South Florida’s Leading First Ladies of Worship Recognition Brunch Postponement

F A Q’s

Why was the ICABA™ Salutes South Florida’s 100 Leading First Ladies of Worship Brunch postponed?

The Sunday, July 11th recognition brunch was postponed due to:

- ICABA™  was unable to secure participation of the 100 First Ladies targeted to be honored in a timely fashion
- Slow submission of publication-ready bios and photos from First Ladies prevented ICABA™ from being able to deliver the planned color profile directory on time
- Growing interest from South Florida churches and community-at-large wanting to honor their First Ladies
- The great response from First Ladies following ICABA™ and  Macy’s Private Reception/Shopping event for the First Ladies built momentum for ICABA™ to postpone the event and continue to work toward our original goal of securing 100 Leading First Ladies

Will the ticket I purchased still be honored?

Yes, they will be honored.

What is the new date of the postponed event?

We will notify you of the new date by July 19, 2010.  We need this time to re-schedule with the hotel, poll the First Ladies, churches, our Host Committee, and check community calendars to lock-in the best available date that has the least amount of conflicts.  We are checking dates between mid-September and mid-October.

Will ticket prices stay the same?

Yes, ticket prices will remain the same.  Individual tickets are $50 for the discounted price, and $65 for the regular price tickets.  Tables (10 seats) are $500 for the discounted price and $600 for the regular price.

How long will the discounted ticket prices be available before the price increases?

ICABA™ will continue to honor the aforementioned discounted prices until July 31, 2010.

What if I cannot attend the new First Ladies Brunch date?  Can I receive a ticket refund?

Yes.  If you are unable to attend the rescheduled brunch, you will be able to receive a full refund up until July 21st, 2010. E-mail ICABA™ at support@ICABAworld.com or call us at (954) 473-4405 to request a refund.

Will you notify ticket purchasers and advise them of the changes and the new date?

Yes.  ICABA™ will send a detailed e-mail to all who have purchased a ticket to the event notifying them of the new date.

If I cannot attend the event, will I have an opportunity to purchase a directory?

Yes.  ICABA™ will provide to the general public, an opportunity to purchase the 100 First Ladies printed directory immediately following the First Ladies Brunch.

Will all the First Ladies who have been selected, still be honored at the new brunch date?

Yes.

Can I still nominate a First Lady?

Yes.  We are re-opening nominations.  You can nominate a first lady to be honored now that the date has changed.  The new nomination deadline is July 31st.

If a publication ready biography and photograph have not been submitted can a First Lady be included in the directory and recognized at the event?

All First Ladies who have submitted their publication ready biography and photograph will be recognized at the event and in the directory.  However, those who do not submit their publication-ready photograph and biography by the deadline; will be recognized at the brunch — and not included in the directory.  The deadline for publication-ready biography and photograph submissions is August 9th.

What if a First Lady does not have required high resolution (minimum 300 dpi) color photograph of herself?  How can one be taken?

Below is a list of photographers who can make arrangements with your First Ladies at a reasonable price.  If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail ICABA™ at support@ICABAworld.com or call us at (954) 473-4405.

Official ICABA™ Photographers

MK Photography

Marcus King

(954) 448-4214

marcus.king@mkphotographybiz.com

LENAG Photography

Lena Garcia

(786) 367-3706

lenaginc@aol.com

JORO Productions

John Robinson

(754) 422-2803

joroproductions@bellsouth.net

Rainforest Media

Khary Bruning

305) 759-5325

Rainforestmedia@yahoo.com

One of the unsung heroes of the Black community is the First Lady of the Church who works tirelessly to support her husband/pastor, the congregation and community at large.  ICABA™ will honor these leading ladies at the Westin Diplomat Hotel, Hollywood, Florida.

Our company is dedicated to identifying and recognizing accomplished individuals who make a difference in our community.  First Ladies serve their communities in diverse roles – they may be administrators, counselors or directors of community outreach programs.    Many hold higher education degrees, own their own businesses, and some are even ministers themselves.

Do you know a First Lady of the Church in the Black community who deserves special recognition for her religious and civic contributions?  If so, ICABA™ is seeking nominations from the public for our upcoming recognition event, “ICABA™ Salutes South Florida’s Leading First Ladies of Worship.

Event Postponed -TBA

DAVIE – ICABA Honors, a Premier Recognition & Networking Reception was held on Nov. 13 at Nova Southeastern University H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship. The lavish gala, unveiling ICABA’s inaugural edition profile directory, a publication recognizing and celebrating South Florida’s 100 most accomplished blacks in healthcare and law, was emceed by Calvin Hughes, the weekday morning and noon news anchor at WPLG-TV Local 10 News in Miami.

The recognition ceremony, held in Nova’s Rose & Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center, was a standing-room only celebration.
ICABA stands for Identify, Connect and Activate the Black Accomplished.

Jerome Hutchinson Jr., ICABA’s president and CEO, said that the ICABA Honors directory has brought the company’s mission full circle. ICABA began as the brainstorm of Hutchinson and his late wife, Pamela, while they were working on the inaugural edition of Who’s Who in Black South Florida. The couple realized that more than a traditional publication identifying accomplished blacks in South Florida was necessary.

The inaugural directory honors the legends of pioneers and other luminaries include Raleigh R. Rawls, the first black attorney in Broward County to pass the Florida Bar (1957); Dr. Calvin Shirley, Broward County’s first black ob-gyn; Honorable Ed Rodgers, the first black prosecutor in Palm Beach County, a county judge, a circuit judge and the first black chief judge of the Circuit Court; Dr. George A. Simpson, the first black to perform major general surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital, among others in Dade County, and his wife, noted trailblazer Dr. Dazelle Dean Simpson, the first black board-certified pediatrician in Florida.

Early pioneers, including Dr. Von D. Mizell, Dr. James Wilson Bridges, Attorney Gwendolyn Sawyer Cherry, Dr. Samuel McKenzie Frazier and Judge Lawson E. Thomas are also honored.

Kesha Davis, who said she attended the event “just to network,” admitted staying for the recognition ceremony because she was “so impressed with not only the turnout, but the caliper of people present.”

A National Urban Fellow, Kesha Davis described the attendees as “South Florida heavy hitters.”

Honoree Jaret Davis agrees. “This is a great turnout,” he commented, “and I am honored to be a part of and recognized by this event. It’s a great opportunity.”

Jaret Davis, a shareholder with international law firm Greenberg Traurig, P.A., is profiled in the directory as a Rising Star.

After reviewing the directory, South Florida educator Akilah Laster said she wants to take the directory into her classroom. “The kids need to see that there are many options for success, not just music and sports.”

Laster, also one of the directory’s contributing writers, commented that she would like to invite some of those profiled into her classroom to speak with her students. “They can then have a visual,” she said, “and see that everyone looks like them.”

During the event, University of Miami student Sheila Collins was awarded a $2,000 scholarship by the Pam Hutchinson Bridge Builder Foundation, an organization created in the late Hutchinson’s memory.

The foundation awards students, individuals and organizations in the black community who are dedicated to enhancing further socio-economic empowerment through collaborative initiatives and activities.

Sam Hines, the board’s vice president, described Collins as having “embodied the true legacy of Pam.”

Collins said that she was “so inspired by those profiled” that she would “hurry up and do all of my homework so I can be like you all.”

The event’s program included a musical tribute by students from the Dillard Center for Performing Arts and a tribute to the late Pamela Hutchinson.

“My grandfather then said, ‘you’re so picky about everything, you should become my lawyer.’ From that day forward, it stuck in my head. That became my ambition; the only thing I really wanted to do.”

With a focus on becoming a trial lawyer, Gill attended George Washington University Law School, graduating with honors in trial advocacy. He began his career as a commercial trial lawyer in West Palm Beach.

“My grandfather did not get to see me become an attorney,” said Gill.

Now 44, Gill, after founding Gill & Associates, serves as an equity partner in Adorno & Yoss, the largest certified minority-owned firm in the US and the only law firm member of the National Minority Supplier Diversity Council’s Corporate Plus program. It is the most diverse law firm in the country.

After meeting with Adorno & Yoss, Gill said that he soon discovered that their direction and philosophy was very similar. “That’s when, as Gill & Associates, I merged all of my interest with them.”

Gill quickly realized that professional services were lagging behind in getting contract money.  He then became involved with the Florida Regional Minority Business Council and began advocating for the MBEs.

“During the 10-year stretch I worked with the Council, I was able to see the corporate side,” Gill said of the motivation for his book, Tales My Grandma Told Me: A Business Diversity Fable.

“I wanted to give each side a voice without bashing the other. A balanced dialogue about what was important. I just sat down and began writing with a goal to educate, begin dialogue, and to challenge and encourage the corporations to think broadly about doing business with MBEs.

“I also wanted to encourage MBEs to grow and take it to the next level; partner up if they have to—come together and grow so they can gain large contracts.”

Gill shared that he chose the book’s format, a three-part book infused with fable and corporate lessons, because he “wanted it to be an enjoyable read; different from the average business book.  I tried to follow that model because I realize that one of the best ways people can learn is through storytelling.

“If my grandmother was in the boardroom to hear what the people were saying or not saying,” Gill continued, “what I have written would be her responses. My memory of her is interwoven within the book, along with my own experiences in growing a business. Things I learned the hard way.”

The book, Gill said, was also written to inspire the next generation. “I want to blaze the trail for my own three children and ultimately, other youth like them.”
Visit: http://www.bluestockingink.net

Cynthia Roby

Cynthia A Roby is president and CEO of Bluestocking Ink, Limited, a copywriting, editing and author services firm based in Fort Lauderdale.