From Minority Enterprise Development Committee of WNC
Press release
The Minority Enterprise Development Week awards are the only awards which specifically recognize outstanding ethnic minority owned businesses in Western North Carolina.
Nominations occur in July and the Awards Event is held in September.
Nominate businesses that have been in business for less than two years with our Emerging Business Award, or businesses that have been in business for over two years with our Established Business Award. Lending Institutions can be nominated for our Lender of the Year Award.
Nomination forms are available at wncmedweek.org.
Past award winners
2014
Phyllis J. Sherrill Minority Entrepreneur of the Year, Hector Romero, Sanesco International, Inc.; Minority Restaurateur of the Year, Clarence Robinson: Cooking with Comedy, Minority Emerging Business of the Year: Eagle Market Streets Block By Block Industries and CHIVA, LLC; Minority Artist Business of the Year, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra; Minority Service Business of the Year, Brookhaven Behavioral Health; Lending Institution of the Year, The Support Center; Advocate Award, Deborah Miles: Center for Diversity Education.
2013
Minority Retail Business of the Year, Corey Coggins, Studio Boutique; Minority Service Business of the Year, Daniel Tramper, Deer Clan Productions; Minority Restaurateur of the Year, Raynetta Waters, F & R Waters Enterprise; and Phyllis J. Sherrill Minority Entrepreneur of the Year, Justina Muniz of Soundview Family Care Homes.
Advocate Award: Elder John Hayes2012
Cortina Caldwell, Visit and Venture – Emerging Entrepreneur of the year; Edith Segovia-Sanchez, Liberia Ay M – Minority Retail Business of the Year.
Joseph and Laralyn RiverWind, Native Touch, LLC – Minority Entrepreneur of the Year; Roman Marin-Vera, W,L, and L – Minority Service Business of the Year
Lending Institution of the Year: Mountain BizWorks.
2011
Ricardo Bello, Village Florist – Retail Business Enterprise of the Year; Nancy Pheasant, Clear1 Services – Emerging Business Person of the Year; Bruce Martin, Jr, Long House Funeral Home – Minority Entrepreneur of the Year; Mrs. William Johnson, Circle B Ranch BBQ – Restaurant Business Enterprise of the Year.
Anthony Thomas, Cy Text Mobile Media; Business Plan Competition Winner; Peter Mills, Mills Trucking, LLC – Service Business Enterprise of the Year
2010
Nell Leatherwood – Sequoyah Fund(Lender), Accem Scott – Green Brothers Solar (Construction), Pat Occumma – NativeScapes Landscaping (Service), Horace Adell, Jr – Clean Streak(Minority Business Person of the Year), Juan Martinez – Cielito Lindo (Restaurant), Brenda Mccauley – Aesthetic Gallery (Retail)
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