Apostle Jamie T. Pleasant; Ph.D. is the Chief Executive Pastor and Founder of New Zion Christian Church in Suwanee, Georgia. He holds a bachelor's degree in Physics from Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina, marketing studies from Clemson University and an M.B.A. in Marketing from Clark Atlanta University. On August 13, 1999, Apostle Pleasant achieved a Georgia Tech milestone by becoming the first African American to graduate with a Ph.D. in Business Management in the school's 111- year history. God gave him the vision to establish a Biblically based economic development initiative for New Zion Christian Church. As a result, Apostle Pleasant is constantly sought after and he remains at the pulse of the economic business sector. He created programs in the church such as the Wealth Builders Investment Club (WBIC), which educates and allows members to actively invest in the stock market, along with the much celebrated Institute of Entrepreneurship (IOE), where community members earn a certificate in Entrepreneurship after three months of comprehensive training on aspects of starting and owning a successful competitive business. The main goal and purpose of IOE is that each year one of the trained businesses will be awarded up to $10,000 start up money to ensure financial success. The newly added SAT & PSAT prep courses for children ages 9-19 fuels the potential success of all who walk through the doors of New Zion Christian Church. Apostle Pleasant has met with government officials such as President Clinton and Nelson Mandela. He has performed marriage ceremonies and counseled numerous celebrated personalities such as Usher Raymond (Confessions Recording Artists), Terri Vaughn (Lavita Jenkins on The Steve Harvey Show), Peerless Price (Atlanta Falcons WR) and many others. He is civically engaged as well. After the Columbine High School shooting; he founded the National School Safety Advocacy Association. His latest foundations include the Young Entrepreneurship Program (YEP) and the African American Consumer Economic Rights Inc (AACER). Apostle Pleasant is the husband of Kimberly Pleasant and the proud father of three children; Christian, Zion and Nicara.