NAMIC to Celebrate 15th Anniversary of L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program at 22nd...

NAMIC to Celebrate 15th Anniversary of L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program at
22nd Annual Conference
NBA All-Star and Philanthropist Allan Houston to Deliver Keynote Address

NEW YORK, Aug. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association for
Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) will celebrate the 15th anniversary
of its L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program at a special luncheon scheduled
for Tuesday, September 16, 2008. The event is being held in conjunction with
the 22nd Annual NAMIC Conference, Diversity Pipeline to Innovation. The
three-day Conference will take place September 14-16 at the New York Marriott
Marquis in Manhattan.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060705/NYW092LOGO )
Two-time NBA All-Star Allan Houston will deliver the keynote address at
NAMIC's L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Luncheon. An entrepreneur and
philanthropist, the former New York Knicks shooting guard is the founder of
the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation's Business Education and Development
Program. Originally established in Harlem, New York, the program, which
provides entrepreneurial mentoring for young adults 18 to 25, recently
expanded its reach to New Orleans and Chicago. Developed to empower young
people socially, intellectually, professionally and spiritually, Houston's
program provides aspiring entrepreneurs with training in negotiation,
networking, economics, marketing and other aspects of business. At the
conclusion of the educational and mentoring portion, two entrepreneurs are
chosen to enter the Allan Houston / Lenovo Small Business Incubator to receive
an additional year of support including free office space, a team of advisors
to help guide the implementation of their Business Plans, and up to $20,000 in
start-up capital.
"For fifteen years, NAMIC's L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program has
served as an excellent resource for professionals seeking guidance outside of
traditional, company-sponsored training and development initiatives," said
Kathy Johnson, president, NAMIC. "We look forward to celebrating the program,
which has greatly contributed to the growing pipeline of diverse talent within
the communications industry."
Established in 1993, NAMIC's mentoring program was renamed in 1997 in
honor of the late L. Patrick Mellon, an ESPN executive who was one of the
trade organization's founding members and one of the cable industry's most
respected mentors. The goal of the L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program is to
facilitate diversity in the communications industry by making mentors
available to NAMIC members to assist them with their career advancement
strategies. Committed top-level industry professionals are recruited to serve
as mentors to NAMIC members for a nine-month period, providing support,
guidance and career advice throughout the program term.
The Walter Kaitz Foundation is the sponsor of the L. Patrick Mellon
Mentorship Luncheon. For more information on the L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship
Luncheon or to register for the 22nd Annual NAMIC Conference, visit
www.namic.com or contact NAMIC at 212-594-5985 or info@namic.com.
About NAMIC
NAMIC (National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications) is the
premier organization focusing on multi-ethnic diversity in the communications
industry. Founded in 1980 as a non-profit trade association, today NAMIC is
comprised of 2,000 professionals belonging to a network of 17 chapters
nationwide. Through initiatives that focus on education, advocacy and
empowerment, NAMIC champions equity and inclusion in the workforce, with
special attention given to ensuring that the leadership cadres of our nation's
communications industry giants reflect the multi-ethnic richness of the
populations they serve. For more information, please visit www.namic.com.
About The Allan Houston Legacy Foundation
The Allan Houston Legacy Foundation is making a difference in our
community through two innovative and meaningful programs -- Business Education
& Development Program and the "Father Knows Best" Basketball Retreat. The
Allan Houston Legacy Foundation is a registered public 501(c) 3, non-profit
organization based in New York City. Its mission is to facilitate individual
and collective growth through initiatives that -- 1) Restore a strong family
unit, 2) Provide economic empowerment through entrepreneurship, 3) Encourage
education and life skill development, and 4) Enhance spiritual growth. For
more information on the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation, please visit the
official website at www.AllanHouston.com.
SOURCE NAMIC

Daphne Leroy, Vice President, Marketing & Communications, NAMIC,
+1-212-594-5985, office, daphne.leroy@namic.com; or Charmaine Chapman, BTB
Communications, +1-310-882-5498, office, char@btbcommunications.com, for
NAMIC