FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Ann Almond
(404) 207-3817
aalmond@atlbusinessjournal.com
2016 Georgia Minority Business Awards Celebration
‘Year of the Entrepreneur’
ATLANTA, GA — On March 24, 2016 at the Georgia International Convention Center, the Georgia Minority Business Awards (GMBA) will host their 19th annual awards reception and dinner gala to celebrate minority businesses and entrepreneurs from around Georgia who are making an impact within their perspective communities.
The Georgia Minority Business Awards represents all people, races and cultures. The speakers, diversity CEO’s, minority business winners and scholarship recipients represent the best in success and exhibit these behaviors and values nationally and throughout the state of Georgia. Our awards committee recognizes these superior qualities in performance, citizenship, leadership, ethical behavior, diversity and teamwork. These individuals share their philosophy for putting customers first, increasing the value of their companies and organizations, which make their workplace, a great place to work and have had a tremendous impact on the City of Atlanta and the State of Georgia.
The host for this years’ event is Atlanta’s own Todd Gray, director of supplier diversity for Grady Health System. The co-host is the beautiful multifaceted business mogul Lisa Nicole Cloud. The keynote speaker for the evening will be Kelton Alexander, CEO of Science, Technology, Engineering & Math Education (STEM) Coalition. Other special invited dignitaries that will be in attendance includes: Huei -Yuan (Steven) Tai Director General of Taiwan, Mayor Jack Longino, City of College Park, John Eaves, Fulton County Commission Chairman, Dr. Lee Shreve, Deputy Consul for Economic Development & President of the Korean-American Chamber of Commerce, Ceasar V. Mitchell, President of Atlanta City Council, and Bernadette Ijeh, President/CE0, La Bernimure Elegance International Business Arena and Successful Business Leadership.
“I started these award celebrations to simply acknowledge and congratulate local and small business men and women entrepreneurs who are trendsetters in their own right,” founder and Executive Director Creed W. Pannell, Jr. shared. “Planning to work the plan you create, is merely a good idea; working the plan to work for yourself – makes you an entrepreneur.”
Some of Atlanta’s most respectable business leaders will be presenting awards this year to deserving innovators. The list of presenters includes: Chantel Ross Francois, Tourism Director – Douglasville Convention & Visitors Bureau; Terrence Moore, City Manager of College Park, Courtney Pogue, Clayton County Economic Development Director, Lee E. Rhyant, President of LER Solutions, LLC, Veronica Thomas, Sr. Manager – IP/Litigation/External Affairs Church’s Chicken, Stevie J, Reality TV Star, Lew Barnes, NFL Player, Dr. Richard S. Freeman, Exec. VP & General Counsel-Cleveland Carter Enterprises, Lydia Glaize, Fairburn City Council, Paul Stapleton, District Sales Manager Southern Region Kia Motors America, Inc., Uriah Bullard, CEO of Future Entrepreneurs Chamber of Commerce, Lisa Griffin, CEO, Clear Insurance Solutions of Georgia, Dr. Rhonda A. Scott, Chief Operating Officer/CNO of Grady Health System, John M. Haupert, President/CEO of Grady Health System, Lisa Smith, Metro South Regional Manager, of Georgia Power and LaRonda Sutton, Director Film Entertainment for City of Atlanta.
GMBA will honor the following individuals: Community Service of the Year Award -Warren Anthony (Tony) Lynch, Regional Marketing Director of Forest Lawn (Dignity Memorial); Technology Industry of the Year Award -Kelton Alexander, CEO “Gazelle Boss-I-Quit”; CEO of the Year Award -Miguel Southwell, General Manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Intl. Airport; Entrepreneur of the Year- Davielle Jackson, President/CEO, UCE Carriers Inc./Jackson Productions; Law Firm of the year Award- Mahdi Abdur-Rahman; Mayor of The Year Award-Deborah A. Jackson, Mayor, City of Lithonia, GA; Franchisee of the Year Award -Ali Chunara, Chunara Food Group; Commissioner of the Year Award -Stan Watson, Commissioner of Dekalb County District 7; Youth Entrepreneur of the Year-Kaylin Ebener, CEO of Kids Business Expo; Heritage of the Year Award -Leslie B. Wiggins, Director, VA Southeast Network (VISN 7); Tenacity of the Year Award -Dietrich T. Logan, CEO, Logan Design Group International; Healthcare Industry of the Year Award -F. Michael Toca, MD., Chairman of the Atlanta Medical Association (AMA); and Insurance Industry of the Year Award – Felipe Barganier, CEO of GAB International LLC.; Entertainment Industry of the Year Award – Tirrell D. Whittley, CEO | Principal LIQUID SOUL.
In partnership with Business Development Initiative, Inc. (BDI), which is an entrepreneurial school for youth in high school and middle school, scholarships will be awarded to students at colleges and universities that have a focus on International Studies, IT partnership programs with business schools and MBA campaigns to promote future employment opportunities and corporate growth in Georgia.
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 each year. Many thanks to 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 and recognition.