of the late Anna Nicole Smith claimed that she was due serious money from the estate of the late Mr. Marshall because he verbally promised it to her one afternoon.  Her verbal claim was not supported by his formal will.  Through a series of legal maneuvers utilizing a bankruptcy court the challenge went all the way up to the Supreme Court where our position was upheld 5 – 4.  The victory assures business owners that their estates will be divided as they formally decree and not by a “he said, she said” claim.  We thank Lanny Davis and David Rivkin for their brilliant legal work in this matter.  The NBCC remains with a perfect record in presenting Amicus Briefs before the US Supreme Court.

4.  NBCC Chair is Honored: On June 21, 2011, NBCC Chair Arnold Baker was publicly honored with the prestigious Weiss Award for his humanitarian activity in the New Orleans community.  There were five others honored including NBCC friend Donna Brazile.  You do us proud guys!!

5.  Photos from Kenya Trip: Please view the pictures from our latest Kenya trip.  We thank board member Claude McDougal for making this collage of memorable activity with dignitaries of the Kenyan government.