Pinnacle Award Honorees
This past Saturday, October 22, the staff and board of the Greater Houston Black Chamber presented their 22nd Annual African American Business Achievement Pinnacle Awards at The Power Center. The annual award ceremony honors the excellence, tenacity and entrepreneurial spirit of African American businesses in the Greater Houston area.
Courtney Johnson Rose, chairwoman of the Chamber, along with Latoya Bullard Franklin and Che’McFerrin, who served as Pinnacle Awards Chairs, joined in with the staff and board to recognize some of Houston’s premier African American entrepreneurs, community activists, and civic leaders. The Masters of Ceremonies for the event were Mia Gradney and Len Cannon, who both serve as news anchors on KHOU 11 News. The invocation was given by Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell of Windsor Village United Methodist Church.
The event had several award categories, including the following:
Upstart Finalists: Taylor Elite Transportation; Quail Valley Family Dental; and The Allen CPA Firm, PLLC
Pinnacle Finalists included: Kelly Kaluza and Associates; Hiram Style, LLC; The Sutton Insurance Agency, Inc.; L’Renee & Associates; Owens Management Systems, LLC; The Education Valet, Inc.; Twice Media Productions; FBAAD, Fort Bend Academy of Arts and Dance; Soul Grooves Fitness; and Sterling Staffing Solutions
Pinnacle Community Awards (2016) included: The Honorable Sylvester Turner – Lifetime Achievement Award; Senator-Elect Borris Miles – Mickey Leland Entrepreneurial Public Service Award; Janette L. Cosley, Ensemble Theatre – Endurance Award Nominee; Karen Carter Richards – Endurance Award Nominee; John Scroggins, Unity National Bank – Endurance Award Nominee; Donovan Casanave, Shell – Advocate of the Year Nominee; Theldon Branch, Port of Houston – Advocate of the Year Nominee; Lamecia Butler, SuperBowl Host Committee – Advocate of the Year Nominee; Errol Allen II, National Black MBA–Houston Chapter – Excellence Award Nominee; Charles Griggsby, Facility Interiors – Excellence Award Nominee; Ingrid Robinson, Houston Minority Supplier Diversity Council – Excellence Award Nominee; Bishop James Dixon, Community of Faith Church – Community Faith Award; Pastors Remus & Mia Wright, Fountain of Praise – Community Faith Award; and Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell, Windsor Village UMC – Community Faith Award.
Triston Sutton, Pinnacle Award Winner
George and Thomasine Johnson, Honorary Chairs, with Community Faith Award Winners Pastor Remus Wright, Bishop James Dixon and Pastor Irv White (accepting for Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell) and Lereca Monik
Pinnacle Award Winner Michelle Bonton, The Education Valet
Pinnacle Award Winner Hiram Smith, Hiram Style, LLC
Carla Lane, and Taylor Elite Transportation Upstart Award
J. Goodwille Pierre
Janette Cosley, Ensemble Theater, Endurance Award and Lereca Monik
Mayor Sylvester Turner, Lifetime Achievement Award
Clarease and Cary Yates with Karen Carter Richards
Courtney Johnson Rose, Chair of GHBC, and Pinnacle Chairs Che’ McFerrin and Latoya Franklin