ABOUT BRIAN K. RICE

Brian K. Rice is a graduate of Alabama A&M University. While at AAMU Brian was the captain of the universities baseball team and he maintained the honor all 4 years as the scholar athlete of the year for his team while majoring in mechanical engineering. Today Brian is working daily to develop his commercial buildings in the Ensley community of Birmingham. Brian has plans to create local modern office spaces mixed with regular workshops on entrepreneurship development, workforce development, and additional people development programs for both youth and adults.

Brian started his professional career in construction management as a mechanical engineer in Oak Ridge, TN. After 5 years of working as a construction engineer, Brian aspired to travel more and to go into a business development role where he could use his natural gift as a people's person to develop and grow business to business relationships. Brian has worked as a regional technical business development manager for various manufacturing companies since 2007. It was in 2007 when Brian truly connected to his vision for the community. While working in Richmond, VA, Brian was traveling through the state when he said, "it is time to start working on plans to give back to the community." For the next several years, Brian started volunteering more on a regular basis and he started researching all types of books on non profits, entrepreneurship, history and spiritual development.

In 2009, Brian started working on his plan to move back to his home of Birmingham, AL. This plan was no regular plan, Brian dedicated 2009 and 2010 to idea creation for his non profit vision for Birmingham and the state of Alabama. Brian has created countless list of potential mentoring ideas, economic development ideas, crime prevention ideas, education development ideas, and character development ideas for his home city and state.

Brian moved back to Birmingham in 2013 in order to launch his mentoring programs and services for youth and adults.

Brian still works full time as a business development manager which he hopes transitions into a full time community role. Brian have been responsible for managing multi-million dollar account packages consisting of various small businesses and some of the largest manufacturing companies in this country and the world. Brian have worked daily with business owners, general managers, operations managers, various types of engineers, purchasing groups, and most importantly the blue collar workers on the plant floor level. While working in business development Brian has had the pleasure to go through various types of negotiating training, dining etiquette training, and years of formal sales training. Brian have been able to visit and tour several hundred manufacturing facilities across various industries. Brian is passionate about making a difference in his hometown.

Brian has written 3 books, one for young adults titled "Prepare For Your Success", one for elementary students titled "Kids Be Great", and his favorite book "Black Americans, We Need You!" (The Call for Self Accountability of All African Americans) which was created from several hundred pages of work and research that Brian prepared while developing the vision for Heroes Bridge, Inc. This book is true encouragement for every African American to give back to their community. Heroes Bridge, Inc. is still in the early funding stages.

Brian is a regular volunteer throughout the community.

Birmingham YMCA Youth Center Board, 2014- present
Started Heroes Bridge, Inc. Non Profit, 2010
Volunteer, Houston Area Urban League 2011-13
Volunteer, Central Carolinas Area Urban League 2008-2010
EA Morris/Locke Foundation Emerging Young Leader 2010
Charlotte Jr Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors 2010
Mechanical Engineer for 10+ years

Volunteer, Birmingham Urban League Young Professionals 2013-16
S.H.A.P.E. Community Ctr Volunteer, Houston 2011-13
Big Brothers Big Sisters Volunteer 2009 - 2010
Who's Who of Black Charlotte 2010
African American Youth Motivational Speaker & Author 2010-12
NC Real Estate Agent since 2009
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity (AAMU / Nu Epsilon 2001
Alabama A&M College Baseball Player (MVP During Senior Year)