Douglas Bender Becomes President of the BlackPast.org Board

    SEATTLE, WA, February 02, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- BlackPast.org is excited to announce that Doug Bender has assumed the role of chairman of the board. Bender joined the BlackPast.org's board in 2023 and will now serve a two-year term as chairman, leading the board's effort to provide strategic guidance and support to BlackPast.org's executive management team.

"I could not be more pleased with the passion, insight and immense value that Doug has quickly brought to the BlackPast.org board over the past several months," said BlackPast.org founder and immediate past board member Dr. Quintard Taylor. "I'm looking forward to Doug's leadership as chairman as we move to the next phase of our growth and expansion."

Bender has more than four decades of experience in human resources, both in private consulting practices and in-house for some of U.S.' most well-known corporate brands including Miller Brewing Company, Uncle Ben's Foods, Dove Bar International, M&M/Mars, and Kal Kan Petcare. In addition to publishing numerous articles, Bender is the author of two books, The ABC's of Leadership (2008 Axiom Business Book Award winner) and Caution: Smiles At Work (2014). He has also led boards for the Community Services Foundation in Villa Park, California, and the Human Rights Commission for the City of Greensboro, North Carolina. He is the current Chair of Greensboro's Cultural Affairs Commission. Bender also serves as an adjunct associate professor at the University of Southern California's Bovard College, where he also sits on the Faculty Council.

Bender is a proud graduate of two HBCUs: Alcorn State University (B.A. in political science) and North Carolina A&T State University (M.A. in human resources). He also attended law school at North Carolina Central University.

"I'm deeply committed to the mission of BlackPast.org and am proud of the far-reaching impact and visibility it has already had with millions of individuals already," said Bender. "It's an honor to be working together with an incredible board team as this one and helping to guide the organization through its continued digital transformation and growth."

Bender and his fellow board members will continue to support BlackPast.org's efforts to scale its impact by 2026 through improved social media marketing, an updated website, and other efforts to educate the world.

About BlackPast.org
BlackPast.org (www.blackpast.org), founded on February 1, 2007, was conceived to provide reference information on people of African ancestry in the United States and around the world. BlackPast.org is supported by a volunteer staff and nearly 1,000 volunteer content contributors from six continents. The website has the equivalent of 10,000 pages and is free and ungated. New features are added regularly. BlackPast.org facilitates partnerships with industry, academia and philanthropy to deliver to the world educational information on notable Black individuals and events that impact humanity. For more information, please visit www.BlackPast.org. BlackPast.org is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization – IRS exemption EIN# 26-1625373.

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