There was a warm and inviting atmosphere as the capacity crowd made its way into the Ritz-Carlton for the St. Louis American Foundation’s 21st Annual Salute to Excellence in Business Networking and Awards Luncheon. Thursday marked the first gathering in the name of Black business excellence since 2019 due to the onset of the pandemic. The experience felt like an opposing force to the energy typical of a standard corporate banquet. Sentiments from Midwest Bank Centre CEO and 2023 Corporate Executive of the Year Orvin Kimbrough perfectly summed up the afternoon.
“Coming in here today, it is somewhat of a family reunion in many respects,” Kimbrough said as he accepted his award. “So many people in this room have been a part of my formation over the past 20-plus years.”
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” -African Proverb quoted by 2023 Non-profit Executive of the Year Yemi Akande-Bartsch, Ph.D.
Such sentiments were reiterated throughout the afternoon from the master of ceremony – morning anchor for KSDK 5 on Your Side Rene Knott – as well as from presenters, honorees, guests and keynote speaker St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones.
“I want to thank you all – not just for your presence here at the luncheon, but your presence in the community,” Knott said. “February is Black History Month and one of the things that we really do not give enough light to is the success of the Black business person in the United States of America – who has had to go through so much to achieve.” Thursday was a time to let their light shine.
The theme for the event was expanding equitable growth
“We all know the old adage, ‘Black people have to work twice as hard to get half as much,’” Jones said. “But when you are Black and in business – sometimes it takes triple and quadruple the effort to get on even footing with our white counterparts.”
“The people and businesses that we celebrate today carry the tradition, the entrepreneurship, the ingenuity that activated the bill decades ago, that moved our city into a new exciting future, and that future should look different than the one we see in the rearview mirror,” said Jones.
Mayor Jones went on to talk about how the city is invested directly in the community in new and innovative ways. The Northside Economic Empowerment Center, based in the historic Sumner High School, is a one stop shop for entrepreneurs and existing businesses.
She shared that she herself was once a small business owner, and that she applies the lessons she learned during her brief time as an entrepreneur in City Hall on a daily basis. She also told the crowd that she considers the Salute to be the “the premiere business networking event of the year.” “It is where we lift up minority business owners [and executives],” Jones added. “And make sure they get the recognition that they have earned and deserve.”
She also referenced The St. Louis American as “an essential voice in the Black community, especially our business community.” “Every week’s edition highlights and shapes who’s moving up, who’s setting up shots, and who’s watching the months and years ahead,” she said.
The St. Louis American Foundation presented six awards to outstanding business professionals and institutions in the local area
This year’s honorees included recently retired Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald, who received the inaugural Lifetime Achiever in Business Award; 2023 Entrepreneur of the Year recipient Laurna Godwin (President and co-founder, Vector Communications); 2023 Non-profit Executive of the Year Yemi Akande-Bartsch (President, FOCUS St. Louis), 2023 Corporate Executive of the Year Orvin Kimbrough (Midwest Bank Centre CEO) and inaugural Excellence in Community Impact recipients John and Alison Ferring (philanthropists and founders, Ferring Family Foundation).
“I go to the actual root word, philanthropy – which actually means to love mankind,” Alison said. “It’s really about loving people.”
“The city has the opportunity both through education and business that we give back to a growing population with more and more people that want to live and work in St. Louis because the opportunities are tremendous here,” John Ferring said. “You can make a difference if you’re willing to work and get involved in the community. Alison and I would like to thank the St. Louis American Foundation and Dr. Donald Suggs for the St. Louis Community Impact Award.”
University of Missouri – St. Louis received the 2023 Corporate Diversity Award. “ We’re about making sure that we are collaborating all across the St. Louis region to work together so that we can have a wonderful environment that is inclusive, that’s about economic growth development for everybody.” said University of Missouri – St. Louis Chancellor Kristin D. Sobolik.
Delighted that UMSL is being recognized locally by The St. Louis American Foundation for its diversity, she also pointed out that UMSL was recently recognized nationally by Insights for Diversity Magazine as the number one university in the state of Missouri to have the Higher Educational Excellence in Diversity Award – a distinction they have earned a record six times.
Kimbrough is one of the many benefactors of UMSL’s stance on inclusive prosperity. Despite admitted academic challenges, UMSL took a chance on him with an opportunity for higher learning– and the entire region is better for it.
“Back in 2018 when he was in conversations with the bank about me potentially coming over to lead the bank, I remember thinking ‘this is unbelievable,’” Kimbrough said. “This doesn’t happen to a foster kid. This doesn’t happen to someone who scored a 15 on his ACT. I had one simple prayer to my God. And that prayer was, ‘Lord, look, if this is for me, open every door.’ He hasn’t failed me yet.”
Faith, perseverance, family and community support and a relentless quest for knowledge in their pursuits were critical common denominators in each awardee’s formula for success.
“The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that only 25 percent of first-time businesses make it to 15 years – and you know that percentage is even less for Black owned businesses,” Godwin said. “We knew that being Black and being female meant that we only had one shot at it – so we better get it right.”
In June Vector Communications will celebrate their 25th anniversary.
“My dream was always to be a broadcast journalist, to travel the world, work, work for networks, and be based in New York City, but that did not turn out to be the case. I came to St. Louis for two years because my mentor at the time said, ‘you need to diversify your resume.’ I did, but then I ended up meeting a man from here, falling in love and getting married. The thought became, how can I use my communication skills to make a difference in the community,” Godwin said. “I did not plan for this but because I prepared, I was able to take advantage of the opportunity when it came to me because I didn’t know anything about running a business and neither did my partner, but we were smart enough to find out and to learn it.”
Both Godwin and Akande-Bartsch, Ph.D., were overwhelmed with emotion when they mentioned the unwavering support from their families.
Godwin dedicated her award to her late husband Sam Hutchinson.
“He was my entrepreneur of the year every year and every day of our 33 years together,” Godwin said. “He was my mentor, my supporter – and the love of my life. He taught me that if you take care of the business, the business will take care of you.”
After thanking her husband and mother, Akande-Bartsch compared her siblings to a personal board of directors. “They are tough too,” Akande-Bartsch said. “But the beauty of it is I have had really strong support from my family, my team members and my board members.” She teared up expressing her joy and appreciation for her family, especially her two-year-old daughter. The high powered, smartly dressed crowd responded with nods and moans of approval and identification.
“I’m able to do the work I do because of the community partners and also because of my family and for that I am grateful,” said Akande-Bartsch.
She dedicated her award to the future leaders of the region – many of whom she said were in the room. “I am looking forward to the incredible work that I know that they are going to continue to do,” Akande-Bartsch said.
In lieu of a speech Arnold Donald heaped praises and thanks to those who have influenced and supported him over the course of his career –including St. Louis American Foundation President Donald M. Suggs.
“For decades, Donald Suggs has made a huge impact in a positive way on the quality of life in this community,” Donald said. “He has stood up many times. He said the tough things. He did the tough things. You are absolutely a treasure to this community and to this world.”
Donald’s final thoughts aligned perfectly with Akande-Bartsch’s reference to the African Proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
“You are all here because you are making a difference – you do make a difference,” Donald said. “I just want to encourage you to continue to make the difference. What we have in common is that we all want prosperity for everyone in this region – and the only way that happens is if all of us work together.”
The St. Louis American Foundation Salute to Excellence in Business Awards lunch sponsors were as follows:
Platinum Sponsors: Kwame Building Group, Inc. and Regional Business Council; Gold Sponsors: Ameren, Missouri American Water and Spire; Silver Sponsors: Andy’s Seasoning, Ascension Charity Classic, BJC Healthcare, and Greater St. Louis, Inc.; Bronze Sponsors: AT&T, St. Louis Community Foundation, The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis; Corporate Sponsors: Forest Park Forever, Washington University, St. Louis, Kai Enterprises and Susan McCollum; Patron Sponsors: ABNA Engineering and Great Rivers Greenway; Media Sponsors: 5 on Your Side and 88.7 WSIE THE SOUND; the attendance prize and gift sponsor: Vincent Jeweller’s, the official jeweler for all of the Salute to Excellence programs, the audio-visual display was arranged by Premiere Production Choice and Personal Touches by Jeanetta provided the award’s luncheon production design.
