Honoree
Dr. George Fraser
George Fraser is Chairman and CEO of FraserNet, Inc., a company he founded 32 years ago to lead a global networking and economic development movement for people of African descent. Born in Brooklyn, NY, he was an orphan and foster child for 15 years.
He spent 20 years in Executive leadership positions with Procter & Gamble, United Way and Ford Motor Company before starting his own business, FraserNet Inc. in 1987.
He is the author of 6 best-selling books including: Success Runs in Our Race, and most recently, Mission Unstoppable: Extraordinary Stories of Failure’s Blessings, a book he co-authored with Les Brown. Upscale Magazine named him one of the “Top 50 Power Brokers in Black America,” and Black Enterprise magazine called him “Black America’s #1 Networker” featuring him on its cover.
Dr. Fraser has received numerous awards and citations including: Induction into the Minority Business Hall of Fame and Museum, 3 Honorary Doctorate Degrees, a Chaplaincy and an Ambassadorship. He is a *Certified Financial Education Instructor and has an Insurance license.
He has been named as one of the best speakers in America and 5 of his speeches have been selected for global distribution by the prestigious Vital Speeches of the Day magazine, a first for any professional speaker in America.
In 2016 President Barack Obama awarded Dr. Fraser “The President’s Lifetime Achievement Award”
Dr. Fraser work has focused on lifting up disenfranchised groups and people of color. He is most proud of 2 charter schools he helped to found in Cleveland, Ohio 15 years ago which educate nearly 300 inner city children from black families of which 60% are boys. He resides in Cleveland Ohio and is married to Nora Jean Fraser for 46 years. He has 2 sons and 3 granddaughters.
Honoree
Dr. Malik Yoba
Although this Hollywood veteran offers over three decades of commitment to the arts with over fifty film credits and more than a dozen lead roles in network/cable television series, Malik Yoba considers himself a community and youth advocate first, with over four decades of experience working with young people globally, in schools, prisons and community-based organizations. Born in the South Bronx and raised in Harlem, it was his debut in the Disney classic Cool Runnings and his performance as NYPD Detective J.C. Williams in the groundbreaking police drama, New York Undercover, that catapulted Malik into the fabric of mainstream culture. A writer, director, producer, musician, serial entrepreneur, and emerging real estate developer, Malik founded Yoba Development in 2017 as a way to educate and empower communities of color, and increase diversity in commercial real estate. He has projects in NYC , Baltimore and Georgia and is currently touring the country screening and hosting workshops in conjunction with his educational docu-series, The Real Estate Mixtape, Volume 1: I Build NY. The series was created for high schools, colleges and community-based organizations and follows Malik and a cohort of youth as he navigates his first development deal in NYC.
In 2022, Malik received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Livingstone College and was awarded for his work in commercial real estate by Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement. He has also been offered a fellowship with Pratt Institute Undergraduate School of Architecture.
Honoree
Dr. Michael V. Roberts
Entrepreneur Michael Victor Roberts, Sr. was born on October 24, 1948, in St. Louis, Missouri to Delores Talley Roberts and Victor Roberts. He grew up the first of four siblings. The Roberts family was educated in the St. Louis Public School System, and Roberts began working as a youth, earning money doing chores around the neighborhood and delivering newspapers. Roberts heard St. Louis’ Dick Gregory talk about the Civil Rights Movement and was inspired. Graduating from Northwest High School in 1967, where he played the trombone and tennis, Roberts attended Central Missouri State University and Forest Park Community College. He met Jack Danforth at Camp Minnewanka and finished Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri as a Danforth Fellow. He began his first business selling dashikis and other African merchandise to area bookstores. Roberts studied law at St. Louis University School of Law, and in 1974, earned his J.D. degree and began Roberts-Roberts and Associates, a business and construction management firm headquartered in St. Louis.
In 1976, Roberts worked as St. Louis campaign manager for Jimmy Carter, and after Carter’s election as U.S. President, he was a regular guest at the White House. One year later, Roberts was elected the youngest alderman in St. Louis. His brother, Steven C. Roberts, would claim this title two years later, serving along with Mike Jones, Virvus Jones and Wayman Smith. Roberts was the chief sponsor of the St. Louis Center and Union Station developments, and he was involved in major redevelopment efforts for the City of St. Louis.
In 1981, Roberts and his brother began Roberts Broadcasting. After establishing WRBU-TV in St. Louis, the Roberts Brothers would build eleven more television stations across the country, from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Mobile, Alabama. While building these stations, the Roberts Brothers founded Roberts Construction Company in 1989. This additional business enterprise supplemented the commercial and residential developments the brothers had established in 1982 known as Roberts Brothers Properties.
In 1999, the Roberts Brothers opened the first Sprint PCS-affiliated wireless store in Jefferson City, Missouri. It was the only PCS-affiliated company owned by African Americans. The Roberts Companies include a $460 million thirty-four-company organization, with an aviation division, a gated Bahamas community and other real estate developments. Roberts serves as chairman of the board, while his brother Steven serves as president.
Honoree
Rodrick L. Green
Manage the corporation in a responsible and sustainable manner. Direct the business and affairs of the benefit corporation in a manner that balances the pecuniary interests of the stockholders, the best interests of those materially affected by the corporation’s conduct, and the specific public benefit or public benefits identified in the company’s certificate of incorporation. • Conduct Brain Trust with C-level executives to define strategy and tactics to achieve business goals • Provide strong day-to-day leadership presence • Identify KPIs, develop project plans, and monitor organization performance • Oversee HR, including: recruitment, head-hunting, payroll, mentorship and training • Ensure solid accounting and budgeting processes that comply with all relevant regulations • Effectively maintain cost-control and risk • Maintain and enhance a dynamic, collaborative, team oriented, corporate culture.
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Honoree
Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever
The Executive Director of the National Council of Negro Women. Both a membership and umbrella organization, the National Council galvanizes the collective power of more than 240 local sections along with 34 national Black women's organizations which together represent four million women of African descent in the US and throughout the Diaspora.
Prior to serving in the role of Executive Director, Dr. Jones-DeWeever served as the organization's Research and Policy Center Director and also held appointments with the Institute for Women's Policy Research, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
An accomplished scholar, writer, and public speaker, Dr. Jones-DeWeever is an authority on race and gender in the American economy, poverty in urban communities, inequality of educational and economic opportunity, and issues of privilege, power, and policy in the US. Dr. Jones-DeWeever received her Ph.D. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Women's Voices. Women Vote. as well as the Women's Voices. Women's Vote. Action Fund. She also serves on the Advisory Board for Wider Opportunities for Women and maintains the position of Affiliated Scholar with the Institute for Women's Policy Research.
Honoree
Kim Baker
Kim Baker is a New York-based commercial makeup artist and former Wilhelmina Model who specializes in working with celebrities and models. Kim's unique background and approach to beauty is what sets her apart from her peers. For 20 years, Kim was in front of the camera, beginning as a size 4 model and then in the early 90s became what was considered one of the pioneers in the plus size industry.
During that time, Kim was influenced by some of the best makeup artists in the industry - Fran Cooper, Reggie Wells, Quietfire, Kevyn Aucoin and Paul Star. Her very first makeup artist, at age 13, was the legend Way Bandy.
Kim learned early on the power of great makeup and a great makeup artist; so, when she met a makeup artist who was just starting her own line, and shared her philosophy about makeup, "Don't fall into trends-just play up your best features!" Kim began working for her company. That was 30 years ago, and the makeup artist was Bobbi Brown. It was from her experience there and years in the industry that Kim was able to secure opportunities as a full-time makeup artist.
In 2006, Kim received her big break - working for Hollywood A-Lister Tom Cruise and actor Ving Rahmes for the Mission Impossible movie press junket. And the rest is history ... working with everyone from NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, songstress Toni Braxton and singer John Legend to actress Dakota Fanning and radio personality Angela Yee, to name a few, as well as on the countless TV shows including America's Next Top Model.
Today, Kim has turned her passion for beauty into working with everyday women and has created a cosmetics line to enhance that "special something" she believes everyone has that makes them beautiful - her favorite feature, their personality.
Honoree
Monique Greenwood
Entrepreneur and publisher Monique Greenwood was born on June 22, 1959 in Washington, D.C. Greenwood attended Howard University where she graduated magna cum laude in 1981 with her B.A. degree in communications. In 1989, Greenwood married Glenn Pogue, a broadcast engineer for WNBC-TV.
Greenwood’s family lived in the Washington, D.C. area for several generations. In the 1920s, her grandfather, Benjamin Greenwood, operated a small grocery store in the southeastern part of the city. He later owned the Greenwood Transfer Moving and Storage Company, a business that was eventually listed as one of the United States top Black owned businesses. Greenwood was inspired by her grandfather’s success. His example proved to her that racial discrimination could not stop a person who had the determination to succeed.
Not long after Greenwood’s graduation from Howard University, she began working at Fairchild Publications. Greenwood stayed at Fairchild for fifteen years; among her achievements at Fairchild was the creation of Children’s Business, which was a monthly trade magazine that provided information about children’s apparel and other products. In 1992, Greenwood published her first book Go On Girl! Book Club Guide to Reading Groups. She was also the co-founder of the Go On Girl! Book Club, which is the largest African American book club in the United States.
In 1995, Greenwood and her husband opened their first Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast in Brooklyn, New York. The following year, she started working at Essence magazine, as a lifestyle and style director, where she stayed for five years. In 2000, Greenwood became editor and chief of Essence magazine. In 2001, Greenwood published Having What Matters: The Black Woman’s Guide to Creating the Life You Really Want. After writing her second book, Greenwood realized what mattered most to her, so she resigned as editor and chief of Essence magazine to pursue her passion for inn keeping.
Along with her husband, Greenwood opened four more Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast Inns in New Jersey (2002, 2006), Washington, D.C. (2003) and New Orleans (2005). Greenwood is working on her third book which will be titled Life Under New Management: How to Fire Your Job and Become Your Own Boss.
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