Check Out Ollie Morgan in this video at 5:34.
Remembering Ollie Morgan
by Milt Haynes
Ollie Morgan died on March 2, 2009.
Ollie was BDPA Chicago Chapter President when I joined BDPA in 1990. Under Ollie’s leadership, BDPA Chicago moved from the 2nd largest Chapter behind Detroit to the nations largest chapter. A proud accomplishment we have maintained ever since.
Ollie was a great leader, a role model and someone we all looked up to. When Ollie was president, we never had trouble finding volunteers. We had fun. We had a great time. We worked together, at all hours of the day and night, weekdays and week-ends, because we loved donating our time and money to BDPA. We could call anybody at anytime to talk BDPA. We worked together as a team. We got things done!
Ollie was a pioneer. He was one of the first to join a BBS with a 300 baud modem. This turned into the Internet and AOL chat rooms. He was the first to build an online resume database. This turned into the talent management system on monster.com. He built a membership database and processed monthly transmittals. This turned into the BDPA Global Membership database. He maintained a marketing database on ACT that eventually turned into our corporate marketing database on salesforce.com. Ollie taught us how to try new things and go beyond where we had gone before.
Ollie taught us that every member is a member of the membership committee, responsible for membership recruitment. Ollie taught us that every member is a member of the marketing committee, responsible for getting the word out on BDPA events, programs and activities. Ollie taught us that every member is responsible for financial support and fund raising and bringing in new sponsors. Ollie taught us that each and every member should plan their annual BDPA budget to include their membership dues, a ticket to the Awards Banquet and a ticket to the Education Banquet.
Ollie was a die hard entrepreneur. He taught us how to run BDPA like a business. Ollie was a master at corporate marketing. He helped us make a $50,000 sale to DePaul University. This is still the largest single sale in BDPA Chicago history.
Ollie gave me my first board position as Finance Department Director for the BDPA Chicago Chapter. I ran against Ollie for BDPA Chicago Chapter President in 1997. Ollie was a formidable opponent who taught me how to run a political campaign. I’ll never forget what he said to me when I narrowly won. He said, “Milt, the president is the main person responsible for membership and money. Do your job!” And I eventually followed Ollie’s Chicago Chapter President tradition to serve as National BDPA President.
Why Hasn’t BDPA Gone Viral?
BDPA grows and shrinks, grows and shrinks, grows and shrinks, but we have yet to go viral, to reach our tipping point.
Today, for Ollie, let’s make BDPA go viral.
Forward this email. Talk to somebody on the phone. Text them. Tell them about BDPA, the premier organization for African Americans in IT. Bring them to the next BDPA chapter meeting. Sign-up and bring a group to National BDPA Conference. Ask them to subscribe to a blog. Invite them to join us on Facebook, LinkedIn, CollectiveX and Twitter.
We love you Ollie! We will keep you close to us, forever in our hearts!!
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