The 14th annual Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon held Thursday at the Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis was also a celebration of St. Louis as a region for African Americans to live and do business.
2013 Entrepreneur of the Year Jimmy Williams, a McDonald’s franchisee, choked up and wept when he opened his remarks to a sold-out crowd of 450 by simply saying the name of his hometown: “East St. Louis …”
2013 Non-Profit Executive of the Year Adrian E. Bracy, CEO of YWCA Metro St. Louis, described her joy at returning to St. Louis to accept her current leadership position: “I had the opportunity to go back to the best city in the world, in my opinion.”
2013 Corporate Executive of the Year Rodney Gee, a principal at Edward Jones, said, “I grew up on the North Side of St. Louis, so it is possible to be successful in St. Louis.”
Keith Williamson, executive vice president and general counsel at Centene, accepted the 2013 Corporate Diversity Award for the company. He said, “This award serves as a reminder that there is more work ahead of us in helping to make St. Louis a better and more diverse place to live and work.”
Lifetime Achiever in Community Service James H. Buford, fresh from a National Urban League meeting in New York where he was appointed to the national Board of Trustees, praised the St. Louis Urban League staff he led for 28 years, naming many of them personally.
Emcee Carol Daniel, KMOX news anchor, said it is love of the St. Louis community that drives Donald M. Suggs, president of the St. Louis American Foundation, which produces the event in partnership with the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and the St. Louis Regional Chamber.
“He is driven simply by his love of this community,” Daniel said of Suggs.
Suggs used his own brief remarks to emphasize “the value of diversity and inclusion in business,” which, he said, “has to start at the very top with enlightened, forward-thinking leaders.”
The future of the community also was acknowledged with the presentation of a Donald M. Suggs Scholarship (up to $10,000 annually) to Harris-Stowe State University student Erica Harper.
Four accomplished business professionals also were honored with Excellence in Business Performance Awards: Dexter Evans, senior director of manufacturing at Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals; Rhonda Denise Jones, director of immigration at Emerson; David Rodgers, vice president of real estate management for Brown Shoe Co; and Michelle D. Tucker, senior vice president of Bank of America.
Eleanor Higgins, an African-American leadership coach who moved to St. Louis from Milwaukee and attends this event every year, said she was inspired by the luncheon, as always.
“I come for the networking,” Higgins said. “It’s a great opportunity to see what other businesses are doing to better not only their businesses, but the community. It’s motivating, energizing and inspiring.”
Ann Marr, vice president of human resources for lead sponsor World Wide Technology, was even more plainspoken and downhome. Addressing the awardees collectively, she said, “We’re very proud of you guys, and World Wide Technology is honored to be part of this event.”
