We have all witnessed the devastating impacts of Hurricane Harvey. At the NBMBAA®, we are hopeful that our members, partners and friends are on the road to recovery.

In a stark reminder of the damage done by the Great Recession and of the modest recovery that followed, the median American household last year finally earned more than it did in 1999. Incomes for a typical U.S. household, adjusted for inflation, rose 3.2 percent from 2015 to 2016 to $59,039, the Census Bureau said. The median is the point at which half the households fall below and half are above. (ABC News)

So your savings account balance is at or below $1,000? Guess what, you're not alone. A 2017 GOBankingRates survey concluded taht more than half of all Americans (57 percent) have less than &1,000 in their savings accounts. (CNBC)

Job openings in the United States reached a record high in July at 6.17 million, according to Labor Department data published this week. Employers continue to struggle with finding workers to fill all the open positions. (CNN Money)

Working an entry-level job, or just waiting for that raise? Here are some ways to side-gig that can boost your income and your career simultaneously. (Fast Company)

Here is a simple strategy to use that will allow you to stand out and impress anyone you meet, despite how many other people they meet that day. It's called the Super-Connector strategy. (The Muse)

Most companies invest in gender diversity initiatives without any knowledge of whether they really work, according to a new report by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). (Forbes)

Dr. Christopher Lehman, a Professor and Chair of the Ethnic Studies Department at St. Cloud State, wants to rename the 51 Building - the former location of the Herberger Business School - after Ruby Cora Webster, the first African-American student to have graduated from St. Cloud State University. (Diverse Issues of Higher Education)

A graduate student class offered at San Diego State is drawing criticism and support from students, administration and community members. Black Minds Matter, created and taught by education professor J. Luke Wood, will be offered in person to roughly 30 students at SDSU, as well as online via live broadcast to approximately 10,000 participants from Oct. 23, 2017 to Dec. 11, 2017. (Daily Aztec)

In two weeks, the National Black MBA Association® will welcome more than 10,000 professionals at Philadelphia Convention Center September 26-30. The inaugural NBMBAA® Higher Education Expo will give students the opportunity to explore higher education pathways with representatives from top colleges and universities who will answer questions about admittance, campus life, scholarships and financial aid. The organization provides access to over $20 million in scholarships to major universities across the country. (Black Engineer)

Blind spots in our innovation economy are leaving the best ideas out of the conversation. We overlook entrepreneurs based on who they are—less than 10% of investment in new companies goes to women; less than 1% goes to people of color. (Business Insider)

Nine winners of Baltimore's first Teen Business Challenge - a competition designed to inspire young people to create their own businesses - received up to $5,000 in seed money to grow their businesses. The competition is part of an ongoing effort to encourage black-owned businesses. The average black-owned business in Baltimore is worth $40,000 and the average value for white-owned businesses is $800,000, according to the Washington-based Corporation for Enterprise Development. (The Baltimore Sun)

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have devastated Florida and Texas, and could cause between $25 billion and $35 billion in losses covered by insurance. The overall economic impact could be between $70 and $90 million. (CNN Money)

American household income is rising, but it you're an American male, this isn't necessarily a time for celebration. Men continue to earn less than they did before the recession started, and their incomes continue to shrink, according to the latest data from the Census Bureau. The trend is part of the reason the gender pay gap is narrowing: Women are earning more, but their male counterparts are losing ground. (CBS News Market Watch)

Wall Street firm Moran Stanley predicts now that Amazon owns Whole Foods Market, the highly-successful internet business will expand more into physical stores and boos its other businesses. CNBC)

White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said this week that the Trump administration is pushing for a 15 percent corporate tax rate and he believes that's a realistic goal. (CNBC)