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OCI is proud to be the lead sponsor for Al Sura, Inc.’s annual “Al Sura in Black” event.  The event is quickly becoming Al Sura and Washington D.C.’s largest signature occasion and serves as the grand finale to Black History Month.  “Al Sura in Black” will take place on Saturday, February 25, 2012 from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. at L’Enfant Plaza Hotel, continuing Al Sura’s tradition of promoting advocacy, empowerment, and HIV/AIDS prevention within the Black community. 

“Al Sura in Black” will consist of three uniquely themed ballrooms with distinct forms of music.  Featuring House Music from DJ Freak in the “Forest of Bewilderment,” Hip-Hop from DJ MIM in the “Forest of Enchantment,” and smooth Jazz in the glass encased “Black Forest,” the ballrooms are sure to have something to offer for everyone.

The L’Enfant Plaza Hotel is located at 480 L’Enfant Plaza in SW Washington D.C.  Advanced online ticket purchasing and hotel reservations start January 1, 2012.  Interested parties can begin to purchase tickets for $15.00 from January 1st, 2012 through February 14, 2012 and for $20.00 afterward.  Individuals who plan to stay overnight can book a hotel room at L’Enfant Plaza Hotel using Al Sura’s special guest rate of $99.00.  Al Sura, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) non-profit and public charity foundation promoting grassroots communication, education, and awareness in the fight against HIV/AIDS within the African American community.  For more information on Al Sura, Inc. and “Al Sura in Black,” visit their website at http://alsura.org/.

On December 12, 2011, OCI is providing four wonderful children from a U.S. Military family with gifts and holiday joy during this special time of year.  Beth, Matthew, Carrie, and Katy will all be receiving at least $50.00 in gifts and donations.  OCI’s Communications Department will be delivering the gifts to the United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) at Fort Meade. Gifts (which will be unwrapped).  The USO is a non-profit congressionally chartered, private organization providing generosity to America’s troops and families.  To find out how you can contribute to their cause, visit www.uso.org.

Happy Holidays!

The 25th Annual AIDS Walk: Washington was a huge success!  OCI raised over $800.00 to support the valiant cause instilled by Whitman-Walker Health.   Overall, AIDS Walk: Washington has raised over 1 million dollars, a tremendous milestone in fighting HIV/AIDS.  The money raised from this event will help Whitman-Walker Health (a non-profit organization) continue to provide dependable, high-quality healthcare to people with HIV/AIDS. 

The walk took place on October 29th, 2011 which consisted of a 5k walk and a separate timed run.  Among OCI’s attendees were Catt Buko and Dr. Andrew Savicky who braved the cold and freezing rain to show their support for HIV/AIDS victims.  During the walk, Catt Buko networked with other attendees promoting OCI while Dr. Andrew Savicky drove all the way from New Jersey to Washington D.C. in order to run in the timed portion of the 5k.  OCI would like to extend its sincerest gratitude to everyone that participated!

In the District of Columbia, one out of every 20 adults are HIV-positive.  With such a tremendous amount of people in Washington D.C. infected by HIV, it is important to raise awareness and support for this life-threatening illness.  Optimization Consulting, Inc. (OCI) is an advocate of combating HIV/AIDS, most recently supporting the 25th annual AIDS Walk: Washington held by Whitman-Walker Health.  The walk is an exciting and innovative way to raise money and provide easily obtainable and effective healthcare for HIV/AIDS victims. 

OCI’s Team Hope has donated over $200.00 to this monumental benefit and the contributions do not stop there.  OCI employees will be walking or running alongside other supporters for the walk which takes place on Saturday, October 29, 2011.  AIDS Walk: Washington consists of both a walk and timed 5k run which begins and ends at Freedom Plaza (Pennsylvania Avenue and 13th Street, NW).

So far, AIDS Walk: Washington has risen close to $250,000.00 and donations can still be received up until December 31, 2011!  For detailed information on the walk and how you can play your part in fighting against HIV/AIDS, visit www.aidswalkwashington.org. 

The Alfred A. Owens Jr. Family Life Community Center (FLCC) and the Women of Virtue Scholarship Committee are hosting the 7th Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament which is guaranteed to be an exciting day of golf, contests, raffles and prizes.  Every year, this tournament has benefited college-bound inner-city youths residing in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area; beneficiaries of this event have attended such prestigious schools as: New York University, Spelman College, University of Maryland, Cornell University, and Morgan State University.

This year's golf tournament will be held on Monday, July 18, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. and will begin at the National Golf Club at Tantallon in Fort Washington, Maryland. Entry fees are $125.00 per person or $400.00 for four people; this includes cart fees, luncheon and individual gift bags — sponsorship opportunities at various levels are also offered. OCI will be participating as a Hole Sponsor.

The FLCC's goal for this year is to raise $25,000.00 for scholarships and community outreach programs to assist Washington D.C.'s youth. The FLCC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity and donations are tax deductible. Help make the dreams of inner-city youth become a reality!
For information or questions, please contact Warren Vines, Director of the FLCC at 202-529-2299 or Deirdre Cheek at 202-548-80

Last year, OCI donated $5,000.00 to the Carl Vogel Center; a community based non-profit organization that provides healthcare services to medically under-served individuals. The center expressed its gratitude to OCI in a recent letter, thanking the company for its contribution and support. Through efforts like OCI's, the Carl Vogel Center and other community organizations are able to improve individuals' physical, mental, and emotional well-being. As a service disabled veteran owned organization, OCI recognizes our place within the larger community, and will continue to support individuals in need – not only through future charitable donations, but also through future business endeavors.

In order to support all of the growth that has occurred over the past year, OCI has hired an internal Program Manager, Daniel Waz, and three new Project Managers, Bertha Cross, Anna White, and Wade Butts, to manage the quality and efficiency of project efforts.  Together, these talented individuals constitute OCI’s new internal Program Management Office (PMO).
Mr. Waz, who will be heading the PMO, has a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute. He is also ITIL certified, Knowledge Management certified, and an IBM Certified Associate in Lotus Domino.  With 25 years of IT service delivery, 19 years of Project Management experience, and 10 years of Program Management experience, Mr. Waz is the ideal candidate to take over the daily monitoring and delivery of all of OCI’s current and future contracts.
Bertha Cross comes to OCI with 9 years of Project Management, Information Technology, Business Analysis, and Financial Analysis experience. She has managed billion-dollar projects for a number of Federal agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Education, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.  Ms. Cross’s credentials are by no means limited to the public sector; she also has extensive experience working with private companies such as Visa International, Universal Studios, and Paramount Pictures.

A Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer who is currently working towards completing her PMP Certification, Ms. Cross also holds a BA from the University of California, Berkley and an MBA from the University of Redlands. OCI is fortunate to have Ms. Cross working within the PMO, where she will assist with standardizing processes, procedures, project templates, and contract documents.

Ms. White joins OCI as a licensed psychotherapist with over 20 years of clinical expertise in treating PTSD, depression, anxiety disorders, and other behavioral health illnesses. With years of experience running agencies and developing treatment programs, Ms. White will be utilizing most of her skills and expertise in support of the ANG Psychological Health Program.  OCI is thrilled to have Ms. White working on the ANG project, as she has expressed an earnest desire to support U.S. troops and their families. Ms. White holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of Virginia, and is a member of the American Counseling Association and the National Board of Certified Counselors. 
Wade Butts transitioned from Project SharePoint into an internal Project Manager role after OCI secured Project Psych.  He comes to OCI with 12 years of Project Management experience, 5 years of Program Management experience, and over 20 years of IT service delivery.  Mr. Butts is also working towards his PMP Certification, which he is scheduled to complete in February of this year. 

OCI is proud to have Mr. Waz, Ms. Cross, Ms. White, and Mr. Butts join the organization. With an exceptional internal Project Management delivery team in place, there is no stopping OCI in the year 2011 and beyond!