Redefining Philanthropy with Blockchain Technology: Black-in-Tech Interview with Dr J.R Gibson

Happy Black History Month Beautiful Humans!

This month, the HackerNoon Editorial team has launched the Black-in-tech interview series to celebrate the achievements, and share in the unique challenges, of all African Americans working to evolve the tech landscape in one way or another.

Remember, every story matters!Share yours today and inspire others!

Let’s get to it.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m Dr. James Ramon Gibson, an established business professional, serial entrepreneur, and lifelong academic with broad experiences and expertise in leading global business enterprises. I excel in developing and leading international teams that operate in a myriad of business disciplines. As the founder, President, and CEO of PMO Solutions Inc, I continue to drive organizations forward by providing business strategy advisory services and enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions to organizations large and small.

I earned the degree "Doctor of Business Administration - Project Management" as aGraduate with Distinctionand I’m currently writing scholarly journal articles on emerging technologies and their impact on ERP software and the professional services ecosystem.

My Doctoral Dissertation on "The Lack of Adoption of Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrency Applications by ERP Professional Services Firms" has filled many gaps in published academic literature.

I’m also an avid Blockchain and Cryptocurrency enthusiast and evangelist and the Chief Strategy Officer for DeVo Protocol DAO, an organization dedicated to positively redefining the global philanthropic and volunteering ecosystems utilizing blockchain technology.

2. Why did you choose to work in this (tech) industry?

I have always had an interest in technology, and several years ago, I had the opportunity to work for a global ERP software publisher and my life changed forever.

3. In your opinion, what’s the hardest part about working in this industry?

As an older black man in the tech industry, there are not a lot of people that are of my age and my ethnicity, and thus I sometimes get overlooked in favor of younger people that are usually not of African American heritage.

4. When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing?

I am an avid sports fan (especially the Los Angeles teams) and I really enjoy watching the surfer dudes and dudettes at the beach.

5. Have you ever encountered any challenges in the industry because of how you look?

I truly believe that every African American man and woman has at one time or another encountered challenges because of how we look - I certainly have!

5b. How did you overcome them?

I have always been a very confident person and I have full belief in myself and my abilities. It is that confidence that I always let overshadow any challenges that I encounter - especially those challenges based on how I look.

6. What is the next thing you hope to achieve in your career?

I hope to continually bring knowledge and awareness to those that are and have been less fortunate than myself. I would love to see African Americans of all ages grow their knowledge in various areas of emerging technology (e.g. Blockchain, AI, Web3, Robotics, etc.)

7. Who is your tech idol and why?

I am not one who has “idols” per se, but I do have admiration for several people in tech. Bill Inman and Alyze Sam are a couple of highly respected individuals in the world of tech that I really enjoy and appreciate their work. Dr. Lavinia Bleoca, Brandi Veil, and Fred Meyer are others that I highly respect. They are also simply awesome people that I enjoy collaborating with.

8. Do you have any advice for young African Americans considering a career in tech?

Yes - do it - the tech field is one that is very broad and full of opportunities. The African American communities have historically been left behind in the career fields that technology covers. I truly believe that it is well past time to level the playing field and get some of the young brilliant African American minds participating in this exciting ecosystem.