THURSDAY HIGHLIGHTS: Keynote Luncheon – Dr. Nat Irvin II
 By Sheryl S. JacksonSpeaker: Dr. Nat Irvin, II, W.M. Strickler Executive-in-Residence and professor of Management at the University of Louisville, College of Business. The keynote luncheon began with the presentation of two prestigious National Black MBA Association awards recognizing a company and a person who exemplify the goals of the Association and then was followed by an exciting look at how our world has and will continue to change. The Vanguard Group received the Silver Torch Award and Mayor Kasim Reed received the H. Naylor Fitzhugh Award. Dr. Nat Irvin II traced the history of innovation, along with the "What just happened" phrase as he talked about how photography changed the lives of painters and how the telegraph changed communication. With virtual worlds and reality merging in the form of performing avatars who are cheered at concerts and who sell products today, Irvin points out that our world is changing faster than we realize. Issues that Irvin promises we’ll face include: *Machines and humans will compete for jobs in the future *The merging of virtual worlds and reality will continue *Family structures will be redesigned *Women will be the dominant force of the future *Computers will disappear and Silicon Valley will be over by 2020 The most important step people can take to prepare for the future is to make sure your network is composed of a mix of people, says Irvin. "Get outside your area of expertise to gain experience," he says. "If you’re a young MBA, try something different and if you get lost, find your way back." He points out that you’ll learn more from the experience than if you follow a traditional path. Irvin adds, "Be open to new experiences because your biggest competitor in the future is your own view of the future." |
|
Print this articleNational Black MBA Association, Inc. ® | 400 W. Peachtree St. NW, Suite 203 | Atlanta, GA 30308 www.nbmbaa.org |