OK I’ll start with the good. Attendance was up at Indiana Black Expo’s Job Fair; some education conference sessions were well attended; and most important, as has been the norm, Expo weekend was violence-free downtown.
Unfortunately, the 44th Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration didn’t achieve the significant upturn in attendance during the critical three-day event inside the Indiana Convention Center Expo desperately needs to stave off the continued decline in sponsor, exhibitor and community support.
Attendance was spotty throughout the center, which made vendors and sponsors worried, upset, concerned.
In columns on July 22, 2010; July 21, 2011; July 26, 2012 and July 25, 2013 I recounted many of the problems that again plagued Black Expo, so I’m not repeating them this year.
Expo’s problems are systemic. As one Expo attendee said, ‘they’ve lost an understanding of how to treat people.” Or in more corporate terms, Expo isn’t a “customer friendly experience.”
The crisis facing Indiana Black Expo is serious and centers around the current administration. Recently, Black Expo posted their most recent financial statements. The cold numbers paint how serious the predicament is facing Indiana Black Expo.
When Joyce Rogers left as Expo’s CEO in 2007, the organization’s revenues that year were $7,900,061. Included in that were 2007 Summer Celebration revenues of $2,559,707.
Now compared to last year – 2013 – as Black Expo’s overall revenues have collapsed down to $4,618,467; a drop of nearly $3.3 million or 41.5 percent.
More ominously, revenues from 2013’s Summer Celebration had fallen to $1,213,986; a stunning decrease of over $1.3 million or a precipitous 52.6 percent decline.
Another warning sign! Between 2012 and 2013, Expo saw a sharp drop in contributions and grants, which includes sponsorship dollars. They fell $709,170; a 29.3 percent drop!
If this was a major business or institution, even a responsible nonprofit, the Board of Directors wouldn’t stand for a level of performance that includes steadily declining revenues.
But that’s the problem. Black Expo’s Board of Directors cares more about their reserved tables at the so-called “White Party” and their precious front row seats at the Free Concert, than worry about their fiduciary, legal and moral responsibility to be stewards of our community’s trusted institution – Indiana Black Expo.
Summer Celebration’s deteriorating attendance woes are obvious to everyone but Black Expo’s head-in-the-sand board. Unfortunately, this is the same board that disrespected this 119-year-old newspaper by nixing a 43-year relationship.
Black Expo’s continued low attendance, coupled with what could be an underwhelming, unenthusiastic response to the Circle City Classic, which happens in less than 73 days, will continue to place Expo in a serious financial straitjacket.
Until and unless the Board of Directors of Indiana Black Expo awakens from their stupor of ineffective board leadership and acts to correct the organization’s serious ills, many of which are self-inflicted, then one has to wonder and worry whether Black Expo will see its Golden Anniversary six Julys from now in 2020!
What I’m Hearing in the Streets
Marion County Democrats last week were excited and elated with the news that U.S. Attorney Joe Hogsett is quitting his job July 31 as they assume he’ll enter the race against incumbent Mayor Greg Ballard. The announcement came the same day the Ballard Administration showed disarray when the mayor declared that we don’t need to hire more IMPD officers.
Hogsett can’t say anything publicly or privately about his future plans untill August, but a prodigal Democratic legend suddenly appeared in Indiana to tout Hogsett’s virtues.
Former governor and Senator Evan Bayh, the party’s savior from years gone by, materialized within hours of Hogsett’s resignation bombshell to tell media that Joe Hogsett would make a great mayor.
At the same time, Bayh didn’t damper rumors that he might copy LeBron James and return back home again to Indiana. In our interview, Bayh showed he’s lost none of the skills, especially communication skills that made him a potent political force.
Our African-American community and I are ecstatic that 28 year Indianapolis Fire Department veteran Ernest Malone is the new Chief of the Department. Malone becomes the second African-American to be Indianapolis Fire Chief after history was made in 1987 when Mayor Bill Hudnut named Joseph Kimbrew to the history-making position.
Interviewed on Afternoons with Amos, Chief Malone shared a fascinating historical footnote. Seems his firefighter career began when a Black firefighter pulled him aside at a Black Expo Job Fair and asked if he’d consider being a fireman.
Despite the historic appointment, Ballard Administration Communications Director Marc Lotter again showed his disdain for Black media.
The Recorder inquired about the appointment but wasn’t given any information. Later on, the paper was given wrong information that wasn’t even cleared up by Lotter’s office so the story could appear in last week’s Recorder the same time Malone’s appointment was formally announced.
Also, Lotter didn’t send a media alert notifying this columnist about the historic appointment. Lotter’s excuse? I alledgedly “unsubscribed” from the press release list. A lie!
See ‘ya next week!
You can email comments to Amos Brown at acbrown@aol.com.
