In development with KBK Enterprises, the Bev Smith Library Room is scheduled to open at the beginning of this year’s fall school season at the newly beautifully built Garfield Commons Community located in Pittsburgh, PA. The Bev Smith library room will be located in a portion of the Community Room at the Pride Center, a multi- purpose building.

Bev is asking for book donations to this library room. Fans of BevSmithTalks.com can help her with the first phase of the library by purchasing new books for children.

Books can be sent to Bev Smith at:

 Ms. Bev says she is honored that Mr. Key was opened to the idea of collaborating on an effort to make sure our children learn how to read and expand their territory.

 

 

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 About Keith Key –KBK ENTERPRISES

 Having been born into public housing in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill district, Keith B. Key experienced the hopelessness, despair of poverty and sometimes negative impact of living in the inner city. He was raised in a single-parent household, but had a strong mother who provided a solid foundation for his life through an early introduction to the church. Although his neighborhood didn’t provide much exposure to white-collar professionals, Key, through the influences of his mother and the church, developed a belief in himself that allowed him to avoid becoming a casualty of violence, drugs, teenage parenthood, and other inner-city environmental statistics.

 

Although Key had a significant stuttering condition as a youth, he has always had lofty goals. His early aspiration was to deal with social injustice, and become a lawyer, later an engineer to capitalize on his math/analytical strengths; before finally deciding on a life as an entrepreneur to make his mark in the financial sector of America. Key was a solid student both academically and athletically. He graduated an AP Scholar with honors from Peabody High School in Pittsburgh, PA., and was named “Athlete of The Year” for his participation in football, basketball and track. As a disciplined youth Key never missed a day of high school and found time to participate in various school and community activities. After high school Key enrolled into The Ohio State University as both a student and football player. Although he didn’t make his mark as a football player, Key found his future as a student leader and entrepreneur. He became President of his fraternity; Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc and President of The Ohio State University’s college chapter of NAACP. Key remarkably won a membership award for establishing the largest chapter in his region starting with less than a dozen members. Key served on various committees appointed by the University’s President and other leaders, including as a founding student curator of the Ohio State University’s Frank Hale Black Cultural Center.

 

After exhausting all available scholarships, Key worked various jobs in order to complete his college requirements, including cutting hair and other economically independent activities. For two years Key was contracted to organize and manage The Ohio State University’s famed block party. With over 10,000 attendees, this represented a remarkable accomplishment for a young college student. He then went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics.

 

Key strongly believed in being prepared and always dressed in a suit, never knowing when an opportunity would come knocking. This philosophy paid off when he was, unexpectedly, invited by a past advisor to an interview with The Huntington National Bank. Key strongly impressed the interviewer and was offered a position in the bank’s prestigious management trainee program, even without submitting a resume. He went on to become the first African American president in the history of the management training council.

 

During his tenure in the management trainee program, Key worked in various departments, surpassing numerous company records and was highly praised by his peers and upper management alike. At one point, Key was offered a position in the banks Trust Department, a position that included perks such as paying for his LSAT training and law school tuition. Instead, he chose a career in the retail division and became the youngest manager of a banking office. He was assigned to manage a $50 million, low performing office and within 18 months, Key’s dynamic leadership moved this office to a position of third in the region.

 

Most impressively, Key was one of three founding fathers of the famed community centered banking program which provided access to traditional banking products and services to low and moderate income communities through the involvement of the church. This program was proven to be effective and received national attention on ABC World News.

 

Although Key was one of the youngest officers in the Huntington National Banks 125 year history, he decided to leave banking and join the consulting firm of PT & Associates. PT & Associates hired Key to supervise the CCP Program in Huntington National Bank’s 14 markets. The program grew significantly as Key supervised 7 of the 14 markets with hundreds of participating churches and community groups. This initiative resulted in published articles in the Wall Street Journal, national/local media, as well as two congressional hearings on banking testimonies that were offered by their group on community banking policies.

 

After several years, Key and his colleague at PT & Associates, Adam Troy, decided to venture on their own by forming Omni Management Group, Ltd (OMG) to consult banks and other businesses. While establishing contacts with various banks including National City Bank and First Merit Bank, OMG secured a contract with the Limited Company and became part of the team that made Easton Towne Center, a retail success on 1200 acres, a reality.

 

OMG began to get involved in Real Estate Development as its “vocation” by providing consulting services for entities in commercial office, housing developments, and religious based facilities. In 1998 OMG began to establish its own real estate portfolio and in a brief matter of time, OMG became one of the largest African American Real Estate Development companies in the country with holdings primarily in Ohio. Key was able to lead OMG’s last major project, The Heritage, through the first IRP Decoupling in the nation with OMHAR (an HUD Affiliate). OMG renovated a troubled housing community and established the Northeast Columbus project based section-8 community into a reputable landmark. The National Multi-Family Director commented that the community renovation as one of the best rehab projects in the country. With this accomplishment Key soon established KBK Enterprises in an effort to take his commercial and housing developmental skills nationwide.

 

Today KBK Enterprises is active in various cities throughout the nation including, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, and New Orleans. In addition to real estate development KBK has engaged in various business ventures to maximize other entrepreneurial endeavors. With over $500 million in current activities under contract, Key has been involved with more than a billion dollars worth of projects in his career.

 

As a former public housing resident raised in a single parent home, Keith Key has become one of America’s most unique success stories. Key is married to Donica D. Key and they have three children, Danielle, Darienne, and K. Brandon.