The next speaker for the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship’s Distinguished Lecture Series will be Lillian Lincoln Lambert on Feb. 21 at 10:30 a.m. in the Carl DeSantis Building’s Grand Room.
In the ‘60s, in the midst of the civil and women’s rights movements, Lambert became the first African-American woman to earn an MBA from Harvard Business School. She then became an entrepreneur in the mid ‘70s.
Lambert was born on a farm in the segregated South, but moved to New York City after high school and began working as a maid. Three years later, she moved to Washington, D.C. While working as a typist, she realized education was the key to success and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Howard University, a historically black university.
With the help of a professor, Lambert applied to Harvard Business School. She became one of six black students and one of 18 females in Harvard’s 1969 class of 800.
With a few thousand dollars, Lambert created Centennial One, a company focused on building maintenance, in her garage. The company grew and eventually operated in four states. It earned her more than $20 million in revenues with 1,200 employees. Some of her business clients included the Dulles Airport and ABC News.
Businesswoman Jane Snell will attend the Distinguished Speaker Series for the first time, since she was invited by a colleague. Snell holds a graduate degree in construction engineering technology from Florida A&M University and was named as one of South Florida’s “25 Most Influential & Prominent Black Women in Business” in 2011.
Snell said, “I was motivated to attend the event after reading more about Lillian. Her fight and drive to facilitate career development opportunities for others like her is relatable to me. Making millions, owning and operating a successful construction service company is very near and dear to my heart. It will be very encouraging and uplifting to hear Lillian speak.”
Today, Lambert focuses on speaking, writing and coaching. As a certified coach at the Center for Executive Coaching, some of her clients include the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and Freddie Mac. As a member at the National Speakers Association, Lambert has spoken at numerous schools, associations, churches and other venues.
Her long list of awards and recognitions include “Top 50 Women-Owned Businesses,” in the Washington Business Journal, inductee of the Enterprising Women Hall and “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the National Black MBA Association, among others.
Erika Anderson, who will enter NSU in April as a graduate student in sales management, said, “I am always fascinated with the stories of entrepreneurs who endured challenging circumstances to achieve success. My grandparents both had less than a high school education, but went on to operate a successful tobacco farm in Virginia. My father was an immigrant and my mother was a first generation college graduate. They both went on to obtain advanced graduate degrees. The stories of perseverance of Lillian Lambert inspire me to not see circumstantial and financial obstacles as hindrances, but as opportunities to thrive.”
Anderson said, “I’d love to know upon what strength she drew from, as she attended her classes at Harvard knowing she’d be the first African-American woman. I believe to achieve great things that you must be able to perceive yourself as being more. I’m looking forward to hearing her story.”
Jabari Daniel-Cox, graduate student in international business, said, “I’m very interested in Lillian Lambert because of who she is as person and her accomplishments in this country.”
To RSVP for Lambert’s speech, contact Christine Martinez, event coordinator for the Huizenga School of Business, at 954-262-5008 or cmartinez@nova.edu.
