BOM welcomes new executive, plans Juneteenth anniversary celebration

Sally Neal has joined the professional pest management industry association Black Ownership Matters (BOM) as an executive assistant. She will handle all direct communications and partnerships for the Roseville, Calif.-based organization.

After majoring in communications and linguistics at San Francisco State University, Neal spent more than seven years in communications work for public relations firms and non-profit organizations. She has also dedicated her life to community service work and spent the last two years working as a teacher in Spain.

In other BOM news, the board is looking to celebrate its fifth anniversary on the national holiday of Juneteenth. The holiday’s origins are in Galveston, Texas, where on June 19, 1865, the last enslaved people in America were set free, more than two years after President Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

“Juneteenth has always been seen as another ‘Fourth of July’ for African Americans,” Neal said in a news release. “It is a day of reflection and remembrance, a day to honor those who came before us, how far we have come as a nation, and what work still needs to be completed. Overall, it is a day of celebration, and that’s what BOM wants to keep in mind.”

BOM President Joe Campbell, who is also VP of operations for ABC Home and Commercial Services of DFW in Frisco, Texas, noted in a news release that the board has agreed to mark the day with mentorship and volunteerism projects. “Spreading our impact, that’s what is most important,” he said.

In addition to its own events, BOM hosts annual events at the National Pest Management Association’s (NPMA’s) PestWorld and Legislative Day where members and guests are welcome.

Most recently, BOM sponsored a newly created scholarship honoring one of its founding members: The Wayne C. Golden Leadership and Action scholarship created by the NPMA. In the news release, Golden noted that, “The reason I got into BOM after retirement was not to build my legacy, but to share my knowledge. Even if business practices have changed, running a good business model has not.”

According to the U.S. Census, only 2.8 percent of African-Americans own businesses in the United States. “This is an income inequality gap BOM is looking to close, because they believe that true success will extend beyond ownership alone,” said Neal. “From offering monthly business advice to small business owners on Zoom, our mentorship programs… [BOM’s] impact has been felt big and small with members from across the country who have expressed their gratitude as their businesses improve.”

To learn more about BOM’s programs and members, visit BlackOwnershipMatters.org.