ABOVE: Endurance Award Winner Gerald Womack of Womack Development
This past Saturday, October 6th, the Greater Houston Black Chamber (GHBC) held its 24th Annual Pinnacle Awards at the Marriott Marquis Houston Hotel, where several of Houston’s best and most promising Black-owned businesses received high honors.
Each year, the GHBC hosts its Pinnacle Award event, where they recognize leading African American entrepreneurs for their success in business and their positive impact on the communities and industries they serve.
This year, five Pinnacle Awards and one Upstart Award were handed out to some of the most successful Black small businesses, while a Rising Star awardee was also named for the first-time ever.
Pinnacle Award finalists included Bee Fit Foods, Black Restaurant Week, The Cox Pradia Law Firm, P.L.L.C., D. Samuels & Associates, Iron Horse Freight Line, Inc., JM Carty Holdings, LLC, Kay Davis Associates, Moore Unique Dermatology, MPact Strategic Consulting and South Post Oak Recycling Center. Upstart Award finalists included 4.0 GPA, B’s Wine Bar, Smallcakes Pearland, Tropical Smoothie Café The Woodlands, and Wanderstay Hotels.
The 2018 award winners were:
- Pinnacle Award: Dannette K. Davis, Kay Davis and Associates
- Pinnacle Award: Richard Robertson, Iron Horse Freight Line, Inc.
- Pinnacle Award: Brandi Harleux, South Post Oak Recycling Center
- Pinnacle Award: Spurgeon Robinson, MPACT Strategic Consulting
- Pinnacle Award: Dr. Milton D. Moore, Moore Unique Skin Care and Unique Dermatology
- Upstart Award: Bonita Billings, B’s Wine Bar
- Rising Star Award: Fern Carty Dawkins, JM Carty Holdings, LLC
- In addition to these prestigious honors, the GHBC also honored several other businesses and individuals with Community Awards including:
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Willard Jackson, Michael Gibson and Linda Johnson Rice, Ebony Magazine
- Endurance Award – Gerald Womack, Womack Development
- Excellence Award – Marcus & Melvanie Davis, TBK Foods
- Larry V. Green Advocate of the Year Award – Donovan Casanave, Shell
- Mickey Leland Entrepreneur Public Leadership Award – Charlotte Kelly Bryant, Blue Triangle
- Cheryl Creuzot of Wealth Development Strategies and Percy Creuzot of the Frenchy’s franchise and Bob Harvey with the Greater Houston Partnership served as the event co-chairs.
Founded in 1935 as the city’s first African American civic organization, the Greater Houston Black Chamber (formerly known as the Houston Citizens Chamber of Commerce) has evolved into an active participant in the city of Houston’s socioeconomic process. The organization is a 501(c)(6), not-for-profit, private, member-driven organization that serves the Greater Houston Area. The GHBC helps its partners and members navigate Houston’s large, diverse population, industries and the many nuances, which are unique to the city.
For more information on the GHBC, please visit their website at www.ghbcc.com.