PHOENIX — Honoring the vision of its late leader, Robin Reed, board members at the Black Chamber of Arizona have named Dr. Velma Trayham as the new president and CEO.
She sat down for an interview with ABC15 to talk about what she hopes for the future of the organization.
“I want to pay honor and respect to my dear friend, Robin Reed, my predecessor," said Dr. Trayham. "It’s humbling to continue building upon his legacy."
Before he passed away in late February, Reed was on a mission to help minority business owners thrive in Arizona, among them entrepreneurs like Dr. Trayham. She is the CEO of Thinkzilla and the creator of the Millionaire Mastermind Academy.
“When I first expanded to Arizona, I was introduced to Robin Reed, and also his amazing wife, Shauna. I had the pleasure of working alongside Robin Reed, to execute the Impact AZ program, which is the state's largest accelerator program for minority and black business owners,” Dr. Trayham said.
ABC15 recently featured the Impact AZ program, which offers mentorship, education, and financing opportunities for minority business owners who may not otherwise gain access to that kind of capital.
This experience alone is something Dr. Trayham believes can really help Arizona business owners.
“It seems like this role is tailor-made for you!” O'Kelley said to Dr. Trayham.
“I've been solving problems for a very long time, over a decade, and when I think about the mindset, and the strength, and also the strategy needed for this role, I couldn't agree with you more,” Dr. Trayham said.
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She says she's focused on expanding the chamber’s reach through collaboration and inclusion.
“We cannot operate in silos, we're going to have to collaborate and come together as one community and as one voice,“ Dr. Trayham explained.
She also hopes her experience building and selling companies will help move Arizona’s economy forward.
“In Arizona, African Americans are the fastest growing population here," Dr. Trayham added. "So I am really excited to just support the black and minority community of business owners here."
To learn more about the Black Chamber of Arizona and its initiatives, visit their website.
