Apprentice Winner Randal Pinkett Releases Book for Young Leaders  2/5/07

Dr. Randal Pinkett, Successful Entrepreneur and Winner of NBC's The Apprentice, Pens Book for Young Leaders As Students' Interest in Entrepreneurship Spikes, 'Campus CEO' Gives Readers a Roadmap for Business Building; Provides Needed Guidance

NEW YORK,  /PRNewswire/ -- Google. Yahoo! YouTube. Student Advantage. Facebook. The list of successful businesses started by college students continues to grow. However, while nearly two-thirds of college students say they intend to become entrepreneurs at some point in their careers*, 75% of educators say their students have no idea where to start.** A new book entitled Campus CEO: The Student Entrepreneur's Guide To Launching A Multimillion Dollar Business (Kaplan Publishing, February 2007), by Dr. Randal Pinkett, the winner of NBC's The Apprentice, season four, an academic superstar with five advanced degrees, and the CEO of a multimillion dollar business, aims to give these students the tools and advice they need to get their ventures started and to grow them successfully.

Campus CEO is rooted in Pinkett's experiences as a student entrepreneur at Rutgers, a Rhodes scholar, a MBA/Ph.D. student at MIT, a winner of the Apprentice, and currently as the CEO of BCT Partners, a thriving consulting services firm. In the book, he shows students how to take the entrepreneurial leap, why it's worthwhile, and how achievable starting and running a profitable campus-based business can be. Pinkett shares his insights and profiles other successful Campus CEOs, including current students and legendary leaders, like Bill Gates, Russell Simmons and Michael Dell, who established their companies while in school.

In an era of rising tuitions and escalating student loans, Campus CEO uses first-hand accounts to demonstrate that students can form businesses that not only defray the costs of their education, but also flourish long after graduation. Pinkett's own profitable campus-based business helped him to graduate from college completely debt-free.

"I firmly believe the entrepreneur's mindset -- of creativity, resourcefulness, courage, vision and perseverance -- is empowering and I hope to help foster that outlook in talented young leaders," said Pinkett.

Pinkett will return to "the boardroom" in March when he will appear as a guest judge on The Apprentice.

Campus CEO, which is in bookstores now, is already winning advance praise:

"Randal is a business-savvy scholar. He knows how to make the most of his time, which is a crucial lesion for all aspiring entrepreneurs. Randal's book is based on experience, and I would recommend it to anyone in or out of school."

- Donald J. Trump "Our education system produces employees -- that's why Campus CEO will create more millionaires!"

- Robert Kiyosaki, entrepreneur, investor, educator, and author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad

"It's imperative that the student entrepreneur uses all resources available to him or her. Not only does Randal Pinkett's Campus CEO identify such resources, but it also gives you key information to maintain a healthy educational and financial future."

- Earl G. Graves Sr., Founder, Chairman and Publisher, Black Enterprise Magazine

To help support student entrepreneurs and give them an opportunity to showcase their talents, Pinkett is holding the Most Promising Campus CEO contest. The contest winners will be revealed during a Web based event at the end of February. The first place winner will receive a grand prize worth more than $20,000. For more information about the book and the contest, please visit www.campusceo.com.

About Randal Pinkett

Randal Pinkett made history by becoming the first African-American to win The Apprentice. He is a nationally recognized expert in business and technology and a sought-after motivational speaker on the subjects of management, career planning and the value of a college education. Pinkett holds five degrees, including a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from Rutgers University, a Master of Science in Computer Science from Oxford University in England; a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering; and MBA and Ph.D. degrees from MIT. He is currently the Chairman and CEO of BCT Partners, a multimillion dollar management, technology and policy consulting firm based in Newark, NJ. He has received numerous awards and was identified by Ebony Magazine as one of their "30 Leaders Under 30."