The
Center
for
Empowerment
&
Economic
Development
Honors
Outstanding
Achievers
and
Volunteers-Denise
hitch
gives
Keynote
Address
DETROIT
(Tell Us
Det) -
The
Center
for
Empowerment
&
Economic
Development
(CEED)
celebrated
26 years
of
commitment
to
empowering
women
and
minorities
in
business
at its
Annual
Awards
Celebration.
The
event
took
place on
Thursday,
April
22, at
the
MotorCity
Casino
Hotel in
Detroit.
The CEED
Outstanding
Achievement
Award
honors
members,
volunteers,
corporations
and
partners
that
mentor
others,
give of
themselves
financially
or
in-kind
to CEED
or other
business
and
community
organizations.
Carol
Cain,
senior
producer
and Host
of
“Michigan
Matters”
from WWJ-TV
CBS
Detroit,
served
as
Mistress
of
Ceremonies.
Denise
Ilitch,
business
and
philanthropic
community
leader
for more
than 30
years,
gave the
keynote
address.
2010
CEED
Outstanding
Achievers
include:
Business
Training
&
Professional
Development
—
Outstanding
Volunteer
Jackie
Lovejoy,
Davenport
University
Business
Training
&
Professional
Development
—
Outstanding
Achiever
Regina
Ragland,
Essence
Upscale
Promotions
LLC
Women’s
Business
Enterprise
Council
— Great
Lakes —
Outstanding
Volunteer
Anntreal
Hemmingway-Smith,
Crestmark
Bank
Women’s
Business
Enterprise
Council
— Great
Lakes —
Outstanding
Achievers
M.
DeLois
Strum,
MDStrum
Housing
Services,
Inc.
James
Wall,
In-Step
Solutions
LLC
Small
Business
Detroit
Microloan
—
Outstanding
Volunteer
Akila
McAllister,
A&M
Strategic
Counseling
Pictured
is
Business
Training
&
Professional
Development
—
Outstanding
Volunteer
Jackie
Lovejoy
of
Davenport
University.
(Photo
by HB
Meeks/Tell
Us
Detroit)
CEED
Microloan
—
Outstanding
Achiever
Richard
Osterhout,
Green
Electrical
Supply
Michigan
Women’s
Marketplace
—
Outstanding
Volunteer
Sheila
Hawkins,
Third
Eye
Group
CEED
Outstanding
Volunteer
Theresa
Thompson,
Tea Time
Events &
Tea Time
Films
CEED
Microloan
—
Outstanding
Volunteer
Ronnie
Peterson,
Washtenaw
County
Commissioner
Corporation
of the
Year
DTE
Energy
Partner
of the
Year
Davenport
University
CEED
Executive
Director
Michelle
Richards
says,
“It is
easy to
continually
face
forward,
but it
is
courageous
to also
lend a
hand to
someone
behind
you or
beside
you.
These
are the
individuals
who
truly
inspire
the
creation
of
community
and
opportunity
for
all.”
Since
1984,
CEED has
assisted
thousands
of
business
owners
in
beginning
and
expanding
their
businesses.
CEED
provides
entrepreneurs
and
business
owners
with the
administrative,
financial,
and
professional
enrichment
support
services
necessary
for
business
success.
“We
pride
ourselves
in
meeting
the
needs of
Michigan’s
women
and
minority
business
owners,”
said
Michelle
Richards.
“Our
work
strengthens
the
community
by
building
partnerships
and
leveraging
resources
that
increase
business
growth
opportunities.”
The CEED
Annual
Awards
Celebration
featured
a
Reception
and
Silent
Auction,
immediately
followed
by the
Awards
Dinner
and
Award
Presentations.
For more
about
CEED,
visit
www.miceed.org.
The
Center
for
Empowerment
and
Economic
Development
is
committed
to
empowering
women
and
minorities
economically
through
business
development
training,
supplier
certification,
business-to-business
networking
and
accessible
capital
assistance
programs.
CEED
provides
effective
business
tools
and
removes
barriers
that
hinder
development
of
successful
and
sustainable
businesses.
