“I feel like The St. Louis American has been looking in my personal checkbook and our city contracts,” St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones said Friday at the St. Louis American Foundation’s 15th annual Salute to Excellence in Business, held at Four Seasons St. Louis.
The 2014 awardees, Jones said, are “a who’s who of who the City of St. Louis and I personally do business with. Even Real Estate Solutions – Nate Johnson sold me my house!”
Real Estate Solutions was honored as one of the Top 25 African-American Businesses of the Year. But, at the very top of the list of honorees, the same deep community spirit was felt and expressed.
Nicole and Abe Adewale, principals of ABNA Engineering, were recognized as 2014 Entrepreneurs of the Year. During their tag-team speech, they asked people from a host of community organizations with which they work and worship – including the National Society of Black Engineers, the University City School District, and Community Church of God in Black Jack – to stand.
“You have invested in us,” Abe Adewale said.
The 2014 Non-Profit Executive of the Year – Gene Dobbs Bradford, Executive Director of Jazz St. Louis – gave most of his praise to the largest investors in the recent $8 million renovation and expansion of Jazz St. Louis’ facilities, Thelma and David Steward. Thanks to them, Bradford said, St. Louis now has “one of the top five jazz rooms in the world.”
“The Stewards are a blessing,” he said.
In an event dedicated to excellence, Bradford offered refreshing insights into the value of improvisation, which befits a jazz executive. “The minute you feel like you know what you’re doing,” Bradford said, “you’re on your way down.”
Vince Bennett, the 2014 Corporate Executive of the Year, struck the more serious key notes typical of a business event. As Chief Operating Officer of McCormack Baron Salazar, he sees his company able to lead progress in other cities, such as New Orleans, whereas St. Louis has been more resistant to change.
“What we have seen across the country,” Bennett said, “we can do here.” Specifically, he challenged the community to work toward the construction of a north-south Metrolink extension, securing Promise Zone federal status for north St. Louis city and county, and greater investment in early childhood education.
“Children are our most valuable treasures, and we can invest in their future as well as football,” Bennett said – a dig at Gov. Jay Nixon, who recently made news in an attempt to keep the Rams NFL franchise in St. Louis.
The importance of minority inclusion in St. Louis business development – always a key note of a Business Salute – was sounded by executives for BJC HealthCare, which received the 2014 Corporate Diversity Award. BJC’s ongoing $1 billion campus renewal project, as The St. Louis American reported in its July 2014 Diversity special edition, employs various creative capacity-building strategies designed to grow local minority businesses, rather than merely hit minority inclusion goals via a mix of local and out-of-town contractors.
“We’re trying to increase both the number and the strength of local minority businesses,” said Lee Fetter, Group President of BJC HealthCare.
BJC’s Communications Manager Diedra J. Yates also was honored as a 2014 Excellence in Business Performance awardee, along with Shirley A. Stennis, Director of Customer Service for Ameren Illinois, and Juanita Logan, Senior Business Development Manager for World Wide Technology and Advisor to the Chairman.
World Wide Technology was the presenting sponsor of the event, which was co-hosted by St. Louis Regional Chamber and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. The PrivateBank presented a scholarship to Raina Brooks, a freshman at the University of Missouri.
Donald M. Suggs, President of the St. Louis American Foundation and Publisher of The St. Louis American, reminded the audience why the event was created.
“We want to raise greater awareness of individual African Americans who are excelling in business,” Suggs told the sold-out house of 480, “and provide a platform to advocate for effective diversity and inclusion. It’s both good for business, with our changing demographics, and also good for society.”
