This year’s Induction Ceremony Honors Exemplary Black Men in the Chicagoland Community at the Tinley Park Convention Center on June 14, 2024.
Chicago, Illinois – Rev. Jesse Jackson, the revered Civil Rights icon, will receive the lifetime achievement honor at The Chicago Defender’s 17th Annual Men of Excellence ceremony.
Few have accomplished what Rev. Jackson has. From his work with Martin Luther King, Jr. and Operation Breadbasket to launching two civil rights organizations and multiple Presidential campaigns, even fewer have lived a life of such historical significance.
Rev. Jackson and the other 2024 MOE honorees exemplify this year’s theme: “Man UP: Celebrating Courage, Leadership, and Empowerment.”
He will not be the only history-maker honored at this special event, which will take place on June 14 at the Tinley Park Convention Center.
Venerable Congressman Danny K. Davis, who has served 14 consecutive terms representing Illinois’ 7th Congressional District, will receive the MOE Man of the Year award.
Pioneering entrepreneur Joseph Caldwell, founder of TailoRite, and sports executive Julian Green, the senior vice president of communications for the Chicago Cubs, will be the Vanguard honorees.
Tony Coles, president of iHeartMedia’s Multicultural Business & Development division and Black Information Network, will receive a Special Community Catalyst award.
“It is essential to recognize the accomplishments of African American contributors to society.
For seventeen years and continuing, we take pride in honoring Black men who serve as impactful leaders, leaving a lasting legacy in our communities and beyond.”
– Dyanna Knight Lewis, Publisher-Chicago Defender
As the longest-running event of its kind in the Chicagoland region, the Men of Excellence ceremony celebrates Black men from our area who motivate others through their actions, achievements, and character. These men are forward thinkers in their respective fields and are well-regarded for breaking the mold and inspiring change in their professions and communities.
Along with the special honorees, a class of forty-nine men will also receive their well-deserved recognition by being inducted into the hallowed MOE fraternity. This is a moment of immense pride and respect as they join a class of honorees that number over 800.
This year’s induction class includes the following honorees:
| Anthony Burton | Village Administrator | Village of Matteson |
| Kevin Cross | President & General Manager | NBCUniversal Local Chicago |
| Dave Davis | Sr. Executive Director for Neighborhood and Community Relations | Northwestern University |
| Howard Davis | Field Service Specialist | City of Chicago |
| Dr. Vince Davis | Police Officer | Cook County Health |
| John Early | Principal Owner | Healthcare Benefits Consultant |
| Patrick Echols | Digital Transformation Consultant | CDW |
| Honorable John Fairman | Associate Judge | State of Illinois |
| Brian J. Foster | Managing Director, External Affairs and Communications | City Year Chicago |
| Vincent Hale | Owner/Operator | BMOA |
| Joseph G. Haley | Executive Director | Safe Achieve Academy |
| Honorable William E. Hall | Alderman, 6th Ward | City of Chicago |
| Rickey F. Harris | Principal | Whitney Young Magnet High School |
| Roderick K. Hawkins | Associate Dean of External Affairs & Chief of Staff | School of Communication-Northwestern University |
| Dr. Marlon Haywood | Founder & CEO | Urban Male Network |
| Christopher Hodges | Policy Analyst | City of Chicago |
| Yirser Ra Hotep | Master Instructor | YogaSkills School of Kemetic Yoga |
| Jason House | Senior Trustee | Village of Dolton |
| Tiray Jackson | Senior Director of Athletics | Perspectives Charter Schools |
| Pastor Phil Jackson | Founder & CEO | The Firehouse Community Art Center of Chicago |
| Corey Dooley Johnson | Entrepreneur/Author/Artist | Community Corey LLC. |
| Charles L. Jones | CEO | C&B Consulting LLC. |
| Carl Jones Jr. | Vice President-External and Government Affairs | Comcast-Greater Chicago Region |
| Karl Kemp | Executive Director | Common Ground Foundation |
| Kenneth King | Senior Manager, Supplier Diversity | Aetna |
| Darell Lee | President of Property Management | Chicago Homes Realty Group |
| Channing R.N. Lenert | Program Officer | Polk Bros. Foundation |
| DeJuan M. Lever | President & CEO | Iverson & Company |
| Shawn Mason | Owner | Evan Marcus Imagery |
| Dr. William S. McClinton | Director of Human Resources, Great Lakes Region | Federal Aviation Administration |
| Tremayne L. McPherson | Human Resources Business Consultant | Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago |
| Kareem Pender | Director of Family & Community Engagement | Chicago Public Schools |
| Nwabueze “Eze” Phil-Ebosie | Director, Engineering | ComEd |
| Omari K. Prince | Government Affairs Director | Small Business Advocacy Council |
| Ernest Radcliffe | Founder | Southside Wolfpack Youth Football/The Show Baseball |
| Sean Ramsey | Vice President, Inside Sales | Grainger |
| Claude Robinson | Founder & President | Onyx Strategic Partners, LLC |
| Michael L. Royston | Vice President, Integrated Marketing Services | Flowers Communications Group |
| Ulric Shannon | Executive Director | Surge Institute |
| Sheldon L. Sherman | Police Officer | City of Chicago |
| Vondale E. Singleton Sr. | Founder & CEO | Champs Male Mentoring Program |
| Honorable Justin Q. Slaughter | State Representative, 27th District | State of Illinois |
| Scott L. Steward | Founder & CEO | Genius Lab, Inc. |
| LaVonte Stewart Sr. | Executive Director | Lost Boyz Inc. |
| Kevin Thomas | Head of Community and Development – Midwest | JP Morgan Chase & Co |
| Bishop David T. Whittley | Senior Pastor | Corinthian Temple COGIC |
| Farley “Jackmaster Funk” Williams | Founder | House Music Museum & Hall of Fame |
| Ted Williams III | Actor/Author/Professor | City Colleges of Chicago |
| Martin Woods | Principal | University of Chicago Laboratory Schools / High School |
“The 2024 Men of Excellence ceremony honors distinguished gentlemen whose shoulders we continue to stand on while shining a light on the men impacting our present and future.
They represent the best of who we are and are what every member of our community should strive to be.”
– Tacuma R. Roeback, Managing Editor-Chicago Defender.
The Men of Excellence Red Carpet Awards Presentation Reception will occur on Friday, June 14, 2024, at the Tinley Park Convention Center (18451 Convention Center Drive, Tinley Park, IL) at 5:30 p.m.
ComEd is the presenting sponsor, and Jasmine Minor of ABC 7 Chicago and Marseil ‘Action’ Jackson of Inspiration 1390 will serve as emcees.
For Tickets and Tables, please visit www.chicagodefender.com.
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About the Chicago Defender Men of Excellence:
Each year, the Chicago Defender takes great pride in recognizing African American men in our community who inspire others through their excellence, vision, leadership, achievements, and commitment to empowerment in multiple ways. We are proud of the accomplishments of these men who are doing amazing things across broad spectrums of society.
About the Chicago Defender
The Chicago Defender is a multimedia content provider of news and information. The Chicago Defender offers marketing solutions, strategic partnerships, and custom events covering the African American market. Our platform equips us to leverage audience influence to reach, connect, and impact Black Community with culturally relevant content not often serviced by mainstream media.
Founded in 1905, The Chicago Defender celebrated its 119th Anniversary in 2024 and was recognized nationally as the second most widely read and best African American Newspaper by Nielson and Essence Survey 2014. In July 2019, the Chicago Defender transitioned from a printed newspaper into a digitally focused, high-traffic content platform dedicated to online editorials, premiere events, sponsored advertising, custom publishing, and archival merchandising. We distribute relevant and engaging news and information via multiple platforms daily.
Leaders and readers nationwide look to the Chicago Defender to stay informed about issues that impact their lives. As the community’s voice for more than eleven decades, we take great pride in having access to grassroots community connections and established relationships with influencers and opinion leaders. As a result, we stay abreast of the pulse of the neighborhoods. Our readers trust us. They trust The Chicago Defender will portray the news authentically.
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