FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Patricia Angella: 404-704-6105
atleditorial@bellsouth.net
2014 Georgia Minority Business Awards
Year of the Entrepreneur
ATLANTA, GA — On March 27th, 2014, an audience collected at the Georgia International Convention Center celebrating minority businesses and entrepreneurs from around Georgia. , for their accomplishments within their prospective communities. ‘Year of the Entrepreneur’ has been a running theme for Georgia Minority Business Awards’ (GMBA) Founder and Executive Director, Mr. Creed W. Pannell, Jr. “I started these awards to simply acknowledge and celebrate local are small business men and women and entrepreneurs who were trendsetters in their own right,” said Pannell. “These were people who deserve the recognition but who might not otherwise receive it.” The GMBA is in direct partnership with the Business Development Initiative, Inc.(BDI), which is an entrepreneurial school for high and middle school students. The evening’s host was Atlanta’s own Mr. Todd Gray, director of supplier diversity for Grady Health System. His co-host was the returning Uriah Bullard, current president of the Future Entrepreneurs Chamber of Commerce (FECC) a direct creation from BDI youth.
The 2014 GMBA winners have all had a direct impact either within metro Atlanta or neighboring city, the State of Georgia or both. These businesses either have had great new development(s) revenue increase, or other professional impact on and/or within their perspective communities. Reverend Frank Cornelius Brown, president of the Concerned Black Clergy of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc. gave the invocation. And, back for another year was the soulful crooner, song artist Reggie Parks, who delighted the audience at the start of the program.
And the 2014 Georgia Minority Business Award winners are…
Dr. Sueling Wang of Color Imaging Inc., was the recipient of the International Business of the Year Award; John Hope Bryant, who is founder of Hope World Headquarters, received the Non-profit Organization of the Year award. CEO of the Year award went to Vaughn Irons – CEO of APD Solutions, Inc.; and the Entertainment Industry of the Year Award went to Forrest Tuff who is the CEO of One Vision Productions. The Neophyte Award went to CEO of REnergyP2o, Jamiel Hampton; and Shelby R. Wilkes was presented with the Healthcare Industry Award. Carl Michael Williams of Carl M. Williams Funeral Home received the Community Service of the Year Award; while Hector Javier Romero, Licensed Custom Broker, took home the Tenacity Award. This year’s Commissioner of the Year Award went to Commissioner Lee May, interim CEO of Dekalb County; and Allan Newton, chief executive officer and chief operating officer of Dove Mailing, Inc., took home the Heritage Award. The City CEO/Mayor of the Year Award went to the Mayor of the City of Albany, Mayor Dorothy Hubbard. And, the Commercial Real Estate Industry Award, went to CEO T. Dallas Smith, of T. Dallas Smith Commercial Real Estate Group.
The Technology Industry of the Year Award was presented to Mr. Dolan P. Falconer Jr., co-founder and chief executive officer of Scan Tech Holdings LLC. Mr. Falconer was also the keynote speaker for the evening. Mr. Falconer has successfully led Scan Tech and its technology to the forefront of the homeland security and food safety industries. He engaged the GMBA audience with light humor and much information about future of technology. We can certainly expect more of Mr. Falconer, and Scan Tech Holdings.
Congratulations to all of the business owners and entrepreneurs who were the winners of the 2014 Georgia Minority Business Awards!
There were also many who offered their formal welcome and brought greetings. Those were Jack Longino, Mayor of College Park; Honorary Consul General, Republic of Liberia, Cynthia Lynn Blandford; Miguel Southwell, interim aviation general manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; David McKinney, vice president of Future Entrepreneurs Chamber of Commerce; Pamela Roshell, Regional Director, Region IV for the Office of the Secretary, US Department of Health and Human Services; Huei-Yuan (Steven) Tai, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in /Atlanta; and John H. Eaves, Chairman, Fulton County (District 1, at- large).
The night is incomplete without the presenters of the awards. The program presenters were: Hamilton Holmes, Jr., community relations manager at Lockheed Martin; John Lu, president of the Asian Business Association, Ray Wang, former president of the Chinese Culture Center, Ormond Curl, founder/president of The Precedent Group; Michael Hightower, Managing partner of The Collaborative Firm, LLC; Jerome Derrickson, CEO & president of Ground Support Entertainment; Ann Smith, CEO of Computer Source, Inc.,: Valerie Ramsey, executive director, Materials Management, Grady Health System; Charles Fowler of North Carolina Mutual; Larry Vincent, chairman of Development Authority of Clayton County, Eldrin Bell, business consultant and former chairman of Clayton County Commissioners; Donald Eason, Jr, Strategic consulting manager; Terrence Moore, city manager of College Park; and Zeron Turlington, CEO of Full Circle Group.
What began as merely a vision has turned into a successful annual award event…one in which businesses and entrepreneurs now look forward to being a part of every year. Many thanks to Mr. Creed W. Pannell, Jr. for his follow through with the vision and commitment to the leadership of the GMBA. The Year of the Entrepreneur is a theme worthy of repetition. Said Mr. Creed W. Pannell, Jr., “Planning to work the plan you create, is merely a good idea. Working the plan to work for yourself – makes you an entrepreneur.”
About the Atlanta Business Journal
The Atlanta Business Journal was created to assess and supply economic projections that affect the African American consumer and business community. Our objective is to profile successful entrepreneurs and recount the steps, process and progress in becoming successful role models. To share your story or one of an up and coming entrepreneur, please feel free to contact atleditorial@bellsouth.net.
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