McNair is a Baltimore native who began his career as a recording artist and producer in his early teenage years. He landed a multi-million-dollar music contract with his mother help at Motown Records. This opportunity led his music group to work with Grammy-awarded music producers. They landed a feature in Jamie Foxx soundtrack for the action-comedy film Bait and made T.V. appearances on Soul Train, MTV2, and BET&106th & Park with hosts A.J. and Free.

The group gained recognition in Vibe, Billboard, Sister 2 Sister magazine, and the media mogul radio show Wendy Williams. The group also performed in Tokyo, Japan, for the U.S. troops. After McNair music career, his ability to stay current with entertainment industry trends led him to the reality television space. He coordinated and co-produced the first fashion runway presentation for Coco &; Lucious Apparel&; during season three of &; Ice Loves Coco on E! at

CEO of Slutty Vegan, a company valued at 100 million dollars. Today, he works as Pinky Cole Manager on her personal management team. He recently closed one of the most significant partnership deals of this decade, solidifying Slutty Vegan founder and CEO Pinky Cole as a development partner in Rye Street Market, a five billion-dollar development project on the Baltimore Peninsula led by MAG Partners and MacFarlane Partners. The deal also includes investments from Under Armour founder Kevin Plank plus his Sagamore Ventures Investment Firm and Goldman Sachs Asset Management Urban Investment Group.

In November 2019, McNair released his first book, Give It One More Try to shed light on the importance of mental fitness. He shares the depths of his early traumatic experiences and how he found ways to push for the life he has now. During his Give It One More Try campaign, he received honorary awards, and his book was rated number one on Amazon for men health. He appeared on T.V. One Sister Circle Show, FOX, and radio outlets. His second book Blessings in Uncertain Times featured a foreword by Cora Jakes, daughter of world-renowned Bishop T.D. Jakes and Serita Jakes. The book offered a new perspective in times of uncertainty. McNair recently sat with White House Correspondent Gerren Keith

McNair is grateful for his knowledge and experience as a strategist and problem solver. His life skills and career coaching have inspired many lives. He received multiple recognitions and awards for his community outreach. In October 2023, he was honored by the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, for his distinguished community service and leadership. Today, he

Luke Cooper is the General Partner and Founder of Latimer Ventures. A JD/MBA from Syracuse and Babson, he is a multi-exited founder and M&A specialist. Early in his career he achieved more than a quarter of a billion dollars of transactions as a corporate attorney at DLA Piper and in-house counsel with State Farm. He went on to build 2 VC backed enterprise software companies, exiting both for 8 figure all cash deals to Fortune 300 buyers, the most recent one occurring in late 2020. Mr. Cooper is a product of abject poverty growing up in Bridgeport Connecticut with a father in prison. He knows firsthand the importance of wealth creation and how to achieve it for the diverse unicorns he interacts with daily. One of Mr. Coopers core values can be summed up in the Latin phrase... Esse Quam Videri... which means ‘to be, rather than to seem”

Live podcast recording of the NoPixAfterDark conversation series at the Baltimore Peninsula!  Aaron Dante, host of the award-winning Baltimore-based podcast, is joined by Kory Bailey CEO of UpSurge Baltimore, Jeff Cherry Independent Board Director, CEO, Business Executive, Venture Investor and Dr. Tammira Lucas CEO of The Cube Cowork,Speaker, Professor, and Expert Business Consultant

• Kory Bailey: CEO of UpSurge Baltimore
  

In this episode, Aaron interviews Kory Baily, CEO of Upsurge Baltimore, about his journey from a football scholarship at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill to becoming the new CEO of Upsurge Baltimore. Kory shares his vision for the company's future and discusses Baltimore's potential to become the next tech hub. Tune in to hear more about Kory's story and insights on the tech industry. #UpsurgeBaltimore #TechHub #Leadership #Entrepreneurship 

With over a decade of leadership in both early-stage startups and big tech, Kory Bailey has emerged as a thought leader on equitable economic growth and the biggest advocate for the tech community in Baltimore. A 2022 Technical.ly RealLIST Connectors Award winner and 2023 RealLIST Tech Community Leader of the Year nominee, Kory is the CEO of UpSurge Baltimore, an ecosystem building organization with a vision for Baltimore to be recognized as the first Equitech city in the world. A new model for American innovation. UpSurge's mission is to mobilize the tech ecosystem around startups by strengthening its culture and connectivity, with an intentional focus on strategies that produce better outcomes for Black, women, and other underestimated founders and leaders.

In the latest episode of Nopixafterdark podcast, Aaron had the pleasure of interviewing Gary Coichy, the CEO & Founder of Pod Digital Media. They discussed a variety of topics, including the origin story of Pod Digital Media and how it's helping Brown and Black podcasters with advertising deals. Gary also shared insights from his best-selling book and his successful investments in real estate. Thank you, Gary, for taking the time to chat with us. It was a pleasure to film this episode on location in Miami. #Podcasting #AdvertisingDeals #RealEstateInvestments 

Gary the CEO and Founder of Pod Digital Media. Pod Digital Media is the first and largest Multi-Cultural Podcast Network in the World. “ Pod Digital Media has established partnerships with prominent companies such as P&G, AMEX, AT&T, New York Times, Walmart, Visa, HBO, Toyota, Showtime, Walgreens, Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, and many others. In January 2022, PDM secured a groundbreaking multi-year, multi-million-dollar deal with McDonald’s “ Website pod digital media

In the latest episode of NoPixAfterDark Podcast, Aaron sits down with Brian D. Pieninck  CEO of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. The conversation touches on a variety of topics, including the importance of community and transportation, as well as CareFirst's role as an anchor in the Baltimore-Washington region. Did you also know that Brian was a DJ back in the day, spinning tracks at roller skate rinks in Philadelphia? Check out this fascinating episode, available now on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify. Don't miss out! 

https://lnkd.in/evfqUsGy

Brian D. Pieninck is the President and CEO of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield multi-line, not-for-profit healthcare company. Brian embodies CareFirst's mission leading over 8,000 individuals dedicated to transforming the healthcare system to make it more equitable, affordable, and accessible to the 3.5 million individuals we serve across Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. 

Brian's community involvement centers on equitably advancing opportunities at the intersection of health and economic wellbeing throughout the mid-Atlantic region, a personal investment and expertise that closely aligns with CareFirst's mission. He is the Chair of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Board of Directors and chairman of the Boar Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH). 

Additionally, he is an active member of several boards, including the Federal Employee Program Board of Managers, Baltimore Committee, Baltimore's Promise, BCS Financial Corporation, Greater Washington Partnership, Synergie Medication Collective, the Greater Washington Board of Trade, the United Way of the National Capital Area, and a member Morgan State University Board of Regents. Brian holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University and is a graduate of Leadership Maryland's Class of 2016. A native of Southeastern Pennsylvania his family currently resides in Baltimore County, Maryland

In the latest episode of Nopixafterdark, Aaron had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Babar Sultan, a renowned facial plastic surgeon. Dr. Sultan's impressive educational background includes attending Harvard University, graduating from Princeton Medical School, and completing his residency at John Hopkins Hospital. During the interview, we learned that Dr. Sultan's passion for medicine began at an early age and he truly values getting to know his patients to provide them with the best care possible.

Dr. Sultan's success is thanks in part to the support of his wife, as we discovered in the episode. He has become one of the top plastic surgeons in the area and provides a wide range of services, from face and chin lifts to botox and filler injections.

Tune in to this episode of Nopixafterdark to learn more about Dr. Sultan's journey and how he has become an expert in the field of facial plastic surgery.

*Dr. Babar Sultan is a highly trained and experienced facial plastic surgeon dedicated to providing natural, long-lasting results to his patients. He is double board-certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery and the American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Sultan’s practice is exclusively dedicated to cosmetic and reconstructive procedures of the face and neck.

Dr. Sultan’s approach is based on his tremendous training and experience to provide natural, long-lasting results guided by his patients’ goals and desires. He believes in building a special patient-doctor relationship that drew him to medicine and is now the cornerstone of his practice.

Your journey to rejuvenation and self-confidence begins with a single step. We invite you to get in touch to learn more about the exceptional services offered by Dr. Sultan, a leading figure in cosmetic surgery in Baltimore, and how they can bring a renewed sense of beauty and confidence into your life. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take that vital step towards your transformation. *bio from his website

Tom is an experienced attorney and lobbyist with a specific focus on housing and community development. Tom's expertise in real estate and housing matters has been featured in numerous publications, including The Baltimore Sun, Money Magazine, Maryland Matters, and Greater Greater Washington. In 2021, Tom was recognized by The Daily Record as a "VIP: Successful by 40" honoree. His practice involves engagement with the leadership of state and local agencies, county government, and the Maryland General Assembly. Tom received a Juris Doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center and a Bachelor of Arts from Lycoming College. Tom serves on the Board of Trustees for the Maryland Science Center and the Board of Directors for the Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership.

🎙️🎧 In our first live show at the Baltimore Peninsula  Aaron interviewed Harry J. Martin, CEO & Founder of Roller Wave. Martin's life story is one of resilience, showing how roller skating helped him navigate his depression and become the hottest skating pop-up in NYC & LA. Now, he's brought the hottest pop-up to Baltimore with Rollerwave Baltimore, the perfect spot to hang out and skate. 🛼

    The episode was taped in front of a sold-out audience in the Penthouse Suite at the Baltimore Peninsula. Rollerwave Baltimore has become the go-to spot for skaters, attracting visitors from Washington DC to New York. Listen to Harry and Aaron talk about Martin's journey and the thriving roller skating community. 🎉

    Tune in to our show to hear Martin's inspiring story and learn more about Rollerwave Baltimore. 🎧 

We would like to thank Lobos1707 @canecollective @unioncraftbrewing United Way of Central Maryland MAG Partners LP DigitalEmpire Studios 

The Roller Wave” provides a traveling pop-up roller skating experience, founded by Harry Martin, 33. He rediscovered his lost love of roller skating after unexpectedly having the time of his life at a company party held at LeFrak Center at Lakeside Prospect Park. The Roller Wave has held numerous sold-out events at The House of Yes and has expanded to The Ludlow House in the Lower East Side, Alpha Space in Crown Heights, Gantry Loft in Long Island City, Soho House in the Meatpacking District, Tao Restaurant for Alicia Key’s birthday party, and most recently The Williamsburg Hotel with Everyday People. The Roller Wave holds seasonal pop-ups across NYC, Miami, Atlanta, and LA. Harry attributes the success of his events to his genuine passion for the culture and respect for the history of Roller Disco alongside the desire to introduce a lost art to a new generation

Aaron interviewed Pamela Wood Maryland Political reporter from the Baltimore Banner. We discussed The Baltimore Banner state of news coverage in Baltimore and Annapolis. We learned about how she always wanted to write for the newspaper. Today is the first day of 2024 Maryland General Assembly session we discussed what will be on the docket.

Pamela Wood covers Maryland politics and government, focusing on how powerful people make decisions that affect daily life for people living and working in and around Baltimore. She previously reported for The Baltimore Sun, The Capital and other Maryland newspapers on topics as varied as politics, local government, the environment, healthcare and breaking news. Though not a Maryland native, she's spent most of her life here, graduating from Howard High School and earning a degree in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park. She now calls Anne Arundal County home.

https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/author/pamela-wood