Andre Farr
Chairman & CEO
Andre Farr is a 22-year entrepreneurial executive in the business of sports and entertainment. Mr. Farr first gained notoriety as the President and CEO of House of Blues Sports; and again as the Chairman and CEO of the Black Sports Agents Association.
However, it didn’t start there. As a high school All-American football player Andre’s interest in entertainment surfaced. He was one of the first concert promoters for MC Hammer. When he accepted a football scholarship to UCLA he continued promoting concerts and special events on campus including a highly acclaimed Greek Show and Concert in Pauley Pavilion. Upon graduating from UCLA Andre’s passion for sports and entertainment led him to continue his mission to create opportunities between these distinct industries. He lent his writing and acting talents to the feature film, "THE Program". He also worked briefly with Mel Farr Sr., who owned multiple auto dealerships and was highly renowned as one of the top African-American businessmen in the nation.
Next, Mr. Farr joined Stanley and Associates a sports management firm in Los Angeles where he produced an incredible Draft Party at the House of Blues for the Number 1 pick in the NFL – Keyshawn Johnson. After meeting with the founder of House of Blues, Isaac Tigrett, Andre became partner with House of Blues and majority owner of House of Blues Sports. While there Mr. Farr and his team produced many fascinating events including entertainment surrounding the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and the last recorded performance of Tupac Shakur in Los Angeles.
After being invited by Rev. Jesse Jackson to attend a meeting of top black professionals in sport, Andre was elected Chairman of the Board of the Black Sports Agents Association. As a agent, Mr. Farr has guided the careers of several athletes including D’Marco Farr, a Super Bowl Champion with the St. Louis Rams as well as Alvin and Calvin Harrison, the Olympic Gold Medal twins. Under Mr. Farr’s direction and intense guidance, the BSAA membership has grown to over 3,700 of the world's top sports agents, lawyers, investment managers, marketing representatives and prominent executives. From the inception of the BSAA, Mr. Farr has sought to establish a higher standard of integrity for athletes and sports professionals; promote increased African-American and female representation among athletes; and create broader ventures with the professional leagues and franchises.
Jamaal Cannon
President
Jamaal Cannon has been involved in the sports and entertainment industry for more than seven years. Upon receiving his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business with honors from Florida A&M University, he joined the BSAA in 2003 as an intern working side by side with Chairman and CEO, Andre Farr.
He quickly learned the intricacies of the business and developed the skills in sales and marketing, sponsorships and endorsements, as well as sports management. In his tenure with the BSAA, Jamaal has been able to establish and maintain countless relationships with a variety of corporate partners which has allowed him to solidify numerous partnerships for the BSAA’s Special Event Series and youth Sports Camps. During this time, Jamaal also embarked upon the Pharmaceutical sales industry where he has honed his sales knowledge and business acumen.
Growing up in Richmond, CA and competing as an athlete himself, Jamaal has a strong belief in giving back to the community and working with the youth. He has dedicated himself to coaching youth basketball and mentoring young players on the importance of education and becoming positive young men in society. In addition, Jamaal is also a part of the Merritt College basketball program as a scouting and recruiting coach.
Jay Brown
VP of Operations
Brown who hails from Houston Texas holds a B.F.A degree in Theater Performance from the University of Evansville. Upon graduating Brown decided to focus on the business side of the entertainment industry. She has successfully worked her way up the corporate ladder through a variety of companies in the areas of executive assisting, sal es, marketing, and talent management.
Throughout her career she has worked for several Fortune 500 companies inclu ding CW Publishing Group and Clear Channel Radio to name a few.
Some of her projects as an Ad Sales Executive while at CW Publishing Group, included closing major deals with many top executives from SC Johnson, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Vonage, American Airlines and Helzberg Diamonds to name a few.
Learning a great deal while at CW Publishing, Brown took her talents to Clear Channel Radio where she served as Director of Endorsements & Sponsorships. Her responsibilities included, but were not limited to, developing extensive marketing campaigns, event marketing, creating sponsorships, acquiring new business acquisitions, and writing copy for many of the on air radio commercials.
Throughout her career, Brown has also worked at Sounds of Brazil (S.O.B.) as a Booking Assistant and Kyoto Planet Group as an Ad Sales Consultant. But it is her love for managerial operations which has brought her to Black Sports Agents Association (BSAA), where she holds the title of Vice President of Operations for the company.
Ms. Brown, is also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated.
Layah Willis
Founder/ Executive Director, City Youth Exsposure (CYE)
Layah Willis is the Founder/Executive Director of City Youth Exposure (CYE). A Los Angeles native, she grew up most of her life in Watts where she e xcelled academically despite school and community disadvantages. Although in high school she did not know which career to pursue, she had high expectations for herself and remained determined and focused to succeed.
As an athlete year-round (basketball, track & field, cross country), she made sure she took the best classes and maintained high grades in her coursework. She graduated from Locke High School with high honors. Out of her class, she was awarded a full academic scholarship to attend the University of California, Berkeley, where she graduated in 2010 with a B.A. degree in Sociology and a minor in Education.
Throughout her college career, Willis worked with youth of all ages on many projects and in various organizations. She volunteered in outreach programs where she served as a mentor and speaker for inner-city middle and high school students in Los Angeles and the Bay Area. Willis interned at her community library in Watts, California and periodically went back to her alma mater, Locke High School and surrounding schools; where she informed students about her college experience, educated them on how to prepare for and complete a program at a four-year college.
Willis has also helped create and facilitate a Nutrition/Fitness program for elementary school students at Emerson Elementary School in Berkeley, California. She also developed and spearheaded a workshop for middle school girls that focused on increasing their self-esteem. Willis worked at the Making Waves Education Program in Richmond, California as a tutor for two years and volunteered for multiple programs at middle schools in Berkeley and Oakland. Additionally, Ms. Willis served on panels in Berkeley to inspire and encourage minority middle school students to go to college and pursue their goals, dreams and desired careers.
