Atlanta Executive Todd Greene Joins Excelsior University Board of Trustees
Excelsior’s governing body named the Work, Education, and Labor Division vice president and WorkRise Urban Institute executive director among its six new trustees. The Excelsior University Board of Trustees has named Atlanta resident Todd Greene, vice president of the Work, Education, and Labor Division (WELD) at the Urban Institute and executive director of WorkRise, among its six new trustees. The University's governing body, the board consists of individuals from across the country who are leaders in the fields of business, education, and government. In his role as a vice president of WELD at the Urban Institute, Greene leads a team of K–12, higher
From Glenville to Greatness: Wayne Dawson’s Journey of Faith, Family, and Forty-Five Years of Broadcasting Excellence
Written by Deante Young Photo by Deante Young Greatness was always Wayne Dawson’s destiny. He was born in the Glenville district of Cleveland, Ohio, in 1955, the same year Rosa Parks launched the Civil Rights Movement with a defiant act on a bus that brought a young minister named Martin Luther King, Jr. into the public’s consciousness. King inspired hope in all people, especially his own. Inside the Dawson household during the late 1950s and early 60s, young Wayne was inspired by his mother, Annie L. Dawson.“Where I didn’t achieve,
Danette Render: A Living Legend in Communications and Community Service
For more than four decades, Dannette A. Render, President, CEO, and Founder of DAR Public Relations, Inc., has shaped the landscape of marketing, public relations, and integrated communications across sectors as diverse as healthcare, transportation, and tourism. Founded in July 1984, DAR Public Relations stands as a testament to Render’s fearless spirit and unwavering commitment to excellence — a journey she credits first and foremost to her faith. “If it wasn’t for the Lord, I wouldn’t have made it," Render said. "With God at the helm, I do
Carl Satterwhite of the RCF Group is Listening, Giving, and Leading with Purpose
By Kristopher Jackson Before leading RCF Group, a nationally recognized minority supplier company that specializes in providing comprehensive workplace solutions, Carl Satterwhite spent 15 years at Procter and Gamble developing the corporation's outsourcing program. He worked in real estate, furniture, and workplace strategy, and helped position the company to expand its global reach, having identified an industry trend toward outsourcing. He left the company in 2000, and three years later Procter and Gamble completed one of the largest global facilities outsourcing efforts in the world. That moment
Bob Ross Auto Group’s Jenell R. Ross is Driven by Purpose
Photo by Classic Expressions Photography By Kristopher Jackson Jenell R. Ross never planned to take the reins of her family’s business. The responsibility arrived suddenly in 1997 when her father, Robert P. Ross Sr., died unexpectedly. In that moment, she stepped into a legacy built on persistence, courage, and an unshakable belief in service. She has carried that legacy forward with the same conviction that guided her parents. Today, Ross serves as president of Bob Ross Auto Group in Centerville, Ohio. The company is the only Buick, GMC, and
Black Women Begin 2026 Making History As Mayors In Major U.S. Cities
Thursday, Jan. 1, marked a historic milestone for local governance as three Black women were sworn in as mayors of major cities. The five individuals in the image are Mary Sheffield, Joi Washington, Christal Watson, Dorcey Applyrs, and Sharon Owens, all of whom recently made history by being elected as mayors of their respective cities. In Detroit, Mary Sheffield, 38, took the oath of office in a private ceremony at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, becoming the city’s first woman and first Black woman mayor in its 324-year history. Sheffield, the daughter of civil rights activist and
Civil Rights Legend Claudette Colvin, First to Sit for Bus Desgregation Inspired Generations
Claudette Colvin, the civil rights pioneer whose quiet act of defiance helped dismantle segregation on Montgomery buses, has died of natural causes. She was 86. On Tuesday, Jan. 13, the Claudette Colvin Legacy Foundation confirmed that the civil rights activist died in Texas. Long before Rosa Parks became the public face of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Colvin who at the time was a 15-year-old high school student in an act of justified defiance refused to give up her seat on a segregated city bus. On March 2, 1955, a Montgomery
Christa Stephens Expands Global ‘Amazon of Business Solutions’ for Entrepreneurs, Small Businesses and Nonprofits
TymFlo, a fast-growing, minority and woman-owned global business solutions company, is soon marking six years of helping entrepreneurs simplify operations, scale smarter, and save time with an all-in-one ecosystem of tech-powered services. Founded in 2020 at the height of the pandemic by Christa Stephens, TymFlo has rapidly become a go-to resource for entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and small businesses seeking streamlined, affordable, and innovative support. Designed as an “Amazon of Business Solutions,” TymFlo (“Tym” = Your time back. “Flo” = Systems that move without friction.) provides a comprehensive suite of services, ncluding
Renowned Detroit Artist J.R. Strozier Brings Community and Service to Life Through Art
By Jermaine Lytle, Contributing Writer Over the last decade, Detroit natives have had a front row seat to economic development that has transformed everything from pockets of real estate in the area to its buzzing art community. Among its natives are creative movers and shakers who are committed to playing an integral role in Detroit’s continued development, understanding the need for reciprocity and service to a place that has given so much to them. JeRon “J.R.” Strozier is one of those creatives. The Detroit-born father of four has built a multi-faceted career as an artist who paints, sculpts,
Atlanta’s Byron Amos Elected Second VP of National League of Cities’ Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials
District 3 Atlanta City Council member Byron Amos has been elected as the 2026 second vice president of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials, a constituency group of the National League of Cities (NLC). The National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials serves as a forum for communication and networking among demographic municipal officials and their colleagues to share ideas and develop leadership experience. Council member Amos was elected in November at NLC’s 2025 City Summit conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. "I am profoundly honored and