9TH ANNUAL Men of Excellence 2016
DEFINING EXCELLENCE
EXCELLENCE as: the fact or state of excelling; superiority, eminence; an exceptional quality or feature.
According to the Chicago Defender, EXCELLENCE is defined through demonstration and performance of those men it honors annually.
Excellence is often difficult to describe, yet recognition is immediate upon seeing it.
Rest assured, it is never happenstance. It is always the result of focus, great intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, skillful execution, commitment to be your best self 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.
This year the Black man has come under much scrutiny and we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge those whose lives were taken too soon, whether psychologically or physically.
We acknowledge our honorées because they are the ones who persevere against the adversity that faces them daily, threatening their very existence, and contribute to others, often making a difference in the lives of others, in particular other young Black men.
What Makes a Chicago Defender
MAN 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 and 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 grasp the pursuit of excellence and strive to live exemplary lives. 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.
They are men who persevere, like
Like
What is EXCELLENCE?
This historical year marks the formal beginning (
An attorney originally, Abbott refused to accept the "place" that would be assigned to him, so White law firms refused to hire him. He defied them and convention by establishing the newspaper.
The Defender published controversial editorials encouraging Blacks to leave the oppressive South and go North to seek opportunity that could lead to greater self-determination. Eventually, almost seven million Blacks moved out of the rural South to the urban North, Midwest and Western parts of the country between 1910 and 1970.
During its 110 years history, the Chicago Defender has witnessed, recognized, and celebrated excellence - celebrated the men who have crossed the bridges on the backs of those who have gone before them, blazing trails, breaking ceilings and charting new courses.
Master Of Ceremonies
Norman came to
His signature segment "
Lifetime Achievement Award
Of all the accolades you could give
He received that honor from the Guinness people back in 2009 and is still broadcasting on the air over radio station WVAZ/V103 seven years later.
There's not much more you can say than that for this true legend who is as much a signature treasure of
Bom
Having had this monster career is highly ironic for Herb because when he was a straight-A college student in the 1940s, his White professor told him, "You have the best voice in the class, but you'll never make it in radio because you're a Negro."
Well, this Negro went on to become the very first
In addition, coming full circle to what his professor told him, Herb himself teaches broadcasting at
As one of the most important figures in
A young
He has befriended and interviewed many music legends, including
In addition to his accomplishments as a radio personality, Kent has been a longtime active community and civil rights leader. He has spent many years serving as a role model to the
There is a wonderful book about the man and his life that came out in 2009 (
In the book, former Illinois Cov.
The Chicago Defender salutes
Rev.
Ira J. Aeree has pastoree! the
Although leading his congregation and spending time with his family keeps him busy, Aeree has managed to stay at the forefront of justice on issues of local and national relevance for the last 15 years.
He is also the author of two books, The Man in the Mirror and In Pursuit of
He has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the
Prior to
As Chief Academic Officer, Allen leads the network of
Raised on the
Vernard is the third of seven brothers raised by both parents in the
He earned an Associate of Science degree in Physical Therapy from the
He partnered with his wife to build two businesses,
After eight years of serving as a
Vernard actively supports his alma mater,
In recent years,
Jermaine is an Independent Brand Specialist that develops and implements marketing activities to increase the value of signature brands across many different industries. Jermaine has been the force behind many exclusive brands, products, and record breaking live events.
As a young entrepreneur, Jermaine participated in entrepreneurship classes alongside junior high students during which time he created coffee mugs, key chains, and posters. His designs flourished in the local community.
His products landed him first place in the school business fair and he placed number 51 out of 100 in Youth-Owned Businesses in America by his sophomore year in high school. Consequently his success catapulted Jermaine into the arena of public speaking through which he began to share his story of success around the country. Since then he has been featured in several publications and media outlets.
Jermaine's keen fashion sense moved him to also consult men wishing to take their image to the next level. He is the owner and designer of Neck Appeal, an online-based retailer specializing in designer neckwear for men.
In 2014 Jermaine Lawrence Anderson launched The Chicago Gentlemen's Brunch to kick off a movement uniting socially conscious men who share values on male responsibility.
As an off-shoot of the brunch, Jermaine launched Project Gentleman, through which he collects previously worn clothing to gift young men graduating from high school, college and those re-entering the workplace.
Jermaine is also the President of Kingdom Resources, a faith based and ministry consulting firm.
Barker's practice is primarily concentrated in the representation of condominium associations, where he advises condominium associations on a wide range of complex and day-to-day governance issues.
Also, he oversees condominium association assessment collection matters, litigation, and ensures compliance under the Illinois Condominium Property Act, federal requirements, and municipal codes.
Lastly, Barker is an advocate for the rights and protection of individuals with disabilities. In 2003,
He was an executive vice president of the
He was Corporate President from
Before being named Chief Financial Officer, Bell was Senior Vice President of Finance and Corporate Controller. In this position, he served as the company's principal interface with the board's Audit Committee. He was vice president of contracts and pricing for
Bell is a member of the board of directors of JP Morgan Chase,
Brookins is a versatile electric utility manager with 32 years of experience. Before his current appointment in
His accomplishments include significantly reducing fleet costs, enhancing revenue from non-standard services, reducing the average outage duration and operating errors; improving new business customer satisfaction ratings and meter read rates; and reducing employee injuries.
Brookins started his career with ComEd in 1983 as a corporate planning analyst. He was selected to Chicago United's 2011 Business Leaders of Color. In 2008 and 2010, he was selected by the editors of
He serves as co-chair of the
Derryl "D.C. Mad Hatter" Caldwell
Caldwell says, "Our goal at D.C. Mad Hatter is to package our clients position through creating quality goods that showcase a unique signature and branding while providing unparalleled customer service with unmatched personal delivery."
Through the years, D.C. Mad Hatter has worked to incorporate the family-friendly, business-oriented and community-focused quality service it provides. D.C. Mad Hatter provides uncompromising quality and value to every item that it customizes for its clients.
For orders of one to one thousand, they are equipped to deliver high quality digitized stitching that ensures the highest resolution and best quality. In recent years, there has been a renewed consumer interest in embroidered apparel because of the high value embroidery creates.
Mad Hatter's attention to detail is what sets it apart. It seeks mutually beneficial and enduring relationships in all the commitments it makes, ensuring that they are straightforward and honest - "the personable touch."
Born in
He is a bus operator who takes his job seriously, realizing that the bus operator is the first face of the CTA that the public comes into contact with. It is important that an operator greets all people equally with respect. Charles says you never know, "It could really make their day."
In addition to his CTA work, he is also a deacon at
Charles is a loving husband and father of three sons and five grandchildren, which keeps him focused. He boasts of his marriage of 17 years, and also appreciates the opportunity to build new relationships built on trust, uplifting words, and friendship, which helps family, coworkers, and church members who may be tumbling and struggling, trying to find their way. Charles believes that it is his role to help empower them and to pass forward the good he's already received himself.
In his capacity as First Deputy Commissioner of the
He oversees the day-to-day operation and administration of the second largest non-emergency department in the city with a budget of
Randy was named First Deputy Commissioner of the
After attending
Rev. Charlie Edward Dates
In 2011, at the age of 30, Rev. Charlie Edward Dates became the youngest Senior Pastor in
In 2002,
He currently is a candidate for the PhD in Historical Theology at
Alfred W. Dinwiddie II
With over 22 years of investment banking and sales and trading experience,
Currently, he is a Senior Vice President at
Al has performed in many roles in his 11 years at
Prior to joining
The hard work and dedication of Local 1001 members ensures
James constantly works to improve the lives of those that he interacts with, and those that he believes can and will benefit from his contributions.
From the support he gives to
William M. Farrow III
In 2010, Farrow was one of the five organizers of
The objective of the partnership was to create a solution that would prevent financial devastation in the low to moderate-income communities of
Under Farrow's leadership, the new self-sustaining bank is constructively resolving the failed bank's balance sheet. The balance sheet has been reduced from
Farrow began his career in 1979 as a Consultant for
In 1986, Farrow joined
Raised in
Restore provides emergency disaster repair services and has successfully helped over 10,000 home and business owners throughout the Chicagoland area recover from fire, flood and storm damage for over 30 years.
In
Prior to Restore, Foster was chief of staff to
Before that, Foster served the
Charles L Cill
Charles Cill is a strategic IT leader in the healthcare industry with a proven track record of success in developing and delivering IT and business solutions to optimize and enhance organizational operations.
He is a senior manager in the Subscriber Delivery Operations organization. Under his direction, he manages a team of 41 employees and consultants to help facilitate claims adjudication for 16 million members.
Gill was born on the
He successfully turned around multiple struggling Artillery & Personnel Units (70-120 people) and created high performing teams through leading by example, creating SMART goals, documenting clear expectation for leadership and administering awards or disciplinary actions.
As an acknowledgement of his performance Charles was selected by the
Charles served as VP of Operations, Program Manager and Executive Board Member for
For more than 20 years, the proud father of one son and two grandchildren has been a motivational speaker, addressing youth about life experiences, planning, friends, work and the importance of education.
Amongst his educational achievements, Charles is a 2012 AHIP Minority Management Development Program Fellow.
Under the leadership of the Department's director he is responsible for the management and oversight of the Department's
The Region served is comprised of
As the RHO, Harrington serves as the Director's liaison/representative to key stakeholders and local health agencies in
Prior to this, Harrington was an Assistant Commissioner for the city of
He is a graduate of
Prior to joining
Prior to Sara Lee, Hart was partner at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal in
Brett received his bachelor of arts degree in philosophy and English from the
Hearns is a senior level manager with more than 25 years of business experience. He has an extensive background in employment and training programs that highlight business operations and workforce development projects.
He is analytical and a conceptual thinker who strategically partners with decision makers to create opportunities for disadvantaged individuals.
During the past twelve years, Ron has developed programs that benefit youth, adults, and dislocated workers. He also develops key relationships and collaborates with local aldermen, state representatives, senators, community-based organizations and other workforce center administrators.
Ron has managed a broad array of projects and teams in several industries including technical schools, community colleges, and workforce development. He has also served as an advisory board member for the
He continues to serve as a mentor for
Ron holds an M.S. in Marketing Communications and a B.S. in Business Administration from
Formerly, Flerenton was First Vice-President of the Private Fund Croup at
Fie also was an Associate in the
In 1998, Johnny began pursuing his passion ambition to work with youth. He cut his teeth at the City of Chicago Adopt A Street Program. He initiated bringing youth together to take pride in keeping their neighborhood blocks clean and safe.
In 2002, as a Rainbow/PUSH volunteer, he initiated a campaign to register over 200 young people to vote, mostly at
In 2003, he reached out in the community to re-engage out of school youth from off the streets and back into the classroom. This inflamed his passion to assist in change as an innovator and educator. He designed several programs to promote leadership, peer mediation, peace, and to keep youth engaged with their education.
Last summer, he joined the Youth Connection
Since then, principals and deans of five significant high schools have continued to communicate between their programs and maintain dialog with students and the school administration addressing issues of safety that they face daily to create and develop opportunities to assist youth in their educational, social, and spiritual growth.
In this role he counsels small to mid-sized business owners in the areas of business formation, intellectual property protection, general contract drafting, mergers and acquisitions, franchising, and private equity.
Jamal is also a co-founder of and consultant at
Previously, Jamal worked in Client Development for the
Outside of his legal career, Jamal sits on the Board of Directors for My Block, My Hood, My City and the Associate
Jamal received his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from
Ralph previously served as vice president and chief financial officer at the
Prior to joining the Ounce, he was director of finance for the beverage division of
Ralph started his career as an auditor with
Ralph earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from
Ralph is a member of
In 2011, London won the Louder Than A Bomb youth poetry slam here in his native
Malcolm's work has been featured on national media outlets including
He graduated from
John worked at HUD during the day and went to law school at night. Af- ter earning his law degree from Kent in 1990, he joined the
After six years there, John founded the
John, along with
For 15 years, John successfully represented thousands of poor and disadvantaged clients. Additionally, he worked as a Deputy Hearing Com- missioner for the
In
Matt McCill is one the country's premier radio morning-drive personalities on WVON. As a host on one of the nation's only Urban Talk radio stations, McCill's morning show is the only locally produced program that targets affluent
McGill offers substantive conversation mixed with his own brand of observational humor, making him a favorite amongst
A longtime trusted friend of President Barack Obama, Marty served as nation- al treasurer for his two presidential campaigns.
A businessman who founded and eventually sold
Nesbitt is the co-founder and coCEO of private equity firm The Vistria Croup. Vistria is a combination of the Latin words for "power" and "three," which the co-founders- said represents their financial, operational and regulatory experience.
Nesbitt is a former chairman of the
Nesbitt has an MBA from the
Around the
Young Pate, Jr.
Young Pate, Jr.'s 45 years as a business owner and security risk management consultant have allowed him to contribute to the betterment of communities throughout
In all those years, he has consulted or influenced the continued success and positive outcomes of scores of projects and businesses, among them,
Pate's security experience began in 1970 when he started working for The Woodlawn Organization Security Force, where he steadily moved through the ranks from professional security apprentice to supervisor of security and later chief of security from 1970 to 1981.
After nearly two decades, Pate established his own firm, City Wide Security, a physical security and assets protection agency. He embarked on that effort with only two employees; nevertheless with careful planning, hard work and devotion, he eventually grew his business into a 300plus staff organization.
It was during his years at
Pate is a registered private detective, a past member of the
He served in the
In 2013,
Most notably,
While this was the largest settlement to a single family in the country, the significance of the case was even greater. The lit- igation revealed that employees of then
In addition to his trial law practice,
Rob has a strong vision for the future of the region, and the ability to execute that vision among diverse stakeholders. This vision is bolstered by his extensive background in finance, underwriting, real estate and community development.
Rob comes to the
Rob also has worked for apartment developer
Outside of work, Rob serves on various boards, including
Aid.
Sawyer presides as
He was born and raised in the ward he represents and has called the
Mirroring his father, Roderick started his work in public service at a young age. Ever since joining the 6th Ward Young Democrats as a child, Alderman Sawyer has worked to fulfill his passion for public service. He is an active participant in all of the
Roderick in 1981, graduated from
He practiced at the
In his spare time, Roderick enjoys deejaying as an amateur music mixologist, playing basketball, softball and dominoes.
The Honorable
Schoop graduated from
While pursuing his studies at UIC, Schoop worked full-time at the unionside labor law firm Cotton, Watt, Jones and King, where he developed his passion for the law and decided to attend law school at the
After graduating from law school,
After that clerkship, he practiced law at two leading law firms, and ultimately became partner at Laner Muchin until the
After his appointment, Schoop was tapped to be the slated candidate by the
Schoop served on the Associate Board of the
In his nearly 15 years of service to the marketing and sales industry,
Percy's innate ability to connect the right people, ideas, and strategies within a space, resulting in ground-breaking creativity and client growth, has been his hallmark.
After excelling as the franchisee with the number one sales office for
He created Global 360 Marketing, a dynamic full-service agency, working with clients such as the
Percy has cultivated a commitment to understanding the needs of each client, connecting them with services and opportunities that position them ahead of their competitors.
Percy serves as the Executive Director for the
Keith graduated from
He leads a Christian Apologetics Bible Study in the
Keith is a member of
He produces various genres of music and is an inspirational hip hop and spoken word artist. He is semi-fluent in Spanish, and loves to play basketball in his free time.
Charles has 20 years of insurance experience and has excelled in roles such as acquisition, launch, sales, commercial underwriting, account and relationship management.
Charles' career began in 1995 at
In 2007, Charles headed the
In 2009, he became the Chief Executive Officer through the acquisition and launch of the
In 2014, Charles developed
Charles served as an
He holds a Bachelors of Arts degree and has completed a Master's of Science degree in Public Service from
Rev.
He is the communications director for the Chicago Football Classic and Christmas In The Wards nonprofit organizations, and previously served as deputy chief of staff for
Previously, Smith was the technology administrator and adjunct professor of Arts, Entertainment & Media Management at
He was also the faculty advisor for the
Damon was a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Fellow in the
Smith is an active member and serves as the Publicity Chair of the
He is also the Associate Minister of Social Justice and Special Projects at
Professionally, his career focus is in the areas of youth development as well as sports and recreation. He is a Marshall Memorial Fellow of the
At
Starks holds an MBA from
A 2000 graduate of
It is a
As a 19-year CE veteran, Russell has a wide range of
Prior to his position with
Before GE Transportation, Russell led global services for the business, where he created a customer- and quality-driven business focused on analytics and reliability. Before joining CE Transportation, he was the general manager for
Russell began his career in sales for a PC manufacturer before joining
He is the youngest of four children born to
While attending college at
Working along with his mother, who is currently the CEO and his siblings has remained an outstanding experience due to the company's growth over the years. Utilizing his project management skills in the family owned business has helped in its growth and expansion.
Angelica's now employs over 75 employees with three shifts and currently participates in various employment programs to assist those who are hard to employ by providing opportunities otherwise not available.
Paul has volunteered his time to many nonprofit organizations including
Throughout the past decade, Stroth has worked with the
Prior to serving as the Managing Partner of Action Injury Law Croup, Stroth was the Director of
Utilizing his expertise and experience to contribute to his community has led Stroth to serve as President of
Stroth also negotiates employment contracts and represents several media personalities, including
He is a magna cum laude graduate of the
Prior to re-joining
Cedric is very active in
Thurman has been recognized for his professional accomplishments by
He holds and MBA in Management Strategy and Marketing from Northwest- ern's
ICT also creates effective solutions to resolve wastewater discharge challenges in commercial facilities. In his leadership role at ICT, Carl directs and executes performance driven results in sales, installation, distribution and corporate partnerships for high efficiency lighting, environmentally responsible lamp disposal and waste-water management consulting.
ICT successfully designs and implements FOG (Fats, Oils and Grease) Control programs that serve the needs of Commercial Food Service Establishments by giving them the ability to use technology and people to control FOC through measurement and verification. This helps FSEs recapture lost opportunity costs that once were considered to be uncontrollable due to the limits of conventional methods.
Prior to founding IGT2030, Carl had a 25-year career at
Carl is respected among his peers for his problem solving ability, which was often tested within the
Prior to
Dr.
Dr.
Vaught grew up in
His practice focuses on prenatal/ family care, athletic injuries, and personal injury. In addition to his
Vaught was the recipient of the 2013 African-American Male Image Award and in 2014, he was invited to lecture on his research at a
His hobbies include traveling, mission trips, and running. He completed his first half-marathon in October 2015.Vaught has a Bachelor of Science from
He received his Doctorate of Chiropractic from
Previously, he executed transactions with major financial institutions in
Wade describes himself as a man of the world who grew up in the suburban Chicagoland area and has visited over 50 countries. He now resides in
For as long as he can remember he's had an interest in merging markets, long before he actually understood what that really meant. His introduction to and exposure to that which he eventually pursued as a career helped to spark his interest and excitement around sharing and introducing state-of-the-art technology and how it is used and can be implemented to enhance business to young aspiring entrepreneurs as well as established small businesses. In the spirit of giving he enjoys mentoring in this capacity.
In addition to his mentoring activities, Wade loves to read history, politics and science fiction books and aspires to write a novel one day. In addition he is also a member/comrade of the
Drew is a graduate of the
The visionary behind BlackDoctor. org (BDO) is
He is the founder of
Ware's current role is founder and CEO of BlackDoctor.org, the world's largest and most comprehensive online health resource targeted to
As of
BlackDoctor.org has more Facebook followers than any other health website, including
The BDO User Study shows that BDO is the number one, most trusted health resource for its 18 million Black consumers. Blacks suffer disproportionately from a number of diseases and BDO is the only resource that speaks directly to this group in a language they understand and in an environment that they trust.
2015 also marks the second year of Ware's DailyVitamina.com (formally LatinoDr.org) website, which is designed to give the Hispanic community a trusted voice to digest culturally accurate consumer healthy lifestyle information for them. Produced in both Spanish and English, DailyVitamina has the partnerships in place to become a solid foundation and resource for years to come.
Ware attended the
Malcolm's proven ability to achieve and surpass objectives, as well as his strong negotiating and influencing skills, led him to be selected in 2011 to serve in his current capacity as the Director of the Illinois Dept, of Central Management Services (CMS).
Malcolm provides clients with counsel on public private partnerships that lead to sustainable solutions, mutual benefits and profits for all involved parties, including all variations of governmental entities and businesses, nationwide. ;
In 2005, Malcolm gained expertise in the
At COMB, Malcolm managed over
At COMB, Malcolm began providing oversight and support for state agencies to plan operational direction and resource management.
Most notably, while working for the
He enlisted in the
He served over six years in the
In 2004, Wilson accepted a position with Exelon Nuclear, the nation's largest competitive energy distributor. His career breakthrough moment came after receiving his Nuclear Instructor Certification which allowed him to teach and train, for over a decade, in his field of expertise for most of the commercial nuclear fleets.
Currently, Wilson is the Managing Partner at
He attained certification as a Senior Reactor Operator Trainer, one of the most highly regarded and respected accomplishments in the commercial nuclear industry.
On a mission to change the public perception of the career opportunities in these fields, Wilson is well on his way to bringing more awareness to the fields of energy and manufacturing and the economic opportunities they afford minorities, veterans and people of color.
Danny began his resource development career with
In 1999, he relocated to
He moved to
Over the past 30 years, he has fostered and maintained strategic partnerships with national and international corporations, organized labor/trade unions, as well as corporate and community volunteers, raising over half a billion dollars for the communities in which he has lived and worked.
Danny received his Bachelor of Arts in Journalism at
In addition to his studies college kept him being busy with another startup company and internships throughout
Upon returning to the
He is founder of a technology company called HumaniFi, manager of a business accelerator for Goodcity, adjunct instructor at
With a heart tendered for service, he actively supports various academic and community development boards, his fraternity
Duane has maximized his capacity and has taken on a range of volunteer roles, consulting, seminars and public speaking engagements. His hobbies include travel, cooking, laughter with family and friends, doing voiceover work for television and radio and even skydiving.
Karry L Young
Throughout the 1900s, the company's rehab profiled averaged between 50-60 locations ranging from
The company's profile consists of low/ high risk development pursuits and real estate advisory services, and positioning the firm to succeed through various real estate cycles.
In 2004, Karry saw an opportunity to build custom luxury homes, which sold from
Karry has part of the
Karry himself was awarded the Businessman of the Year by the
Robert Sengstacke Abbott Humanitarian Award
arry Huggins, the first recipient of the Robert Sengstacke bbott Humanitarian Men of Excellence Award, is president and CEO of
For over 40 years, Huggins has served as a leader in development, construction management and general contracting for commercial, municipal and residential properties. Riteway-Huggins Construction Services grew from
As a painting and decorating contractor, the company was recognized for Huggins' creative abilities to formulate a tri-venture partnership for construction projects at
Under Huggins' leadership, the company evolved into
Today Huggins is chairman of
* the redevelopment of the historical
*
*
Currently,
Active in civic and community affairs, Huggins is a founding member and past vice president of Black Contractors United. He was appointed to the
In 1997, Huggins became the first
Huggins served on the board of directors for the Illinois Conservation of National Resources and the
Huggins, who was raised in
Huggins, also a co-founder of the annual Chicago Football Classic between Black college teams, has made sure that students are exposed to the importance of a good quality education and to the educational opportunities at
Huggins has received numerous honors and recognition, including a Bronze Hard Hat Award from
Huggins was named Businessman of the Year by
Class-Action Suit Filed On Behalf Of Homeowners With Failing Foundations
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