6th BBBW Soiree to Honor Black Business Elite
William C. March Service Award to be presented to 6 area business people
(BALTIMORE – February 12, 2009) – BMORENEWS.com publisher Doni Glover announced yesterday that the first-ever William C. March Service Award will be bestowed upon a half-dozen individuals for their contribution to the black business community at the 6th Annual Black Business Week Soiree at the Diamond Tavern at 401 W. Pratt Street. March was a funeral industry pioneer in the city of Baltimore.
Among the list of honorees is Jake Oliver, Publisher of the Afro American Newspapers. Almost 117-years old, the Afro is a staple in the black news industry locally, nationally, and internationally. Oliver has successfully taken the publication to the next level in an era of technological advancements.
There is also Scott Dance, the minority beat reporter for the Baltimore Business Journal. Dance’s coverage of the minority business community is commendable, according to Glover, because “he is willing and able to go where others do not go.”
For the uninitiated, BMORENEWS.com has five major tenants, including minority business, public education, ex-offender services, affordable housing and universal access to health care. Glover stated that he believes the individuals being honored exemplify perfection as it relates to improving the conditions for black businesses to survive – particularly in the worst American economy ever.
This kick-off event for the 6th Annual Baltimore Black Business Week festivities, said Glover, “… is meant to bring attention to the efforts of Visionary Marketing Group and their 10th Annual Minority Business Summit, as well as to Tyrone Taborn’s Black Engineer of the Year Awards.
”I remember when LaRian first began his business summits,” said Glover. “So, when I opened my doors to entrepreneurship some 7 years ago, it was important to me to support that event with full impact. Given that both of my parents were entrepreneurs, I have inherently known the beauty and significance of us being in business. I have said it repeatedly on our weekly radio show: The African American consumer spends some $800 billion annually in America … $45 billion alone between Baltimore and DC. Therefore, any black business worth its salt with a decent product or service ought be well-supported and ensured a future.”
He continued, “As for Mr. Taborn, nobody has done more than him, especially when it comes to the whole realm of news reporting in science and technology. Tyrone is an icon, simply put.”
He added, “Even though a recession or a depression is among us, we, as a people, have been even here before. Hence, we shall survive.”
Other awardees include: Kevin Johnson, founder of Commercial Interiors; Kevin Davis of the May-Davis Group; Carl Mack, President of the National Society of Black Engineers; Cassandra Vaughn-Fox, founder and CEO of Out Foxed Media; Charles Johnson, the new President of the Greater Baltimore Black Chamber of Commerce; and Debra Keller of Keller Services.
These individuals, according to Glover, exemplify excellence in the persistence, service and determination necessary for success in business in our community.
”When I think of William C. March, a man who gave me money to go to Morehouse, I think of a person who definitely understood the concept of giving back to his community … without a shred of thought. He knew it was incumbent upon him to not only make a way for himself, but for those around him. I think that is most astounding and truly worthy of remembering. Besides, my daddy, a funeral director and mortician himself, thought the world of the man.”
To RSVP for this one-of-a-kind business networking event, do call Phenomenal Events at 443.223.8759. Space is limited.
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