Miller Urban Entrepreneur Series Announces 2007-2008 Winners
Nearly $1 Million Awarded Since 1999
CHICAGO, May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Miller Brewing Company announced the
winners of its 2007-2008 Business Plan Competition. The top 12 winners,
selected from more than 100 applicants, have earned grants totaling
$150,000. Awards was presented at a special dinner reception in Chicago on
May 1, 2008.
With the motto: "Your Life. Your Time. Your Business." the Miller Urban
Entrepreneurs Series and Business Plan Competition has supported the
entrepreneurial spirit in thousands of young businessmen and women since
1999 by granting access to economic education, hosting seminars featuring
successful entrepreneurs and providing business plan writing workshops
across the country. To date, Miller has supported viable businesses by
awarding nearly $1 million through this competition.
"Not only do we want to be considered an industry leader, but also a
socially responsible corporation, supporting the communities where we
conduct business and live. Through the Miller Urban Entrepreneurs Series,
we are taking an active role in fostering an environment for sustainable
business ideas to grow," said Larry Waters, senior director of
multicultural relations, Miller Brewing Company.
The 2008 grant winners represent a diverse cross section of industries
from elderly and disabled care to fashion design. And Miller hopes the
grants will help these worthy entrepreneurs advance their business and
foster economic empowerment and development in their communities.
The grand prize winner received $35,000 and the remaining winners
received grants of either $15,000 or $5,000 to use as start-up capital or
to expand existing businesses. This year, the drama and intensity of the
highly selective competition was captured on film. The competition is
documented from finalist selection, presentations, judging, and to the
selection of the final winners. The webisodes can be seen on
http://www.millermues.com in May.
"We are proud to provide the needed resources to this unique group of
entrepreneurs who are diligently working to improve their communities and
industries they represent," shares Michael A. Jones, senior vice president
and general counsel, Miller Brewing Company.
The new 2007 - 2008 MUES Business Plan Competition winners are:
Monica G. Coleman and Jamarr E. Rawlinson - $35,000
Austell, Ga. Creative Connections Mobile Barbershop, LLC, is a full-service and
fully mobile barbershop and beauty salon offering professional and
courteous grooming services in the comfort of the client's surroundings.
Targeting assisted living communities, retirement homes, and active adult
communities, is an innovative concept that is a timely and direct response
to the needs of the country's growing populations of senior citizens.
Willie Bass and Majaliwa DeRamus - $15,000
Carrollton, Texas
DeBass Recycling, a Dallas-area based company, provides residents of
condos, apartments, and etc. with an easier way to recycle. Starting at
just $10 a month, DeBass picks up recyclables from the doorsteps of
residents in multi-unit dwellings to make it easier for them to recycle.
Not only does is it provide an affordable and convenient service to
residents, it also helps the environment.
Nicholas and Zarinah Curry - $15,000
Roanoke, Texas
My Little One, is a children's retail store offering a variety of
affordable clothing for newborns through children sizes 7. Owned by husband
and wife team Nicholas and Zarinah Curry, My Little One believes "growth is
stylish, comfortable and affordable." Targeting working class families, My
Little One offers specially designed clothing for children, such as mix and
match sets at competitive prices.
Lorenzo D. Gayden - $15,000
Jackson, Miss.
Sanaa Fine Art and Framing, spotlights the ever-fascinating African
American fine art world. Owner Lorenzo Gayden's visionary gallery offers
art connoisseurs the opportunity to enjoy diverse and exceptional pieces
created by local and international artist. Catering to an underrepresented
faction of the art world, Sanaa Fine Art and Framing will also handle
custom framing for delicate and priceless pieces of works to be cherished
by art lovers of all kinds.
Octavia Manuel - $15,000
Milwaukee, Wis.
Community Healthcare Training Center, LLC, will provide students with
the skills and education necessary to become Certified Nursing Assistants
in the State of Wisconsin through advanced computer technology, state of
the art medical training, hands on experience and a state approved training
curriculum.
ToTo NYC
Tori Nichel - $15,000
Brooklyn, N.Y.
ToTo, is a high end women's contemporary clothing collection based in
Brooklyn, NY. Creative Director and CEO, Tori Nicele Gibbs, better known in
the industry as Tori Nichel, has created this visionary clothing line with
the most fabulous fashionista in mind. Her designs have been featured in
magazines such as Lucky, Elle, and Essence. Nichel was given the
distinction of "Five Designers to Watch" by Forbes.com.
Pearlina and Jerome Simmons - $15,000
Alpharetta, Ga.
The Simmons Strategy Group, is ready to provide any business owner with
the tools and directions to launching and maintaining a successful
business. Created by Pearlina and Jerome Simmons, The Simmons Strategy
Group is a socially conscious enterprise targeting minority and women owned
businesses. The Simmons Strategy Group provides businesses with the tools
to increase sales and revenues, increase bottom line, as well as make a
large impact on society.
Emile Cambry, Jr. and William Dorsey, M.D. - $5,000
Chicago, Ill.
Savvy Doc, Inc., is a web-based platform for patients to find the
perfect doctor. Created by Dr. William Dorsey and Emile Cambry, Jr.,
patients are able to learn more about prospective healthcare providers
through reviews from others, as well as schedule appointments with doctors
registered to the SavvyDoc website. The SavvyDoc website allows patients to
search for a doctor by specialty, location, insurance, and appointment
availability.
Danielle Davis - $5,000
Ypsilanti, Mich.
Divine Comforters Bereavement Services Group LLC, brings a personal
touch along with creativity to the funeral industry. Divine Comforters is a
funeral planning company that provides non-traditional funeral coordinating
and consulting services. This unique company offers a one-stop location for
personalized and creative funeral products and services.
Sheba C. Mays - $5,000
Milwaukee, Wis.
Intercessory Living Center, is an Adult Family Center in Milwaukee,
Wis., catering to women in need. The facility will provide assistance with
activities of daily living, social and community services and health
monitoring services that meet the unique needs of women with developmental
disabilities in a residential setting.
Meleika Mohamoud, Angela Flowers and Dakota King-White - $5,000
South Euclid, Ohio
Making A Difference Consulting, LLC is dedicated to providing a safe,
nurturing and supportive environment for youth, parents, educators and
community leaders. MAD, LLC focuses on helping youth succeed and become
productive citizens by using a holistic approach, which will focus on the
academic, emotional, social and spiritual, needs of all youth while
providing a meaningful experience.
John Weaver and Karen Jackson Weaver - $5,000
Princeton, N.J.
Precruit, a web-based software, is available to recruiters to assist in
reducing the load of finding qualified candidates by limiting the field.
Precruit can successfully be used to match employers and colleges with the
best candidates. The company allows clients to easily create customizable,
interactive websites for recruiting campaigns. Precruit also provides
recruiters with a platform that empowers former candidates to get involved
in the recruiting process and engage prospective candidates.
Throughout the lifetime of the program, Miller Brewing Company has
partnered with several community organizations to make the program more
accessible to the core target. This collaboration has fostered ongoing
support of economic growth and education by offering young business leaders
access to numerous business resources and a chance to win grants.
Proprietors of innovative business ideas and already existing unique
upstarts looking for a competitive edge have attended the brewery's leading
business seminars offered by its community partnering organizations.
Committed to creating strong communities across America,
Milwaukee-based Miller Brewing Company invests millions of dollars each
year through community initiatives, taxes paid and local goods and services
purchased. The company's platform for corporate social investment and
community partnership is Miller REACH(TM), which focuses on five primary
causes: Responsibility, Employment, AIDS/HIV, Cultural Diversity and
Heritage Initiatives. Miller is the oldest major brewer in America,
celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2005, and is a wholly owned subsidiary
of SABMiller plc, one of the world's largest brewers. More information
about Miller Brewing Company is available at the company's corporate web
site, http://www.MillerBrewing.com.
SOURCE Miller Urban Entrepreneur Series
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Related links:
http://www.MillerBrewing.com
CONTACT:
Julian Green of Miller Brewing Company,
+1-414-931-2000, jgreen@mbco.com; or Thelma A. Walker of Flowers
Communications Group, +1-312-228-8808, twalker@flowerscomm.com,
for Miller Urban Entrepreneur Series
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