[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 29, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S820-S821]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING RECIPIENTS OF THE FORUM MAGAZINE'S 1997 PIONEER AWARDS

 Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, this Sunday the Forum magazine 
will host the 7th Annual African-American Pioneer Awards in Flint, MI. 
I rise to pay tribute to the honorees for their great achievements and 
contributions to the African-American community and, indeed, to all of 
America.
  This year the Forum magazine has assembled a truly impressive list of 
honorees. They are:
  Mr. Darwin Davis, originally from Flint, has been named one of 
America's 25 most important and powerful black executives by Black 
Enterprise magazine. His promotion to senior vice president of The 
Equitable in 1987 was merely the latest in a series of impressive steps 
within that company. He won three national sales campaigns in 3 years, 
moved from agent to agency manager in 4\1/2\ years and moved from agent 
to agency vice president in just 9

[[Page S821]]

years. Mr. Davis is a veteran, a former school teacher, and the 
recipient of two honorary doctorates.
  The Velvelettes are one of only three all original Motown groups from 
the late 1960's and one of the few girl groups still performing today. 
This group is composed of four women: Flint natives Norma Barbee-
Fairhurst and her cousin, Bertha Barbee-McNeal; and two Kalamazoo 
natives, Mildred Gill-Arbor and her sister, Carolyn Gill-Street. They 
had a number of successful hit records, including the top ten song, 
``Needle in a Haystack.'' All four women are very active in community 
projects, seeking to better their cities and neighborhoods.
  Creative Expressions Dance Studio has operated under the city of 
Flint's Parks and Recreation Department since 1990. Under the 
leadership of Director Sheila Miller-Graham and tap dance instructor 
Alfred Bruce Bradley, Creative Expressions has competed at the local 
and national levels every year since its inception. The first 
professional dance troupe from Flint, Creative Expressions entered its 
first dance competition during its very first year of existence, making 
an impressive showing by winning two of the nine trophies for the 
Junior Division in that region. Creative Expressions continues to 
represent Flint, and to help its citizens develop their talents, 
skills, and confidence levels.

  Mr. Mario J. Daniels is the founding director of Mario J. Daniels & 
Associates, P.C., the first African-American certified public 
accounting firm in Flint. A graduate of Flint Northern High School and 
Albion College, Mr. Daniels is very active in the United Way, NAACP, 
United Negro College Fund, and mentoring programs. He also has served 
as president of the National Association of Black Accountants.
  Mr. Michael Shumpert founded WOWE radio, the only African-American-
owned and operated FM radio station in the Flint/Saginaw area, in 1991. 
Mr. Shumpert also is an award-winning sales executive in marketing 
research and advertising sales. He also has produced a documentary film 
for the Michigan Genealogy Society, produced the Miss Black America 
pageant for television, and developed media scripts for a number of 
political campaigns.
  Mr. Gregory Jackson is a highly successful General Motors dealer and 
owner of several businesses in the Flint area. He earned an accounting 
degree from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, GA, one of the 
historically black colleges under the United Negro College Fund. He 
holds an M.B.A. in business administration and Finance from Atlanta 
University School of Business. Mr. Jackson also is a member of Kappa 
Alpha Psi Fraternity, Beta Gamma Sigma--National Graduate Business 
Honor Society, and the National Association of black M.B.A.'s.

  Dr. Charlie Roberts is the first African-American to be appointed 
vice president at Mott Community College. Dr. Roberts holds a Ph.D. in 
vocational-technical education from Michigan State University. He 
earned his masters degree in education from Wayne State University and 
his bachelor of science degree in industrial education and electronics 
from Norfolk State University in Norfolk, VA. In 1984 he was made dean 
of vocational-technical education at Mott; four years later he was 
promoted to dean of the School of Business Technology and Vocational 
Technical Education. From July 1993 to July 1994 he served as executive 
dean for continuing education and external affairs. Within a year he 
was promoted to his current position as vice president for 
institutional advancement and outreach.
  Mr. President, all of these people have made significant 
contributions to their communities. Their accomplishments deserve the 
notice they are receiving from the Forum magazine. I congratulate them 
for being named recipients of the African-American Pioneer 
Award.

                          ____________________