Dakota Beacon

From the sight “Where Business Begins”, home of the National Black Chamber of Commerce

Harry C. Alford, President & CEO

Areas of Expertise: Minority Business and Small Business development, Business Models development,  e-commerce, Entrepreneurship, Corporate Responsibility, Health care                                                                            
In less than a decade, NBCC President, CEO and co-founder Harry Alford has established himself as perhaps the nation’s preeminent champion of African-American business empowerment. From a visionary concept of what Blacks need to do to fully seize their place in the economic mainstream, Mr. Alford has built a global organization that has earned a place at the table in the White House and at the top levels of Corporate America. As the intellectual and spiritual linchpin of the NBCC, Mr. Alford has been responsible for opening doors that have led to billions of dollars in new business for Black-owned businesses throughout the nation. His courage and leadership has been noted by all in the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. His relentless energy and advocacy is helping forge international business opportunities for African-Americans and emerging entrepreneurs in Africa, the Caribbean, South America and the rest of the Black Diaspora.  For this work he was recently named a Cultural Ambassador by the US State Department. A native of California, Mr. Alford has made his mark at the highest levels of both the private and public sectors. After earning top honors as Company Commander in the Army’s Officer Candidate School class, Mr. Alford put his leadership skills to work in a series of key sales and executive positions at Fortune 100 companies such as Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson and the Sara Lee Corporation. Mr. Alford has led large trade missions to Brazil, Ghana, Kenya and various nations in the Caribbean.  Recently, he helped establish the French African Diaspora Chamber of Commerce in Paris, France.