Our CEO

Candace Bond McKeever is CEO and co-founder of AESA, Inc., a small, diversified 8(a) certified minority woman owned organization specializing in a full array of real estate services, project management services, marketing and advertising services and strategic management consulting.  AESA, Inc. provides these services  for a diverse and demanding client base including corporations and non-profits, federal, state and local municipal entities.

Ms. Bond McKeever recently served as Vice President and General Manager of Essence Entertainment.   In this position she was responsible for the day-to-day management of the division and oversaw the development of all business initiatives in the areas of film, television, music, radio and live entertainment.  She oversaw all production and marketing restructuring efforts for the Essence Music Festival, the nation’s largest family music festival in New Orleans, LA resulting in record breaking attendance, revenue and profitability. She also produced the Essence Music Festival TV Special  and the Essence Awards, delivering its first ever profit in thirteen years.  In this position, she successfully built alliances with a number of blue chip consumer companies including American Express, Budweiser, Chevrolet, Cingular Wireless, Clorox, Daimler Chrysler, Coca Cola, , Johnson & Johnson, L’Oreal, McDonalds, Pepsi, Southwest Airlines, State Farm, and many more.

Prior to this position, Candace held senior positions with de Passe Entertainment and Motown Record Co. where she marketed numerous broadcast properties including The Temptations miniseries on NBC, Motown 40 special on ABC and executive produced over 100 music titles.

As a business development specialist, Ms. Bond  McKeever has been retained by leading corporations and non-profits to assist in their overall strategic development.  With over 20 years of experience in strategic management consulting, marketing, communications, and sustainability management, Candace has demonstrated a proven ability to develop and grow corporate divisional revenues and profits. She has assisted numerous blue chip brands in developing targeted, sustainable growth initiatives that connect with clients and customers.   Some of her clients  include Starbucks, Anheuser-Busch, Allstate, Essence Magazine, HUD, Diageo, the NAACP,  the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, nationally syndicated radio host Tom Joyner and many others.

Ms. Bond McKeever received her B.A. with honors from Harvard University and her M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in Cambridge, MA.   She recently received her Executive Management degree in Sustainability from the Presidio Graduate School in San Francisco, CA. She currently serves as Chair of the MLK Health and Wellness Community Development Corp., Chair-Elect of the Greater LA Education Foundation, Chair of the Malibu Foundation, and is a member of the CA State Treasurer’s Housing, Economic Development, Jobs and Opportunity Zone Ad Hoc Committee. She also serves on the boards of CA Head Start, the Driving Force Group, the SCE Clean Energy Access Working Group and the Women Founder’s Network.  In 2014 she was recognized as LA County Woman of the Year by the LA County Women’s Commission for her work in the area health access equity.