Women of Vision honored at YWCA event F
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on chronic disease prevention and management. The local chapter is affiliated with the national YWCA and embraces its mission, “Eliminating Racism, Empowering Women, and Promoting Peace, Justice, Freedom, and Dignity for All.” The chapter serves over 9,000 people each year. Projects include the Best Choice Center which provides academic programs for 150 low income children; eighty percent improved or maintained their reading and math scores in 2014-15. Hawley House helps women recovering from addiction. It is the only state licensed residential substance abuse program for women in Forsyth County. The client success rate is 87%. Work & Earn it and Teen Court programs give 260 teens the opportunity to get back on track after committing minor first time offenses.
Welcome to a special edition of Urban Call —Healthy Living Every Day! We are honored to put the spotlight of some of the most talented women in our community. As you read and hear about their accomplishments you will know why they have been designated “Women of Vision.” We are far richer for their presence.
Lafayette Jones
Publisher, Urban Call; SMSi-UrbanCall Marketing, Inc. President & CEO
To see past issues of Urban Call visit issuu.com/ SmsiUrbanCallMarketing. com. thehistorymakers.com/ biography/lafayette-jones
Goler cues downtown revitalization ................. 2
Wanda Starke
Cathy Pace
Sandra Miller Jones
Dr. Maya Angelou
Women of Vision Share Their Talents
Henri Brown
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Urban Call Briefs
Dr. Pernessa Seele
Michelle Obama
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Proceeds support the YWCA’s Change for Life programs that empower low income and at-risk children and women dealing with substance abuse. The YWCA encourages members to have healthy lifestyles and focuses
Allegacy Federal Credit Union and co-founder of Healthy WS. Wanda Starke, co-anchor at WXII news, is also a producer of “A Place to Call Home” which profiles children waiting to be adopted. She will receive the Children’s Advocate award.
Candice Brown
ive women are being honored at the 35th annual YWCA’s Women of Vision awards luncheon at the Albert H. Anderson conference center of Winston-Salem State University. Sandra Miller Jones will receive the Trailblazer Award. She founded two companies aimed at serving AfricanAmericans and Latinos in the top 25 U.S. markets. They include Segmented Marketing Services, Inc. and SMSi Health Insurance Solutions. Henri Brown will receive a Literacy Champion award. She is the director of READWS which advocates reading skills for children. Candice Brown will receive the Emerging Leader award. She is an attorney for Reynolds American Inc. and R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. The Community Catalyst award will be presented to Cathy Pace, president and CEO of
Welcome from the publisher
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Goler CDC role in downtown renewal By Marc Schaefer PRESIDENT AND CEO TRULIANT FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
Goler Community Development Corporation, founded in 1998 with a vision to transform a historic, downtown African American community into a multimillion-dollar mixed-use development has played a role in rejuvenating that area that borders the Innovation Quarter. Those projects include the Goler Family Enrichment Center; Goler Manor senior housing, the Gallery Lofts; eight townhomes on Chestnut Street and the Arts Park at 6th & Chestnut. Goler CDC reimagined dilapidated warehouses, barbed-wire enclosed parking lots and overgrown, trash laden lots that would eventually form the northeastern bookend to Winston-Salem’s entertainment district
and our Trade and Liberty Street Arts District. Wake Forest had earlier developed the Research Park to the south of where most of the new development had occurred. The Winston Salem Chamber Technology Goler founders include Bishop Seth Lartey, AME Zion Committee met in those Church, Michael Suggs, Goler CDC president and restored buildings. Wake Lafayette Jones, SMSi-Urban Call Marketing. Visit Forest was also an early GolerCDC.com important supporter of the Truliant Federal Credit Union played area with the Downtown a role, opening a Member Financial Health Plaza on the northern end. Center in 2007 at Seventh and Patterson Reynolds American who donated land streets. It was a product of our 2003 and buildings. The Downtown Winston merger with Victory Masonic Mutual Salem Partnership and city and county Credit Union, whose founding in 1946 leadership used historic tax credits and makes it the oldest black-owned credit tax increment financing to add value.
union in Winston-Salem. The building Goler built to house the Truliant Member Financial Center and their own headquarters at Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Patterson Avenue provided a visibly-improved gateway to the area.
Promotion, healthcare, supply chain industries at Inmar Forum
The SMSi Companies Corporate Offices 615 Saint George Square Court, Suite 300 Winston-Salem, NC 27103 Office: (336) 759-7477 Fax: (336) 941-3547
SMSi & Urban Call Community Outreach Office Goler Memorial AME Zion Family Enrichment Center 620 Patterson Avenue Winston Salem, NC 27101 Office: (336) 759-7477
SegmentedMarketing.com Issuu.com/Smsiurbancallmarketing.com
SMSi-Urban Call Marketing, Inc. President and CEO; Urban Call Publisher: Lafayette Jones Executive Editor: Alan Cronk Editorial Director: Rose M. Walsh
Production Manager: Jodi S. Sarver Financial Services: Wanda Courts Archivist: Avis Patterson Warehouse and Shipping: Aaron Fox
Segmented Marketing Services, Inc. (SMSi) SMSi Founding Chair and CEO: Sandra Miller Jones National Project Manager: Constance Harris National Public Relations Manager: Tonya Monteiro
National Logistics Manager: Camille Allen Director Operations: Tahnya Bowser Director Financial Services: Roslyn Hickman
SMSi Community of Networks
The Inmar Analytics Forum, an annual event held in Winston-Salem, brings together business professionals from the promotion, healthcare and supply chain industries to explore how data can drive conversion, create operational efficiencies and improve business and patient outcomes. The interactive information exchange delivers insight into data-based solutions for business and healthcare challenges. The forum focuses on the practical application of data analytics and encourages data collaboration between manufacturers, retailers
and healthcare providers/ systems. David Mounts, Inmar CEO, opened the forum with his keynote: “Technology, Data and One Special Ingredient.” Among numerous speakers were Larry Merlo, president and CEO of CVS Health whose topic was, “Revolution at the Corner Drug Store: How Data Helps People on Their Path to Better Health,” and Dr. John McConnell, CEO of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center whose topic was “The Unique Role of Academic Medicine in Academic Health.” Visit inmar. com.
Inmar headquarters
New lab works with skin, hair, nails RTB (Reason to Believe) is the first tenant to be established in the revitalized Whitaker Park Development Lab Building. The Whitaker Park Development Authority has revitalized the former R.J. Reynolds campus. The company, which manufactures innovated technology based solutions for hair, skin and nails, is using 8,000 square feet. Melisse Shaban is the company founder and CEO of Chrysallis, the management team responsible for the business.
Melisse Shaban
Sharon Hawks, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE, is CEO of Nutrition and Diabetes Education. She is working with AARP, United Health Care and SMSi-Urban Call Marketing on diabetes prevention program called Claim More for African-American women at community churches.
HEALTHY LIVING EVERY DAY! EDITION
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Urban Call Briefs transportation infrastructure, and legislation to support families and veterans. Legislative actions introduced include the Veterans Benefits Network Act to establish public-private partnerships connecting veterans to promised benefits, and the Veterans Small Business Tax Credit Act of 2015.
Maya Angelou diabetes center at Novant Health Novant Health Maya Angelou Women’s Health & Wellness Center’s Diabetes and Endocrinology department assists people with diabetes management and nutrition education. Programs include prevention of type 2 diabetes through exercise and healthy meal planning; pediatric diabetes education for adolescents, teens and parents; support Dr. Maya Angelou groups for people living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes; individual assessments; group training on nutrition, meal planning, foot care, exercise, sick-day guidelines, goal setting and medications. Other lessons include blood glucose monitoring and review of the American Diabetes Association glucose control guidelines; medication information. Gestational diabetes/preexisting diabetes and pregnancy programs offer in-depth education and selfmanagement techniques for diabetes during pregnancy. Melicia Whitt-Glover is community relations director. For information (336) 277-1660; visit www. novanthealth.org/forsyth-medical-center/ services/diabetes.aspx
CVS supports community health The CVS Health Foundation, a private foundation created by CVS Health Corporation, has announced a multiyear, $5 million commitment to increase
Dudley president is beauty leader
The Winston-Salem Chapter of the Links Incorporated has worked to provide nutrition information and education on childhood obesity prevention. As a part of this initiative, chapter members talk with parents and students at local schools, as well as distribute information and healthy snacks at community events. Left to right: Links members and president include PJ Williams, Linda Jackson Barnes, WS Links Chapter, Dr. Pamela Dockery-Howard and Sandra Miller Jones prepare materials. access to health care in communities nationwide. CVS has provided sponsorship to Healthy Churches 2020, an outreach created by the Balm in Gilead to build healthier Dr. Pernessa Seele African-American communities. Dr. Pernessa C. Seele is the founder and CEO of The Balm In Gilead. It began in 1989 as the Harlem Week of Prayer to respond to the AIDS crisis and now addresses all aspects of health. It works with more than 10,000 churches.
Alma Adams is running in U.S. 12th Congressional District Michelle Obama is a strong proponent of Let’s Move! The organization says that regular physical activity helps students succeed in school – and in life.
Congresswoman Alma Adams is running for re-election in the 12th District of the U.S. Congress. She supported legislation ensuring equal opportunity to quality education for all students, continued investments in local
Ursula Dudley Oglesby, president of Dudley Beauty Corp LLC, has been honored as an outstanding business leader by the Triad Business The 35th anniversary Journal. She iss Black Hair Styles and ue of Sophisticate’s has also Ca four influential black wo re Guide profiles been named men including Ur sula Dudley Oglesby, secretary of Ursula Dudley of Dudley Beauty Corp; president and CEO Oglesby the newly tal graduate, Dr. Bridg East Carolina denette Mi formed Global anch or and author Melissa ller Jones; TV Harris-Perry and Beauty Alliance (globalbeauty salon owner, Erica Str ong. alliance.com) which serves multicultural consumers worldwide. She is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. She serves on the board of the University of North Carolina Greensboro Entrepreneurship, as well as the board of governors for WFMY’s 2 Those Who Care Program. She is an adjunct business law professor at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical Edna Kane Williams is vice president State University’s School of Business & of multicultural marketing at AARP. Economics.
Gateway Fitness Center board oversees YWCA program
Eric Tomlinson, DSc, PhD, is president of Wake Forest Innovation Quarter and Chief Innovation Officer for Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. It is one of the fastest-growing urban-based districts for innovation districts in the United States. Visit innovationquarter.com
Gateway Fitness Center, a YWCA headquarters, is located at 1300 S. Main Street in Winston-Salem. Board officers include Sandra Boyette, president; the honorable Molly Leight, vice president; Mildred Wood, secretary; Lynne Peck, treasurer; Michelle Cook. Members of the board include Michelle Cook, Jamehl Demons Shegog, M.D., Kristen Duchac, LaShonda Hairston, Beth Hopkins, Ph.D., Lida Hayes-Calvert, Regina Lewis, Lea Loftis, Karen Love, Drewry Nostitz, Sylvia Rodriguez, Kristine Sims and Melicia Whitt-Glover, Ph.D. Christy Respess is the chief executive officer.
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Leaders share their talents
Candice Wooten Brown, Emerging Leader Award
“The eternal Tar Heel,” Candice Brown earned her undergraduate, law and MBA degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has used that formidable education professionally and through her volunteer work to provide leadership wherever she goes. Her legal career began with Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge & Rice, PLLC, where she practiced in the areas of general civil litigation, workers’ compensation, insurance coverage and defense. At Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLC, she focused on workers’ compensation and employment litigation. Serving in a variety of roles for Reynolds American, Inc. and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company since 2008, she currently holds the role of Vice President of Workplace Practices with RAI Services Company, a subsidiary of Reynolds American, Inc. She leads a team of labor and employment lawyers and employee relations and HR compliance professionals. Committed to serving her community, whether as an adjunct professor or on a volunteer board, she has led strategic planning, and advised on personnel issues, public relations and technology for area non-profits. Hospice & Palliative Care Center, The North Carolina Bar Association, The Links, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and her church are just a few that benefit from her experience, professionalism and commitment. Candice is married to Ivey L. Brown, Jr., who serves as Associate General Counsel at Winston-Salem State University.
Henri D. Brown, Literacy Champion Award For 14 years, Henri Brown has helped children, struggling with reading learn to read through the Augustine Literacy Project. She began as both a tutor and board member, and became the director of the Augustine Project six years later. In 2015 the Augustine Project grew to become READWS which she now directs. Under the new READWS structure, the program will be able to serve more students through parent education, teacher training, and a summer literacy camp. Henri credits the growth of the program to the many caring people who invested their time, energy and money in the project because of the passion they had for literacy. “They also understood that adage about never underestimating the power of a group of committed individuals to change the world. We all believe that it is not only important but imperative that all students who struggle to read have access to the highest quality literacy resources and strategies.” People who know Henri would argue that her role as a champion for literacy has also been a driving force for the programs. Henri says she is blessed to have a wonderful family of her own: husband Royall (a very patient man), two wonderful adult children, four siblings, and a mom who is 94.
Sandra Miller Jones, Trailblazer Award Sandra Miller Jones is a brilliant entrepreneur and community volunteer. A Winston-Salem native, she earned her MBA at Northwestern University, the first African American woman to do so. Upon graduation she was hired as the first African American woman manager at Quaker Oats Company where she managed several of the company’s major franchises including the $100 millionplus Quaker Oatmeal franchise. In 1978, she left Quaker Oats and founded Segmented Marketing Services Inc. (SMSi), a national marketing services company. Today SMSi’s client list includes Quaker Oats, Proctor & Gamble, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and Revlon, among others. In the early ‘90s she founded SMSi Urban Call Marketing and Urban Call Publishing with her partner and husband, Lafayette Jones. In 2013she founded SMSi Health Insurance Solutions whose mission is to help underserved consumers acquire affordable health insurance. Sandy helped establish the National Black MBA Association, the Chicago Minority Purchasing Counsel and a business initiative for the League of Black Women in Chicago. She is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, The Links, Inc., and Goler Memorial AME Zion Church. She has also served on the boards of Family Services Inc. and Summit School, and as the board chair of the YWCA in Winston-Salem. Sandra and Lafayette have a daughter, Dr. Bridgette Miller Jones. Visit http://www.thehistorymakers. com/biography/sandra-miller-jones
Cathy J. Pace, Community Catalyst Award
Wanda Starke, Children’s Advocate Award
Way before the health craze became popular, Cathy Pace, President and CEO of Allegacy Federal Credit Union, was disciplined both physically and nutritionally. Healthy living has always been a part of her family’s lifestyle. So it makes sense that practically all of her community involvement as a volunteer has been with health related organizations. Currently she is chairperson of the regional advisory group for Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (WFBMC) Comprehensive Cancer Center, a member of WFBMC’s Board of Visitors, and vice chair of Hospice Palliative Care of Winston-Salem. An early supporter of breast cancer efforts in Winston-Salem, she served as an advisory board member for the Sara Lee Center for Women’s Health, Cancer Services Inc., and the N.C. Triad Affiliate for Susan G. Komen. Last year she and Wildfire CEO Brad Bennett launched Healthy WS. Healthy WS’s mission is for the city to evolve into a community that embraces a culture of health and well-being with a vision of Winston-Salem becoming a nationally recognized model city where its people are active, happy, connected, supported, stable, secure, and passionate. Cathy is married to Chris Pace, and they have two daughters, Ashley and Meredith.
Wanda Starke joined the staff of WXII 12 News in 1994. Wanda is co-anchor of the 6 p.m. news and producer of prime time specials. Each week she also produces a special segment, “A Place to Call Home,” which profiles children waiting to be adopted. It is a personal issue for Wanda, who was adopted as a young child. Originally from Hampton Roads, Virginia, she began her broadcasting career in Augusta, Georgia, with stops in Norfolk, Greensboro and Los Angeles. There she worked at KCOP-TV for 5½ years, first as a writer and reporter, and later as substitute anchor. In 1991, Wanda made history at WGRZ-TV as the first African American named weekday evening anchor in the Buffalo market. Wanda has received numerous awards including The President’s Award for Volunteer Service, The Maya Angelou Women Who Lead Excellence Award Honoring Women in Media from the United Negro College Fund, and the Anna Quindlen Award for Excellence in Journalism on Behalf of Children and Families from the Child Welfare League of America. She has also received three regional Emmy nominations — most recently for her special last fall on childhood hunger. Wanda is married to Ron Fisher.