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6 Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial rallies support for Fort Lauderdale conference Civil rights organization hosting conference in July 2015 JANUARY 24, 2014 SUN SENTINEL BY ARLENE SATCHELL With less than 18 months before Fort Lauderdale hosts the annual conference of one of the nation's oldest civil rights organization, preparations are ramping up. In a pep rally of sorts Friday, tourism officials and top executives of the National Urban League and its Broward County affiliate gave business and community leaders more insight into what's to come, and the resources needed to pull it off. "We will bring 10,000 of our friends, $8 million to $10 million in economic impact, and this is going to take a tremendous partnership," National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial told attendees at the Fort Lauderdale headquarters of the Urban League of Broward County. "We're excited." Held typically in the third to last week of July, the annual four-day event draws top U.S. politicians including presidents and presidential candidates, business and community movers and shakers, top policymakers and academicians from across the country to its host city. With its goal of networking, dialogue and outreach service, the conference acts as a forum for debate and discussion on policy issues and finding solutions for challenges affecting blacks and urban communities, according to the New York-based organization. "The Urban League conference is a chance not only for the community and visitors to get a taste of your community and experience your community, but a chance for your community to showcase itself to an audience far beyond South Florida," Morial said. "[The conference] can be a catalyst for your continuing efforts to build Sun Sentinel January 24, 2014 Page 1 of 3

7 Broward as a great destination for visitor events, including meetings of multicultural organizations like the Urban League." While exact dates for the Fort Lauderdale convention are pending, this year's conference will be July in Cincinnati. Last year, Philadelphia hosted the event, New Orleans in 2012 and Boston in "Each year it gets bigger, it gets better, it gets stronger, and we know that Broward County, Fort Lauderdale and sunny South Florida will help us raise the bar," Morial said. Bringing the conference to Fort Lauderdale was no small feat, the city beating out competitors like Atlanta, Houston, Minneapolis and Washington, D.C., to host in Morial attributed the city's success primarily to the leadership of its Broward affiliate, headed by Dr. Germaine Smith-Baugh, coupled with efforts of the tourism bureau. "This is a vote of confidence in Germaine's leadership," he said. "This is a partnership, and we can't do it without a strong affiliate that has support in the community and in mobilizing the community." Smith-Baugh partnered closely with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) to formulate a proposal to host the conference. That partnership paid off in February 2013, after nearly three years of planning, when the civil rights organization officially announced Fort Lauderdale as host city for Since then tourism officials have working to secure support for the event. "When there is a large event like this, community support financial support is very, very imperative," CVB President and CEO Nicki E. Grossman said Friday, noting that the money will be necessary to help fulfill the hosting commitments that have been made. Visit Florida, the state's marketing arm, has given $100,000 to the Urban League of Broward to help with its hosting duties, Grossman said. And other businesses are stepping up. TD Bank and Sunshine Health have joined the Broward tourism bureau as title sponsors for the event. The CVB and TD Bank have committed $150,000 for that sponsorship, while Sun Sentinel January 24, 2014 Page 2 of 3

8 Sunshine's parent company Centene has pledged $250,000 on the national level, with a portion going directly to Smith-Baugh's chapter. "It's going to take a lot of work," Smith-Baugh said Friday. "But we major in the impossible and this isn't even impossible. So we're going to make it rock. We're going to do great things." asatchell@tribune.com, or Twitter@TheSatchreport. Copyright 2014, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Sun Sentinel January 24, 2014 Page 3 of 3

9 URBAN LEAGUE OF BROWARD TO HOST NAT'L CONFERENCE 2015 National Urban League Conference to be held in Fort Lauderdale February 1, 2013 WPLG Local 10 News FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The Urban League of Broward County will host the 2015 National Urban League Conference, National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial and Urban League of Broward County President and CEO Dr. Germaine Smith- Baugh announced Thursday. The conference will take place the last week of July Dr. Smith-Baugh has been instrumental in establishing the Urban League of Broward County as the community s leading civic and social services organizations, and one of the most dynamic community outreach networks in the nation, said Morial. I can think of no better setting for a conference that is focused on effecting community change. I'm proud and thrilled to welcome the National Urban League Conference to the Broward County for 2015, Smith-Baugh said. Not only do Fort Lauderdale and Broward County represent an exciting cross-section of cultures, but we feel that our affiliate s thriving public and private partnerships throughout the region can be a model for the nation. It s about so much more than the $8 million economic impact that the National Urban League Conference brings to Broward County. It s about strengthening the community by becoming the destination of choice for the country's largest and most influential black professional organizations, said Nicki E. Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. The National Urban League Annual Conference is a national forum for debate and discussion on policy issues and creating solutions to the challenges confronting African Americans and urban communities. The 2013 Conference is scheduled for July in Philadelphia, followed by the 2014 Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. WPLG Local 10 News February 9, 2013 Page 1 of 1

10 Broward as a great destination for visitor events, including meetings of multicultural organizations like the Urban League." While exact dates for the Fort Lauderdale convention are pending, this year's conference will be July in Cincinnati. Last year, Philadelphia hosted the event, New Orleans in 2012 and Boston in "Each year it gets bigger, it gets better, it gets stronger, and we know that Broward County, Fort Lauderdale and sunny South Florida will help us raise the bar," Morial said. Bringing the conference to Fort Lauderdale was no small feat, the city beating out competitors like Atlanta, Houston, Minneapolis and Washington, D.C., to host in Morial attributed the city's success primarily to the leadership of its Broward affiliate, headed by Dr. Germaine Smith-Baugh, coupled with efforts of the tourism bureau. "This is a vote of confidence in Germaine's leadership," he said. "This is a partnership, and we can't do it without a strong affiliate that has support in the community and in mobilizing the community." Smith-Baugh partnered closely with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) to formulate a proposal to host the conference. That partnership paid off in February 2013, after nearly three years of planning, when the civil rights organization officially announced Fort Lauderdale as host city for Since then tourism officials have working to secure support for the event. "When there is a large event like this, community support financial support is very, very imperative," CVB President and CEO Nicki E. Grossman said Friday, noting that the money will be necessary to help fulfill the hosting commitments that have been made. Visit Florida, the state's marketing arm, has given $100,000 to the Urban League of Broward to help with its hosting duties, Grossman said. And other businesses are stepping up. TD Bank and Sunshine Health have joined the Broward tourism bureau as title sponsors for the event. The CVB and TD Bank have committed $150,000 for that sponsorship, while Miami Herald February 1, 2013 Page 2 of 3

11 URBAN LEAGUE OF BROWARD COUNTY ALL IN INCLUSIVE: AHEAD OF THE REST February 1, 2013 WESTSIDE GAZETTE By Bobby Henry, Sr. FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (February 1, 2013) Recently, the Urban League of Broward County made known to the public that the institute is the beneficiary of a $2 million funding venture from Sunshine State Health Plan that will support urban league s health and wellness initiatives and capital campaign. The pronouncement of the study, Closing the Gap: The State of Black Broward Health was made at the Urban League s Annual Business Meeting. Let s be clear the Urban League produce the report inclusively and collaboratively. For many years, we have been concerned about the growing health challenges that impacts Broward County residents. While we realize that the dialogue will be important, we are also compelled to want to put into place programs and initiatives that respond to the health needs and disparities that plague our community, stated Germaine Smith-Baugh, President and CEO of the Urban League of Broward County. It has been 19 years since the Urban League has attempted such a feat as this report. The report that was released today provides a blueprint for understanding these issues on a greater scale and working collaboratively with partners to address these important challenges. With its gift of $2 million, Sunshine Health is allowing us to take this critical step. The Urban League of Broward County is grateful for this significant investment and partnership, Smith-Baugh continued. For decades, the Urban League of Broward County has center their attention on changing the lives of African American children and families in the community through education, job, housing and health programs. Serving thousands of families and individuals each year The Urban League of Broward County has made it clear that it cannot serve the entire community by itself. This report helps us to leverage collaboration between other agencies to better serve the community, Smith-Baugh said. Urban League s services include educational support, job training, housing assistance and health education. In May 2012, the Community Empowerment Center opened; this allowed the Urban League to increase its services to individuals and families in Broward County. Under Smith-Baugh s leadership, the Board of the Broward County Urban League is diverse, bringing Westside Gazette February 9, 2013 Page 1 of 3

12 together the non-profit, business and community-based organizations to develop strategies aimed at improving the quality of life for Broward County residents. Sunshine Health President and CEO Chris Paterson, looks forwarded to the relationship with the he Urban League of Broward County and believes that it will have long-term benefits. The report issued by the Urban League of Broward County, Closing the Gap, tells us that we need to continue to address health challenges to ensure the viability of families and ultimately the community at large. If we want to eradicate diabetes, hypertension, infant mortality and reduce the mortality rate caused by HIV/AIDS in communities of color, it calls for an investment of resources, collaboration and data sharing. Sunshine Health is committed to a role as one strategic partner with the Urban League of Broward County and other key stakeholders to achieve this goal. Civil Rights institute convention comes to Fort Lauderdale in July 2015 Not a stranger to the area the National Urban League has held its mid-winter training conference in Fort Lauderdale for the past 10 years. Yet South Florida was not considered to be a host for its national conference. This change about three years ago with the vision of Albert Tucker. Last Friday, Fort Lauderdale was officially picked for the civil rights organization s 2015 convention. Our conference is only as strong as the host affiliate and its leadership and Germaine is a strong leader in this community and in our urban league movement as well, said National Urban League Senior Vice President Rhonda Spears Bell. Spears Bell made the announcement at a press conference in Fort Lauderdale, crediting Germaine Smith-Baugh and local leadership for their preference. Dr. Smith-Baugh has been instrumental in establishing the Urban League of Broward County as the community s leading civic and social services organizations, and one of the most dynamic community outreach networks in the nation, National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said in a written statement. I can think of no better setting for a conference that is focused on effecting community change. The convention is billed as a national forum for debate and discussion on policy issues and finding solutions for challenges affecting African Americans and urban communities, typically draws many of the nation s influential leaders and top policy makers, league officials said. Morial said he expects the league s national convention to attract about 5,000 of the country s most influential community leaders, top policy-makers, academicians, business Westside Gazette February 9, 2013 Page 2 of 3

13 leaders and artists for three days of dynamic dialogue, intellectual exchange and community service. Tourism officials say that just about 10,000 people normally come to where the event is held, this means a considerable financial contribution to local businesses. Insistent marketing by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Visitors & Convention Bureau also helped Fort Lauderdale beat out nine other U.S cities to secure the event. Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB President Nicki E. Grossman, who is one heck of a negotiator, said, It s about so much more than the $8 million dollar economic impact that the National Urban League Conference brings to Broward County. It s about strengthening the community by becoming the destination of choice for the country s largest and most influential Black professional organizations. Although four hotels have been contracted, the host hotel will be Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. The 2015 conference will be held during the last week in July, league officials said preparation is anticipated to begin real soon. I m proud and thrilled to welcome the National Urban League Conference to Broward County for 2015, said Smith-Baugh. Not only do Fort Lauderdale and Broward County represent an exciting cross-section of cultures, but we feel that our affiliate s thriving public and private partnerships throughout the region can be a model for the nation. The Urban League of Broward County is a not for profit, community based organization founded in We empower communities and change lives in the areas of education, jobs, housing and health. Our mission is to assist African Americans and other disenfranchised groups in the achievement of social and economic equality. Programs/services include affordable housing development and redevelopment, youth development, diversion, employment and training, education and community empowerment and civic engagement Westside Gazette February 9, 2013 Page 3 of 3

14 Broward as a great destination for visitor events, including meetings of multicultural organizations like the Urban League." While exact dates for the Fort Lauderdale convention are pending, this year's conference will be July in Cincinnati. Last year, Philadelphia hosted the event, New Orleans in 2012 and Boston in "Each year it gets bigger, it gets better, it gets stronger, and we know that Broward County, Fort Lauderdale and sunny South Florida will help us raise the bar," Morial said. Bringing the conference to Fort Lauderdale was no small feat, the city beating out competitors like Atlanta, Houston, Minneapolis and Washington, D.C., to host in Morial attributed the city's success primarily to the leadership of its Broward affiliate, headed by Dr. Germaine Smith-Baugh, coupled with efforts of the tourism bureau. "This is a vote of confidence in Germaine's leadership," he said. "This is a partnership, and we can't do it without a strong affiliate that has support in the community and in mobilizing the community." Smith-Baugh partnered closely with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) to formulate a proposal to host the conference. That partnership paid off in February 2013, after nearly three years of planning, when the civil rights organization officially announced Fort Lauderdale as host city for Since then tourism officials have working to secure support for the event. "When there is a large event like this, community support financial support is very, very imperative," CVB President and CEO Nicki E. Grossman said Friday, noting that the money will be necessary to help fulfill the hosting commitments that have been made. Visit Florida, the state's marketing arm, has given $100,000 to the Urban League of Broward to help with its hosting duties, Grossman said. And other businesses are stepping up. TD Bank and Sunshine Health have joined the Broward tourism bureau as title sponsors for the event. The CVB and TD Bank have committed $150,000 for that sponsorship, while Miami Herald February 1, 2013 Page 2 of 3

15 Sunshine's parent company Centene has pledged $250,000 on the national level, with a portion going directly to Smith-Baugh's chapter. "It's going to take a lot of work," Smith-Baugh said Friday. "But we major in the impossible and this isn't even impossible. So we're going to make it rock. We're going to do great things." asatchell@tribune.com, or Twitter@TheSatchreport. Copyright 2014, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Miami Herald February 1, 2013 Page 3 of 3

16 BROWARD WOOS BIG-MONEY CONVENTION December 14, 2012 By Doreen Hemlock Sun Sentinel Broward County's push to attract more black tourism is paying off: The civil rights group National Urban League is expected to hold its annual conference in Fort Lauderdale for the first time in 2015, tourism officials said Thursday. The conference could bring more than 10,000 people and $8 million in economic impact to the area just as it is forecast to bring to the host city of Philadelphia next year, League President Marc Morial has said. And that's without counting all the media coverage of the event that typically lures speakers from the White House, Congress and corporate America, as attendees help set the country's black urban agenda. "The media exposure is going to be incredible for our market," said Albert Tucker, who heads up multicultural marketing for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau. "When CNN is here talking about Fort Lauderdale, people will say: 'If the Urban League can go there, then we can go.' It really opens up a multitude of doors for other organizations to come." The news comes as Broward boosts tourism marketing to black groups, partly to make up for the recent loss of a big annual medical convention. The ARVO eyedoctor group left the county after 18 years, seeking a bigger space with a convention-center hotel for its 12,000 attendees yearly. To help compensate, the tourism bureau has wooed the National Association of Black Accountants to hold its annual convention in Fort Lauderdale in That group, which first held its convention in Broward in 2006, has booked more than 5,000 room nights so far for its 2016 meeting, officials said. Sun Sentinel December 14, 2012 Page 1 of 2

17 Attendees: Roughly 5,000 registered attendees expected, but as many as 9,500 people are typically drawn to the destination hosting the convention, CVB research shows. One registration usually includes several attendees, officials said. Fundraising: The Urban League of Broward County, which played an instrumental role in Fort Lauderdale's selection, will have major fundraising to do as part of its host obligations. For the 2008 conference in Orlando, the Metropolitan Orlando Urban League now called the Central Florida Urban League set a fund-raising goal of $1.3 million to go toward the opening night reception and other programs, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Hotels/Transportation: The headquarters hotel is the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, but contracts are also being negotiated with Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, Hyatt Regency Pier 66, Embassy Suites and Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port Hotel, CVB officials said. Transportation shuttles will be provided between the hotels and the convention center. High-profile speakers: Past conferences have drawn some of the nation's top political figures and elected officials including President Barack Obama, Attorney General Hon. Eric H. Holder, Jr. and Senator John McCain. Economic impact: Officials expected the conference to have an $8.5 million to $9 million economic impact. In addition, the conference's free Expo Hall will give local businesses the opportunity to showcase their products and services and individuals looking for jobs can take advantage of its employment and networking fair, said Franklin. "Local businesses will benefit from the dollars spent in the area," said Central Florida Urban League President and CEO Allie L. Braswell Friday. Braswell was recently in Fort Lauderdale for the National Urban League's mid-winter conference. Tourism boost: Officials said the mid-summer event also will help during the traditionally softer tourism period. "July is an excellent time for us to be able to bring a conference of this size to the area as this time of year is usually a little bit slower," said Broward County Mayor Kristin Jacobs. Putting on a successful convention also will show similar organizations the area is capable of handling their national conferences, Tucker said. "The status of the destination improves tremendously as other organizations will follow the lead of the Urban League to bring their conference to our shores." Sun Sentinel February 9, 2013 Page 2 of 3

18 Showcasing the area: The CVB expects to showcase Fort Lauderdale's historic black Sistrunk Boulevard community, which houses the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center and other heritage attractions, during the conference. Community involvement: National Urban League officials say locals will also benefit from the conference's career, business, youth and social programs. Hundreds of local volunteers will help put on the convention and at past conventions the organization has launched community projects. For example, in New Orleans the group helped distribute hurricane kits. "It's just as much for the local community as it is for those coming from around the country," said National Urban League Senior Vice President Rhonda Spears Bell at the recent press event announcing Fort Lauderdale's selection. "We want to make sure we're leaving a stamp on the community when we leave." Sun Sentinel February 9, 2013 Page 3 of 3

19 URBAN LEAGUE COMING FOR 2015 MEETING February 8, 2013 By Cynthia Roby Special to South Florida Times FORT LAUDERDALE The National Urban League has selected Fort Lauderdale as the host city for its 2015 Civil Rights and Social Justice Conference. The announcement came during a press conference held Friday at the Urban League of Broward County s Community Empowerment Center, 560 N.W. 27th Ave., Fort Lauderdale. The league held its midwinter conference in the city for just over a decade, according to Rhonda Spears Bell, its senior vice president and chief marketing officer. We are familiar with the city and thought it was time to bring the big game here, she said. The city will be prepared and will work hand-in-hand with Broward Urban League, Broward County government and the community to make sure that this conference is special, said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler. Scheduled for the last week of July 2015, the conference is expected to bring about 5,000 registered attendees and pump between $8.5 million and $9 million into the local economy, Bell said. It s not just about the monies ULBC will leave behind but the growth (Fort Lauderdale) we ll experience because we were chosen as the host city, said Nicki Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. This gives us the opportunity to bring the most influential black professional organizations to town. The conference will have an extensive cultural impact on the community, said Broward County Mayor Kristen Jacobs. Things are a little slower in July, so it s an excellent time to bring a conference of this size to the city, she said. The NUL picked the Marriott Harbor Beach as host hotel. We have contacted four other hotels, but the Marriott Harbor Beach will serve as our host, said Bell. Selecting the host city was a competitive process, Bell said. Fort Lauderdale was among 10 cities vying to host the conference. There was some healthy competition, Bell said. There was not a financial component for the host city to bid but there is an affiliate guideline, she said. The city must be able to host the number of people our South Florida Times February 9, 2013 Page 1 of 2

20 conference attracts. And destination is always an attraction as people consider cities that are easy to get to. The names of the other nine bidding cities were not disclosed. Germaine Smith-Baugh, president/ceo of the local league, described the announcement as momentous, adding, We believe that it s important to have the Urban League of Broward County be seen as an integral part of the social and economic fabric of our community. The National Urban League is a 102-year-old civil rights, social justice urban advocacy organization servicing more than 2.8 million people nationwide through its 95 affiliates. South Florida Times February 9, 2013 Page 2 of 2

21 Urban League of Broward County to Host 2015 National Urban League Conference MEDIA CONTACT Teresa Candori URBAN LEAGUE OF BROWARD COUNTY TO HOST 2015 NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE CONFERENCE FORT LAUDERDALE, FL. (February 1, 2013) -- The diverse and vibrant city of Fort Lauderdale will be the site of the National Urban League s prestigious 2015 Conference, National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial and Urban League of Broward County President and CEO Dr. Germaine Smith- Baugh announced today. Dr. Smith-Baugh has been instrumental in establishing the Urban League of Broward County as the community s leading civic and social services organizations, and one of the most dynamic community outreach networks in the nation, Morial said. I can think of no better setting for a conference that is focused on effecting community change. The Conference will take place the last week in July Morial said Dr. Smith- Baugh s outstanding leadership was instrumental in attracting the conference to the city. I'm proud and thrilled to welcome the National Urban League Conference to the Broward County for 2015, Smith-Baugh said. Not only do Fort Lauderdale and Broward County represent an exciting cross-section of cultures, but we feel that our affiliate s thriving public and private partnerships throughout the region can be a model for the nation. It s about so much more than the $8 million dollar economic impact that the National Urban League Conference brings to Broward County. It s about strengthening the community by becoming the destination of choice for the

22 country's largest and most influential black professional organizations, said Nicki E. Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. Morial said he expects the nation s largest civil rights and social justice conference to attract as many as 5,000 of the nation s most influential community leaders, together with top policy-makers, academicians, business leaders and artists for three days of dynamic dialogue, intellectual exchange and community service. The National Urban League Conference has been the only event of its kind to feature both major-party presidential nominees during nearly all of the last several elections, Morial noted. Additionally, leading elected officials and cabinet secretaries have chosen to break major announcements at the conference. President Obama attended the 2012 Conference and announced the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans. In addition to the registered attendees, thousands of community members will be drawn to free events such as an Expo Hall featuring hundreds of exhibitors, a college fair and an employment and networking fair. ### The National Urban League Annual Conference is a national forum for debate and discussion on policy issues and creating solutions to the challenges confronting African Americans and urban communities. The 2013 Conference is scheduled for July in Philadelphia, followed by the 2014 Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio.