HIRAM E. JACKSON

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, REAL TIMES MEDIA

Hiram Eric Jackson is an entrepreneur and philanthropist with a 30-year track record of success in business and community activism.

Hiram currently serves as the chief executive officer of Real Times Media (RTM), a multimedia company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. Through his vision and leadership, RTM has evolved from a traditional newspaper publisher into one of the country’s leading creators of African American content across multiple platforms. RTM is a dynamic media company with three offices and programs in over 15 U.S. cities. In addition to its robust digital platform comprised of eight websites geared towards African American interests, RTM annually executes over 50 events across the nation.

Concurrent to his role as CEO of Real Times Media, Hiram is managing partner of the real estate development firm, Paradise Valley Real Estate Holdings, LLC and The Ambient Group, a firm focused in the areas of strategy and investment. Prior to these ventures, he led GlobalView Technologies, an international technology services firm with revenues of more than $80 million.

The consummate entrepreneur, being both imaginative and intuitive, Hiram has gained numerous acknowledgements and accolades. He has been profiled in several publications including Savoy Magazine, Diversity MBA Magazine, and Black Enterprise. Early career accolades include recognition as a top 40 under 40 by Crain’s Detroit Business and inclusion as one of Michigan’s most powerful African American leaders by Corp! Magazine.

Hiram is also a demonstrated leader on the civic front. He is the Founder and Chairman of Catalyst Detroit a non for profit social enterprise that focuses on advancing the efforts of Black entrepreneurship, social innovation and economic development. He is the current chairman of the board for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan and serves on several other Detroit area and national boards including The Detroit Zoological Society, The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, and The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. He was recently elected to the board of directors of the Automotive Hall of Fame and re-elected to the board of directors for the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)

Hiram earned a Bachelor of Science from The New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and is 32-year member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He currently resides in Detroit with his wife, Kimberly Blue-Jackson, and is the proud father of Hiram Eric Jackson III, a graduate of Morehouse College and Grace Jackson, a film student at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York.

ERNIE L. SULLIVAN

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, WHO'S WHO IN BLACK

Ernie Sullivan is a native of Columbus, Ohio. He has a BA degree from Capital University. He holds a Professional in Human Resources Certification from the Society for Human Resources Management and completed the Executive Education Program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School and the Kellogg School at Northwestern.

Mr. Sullivan has over twenty-seven years of experience in Human Resources at Chase Bank. Mr. Sullivan is now President and CEO of Sullivan Staffing Strategies, a Human Resources consulting firm, specializing in Diversity recruitment for client companies. He is also Executive Vice President with Who’s Who In Black, a Real Times Media Company which produces directories in cities across the country profiling successful African Americans.

Mr Sullivan serves on the Business Advisory Board at Central State University. Additional community activities include being a member of the Board for St. Stephen’s Community House, a Board member of St Vincent Family Centers as well as the Board of Directions for Youth and Families. In July of 2018 he was appointed to the National Board of A Kid Again.

DR. CARTER D. WOMACK

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, WHO'S WHO IN BLACK

He has a strong professional career having worked for leading companies in their industry, such as: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, manager of diversity, Ryder Systems, Inc. director employee relations, Blockbuster, Inc vice president human resources, THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine, senior vice president sales and marketing, Value City Department Stores, executive vice president of human resources , Viacom, Inc/Viacom Retail Stores, vice president of human resources and president and ceo. Leadership At Its Best.

He is a member of many national, state and local organizations such as Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., where he has served as National Director of Education; 27th National President of the Fraternity, Inc. and the first member to be reelected as the 29th National President; 28th National President of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and Chairman of the Phi Beta Sigma Educational Foundation. He has been listed by Ebony Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential African American for six years. He was inducted into the first Alumni Hall of Fame for Alabama A&M University.

He is currently member of the Society of Human Resources Management; National Cancer Society as a Volunteer; Life Member Alabama A &M University Alumni Association; National Association of African Americans in Human Resources – National Board of Directors, awarded his Honorary Doctoral Degree in Organizational Leadership in 2017 for Julian King University and a member of The New Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio. He is a native of Greenville, AL and the son of the late Matthew and Jessie Womack.

TANISHA LEONARD

PRESIDENT, RTM360

Tanisha Leonard is the president of RTM360°, a marketing consultancy that creates unique, culturally relevant experiences geared towards the African American community for a portfolio of national clients. In addition to the day-to-day management of RTM360° Tanisha is a key member of the executive team for RTM360’s parent company, Real Times Media, driving business growth via the development of custom marketing programs and partnership opportunities related to its six flagship brands— Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine, the Atlanta Daily World, Who’s Who In Black, the Chicago Defender, the Michigan Chronicle, and the New Pittsburgh Courier.

Tanisha has a wide array of experience in managing marketing, strategic planning, and creative development processes as well as extensive experience in event production, corporate communications and media relations.

Prior to joining RTM360° and Real Times Media, Tanisha was the director of communications for the nation’s number one video network at the gas pump, Gas Station TV. Previous to that role, she was marketing manager for third-party logistics provider, NLM where she developed and implemented marketing strategies for the $300 million expedited freight manager. Before joining NLM, she held positions of increasing responsibility at several large promotions, PR and advertising agencies.

Tanisha holds a bachelor’s degree in advertising from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich.

RHONDA E. CALDWELL

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, WHO'S WHO IN BLACK - CHARLOTTE

Rhonda E. Caldwell, Associate Publisher of Who’s Who in Black Charlotte, is owner of The Main Event, Inc. The Main Event, Inc. is an award winning event planning, marketing, and advertising company in Charlotte, NC.

She has been featured in NFocus Magazine as one of Charlotte’s Top 5 Event Planners, Today’s Charlotte Woman Magazine, Charlotte Business Journal, Charlotte Observer, Pride Magazine, The Charlotte Post for her achievements in the Special Events industry.

In 2018, Caldwell was the winner of the Small Business Enterprise of the Year Award for the City of Charlotte Crown Award. She is also the recipient of the 2015 Charlotte Business Journal Women in Business Award and a 2014 Maya Angelou Women Who Lead Honoree.

Ms. Caldwell, a native of Winston-Salem, is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is a member of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, International Live Events Association, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Her community involvement includes UNC Charlotte Alumni Association, Johnson C. Smith University Board of Visitors, M&F Bank City Advisory Board, and Women’s Intercultural Exchange.

KEITH E. CORNELIUS

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, WHO'S WHO IN BLACK - HOUSTON

As Founder and CEO of Cornelius Consulting, Keith, has a proven track record of over 24 years of achieving organizational, campaign and stewardship success. An accomplished fundraising professional responsible for developing strategies that raised over $45 million in capital and endowment gifts, annual giving and operating funds for various educational and other non-profit institutions. He is experienced in donor cultivation and stewardship, scholarship fundraising, board development, and strategic planning.

A University of Houston graduate, Keith has served on various boards in the Houston area, most notably, the boards of Episcopal High School, The Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Houston Chapter, The Neuhaus Education Center, and Breakthrough Houston. He currently serves as president of the Eta Lambda Alumni Association at the University of Houston, and the financial secretary of the Education and Charities Foundation of Houston. He also serves on the Dallas-based board of Making Chemo Bearable.

As part of Keith’s commitment to overall community engagement, he partners with ICHOR Strategies while he mentors young Black males at Jack Yates High School and at the University of Houston.

RHONDA CROWDER

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, WHO'S WHO IN BLACK - CLEVELAND

Rhonda Crowder, a graduate of Cuyahoga Community College and Cleveland State University, holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in creative writing, editing, and publishing.

She cut her teeth as a journalist at the Call and Post Newspaper while establishing Rhonda Crowder and Associates – a creative services agency specializing in content development, marketing automation, media relations and fundraising.

Rhonda also serves as associate publisher of Who’s Who in Black Cleveland and coordinates Hough Reads. She is an active member of Greater Cleveland Association of Black Journalists, United Black Christians of Greater Cleveland and sits on board of The Friendly Inn Settlement House.

She’s been awarded a Rotary Group Study Exchange Fellowship and recognized by I CAN Schools, El Hasa Court #47 as Women of the Year (2018), Cleveland Chapter of National Action Network and The Phenomenal Foundation. She was named a 2019 Cleveland Champion by The Plain Dealer, Guardian and Ideastream and received the 2020 Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Cleveland Chapter of Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

Rhonda released her debut novel Riddles in 2016.

MERRY GREEN

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, WHO'S WHO IN BLACK - CHICAGO

Merry Green is the President of MGPG Events, Inc. and the Creator & Founder of “The Black Women’s Expo” (BWe) in Chicago, and other urban markets. The Black Women’s Expo is the nation’s longest running empowerment exposition for the African American consumer having just celebrated an amazing 25 year milestone!

Since 1995, MGPG Events, Inc., a boutique firm headquartered in the City of Chicago, has specialized in Event Planning & Production, Community Engagement, Experiential Marketing and Public Relations for an expansive list of clients.

Before launching MGPG Events, Inc., Merry worked in both television and radio. In 1982, beginning at WOKR-TV in Rochester, New York as a producer & on-air talent, in 1984 she joined NBC-Channel 5 as the Administrator of Community Programs in Chicago. From NBC, Merry became a Producer for the nationally-syndicated Ebony Jet Showcase in 1986, produced by Johnson Publishing Company. She later moved to radio and became the Promotions & Marketing Director for WVAZ-FM (V103) radio where she created the Black Women’s Expo.

Merry’s work has garnered her numerous awards including the Chicago Defender’s Women of Excellence Award.

CATHY NEDD

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, WHO'S WHO IN BLACK - DETROIT

Cathy is a 30-year marketing and public relations veteran with extensive experience and expertise in business start-ups and branding. Her passion is taking an idea from concept to reality creating a memorable brand, an impactful web presence and effective promos and events to launch and grow a business.

Cathy started her communications career working in the political, government and non-profit industries. After serving as press secretary for a very high-profile political campaign, she later founded Nedd/Detroit Public Relations. The firm generated 2 million in annual revenue.

Impressed by opportunities to operate a business on the internet, Cathy started an online company and operated it successfully for more than six years. Most recently Cathy was chief operating officer and associate publisher of the Michigan Chronicle.

Today, Cathy owns and operates Cathy Nedd, LLC, a marketing consultancy that specializes in specializes in digital promotions and web development. Her mission is to help company’s automate processes by doing business online… on their websites.