HARRY JEROME AWARD WINNERS
The Black Business and Professional Association is once again recognizing the best and the brightest across the nation as it presents the 31st annual Harry Jerome Awards in Toronto. It’s the premier national awards gala in the African-Canadian community and honours Olympic athlete, scholar and community leader Harry Jerome. Here are some of this year’s winners (for a full list, visit thestar.com): Monique Jarrett: CIBC Academic Excellence award. University of Alberta biology major and volunteer. Andrea Douglas: Aon Hewitt Excellence in the Arts award. Dancer, choreographer, teacher and founding director of Children and Youth Dance Theatre. Kevin Williams: IBM Trailblazer award. President and managing director of GM Canada Ltd., a director of the United Negro College Fund and member of the National Black College Hall of Fame. Tanya Walker: Intelli-Pharmaceutics Young Entrepreneur award. A Bay Street lawyer and former member of the BBPA who helped redraft its constitution. Kemeel Azan: Bell award for Excellence in Business. A business . leader, he opened his salon in Yorkville in 1962 and still runs it. Dr. Roz Roach: RBC Community Service Excellence award. Founding director of Dr. Roz’s Healing Place for survivors of domestic violence.
Dr. Nadine Wong: Sterling Dental award for Excellence in Health Sciences. Author and CEO of Alabaster Wellness Clinic; founder of Alabaster Gates Charity.
Emilie Nicolas: Scotiabank Leadership award. PhD candidate at the U of T and active in Quebec Liberal party.
Ray Williams: Cadillac award for Excellence in Technology & Innovation. A leader in MIDI music technology, he set up a teaching lab at York University.
Jennifer Tory: Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Diversity award. The GTA region president for RBC, she’s on the board of Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation and the Toronto International Film Festival.
Anne-Marie Woods: G98.7 Excellence in Entertainment award. A performance artist and playwright, she opened a theatre company for women of African descent.
Grant Morris: TD Bank Financial Group Lifetime Achievement award. Raises funds for education and medical programs through the Caribbean Event, which he founded.
Royson James: Planet Africa award for Excellence in Media. The Star’s Urban Affairs columnist and a celebrated Canadian journalist, he’s been a keen observer of Toronto politics for 20 years.