NABWIC

Hosts Jada Williams and Ersula Odom bring you an engaging conversation led by NABWIC Member and Tradeswoman Erica Braxton, Union Construction Worker and Certified Welder.  

Erica Braxton is a proud union construction worker & certified welder. A member of Plumbers Local 24 Northern New Jersey since 1993 and a member of Iron Workers Local 11 Northern New Jersey since 2015, she is an advocate of women and minority issues in construction. She is also the founder of several social groups which mentor women in the trades, and is a member of National Association of Black Women in Construction

Erica interviews other women in the trades as they talk about their careers, challenges, goals and achievements in their occupations as tradeswomen. 

Colleen Brooks (Carpenter (24 Years)

Tenika Deshawn, Owner, The Lady Carpenter

Voncaira Williams, Electrician, IBEW Local 58

Lisa Dickenson, IBEW Local 948

Terri Powless, Iron Workers Local 25 (26 Years)

Felicia Wiseman, Treasurer, IBEW Local 58

Hassanah Thomas is a veteran community, grassroots television Producer and Founder of Inner-Attainment TV (IAT) with over 25yrs experience. She earned a BS degree from Emerson College in her hometown of Boston, MA and later received a MA in Producing for Film and TV from American University in Washington, DC. Between 2005 and 2006, she developed several television pilot episodes of the television series, “Living Islam in America” that she continued to produce until the spring of 2011, and in that time received several awards from the Alliance for Community Media as well as several production grants from Odyssey Network.  Hassanah is joined by Co-producer Loretta Edwards Wilson and General Contractor and entrepreneur Keisha Gilchrist.

Loretta Edwards Wilson brings a breadth of production experience from production manager to supervising producer on the BET Awards Show and films such as the Rap it Up Film Odicie and Showtime’s Belle.  During her time as a buyer of content, Wilson worked with several television networks and studios networks from Lifetime, TV One to Disney and Sony Pictures. 

Keisha Gilchrist is the granddaughter of farmers who ran a business during a time when that was rare for African Americans.  She began her own career as a Realtor, then broker, and later expanded her service offerings by adding Interior Design Services through the development of her own firm, SDV Decor, LLC. 

Website: designinghistorytv.com

Email: [email protected]

Tarolyn Buckles is the president and CEO at Onyx Enterprise, Inc. a project and Construction Management Civil Engineering Firm. Her impressive resume as a civil engineer and owner of her own firm has given her the opportunity to work on high-profile construction projects in Detroit, including the M-1 Rail project.

https://video.pbs12.org/video/dptv-education-tarolyn-buckles-stem-heroes/

AWARDS:

Best Small Business in Michigan

Crain's Notable Women in STEM

Michigan 50 Companies to Watch 

Michigan Chronicle Women of Excellence Award

NSBE-National Society of Black Engineers Golden Torch Entrepreneur of the Year

NAWIC-National Association of Women In Construction Crystal Vision Award

Contact:

Tarolyn Buckles, A.M. ASCE

President and CEO

Onyx Enterprise, Inc. |7650 2nd Avenue, Suite 106 | Detroit, MI, 48202 |[email protected] |

Real estate entrepreneur Vanessa Cullins Hopkins serves as Vice President and Operations Manager for Pebo Enterprises Corporation, Pebo Enterprises Georgia LLC, PeboVan Tax Liens and Deeds, and VanPebo Florida LLC. Vanessa and her husband Keith, who is president of the entities mentioned earlier, raise capital for the acquisition and renovation of real estate properties. The company renovates distressed assets to promote its corporate philosophy of building wealth among disadvantaged Black and Brown people, allowing them to rent to own. Her power team consists of a realtor, lenders, general contractor, CPA, subcontractors, title companies, and insurance companies.

From 2011 to 2016, Vanessa Cullins Hopkins served as Vice President of External Medical Affairs for Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), where she operated at the intersections of Public Policy, Communications, and Medical Services to provide leadership, voice, and assistance to junior and senior staff.  Vanessa serves as Treasurer for the HOA for the Washington at Historic Westside Village, where Pebo Enterprises Georgia owns a “rent to own” condominium. She also serves on the Mitigation Renovation Subcommittee of the Peninsula Condominium's HOA Board in Jacksonville, Florida.

Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. is Chief Executive Officer of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) and past Chair of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). His distinguished career spans more than four decades, including tenures as CEO of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.  Ford is a champion of multimodal transportation, walkable neighborhoods, public-private partnerships and transit-oriented development; and known for industry-leading insights and thought leadership on international transportation issues from trade and study missions around the world.

Greg Evans was appointed as the Florida Department of Transportation District Two Secretary effective February 6, 2012.  Evans has over 25 years of experience in the management and operations of public infrastructure.  He is an alumnus of Southern Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Technology.

Doug Wheeler serves as the President and CEO of the Florida Ports Council (FPC), a nonprofit corporation that serves as the professional association for Florida’s 15 public deepwater seaports and their management. The FPC provides leadership, advocacy and information on seaport-related issues before the Legislative and Executive Branches of State and Federal Government. Wheeler has more than 20 years of governmental affairs and association leadership at both the state and federal levels where he previously held positions with the Associated Builders and Contractors, and more recently, the Florida Chamber of Commerce where he served as Vice President of Grassroots Advocacy and Political Action Development. Under Wheeler’s leadership and management of Florida’s largest federation of businesses, associations, and local chambers of commerce – encompassing more than 139,000 grassroots members – the Chamber worked aggressively and effectively to represent the interests of business in Florida

Florida Ports Council |  Office  850.222.8028  |   502 East Jefferson Street  | Tallahassee, FL 32301

www.flaports.org

Doug Wheeler serves as the President and CEO of the Florida Ports Council (FPC), a nonprofit corporation that serves as the professional association for Florida’s 15 public deepwater seaports and their management. The FPC provides leadership, advocacy and information on seaport-related issues before the Legislative and Executive Branches of State and Federal Government. Wheeler has more than 20 years of governmental affairs and association leadership at both the state and federal levels where he previously held positions with the Associated Builders and Contractors, and more recently, the Florida Chamber of Commerce where he served as Vice President of Grassroots Advocacy and Political Action Development. Under Wheeler’s leadership and management of Florida’s largest federation of businesses, associations, and local chambers of commerce – encompassing more than 139,000 grassroots members – the Chamber worked aggressively and effectively to represent the interests of business in Florida

Florida Ports Council |  Office  850.222.8028  |   502 East Jefferson Street  | Tallahassee, FL 32301

www.flaports.org

NABWIC TALKS WITH LUNCHEON WOMAN IN SPOTLIGHT,  AISHA ECCLESTON, DIRECTOR, NATL CONTAINER ACCTS,  JAXPORT (JACKSONVILLE PORT AUTHORITY)

Aisha Eccleston serves as JAXPORT’s Director, National Container Accounts, responsible for developing new and existing container cargo business with accounts throughout the United States.

She has been with JAXPORT for more than a decade, serving in business development roles of increasing responsibility. Most recently, she served as the port’s primary liaison with area freight forwarders and customs brokers to grow existing business and attract new business opportunities.

In 2017, Aisha was named one of the Jacksonville Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40, recognizing the area’s most successful young business leaders. She is active in Northeast Florida’s maritime community and is immediate past president of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), Jacksonville Chapter.

Aisha holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Edward Waters College and a Certification in Transportation and Logistics (CTL) from the University of North Florida.

 

February 8, 2021 Join Jaxport's ZOOM Webinar regarding Procurement Opportunities for JaxPort.

Rosa’ Rountree's vast experience in the financial and customer service industries spans over 30 years while holding the positions of Chief Executive Officer, General Manager, IT and Project Manager for various entities. Specifically, Rosa has more than 25 years of solid experience in tolling systems implementation, operation and maintenance. She also has proven business acumen for resolving issues, sustaining business viability, managing cost structures, maximizing employee productivity, and delivering high-level quality results. Currently, she is President and CEO of Egis Products, Inc.

In the toll industry, she is a leader. Rosa has been a project sponsor, toll system integrator and operations consultant, working with 20+ toll agencies across the United States and Canada. She has deep experience in managing start-up implementation projects and ongoing initiatives.

Rosa has also served the industry through the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) as a member of the Board of Directors and the IBTTA National Interoperability Steering Committee and as Chair of the Subcommittee for National Interoperability Signage, Marketing and Communications.

To explain how small business, women contractors, and minority businesses can take advantage of the second round of PPP, "NABWIC Talks" with BBIF's Regional Director, Ms. Caleena Shirley. Ms. Shirley will provide easy-to-understand insights into how businesses can be successful in obtaining a first or second round of PPP funding. 

The U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the U.S. Treasury Department, has re-opened the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan portal to PPP-eligible lenders with $1 billion or less in assets for First and Second Draw applications. The portal will fully open on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 to all participating PPP lenders to submit First and Second Draw loan applications to SBA.

Earlier in the week, SBA granted dedicated PPP access to Community Financial Institutions (CFIs) which include Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), Certified Development Companies (CDCs), and Microloan Intermediaries as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to reach underserved and minority small businesses.