8th ANNUAL Men of Excellence
DEFINING EXCELLENCE
1. the fact or state of excelling; superiority; eminence:
His excellence in mathematics.
2. an excellent quality or feature:
Use of herbs is one of the excellences of French cuisine.
3. (usually initial capital letter) excellency (def 1).
According to the Chicago Defender EXCELLENCE is defined through demonstration and performance of those men it honors annually.
Excellence
It is often difficult to describe. Yet, each of us know it when we see it. Rest assured, it is never an accident: it is always the result of high intension, sincere effort, intelligent direction skillful execution, and the vision to see life's challenges as opportunities.
This evening the Chicago Defender recognizes 50 MEN of Excellence nominated by Chicago Defender readers. A blue ribbon panel of impartial and anonymous judges had the arduous task of making the final selections from the hundreds of names submitted. We salute each of the men whose credentials were submitted who are not listed this year, as well as the thousands of men known and unknown who reflect excellence daily.
Who are the Chicago Defender MEN of EXCELLENCE?
They are men bound by a personal code of ethics that demands accountability and integrity. They are men who exercise self-control, demonstrate personal strength and courage, and possess power as well as grandeur. They are men who care more than others think is safe, dream more than others think is practical, and expect more than others think possible.
Who are the Chicago Defender MEN of EXCELLENCE?
These powerful men some quiet and under the radar, others bold, flying high are public and private figures. They are leaders, motivators and educators. They are entrepreneurs, corporate executives, civil servants, and other professionals. They are men who have made their mark in society and are reaching forward by reaching back to assist those who want to move ahead.
They are men who dare to dream the impossible and then work to make it happen like Dr.
What is Excellence?
This historical year benchmarks history bridging two centuries through which the Chicago Defender has witnessed, recognized, and celebrated excellence. Celebrating these men who have crossed the bridges on the backs of those who have gone before them blazing trails, breaking ceilings and charting new courses means much to the community, which embraces them and supports their endeavors.
His signature segment "
MaShun is a native Chicagoan raised on the
After working in various jobs in the field, he felt extremely bored and wanted to be more involvement in community efforts especially on behalf of the youth. He began working at
He has extensive experience in working with adolescent mental health, serving in hospitals settings and school environments. Currently, He is employed with
He's very active in the community being part of
Mashun earned a MSW, Master's in Social Work from
Judge
He is active in the community, and is a founding Board Member of
He currently serves on the Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation Legacy Board;
He is married to
Since completing his undergraduate work at
Darren has several professional memberships and affiliations. He is a member of the
Darren is married to his wife, Monica and the proud parent of two daughters, Darica and Darria. They reside in
Issues central to Commissioner Boykin's policy agenda include funding expansion for mental health services, criminal justice reform, workforce training and economic development.
For nine years
Prior to his service with
ANTHONY began his career in the industry in 2003. As a financial professional, his intended outcome is to help empower clients to make informed decisions and take effective action toward meeting their specific goals. Brown says what's distinctive about his approach is a focus On objective guidance. He offers each individual a broad range of options for their individual and business needs through: INVESTMENT SERVICES - Asset Accumulation, Short- and Long-Term Goal RISK MANAGEMENT - Weaith Preservation, Income and Family Protection FINANCIAL STRATEGIES - Education Funding, Retirement Planning
I am a lifelong resident of
He is involved in Youth Mentoring Programs in the
He holds a Bachelors of Science in Finance (Banking and Investments) from the University of
At Urban prep, Edward's responsibilities include, but are not limited to managing the networks' student recruitment efforts, fundraising and marketing and corporate and community partnerships. Before joining Urban Pre, Edward managed a privately 250unit single family residential apartment community in
Aside from his professional career obligations, Edward is an active member of several civic and social organizations; the
Edward earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from
Derrick began his broadcasting career in 1986 as a corporate market research interviewer for
Following programming tenures in
Derrick is a past recipient of
Derrick is a member of the
Prior to joining
Brown reported from the
After covering the campaign trail for the 2010 elections in
From 2005-2009, Brown was an anchor/reporter for
In addition to the Emmy Award, Brown was honored for his accomplishments in Broadcast Journalism with a
Recently, Dwayne graduated from
Dwayne is expanding his leadership capabilities and is amongst a select few individuals chosen to participate in the
In addition to serving as a Mentor, Leader and Trainer, has also served as the Host of "Know Your Heritage Game Show," was a correspondent for NexTV, which featured various inspirational community segments and was a three-time guest on the
Damon bas produced and directed digital marketing campaigns for the likes of Heineken,
Damon has been honored by
Damon is a former Senior Software Engineer for Motorola in
A native of
Alderman
The Alderman served the
Cochran has served as Alderman of the
His education and background in law enforcement, business, public service and organizing, as well as his formal education and passion for improving the quality of life of our society have proven to be invaluable assets as he serves the public's interest as a Public Administrator.
As a result,
Prior to joining
In addition to serving on more than two dozen committees during his tenure, Colvin chaired the
At the time of his appointment as State Representative, Marlow worked as an administrator in the
Colvin serves on the
Colvin is a graduate of
Dr.
"My Philosophy of facial aesthetics is simple: Customized techniques combined with natural products give superior, natural looking results."
As a fellowship-trained Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, he has mastered a variety of approaches and techniques that he combines and customizes to treat the underlying causes of the individual aging process.
He is committed to the use of natural biologic products in facial cosmetic surgery and applies to all procedures; Rhinoplasty (Nose Job) (primary and revision) Facial Rejuvenation: Hyaluronic acid fillers (Restylane®, JUVÉDERM®) and neuromodulators (BOTOX®, Dysport®) Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Surgery) Facial Fat Grafting (Autologous Fat Transfer) Mentoplasty (Chin Augmentation) Platysmaplasty (Neck Lift) Rhytidectomy (Facelift) Otoplasty (Ear Pinning) Scar Revision Trauma and Cancer Reconstruction
Dr.
In addition to his cardiology practice,
Van Ewing seized the opportunity to be his own boss, while operating within the safety net of a Fortune 100 company, and working with a diverse team of people which took Van Ewing, who is now the Managing Partner of the Chicago North Shore General Office, to
Having worked for
Life insurance seemed a perfect fit since it would enable him to work independently and utilize his financial background. It would also complement his commitment to good citizenship and community involvement.
"I wanted to be a business owner, but I also wanted to help people in the community-specifically the African American community-with financial strategies and investing," he says.
Van chose
Van worked as an Agent for only 22 months before becoming a Partner in 2006. He was promoted to Senior Partner in 2008 and the next year was named Managing Partner. Van says this meteoric career trajectory was made possible through the support of his supervisor, Managing Partner
Scowl's confidence in his abilities, Van says, put his career on the fast track. "My Managing Partner helped me and trusted me enough to get this office started."
Van invests the same trust and guidance in his own recruits to help them advance quickly. "There is a lot of satisfaction In helping a person move up," he says. Doing the right thing for yourself and your community.
La
Rav. Dr.
In
Shared Gordon has always been a staunch social justice advocate as his work includes: directing neighborhood violence prevention programs, convened statewide criminal justice reform collaborations, led the development and passing of legislation for several policy initiatives, worked to secure program appropriations and organized and trained residents and community leaders locally, nationally and internationally. Shared has been with City Colleges Chicago for the past three years, and during that time he's been tasked with creating two new departments, Community Relations and Recruitment, and has since been asked to serve as Associate Vice-Chancellor for Legislative, Government & Community Relations, where he oversees all external activities and legislative policies and affairs. He also served as Director of Outreach for Advance Illinois, an independent statewide policy and advocacy education reform group, implementing an advocacy plan across the state in support of the organization's legislative agenda. Prior to that he has served in a variety of leadership capacities for TAD, a regional community based organization, including as Executive Director and Policy Director. He also consults NGOs in legislative, government affairs, arid development in three countries in
Eric's outspoken, but easy-to understand approach to money matters has made him a sought-after speaker and lecturer on personal and business financial planning. A strong advocate for financial literacy in minority communities, he is a regular pundit in media outlets such as Black Enterprise,
A graduate of
Committed to the community, Eric is a volunteer speaker for Athletes Against Drugs, board member for
A husband and father, Eric and his wife, Trffani, have three children, Irie II, Lila, and Malcolm.
Jasper Hagan is an accomplished results driven sales professional. In his current role as an Account Executive with JHeartMedia he has experienced great success in building and maintaining relationships with key decision makers. Jasper's strong interpersonal skills are evinced by his ability to delegate effectively and work well with others. Whether it involves taking charge or listening attentively, Jasper is more than capable of gathering appropriate information to provide well-thought out solutions to any given issue.
Currently a member of the 100 Black Men of
Shon began his career in the electrical construction industry 17 years ago as an
Shon was a participant of the Chicago Urban Leagues' inaugural class of the
As the owner, Shoe's main focus is creating a sustainable company by developing genuine relationships that result in long-term customers.
Bennie was bom to Bennie and Curiie Henry as the youngest of four children and grew up on the
Bennie and Cora have two sons, Donavon and Benjamin. As Bennie continues to live on the
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) in
Holmes' community development career spans 26 years, including work as a budget planner for a
Holmes has been honored individually with many community leadership awards, including from the
in his spare time,
Prior to joining
Among his accomplishments at
Darrell serves on the Boards of the
Darrell received a B.A, degree from
Reverend
On the road to the ministry, which was a gradual process, Anderson travelled many paths. He was a member of Claire Christian United Methodist church with his wife. During that time, Anderson took a three year correspondence course for the ministry. He attended Garrett and the Chicago Religious institute to be initially ordained as a Baptist minister. After additional training, he was ordained at Grant A.M.E. as an A.M.E. minister.
Anderson's first job was as a dishwasher for J.D. Connors' restaurant. His second job was that of a laborer in an auto repair garage utilizing the skills and training he had gotten during his two-year stint in the
Rev. Jackson's fondest memory was that of being moved by his grandfather,
Retreating for Rev. Anderson is simple: he reads and he prays. A perfect day for the dancing, singing minister is the first Sunday of every month, which is Communion Sunday provides the opportunity to take part in the sharing of the body and blood of Christ.
After vowing to Rev.
Mayor
His tenure as an educator included teacher, Dean of Students, Director of
As a public servant, Mayor Kellogg started his political career as a
Mayor Kellogg earned a Bachelor's Degree from
Mayor Kellogg has served on many foundations and other boards as Executive Director. He has received many awards for his community service and initiatives, and continues to be involved in many humanitarian efforts, most recently the Gift of Hope.
Mayor
Dr.
As a volunteer, Johnson was elected president of the
Jelani is a graduate of the
In
Previously, Merchant served under Mayor
This was his second stint in the
Merchant has a long history in public service and legal affairs. He worked as an Assistant Public Defender in the offices of the Cook County Public Defender as well as a contract attorney for the legal services firm Special Counsel. He also worked at the
Merchant was admitted to the Illinois Bar in
Reginaldo A, Montague, earned a BS in Chemical Engineering and a MS in Engineering Science from
Today he is Director of Projects at
His industry experience tnefodes con^foef products, petrochemicals, waste treatment, pharmaceuticals, public sector, healthcare, auto manufacturing, telecommunications, and high-technology. He has held global positions in
Honors bestowed him are: "Young Leader* designation by the Chicago CouncH on Global Affairs, recognition for contribution to the "Transport for London Five Year Investment Programme", recognition by
Thomas L. Pitts. M.D., a graduate or
However, the turning point for Justin's career and his transformation from part time support staff to a dedicated, committed, for-tbe-long-haul executive came when his grandmother became ill and in need of SCR's regular services herself. Suddenly SCR was no longer a job where people were transported from one place to another. It came home to Justin that this was a personal matter. These people who were being transported were somebody's mother or grandmother. They needed to be transported comfortably and on time, reliably, politely and compassionately, in clean vehicles that were safely and well driven without breakdowns or incidents that were always there when they were needed, it was a lesson he has never forgotten.
Justin became fully committed to the company, present and future, and to maintaining the core values instilled and maintained in SCR by his parents from day one, despite the challenges inherent in a far larger organization, Justin formalized and improved internal communications within SCR using multimedia communication tools.
Justin gained experience in just about every department of the company in order to learn the business to gain knowledge and insight to help him improve, implement, correct or eliminate whatever necessary to run a smooth operated transportation company. He Was involved in the company's transition to Pace where he was responsible for getting all SCR'sthen 275-300 drivers trained and certified for tMfc. commercial driver's license. . " 'irWfWv
With the assistance of professional consultation Justin helped establish an HR department, ^ " organizing and reinventing the onboarding process which included changes to the way SCR advertised for and selected staff, the application process, interview techniques and training procedures for new employees.
Justin has helped implement various procedures and systems to maintain Its high levels of service, quality and customer and staff satisfaction. He continues his leadership in HR and is responsible for new business. His contribution to improve SCR's branding, has created new excitement and high esprit for SCR's employees.
He is poised to help stably expand SCR, keep it on the leading edge of processes and technology while maintaining the family and community values which helped SCR become the company it is today.
Justin is a graduate of
Kevin Rocío is the man behind
He was recently accepted into the CCM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) Institute, which once initiated, he will be part of a recognized group of experts in the commercial and investment real estate industry.
Rocio's tireless work ethic paid off as he immediately rose to rank as the #1
Rocio's motto, "Within reach, beyond expectation: is fitting in that his real estate team has consistently achieved expectations for their clients and continues to do so time when physicians are under such pressure to run efficient business operations and have to manage so much information and juggle the idiosyncrasies created by a complicated health care system more interested in lowering costs than real caring for patients, he takes the time to provide excellent medical care. He is very patient in answering questions of patients and community members and does it with humility and grace. I can attest to this both as a longtime patient and watching him in action at DESM,
Khalid received his BS in Corrections and Criminal Justice From
In his spare time Kevin mentors youth (ages 5 to 20), provides social work related trainings/ workshops on multiple topics to include (relationship issues, marriage and divorce, compassion fatigue, supervisor/management, personality assessments, self care, team building, addictions, etc.) and is a motivational speaker for various
Khalid has served 9-1/2 years combined in both the
He has one daughter (Anayah), and 10 god children.
As Area Manager for the
During his nearly four-year term as the Park Supervisor for the Douglas Park Cultural and Community Center, he was instrumental in raising over
In 2012,
Earlier in his career,
Summers has hit the ground running. He has proposed an ambitious and audacious 90-day-plan called "Invest in Our Chicago." The document is intended to act as a roadmap, focused on leveraging
A legacy ot service is rooted in everything Kurt does.
Before answering the call to serve as City Treasurer, Kurt was a Senior Vice President at
Terry is committed to community service. Motivated by both his sister who is a breast cancer survivor and his sister in law who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2007, he decided to become an advocate in the fight against breast cancer. Terry is an active member of the "What if...
Terry is an active member of
Terry is a native of
Representative
After college.
In his first term 2011,
2012-present, he Joined the
State Representative
A graduate of the prestigious
Welch has served on the
As a legislator,
Welch has been recognized for his work on behalf of the community, receiving the Operation Uplift Hometown Dreamweaver Award, the prestigious PLCCA Image Award, the
Welch is currently a partner at toe law firm of
As an
Michael is a decorated
Michael is the Co-Founder of
Michael and his wonderful wife, Marquita are proud parents of 6 confident children.
Terry's spent fourteen years with the
Terry is co-founder of
Terry also owns, in partnership with his wife,
Terry attended the
Terry has numerous memberships and affiliations, including
Terry is an avid fitness & martial arts enthusiast and exercises almost daily.
Six year ago, House was handpicked to head the entire operation of the 110 year-old Chicago Defender. The
Prior to coming to
He then returned to Cleveland and became president and chief operating officer of the
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