NAMIC to Celebrate 15th Anniversary of L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program at 22nd Annual Conference

NAMIC to Celebrate 15th Anniversary of L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program at 22nd Annual Conference

NBA All-Star and Philanthropist Allan Houston to Deliver Keynote Address

NEW YORK, Aug. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) will celebrate the 15th anniversary of its L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program at a special luncheon scheduled for Tuesday, September 16, 2008. The event is being held in conjunction with the 22nd Annual NAMIC Conference, Diversity Pipeline to Innovation. The three-day Conference will take place September 14-16 at the New York Marriott Marquis in Manhattan.

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Two-time NBA All-Star Allan Houston will deliver the keynote address at NAMIC's L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Luncheon. An entrepreneur and philanthropist, the former New York Knicks shooting guard is the founder of the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation's Business Education and Development Program. Originally established in Harlem, New York, the program, which provides entrepreneurial mentoring for young adults 18 to 25, recently expanded its reach to New Orleans and Chicago. Developed to empower young people socially, intellectually, professionally and spiritually, Houston's program provides aspiring entrepreneurs with training in negotiation, networking, economics, marketing and other aspects of business. At the conclusion of the educational and mentoring portion, two entrepreneurs are chosen to enter the Allan Houston / Lenovo Small Business Incubator to receive an additional year of support including free office space, a team of advisors to help guide the implementation of their Business Plans, and up to $20,000 in start-up capital.

"For fifteen years, NAMIC's L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program has served as an excellent resource for professionals seeking guidance outside of traditional, company-sponsored training and development initiatives," said Kathy Johnson, president, NAMIC. "We look forward to celebrating the program, which has greatly contributed to the growing pipeline of diverse talent within the communications industry."

Established in 1993, NAMIC's mentoring program was renamed in 1997 in honor of the late L. Patrick Mellon, an ESPN executive who was one of the trade organization's founding members and one of the cable industry's most respected mentors. The goal of the L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program is to facilitate diversity in the communications industry by making mentors available to NAMIC members to assist them with their career advancement strategies. Committed top-level industry professionals are recruited to serve as mentors to NAMIC members for a nine-month period, providing support, guidance and career advice throughout the program term.

The Walter Kaitz Foundation is the sponsor of the L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Luncheon. For more information on the L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Luncheon or to register for the 22nd Annual NAMIC Conference, visit www.namic.com or contact NAMIC at 212-594-5985 or info@namic.com.

About NAMIC

NAMIC (National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications) is the premier organization focusing on multi-ethnic diversity in the communications industry. Founded in 1980 as a non-profit trade association, today NAMIC is comprised of 2,000 professionals belonging to a network of 17 chapters nationwide. Through initiatives that focus on education, advocacy and empowerment, NAMIC champions equity and inclusion in the workforce, with special attention given to ensuring that the leadership cadres of our nation's communications industry giants reflect the multi-ethnic richness of the populations they serve. For more information, please visit www.namic.com.

About The Allan Houston Legacy Foundation

The Allan Houston Legacy Foundation is making a difference in our community through two innovative and meaningful programs -- Business Education & Development Program and the "Father Knows Best" Basketball Retreat. The Allan Houston Legacy Foundation is a registered public 501(c) 3, non-profit organization based in New York City. Its mission is to facilitate individual and collective growth through initiatives that -- 1) Restore a strong family unit, 2) Provide economic empowerment through entrepreneurship, 3) Encourage education and life skill development, and 4) Enhance spiritual growth. For more information on the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation, please visit the official website at www.AllanHouston.com.

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PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: NAMIC

CONTACT: Daphne Leroy, Vice President, Marketing & Communications,
NAMIC, +1-212-594-5985, office, daphne.leroy@namic.com; or Charmaine Chapman,
BTB Communications, +1-310-882-5498, office, char@btbcommunications.com, for
NAMIC

Web site: http://www.namic.com/
http://www.allanhouston.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment