100 BLACK MEN OF AMERICA HOUSTON CHAPTER ANNOUNCES ITS INAUGURAL GALA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April, 2009

CONTACT:
Margo Williams Handy
MWH Public Relations
281-213-9554, 832-492-2407
margo@mwhpublicrelations.com

100 BLACK MEN OF AMERICA HOUSTON CHAPTER ANNOUNCES ITS INAUGURAL GALA

100 Black Men of America Metropolitan Houston Chapter Black-Tie Gala emcee and comedian Marcus D. Wiley

Phenomenal Woman Award honoree Tracye McDaniel, Executive Vice President and COO, Greater Houston Partnership

Houston, TX (BlackNews.com) - Today, the Board of Directors of the 100 Black Men of America Houston Chapter announced it will celebrate its legacy of leadership in the African-American community by hosting an inaugural black-tie fundraising gala on Friday, April 18, 2008 at the Edwin Hornberger Conference Center in the Texas Medical Center, 2151 W. Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030.

Depicting the theme, "Celebrating Our Legacy, Living Our Vision, Leading Our Future," the festivities will begin with private and general receptions at 6 p.m. followed by the grand celebration at 7:30 p.m. Expected to draw well over 500 guests, the public and press are invited to attend.

One of the key gala supporters is co-presenting sponsor financial services firm Edward Jones.

Edward Jones and the 100 Black Men of America share similar community development objectives and are working collaboratively nationwide to provide financial education programming and raise awareness regarding career opportunities within Edward Jones. The program is being piloted in five metropolitan cities: Atlanta, Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas and Houston.

"We want to pave the way for everyone -- regardless of race, ethnicity or gender -- to take charge of their financial futures," said Edward Jones Managing Partner James D. Weddle. "Together with the 100 Black Men of America, we want to engage chapter members, families and other participants across the country to get involved. With more than 10,000 financial advisors across the United States, we feel we are uniquely positioned to help this organization deliver financial education to all its constituents."

Regarding the importance of the 100 Black Men of America and Edward Jones collaboration, 100 Black Men of America Houston Chapter President and Texas Southern University President Dr. John M. Rudley said, "It allows the 100 to deliver on one of its core strategic elements, economic empowerment. At 100 Black Men of America, we are not only interested in providing educational resources to help facilitate a greater understanding of financial options, we also are interested in providing real opportunities to positively impact life outcomes among people in Houston."

The gala proceeds will fund scholarships for graduating high school seniors and provide operational support for the organization's four program areas: mentoring, education, economic development, and health and wellness. The gala also will feature recognition of community leaders in these areas.

Additional highlights include an evening of jazz with noted international jazz vocalist/composer Eric Roberson and comedian Marcus D. Wiley as master of ceremonies.

For tickets, press passes and sponsorship details, please contact Margo Williams Handy, MWH Public Relations, 281-213-9554 or margo@mwhpublicrelations.com.

About the 100 Black Men of America, Inc.
Established in New York in 1963 when a group of concerned African-American men began to meet to explore ways of improving conditions in their community, the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. is an international organization with 106 chapters and a membership of over 10,000. The 100 Black Men of America's mission is to improve the quality of life of individual African-Americans and their families through leadership, mentoring, education, health and wellness, and economic development in the communities in which they live. In addition, the organization is committed to the intellectual development of youth and the economic empowerment of the African-American community based on the following precepts: respect for family, spirituality, justice and integrity. The 100 Black men of America's vision is to serve as a beacon of leadership by utilizing their diverse talents to create environments where African-American children are motivated to achieve and to become self-sufficient shareholders in the economic and social fabric of their communities. For additional details visit, www.100blackmenhou.org

About Edward Jones
Edward Jones provides financial services for individual investors in the United States and, through its affiliates, in Canada and the United Kingdom. Every aspect of the firm's business, from the types of investment options offered to the location of branch offices, is designed to cater to individual investors in the communities in which they live and work. The firms, 10,000-plus financial advisors work directly with more than 7 million clients to understand their personal goals -- from college savings to retirement -- and create long-term investment strategies which emphasize a well-balanced portfolio and a buy-and-hold strategy. Edward Jones embraces the importance of building long-term, face-to-face relationships with clients, helping them to understand and make sense of the investment options available today. Edward Jones is headquartered in St. Louis, MO. The firm's interactive Web site is located at www.edwardjones.com. For career opportunities, go to www.careers.edwardjones.com