Becoming a Member

Yearly nomination for membership into the Black Achievers Society of Greater Kansas City is an honor for African Americans in business and industry. Members of the Black Achievers Society are African American professionals nominated by their employers, colleagues, and community members for their corporate leadership, significant accomplishments, community involvement, and achievements.

Before Completing Nomination:

As the nominator, you are acknowledging the work and accomplishments of the nominee. Based on your recommendation, the nominee has shown evidence for which you can account.

Chronologically, as the process moves beyond recognition at the awards dinner into active membership, we ask that you consider the following questions before the nomination:

  • Has the nominee expressed interest in being nominated? Informing the nominee before the nomination may strengthen the nomination process.
  • Has the nominee taken part in an organization of service/volunteering? Nominees who have not participated in such capacities may require more organization/operational information before nomination.
  • How will the nominee use their skillsets within the Black Achievers Society organization? Sharing how you view their role within the organization may assist the nominee in envisioning their impact as contributing members.
  • Do I have the necessary information needed to complete the nomination? Before completing the nomination form, you may consider requesting the five areas listed under “Complete Nomination Form” directly from the nominee.

 

Meet The Criteria

The Black Achievers Society annually acknowledges the work and talents of each nominee in hopes they will become an active and impactful member of the organization.

To do so, the nominee must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a resident of the Greater Kansas City area.
  • Be nominated (if within a company – by someone within your company or if individual contributor – by someone in the community). Self-nominations will not be accepted.
  • A completed nomination form will show corporate/enterprise leadership history, community activity/leadership, educational, and corporate/enterprise achievement.
  • Be prepared to serve as an active Black Achiever Society member for a minimum of a 2-year term.
  • Be a first-time honoree. Previous honorees are considered Black Achiever Society members, no longer eligible to receive a nomination.

Complete Nomination Form:

The nomination form is opened annually to businesses and community leaders in the Greater Kansas City area, requesting them to identify and nominate African Americans based on the criteria previously mentioned. Applications received after the marked deadline, and incomplete (along with self-nominations) will not be considered.

Use the five areas listed below to prepare the information needed to complete the nomination form (see the link below).

  1. Corporate Leadership – Give an objective overview of the candidate’s current position and its relative importance to the organization.
  2. Community Activities/Leadership – List candidates’ activities that contribute to the betterment of the community outside of company-sponsored service work. Include specifics concerning the depth of involvement in each activity.
  3. Educational Achievement – List the candidate’s academic achievements (degrees, awards, honors). Please include examples of the candidate sharing their academic expertise in areas external to the immediate corporate environment.
  4. Corporate Achievement – Give an objective overview of previous leadership position achievement and awards the candidate has received within the organization and length of service in the present position.
  5. Corporate Statement – Is the nominee considered a leader, role model, or mentor for other employees in the organization? How does this prospective honoree understand and embrace your company’s values and leadership competencies?

Selection Committee Review

Once the completed nomination form is submitted and the submission deadline has passed, a committee of the Black Achievers Society selects the honorees. Committee members may request clarification or additional materials from the respective nominator.

Nominator Notification

If selected, a committee member will notify the nominator/registration contact of their nomination status. The nominee will receive an individual communication, RSVP instructions, and requested materials (bio, headshot, etc.) for awards ceremony participation.

Attend Awards Ceremony

Lastly, both the nominator and honoree attend the awards ceremony (along with RSVPs), where they are formally recognized. The honoree is inducted during the formal annual meeting, where membership into the BAS organization is officially activated.

>>> 2025 Black Achiever Nomination Form  <<<

2025 Nominations are open. Please click here. For questions related to nominations and the ceremony dinner (date June 18, 2025), please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at blackachieversgkc@gmail.com.

As A Member

With an annual induction, Black Achievers continues to grow in strength and numbers. In the past 40 years, approximately 500 professional African Americans have been recognized. In a city of 500,000 with a metropolitan population of more than 1 million, as a member, you have been identified as one of the vital few who can make a difference in our community.

As a member, we ask that you consider:

  • Attending bi-monthly meetings from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
  • Having your company host a luncheon meeting at some point
  • After the first year, pay annual dues ($75)
  • Participating in community programs and support our youth
  • Supporting our annual fundraiser for scholarships
  • Serving on a committee