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From the Archives: BEAM Small Business Management

Friday, October 13, 2023

From 1968 to 1972, the then-called School of Business Administration hosted the Business Equality for American Minorities (BEAM) Small Business Management class, which aimed to elevate community members’ management and entrepreneurship skills.

 

Group of people seated and standing around a long table to read what someone is pointing to.

Former Accounting Professor Robert K. Zimmer (seated fourth from left) organized the course with Honeywell’s then-Vice President for Development John Mitchell (standing, far right) through a collaboration with the Minneapolis Urban League and the Minnesota Economic Development Association. Across the four years of the program, more than 100 students and local business workers participated in the program. 

Mitchell and Zimmer also visited organizations across the country, sharing insights about the BEAM model and encouraging others to create similar educational opportunities. Support for minority business owners continues through the Ascend Twin Cities program offered through the Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship.

 

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Fall 2023 alumni magazine cover

This article appeared in the Fall 2023 alumni magazine

Leaders come in many forms. The Carlson School community shares styles, approaches, and other ways we lead.

Fall 2023 table of contents