American history is full of the extraordinary feats and accomplishments of heroes who spent most of their lives – and sometimes gave their lives – for the betterment of the nation and world. But there are heroes still living today who are doing their part to foster change in their respective fields and enrich America’s communities.

Beginning Feb. 3, 2015, Kentucky State University will celebrate living legends every Tuesday and Thursday throughout Black History month.

The KSU Living African-American Legends Series will take place at 11 a.m. in KSU’s Bradford Hall for each event.

Students and community members are invited for an opportunity to listen and learn as influential leaders in Corporate America share their stories of achievement, creative and forward thinking, and effective leadership.

The KSU Living African-American Series Schedule of Featured Speakers

Feb. 3 – Lloyd Trotter is founder and managing partner of GenNx360 Capital Partners. Trotter launched the private equity firm after nearly 40 years with General Electric, where he filled the roles of GE vice chairman and president and CEO of GE Industrial and where he was responsible for a $28 billion business with nearly 80,000 employees worldwide.

Feb. 5 – Wilbert W. (Wil) James Jr., president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky Inc., leads Toyota’s largest automotive manufacturing plant in North America, while also championing quality initiatives for Toyota’s 14 North American manufacturing operations. James is the first African-American to serve as president of Toyota’s Kentucky plant, which manufactures the Camry, America’s best-selling car, and was recently named the new home of the first U.S.-produced Lexus.

Feb. 10 – Capt. Houston Mills, director of Airline Safety, UPS Airlines, is responsible for the integration of UPS’ Safety Management System, as well as the airline’s emergency response programs. UPS Airlines is an American cargo airline owned by United Parcel Service Inc.

Feb. 12 – Rufus Friday, publisher of the Lexington Herald-Leader, is one of only nine African-American publishers who head one of the more than 1,400 daily newspapers across the United States. In addition to publisher, Friday has undertaken many assignments for McClatchy Company, which is the third largest newspaper company.

Feb. 17 – Dr. LaVaughn M. Henry, vice president and senior regional officer of the Federal Reserve Bank’s Cleveland-Cincinnati Branch, is responsible for building and maintaining a strong presence and reputation for the Reserve Bank throughout central and southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky. He also has responsibility for working with key stakeholders, including the board of directors of the Cincinnati Branch, business advisory councils, depository institutions, business and civic leaders, and the public.

Feb. 19 – Alfreda Bradley-Coar is vice president and general counsel of GE Healthcare, Americas, which is a $9 billion global health care division of the General Electric Co. She is also a member of GE’s Legal Corporate Executive Council, a senior advisory board that develops and drives the global legal strategy for the GE Company. She has built a legal and business career working in regulated industries, building high-performance teams and providing thought leadership.

Feb. 24 – Charles Whitehead, executive and fundraiser,retired from Ashland Oil Company after serving almost 40 years. His positions with Ashland Oil included director of equal opportunity affairs and director of selection and placement. He also served on the national board of the NAACP, where he was treasurer for the special contribution fund and chaired the NAACP’s Image Awards.

Feb. 26 – Attorney Bonita Black focuses her law practice in the areas of general corporate law, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures as well as corporate, structured and municipal finance law. She is currently with the law firm of Steptoe & Johnson in Louisville, Ky. She also has served as counsel to Fortune 500 companies.

Feb. 26 – Cathy Black, senior producer of broadcast marketing with CBS News, develops and markets promotional campaigns for “CBS This Morning” with Charlie Rose, Norah O’Donnell and Gayle King. She is responsible for the network’s interaction with all CBS affiliate stations, news directors and general managers throughout the country. She also books and produces news and entertainment segments for CBS News.

The February series is part of the KSU Convocation Series, which invites notable speakers to enhance the intellectual aspect of campus life.  It provides an enriching experience and encourages a sense of community among the university’s students, faculty and staff as well as the broader community.