BUSINESS CENTRÉ

Making the Connection

Pamela Perry
Known as the “Connector,” Pam Perry knows how to pull the
right people together for the right project at the right time. Her
public relations and advertising career spans over two decades. A
graduate from Wayne State University with a B.A. in journalism,
Perry has worked in media and the non-profit sector.
She’s had sales positions at the Detroit Free Press, WNIC FM,
and agencies like Campau Advertising and Hermanoff & Associ-
ates. She’s worked in fundraising and development – selling the
vision and mission of Joy of Jesus and The Salvation Army.
Her best training and experience came when she spent five
years working in her husband’s marketing communications firm,
Perry Marketing Group. Now she uses those skills to give back to
local ministries through Ministry Marketing Solutions, a public
relations consulting firm.
Perry was the founder of BART (Blacks in Advertising, Radio
& Television), a networking organization for African Americans
in the media. Over a ten-year period, the organization hosted ca-
reer conferences, award programs honoring African-American
heroes in the industry, and regular profes-
sional development meetings. She is also a
past winner of the “One to Watch” Award
from the American Women in Radio and
TV – Detroit Chapter and jointly won an
Emmy for her work as a producer for “The
Pamela Perry
Edge with Jeffrey Miller” television show.
Currently, she does public relations for the publishing indus-
try. A consummate communicator, Perry has taught journalism
at Renaissance High School in Detroit. Her work has appeared
in Gospel Today Magazine, Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, CBA
Marketplace Magazine, Precious Times Magazine and The Chris-
tian Communicator.
Her passion is Christian books and assisting writers through
the American Christian Writers Association where she is presi-
dent/founder of the Detroit chapter. She and her husband, Marc,
have a daughter and live in metro Detroit.
Visit: www.ministrymarketingsolutions.com

Ruth Byrd-Smith and Arlinda Moriarty

Discuss Opportunities for Minority and Disadvantaged Businesses
By Nikki Coffee

At age 37, Arlin- work at various mental health/mental re- of Minority, Women and Disadvantaged
da Moriarty, owner tardation programs. “I was always told by Business Enterprises (M/W/DBE), a vehi-
of Moriarty Consul- my supervisors that I was very good with cle which provides opportunity for minor-
tants Inc., said she scheduling and staffing. I felt this was my ity and disadvantaged entrepreneurs. The
had no intentions talent, and I just started utilizing my re- agency achieves this through the certifica-
of running her own sources,” she said. tion process, as well as offering technical
business. Moriarty’s Moriarty said every business needs assistance by way of helping with the im-
Ruth Byrd-Smith
company is a li- staffing. She took the initiative to learn plementation of a business plan, computer
censed and bonded what industries needed as far as staffing, software, and accounting education.
full-service staff- and she educated herself as to regulations. She said the process was easy and
ing agency, which She was encouraged from her last position, most helpful. “They are very diligent. They
recruits and places which only staffed one particular industry, follow-up and they help you through every
minorities in home to venture out on her own and staff a num- step of the certification process. They want
health care, cleri- ber of various industries. The company to see you succeed.”
cal work and labor even gave her some clients to start off with. “The department’s director, Ruth
Arlinda Moriarty
in the Pittsburgh, From that point, she says, it was like a wild Byrd-Smith, was just awesome. She uses
PA area. Moriarty’s flower. “I knew there were other people her resources to find out how to interface
largest staffing division is home health who needed services and staffing. I always your company with what the program of-
care and disability care. wanted to do more than just one targeted fers,” Moriarty said. She added that Byrd-
Starting out as a developmental care group.” Smith, even if unfamiliar with a particular
specialist supervisor at Allegheny Valley Upon hearing about Allegheny Coun- industry, would research that industry and
School, Moriarty said she learned about ty’s certification program, Moriarty sought still provide a wealth of resources.
the staffing industry. She then went on to help through the County’s Department cont’d on page 23

Page 18 Onyx Woman® Winter/Spring 2007