A small Cincinnati bank has tapped a local veteran of the industry to be its leader. Robie Suggs is president and CEO of Warsaw Federal Savings and Loan | Tasha Pinelo Photography Warsaw Federal Savings and Loan, an independent mutual bank affiliated with First Mutual Holding Co., named Robie Suggs as president and CEO. She replaces Sam DeBonis, who had been in the role since April 2020. Suggs will represent Warsaw Federal in the community and have responsibility for the bank’s sales, operations and financial performance. “Robie’s proven success helping communities thrive aligns perfectly with our mutual bank mission. Her deep commitment to the organizations in our markets and her rich banking experience makes her a natural leader for Warsaw Federal,” Thomas Fraser, CEO of First Mutual Holding, said in a news release. “We welcome Robie to our banking family and look forward to the positive impact she will have on the customers, community, and Warsaw team members.” A lifelong Cincinnati-area resident and banking professional, Suggs was most recently chief lending officer for Cincinnati Development Fund. She brings substantial financial services experience to the bank. Prior to her role at Cincinnati Development Fund, Suggs served as vice president of strategic partnerships and vice president of economic development and community outreach for First Financial Bank. “I look forward to supporting the needs of our customers and community,” Suggs said in the release. “As a mutual bank, we aim to make the best decisions for our customers, communities, and employees. I look forward to uncovering opportunities to remove barriers that prevent financial well-being and support the needs of our depositors. We are committed to creating financial products, services, and equity opportunities for our community.” Suggs has been a board member and advisory committee participant for a number of nonprofit and community organizations, including Community Building Institute Middletown, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Over-the-Rhine Community Housing, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and LISC Greater Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky. Warsaw Federal is an independent mutual bank with two branch locations. It provides banking products and services to individuals and businesses in Greater Cincinnati and the surrounding communities. This article originally appeared June 30, 2023 in the Cincinnati Business Courier. By Tom Demeropolis – Editor, Cincinnati Business Courier

W. Social Tap & Table in Dayton’s historic Wright-Dunbar district is celebrating Women’s History Month by hosting “An Evening with Victoria Butler” on Tuesday, March 14 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Butler, the Master Blender at Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, is the first African American Master Blender and the first ever back-to-back Master Blender of the Year award winner. During the event, she will speak about her experience at Uncle Nearest and the impact of her distant relative Nathaniel Greene, according to a press release from W. Social. “We are thrilled to host such a distinguished guest and offer an exclusive experience to our attendees of the Dayton community,” said event organizer Stephanie Wessling. “It’s going to be an evening to remember.” Tickets for the event are $30 for general admission seating, $50 for VIP seating and $20 for standing bar seating. Guests are encouraged to dress their best. The evening will feature Uncle Nearest cocktails and a tasting, light nibbles and Uncle Nearest swag. After the event, there will be a bottle signing in the tent and a cigar lounge set up on W. Social’s outdoor patio. The patio is complete with heaters. Representatives with Uncle Nearest stated, “We are looking forward to speaking to the Dayton community in a historic neighborhood like Wright Dunbar. It’s a great opportunity to share our story and celebrate the women of influence.” This event is part of Uncle Nearest’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Old Fashioned Challenge. According to the release, $2 from each general admission ticket sold, $4 from each VIP ticket sold and $1 from every Old Fashioned cocktail sold during the event will be donated to help raise $1 million for HBCUs. For more information about the event or to purchase tickets, visit www.westsocialtapandtable.com. This article originally appeared on Dayton.com About the Author Natalie Jones is an All Media Journalist with Dayton.com focusing on food and dining, pop culture and lifestyle. She is a Wright State University graduate with over six years of experience in the media field.

Here's how this powerful tech can become more accurate and inclusive. Credit: Mashable / Bob Al-Greene / Image: Mutale Nkonde Every time a new application of AI is announced, I feel a short-lived rush of excitement — followed soon after by a knot in my stomach. This is because I know the technology, more often than not, hasn't been designed with equity in mind. One system, ChatGPT, has reached 100 million unique users just two months after its launch. The text-based tool engages users in interactive, friendly, AI-generated exchanges with a chatbot that has been developed to speak authoritatively on any subject it's prompted to address. In an interview with Michael Barbaro on the The Daily podcast from the New York Times, tech reporter Kevin Roose described how an app similar to ChatGPT, Bing's AI chatbot, which also is built on OpenAI's GPT-3 language model, responded to his request for a suggestion on a side dish to accompany French onion soup for Valentine's Day dinner with his wife. Not only did Bing answer the question with a salad recommendation, it also told him where to find the ingredients in the supermarket and the quantities needed to make the recipe for two, and it ended the exchange with a note wishing him and his wife a wonderful Valentine's Day — even adding a heart emoji. The precision, specificity, and even charm of this exchange speaks to the accuracy and depth of knowledge needed to drive the technology. Who would not believe a bot like this? Bing delivered this information by analyzing keywords in Roose's prompt — especially "French onion soup" and "side" — and using matching algorithms to craft the response most likely to answer his query. The algorithms are trained to answer user prompts using large language models developed by engineers working for OpenAI. In 2020 members of the OpenAI team published an academic paper that states their language model is the largest ever created, with 175 billion parameters behind its functionality. Having such a large language model should mean ChatGPT can talk about anything, right? Unfortunately, that's not true. A model this size needs inputs from people across the globe, but inherently will reflect the biases of their writers. This means the contributions of women, children, and other people marginalized throughout the course of human history will be underrepresented, and this bias will be reflected in ChatGPT's functionality. AI bias, Bessie, and Beyoncé: Could ChatGPT erase a legacy of Black excellence? Earlier this year I was a guest on the Karen Hunter Show, and she referenced how, at that time, ChatGPT could not respond to her specific inquiry when she asked if artist Bessie Smith influenced gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, without additional prompting introducing new information. While the bot could provide biographical information on each woman, it could not reliably discuss the relationship between the two. This is a travesty because Bessie Smith is one of the most important Blues singers in American history, who not only influenced Jackson, but is credited by musicologists to have laid the foundation for popular music in the United States. She is said to have influenced hundreds of artists, including the likes of Elvis Presley, Billie Holiday, and Janis Joplin. However ChatGPT still could not provide this context for Smith's influence. This is because one of the ways racism and sexism manifests in American society is through the erasure of the contributions Black women have made. In order for musicologists to write widely about Smith's influence, they would have to acknowledge she had the power to shape the behavior of white people and culture at large. This challenges what author and social activist bell hooks called the "white supremacist, capitalist, patriarchal" values that have shaped the United States. Therefore Smith's contributions are minimized. As a result, when engineers at OpenAI were training the ChatGPT model, it appears they had limited access to information on Smith's influence on contemporary American music. This became clear in ChatGPT's inability to give Hunter an adequate response, and in doing so, the failure reinforces the minimization of contributions made by Black women as a music industry norm. In a more contemporary example exploring the potential influence of bias, consider the fact that, despite being the most celebrated Grammy winner in history, Beyoncé has never won for Record of the Year. Why? One Grammy voter, identified by Variety as a "music business veteran in his 70s," said he did not vote for Beyoncé's Renaissance as Record of the Year because the fanfare surrounding its release was "too portentous." The impact of this opinion, unrelated to the quality of the album itself, contributed to the artist continuing to go without Record of the Year recognition. Looking to the future from a technical perspective, imagine engineers developing a training dataset for the most successful music artists of the early 21st century. If status as a Record of the Year Grammy award winner is weighted as an important factor, Beyoncé might not appear in this dataset, which is ludicrous. Underestimated in society, underestimated in AI Oversights of this nature infuriate me because new technological developments are purportedly advancing our society — they are, if you are a middle class, cisgender, heterosexual white man. However, if you are a Black woman, these applications reinforce Malcolm X's assertion that Black women are the most disrespected people in America. This devaluation of the contributions Black women make to wider society impacts how I am perceived in the tech industry. For context, I am widely considered an expert on the racial impacts of advanced technical systems, regularly asked to join advisory boards and support product teams across the tech industry. In each of these venues I have been in meetings during which people are surprised at my expertise. This is despite the fact that I lead a team that endorsed and recommended the Algorithmic Accountability Act to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2019 and again in 2022, and the language it includes around impact assessment has been adopted by the 2022 American Data Privacy Act. Despite the fact I lead a nonprofit organization that has been asked to help shape the United Nations' thinking on algorithmic bias. And despite the fact that I have held fellowships at Harvard, Stanford, and the University of Notre Dame, where I considered these issues. Despite this wealth of experience, my presence is met with surprise, because Black women are still seen as diversity hires and unqualified for leadership roles. ChatGPT's inability to recognize the impact of racialized sexism may not be a concern for some. However it becomes a matter of concern for us all when we consider Microsoft's plans to integrate ChatGPT into our online search experience through Bing. Many rely on search engines to deliver accurate, objective, unbiased information, but that is impossible — not just because of bias in the training data, but also because the algorithms that drive ChatGPT are designed to predict rather than fact-check information. This has already led to some notable mistakes. It all raises the question, why use ChatGPT? The stakes in this movie mishap are low, but consider the fact that a judge in Colombia has already used ChatGPT in a ruling — a major area of concern for Black people. We have already seen how the Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions (COMPAS) algorithm in use in the United States has predicted Black defendants would reoffend at higher rates than their white counterparts. Imagine a ruling written by ChatGPT using arrest data from New York City's "Stop and Frisk" era, when 90 percent of the Black and brown men stopped by law enforcement were innocent. Seizing an Opportunity for Inclusion in AI If we acknowledge the existence and significance of these issues, remedying the omission of voices of Black women and other marginalized groups is within reach. For example, developers can identify and address training data deficiencies by contracting third-party validators, or independent experts, to conduct impact assessments on how the technology will be used by people from historically marginalized groups. Releasing new technologies in beta to trusted users, as OpenAI has done, also could improve representation — if the pool of "trusted users" is inclusive, that is. In addition, the passage of legislation like the Algorithmic Accountability Act, which was reintroduced to Congress in 2022, would establish federal guidelines protecting the rights of U.S. citizens, including requirements for impact assessments and transparency about when and how the technologies are used, among other safeguards. My most sincere wish is for technological innovations to usher in new ways of thinking about society. With the rapid adoption of new resources like ChatGPT, we could quickly enter a new era of AI-supported access to knowledge. But using biased training data will project the legacy of oppression into the future. By Mutale Nkonde Mutale Nkonde is an AI policy advisor and founder and CEO of AI for the People, a nonprofit that seeks to use popular culture to increase support for policies to reduce algorithmic bias. Nkonde has held fellowships at Harvard, Stanford, and the University of Notre Dame and is completing a master’s program at Columbia University. Learn more about her work at aiforthepeopleus.org. Follow her @mutalenkonde on Twitter and @mutalenkonde2 on Instagram. This article originally appeared on Mashable.

Winner receives $1,500 seed money for a volunteer-powered project Pitch your idea to make Dayton better and you could win $1,500 in seed money to launch a volunteer-powered project. We know Dayton is full of people with great ideas who want to build a more socially just Dayton. That’s why YWCA Dayton will be hosting a Racial Equity & Social Justice Summit April 27, from 6-8 p.m. at the Dayton Metro Library, where applicants can pitch their best idea for a volunteer-lead and powered project that addresses a social justice need in the Dayton community. The Racial Equity & Social Justice Summit is the continuation of the long-running annual summit hosted by UpDayton, an organization that aimed to attract and retain young talent in the region. Last year, YWCA Dayton acquired UpDayton and will be keeping the Summit going under YW’s umbrella of advocacy programming. Femme Aid Collaborative, Longest Table, Baldwin Café and many more impactful local projects were launched over the years with the help of the Summit. “This Summit is an opportunity for community members with a vision who need support to put that idea in motion and make an impact on Dayton,” said Barbara Ward, YWCA Dayton Advocacy Manager. Attendees at the Summit will vote on a winning presentation and the winner will receive $1,500 in seed money. If you want to pitch a project at the summit, applications can be submitted online here and are due by March 1. Out of the applicants, we will select four of the top applicants who we will work with through two workshops in March to help them refine their pitch for the Summit. While there will only be one winner of the Summit, everyone who pitches will have a chance to share their idea to build support and publicity toward their goals. “Anyone who has an idea that they want to see happen in the community, this is the chance to share that. Past winners have ranged from college students with a new idea, to those in the trenches with a nonprofit who need support to make their idea happen,” Ward said. YWCA Dayton’s addition to the Summit is that in the lead up, community members are asked to sign up at www.ywcadayton.org/challenge for a 21-Day email challenge that will prompt participants to dig deep on racism and other forms of discrimination within music, disability, mental health and housing. “The Summit is a way to take those reflections and put them into action,” Ward said. Questions? Email advocacy@ywcadayton.org or call 937-461-5550 ext. 121. This article originally appeared at the YWCA Dayton.

The Dayton Human Relations Council is pleased to present a series of signature outreach engagement activities throughout the year! The first upcoming event is the 2023 Small Business Opportunity Forum at the Northwest Branch Library, 2410 Philadelphia Drive, Dayton, Ohio 45406, on Thursday February 16, from 9:00am – 1:00pm, with registration starting at 8:30am. Refreshments will be provided. The goal of this forum is to give local businesses the opportunity to meet project decision makers, learn about and apply for certification at the city, state, and federal level, and network with prime contractors, City of Dayton departments, and community partners who may be seeking subcontractors for upcoming projects. This is a free forum that is designed to engage small business owners in the construction and goods and services industry with the City of Dayton’s four major departments: Public Works, Planning, Water, and Aviation. The departments will introduce upcoming construction projects and procurement opportunities. The Business and Technical Assistance Center will also share information about another signature outreach engagement event, the 2023 “Passport to Success Program.” This monthly event is designed to work with small businesses in a variety of areas to expand the capacity building opportunities for underrepresented groups to ensure their success in the PEP program. Monthly workshops will include topics such as: Business management counseling Completing federal, state, and local certification applications Contract procurement assistance • Estimating/Bidding assistance • Marketing plan development Referrals to financial assistance programs. Finally, the Business & Technical Assistance Team is very excited to announce that there will also be a presentation from one of our newest partners, Mastercard. They will be giving away free square devises and providing a tutorial for any businesses that attend the session. The Human Relations Council BTA team is partnering with Mastercard to roll out a free Digital Doors cohort for 2023 designed to help businesses become more effective online marketers. Registration available through Eventbrite: https://cityofdaytonsmallbusinessopportunityforum.eventbrite.com Contact: Michael Perry, Human Relations Council, 937-333-1430 The more residents that get involved in their community, the better the City of Dayton will be. The Human Relations Council offers opportunities for individuals and organizations to make an impact and promote equality and harmony in Dayton, Ohio.

Parity Inc. is pleased to announce its 2023 honorees for its annual “Top Ten African American Male” luncheon event. Since 1994, Parity Inc. has recognized and honored nearly 300 successful African American male leaders. Each year this group includes men with outstanding professional credentials and a legacy of service in the community. The 2023 Top Ten African American Male honorees are: Dr. Eric Charlton Co- Founder & Principal Consultant of Charlton-Charlton & Associates Emotional Wellness Firm Dr. Charlton is also the founder and Executive Director of the Amiri Project in Dayton, Ohio, which provides healthy lifestyle awareness and education to young African American males and makes them aware of careers in healthcare. He is an accomplished healthcare professional with primary care, radiology, and hospital administrative experience and was the first African American to serve as Director of Radiology at Wilson Memorial Hospital. Eddie Davis Assistant Principal at Meadowdale High School and Owner of DJ Authentic Entertainment Mr. Davis has been an educator, mentor, and coach of youth for the past 10 years. He has volunteered his talents as the Director of Freedom Schools. He also created Girls Talk and Brothers Impacting Brothers in his leadership role for the Jefferson Township school district. LaVar Glover Director of Operations, at Goodwill Easter Seals Trotwood campus Mr. Glover was formerly in a leadership role with the Minority Business Partnership with the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce. He was drafted in the 2002 NFL Draft to the Pittsburgh Steelers and played for the Cincinnati Bengals and in the Canadian Football League for 10 years. He is the Founder of the Glover Youth Program, which provided residential placement, mentoring, life skill development, and vocational training for teenagers in the Juvenile Court system. Jon Heard Sr. Customer Relations Specialist at Miami Valley Hospital (MVH) and Assistant Pastor of Love Chapel Church of God in Christ Mr. Heard interacts with all levels of the organization and patient population at MVH. He and members of his congregation assemble meals for distribution at the RTA hub in downtown Dayton. Jon meets bi-weekly for “Breakfast with the brothers”, which was initially created for African American males, with today, welcoming men throughout the region. This program allows participants to have a safe space to talk, laugh, edify, and support each other. Malcom Keith Sr. Area Director at Dayton Urban Young Life, which is a teen mentorship program based on sharing the gospel of Christ Mr. Keith has served Miami Valley Works as a job recruiter and volunteered at Mound Street Academies as a recruiter and retention specialist. He is a licensed pilot and strives to expose young people to the world of STEM. He has served Dayton Public Schools as a PTA President and Freshmen Transition Coordinator, and is an Executive Committee member of Parity’s Black Leadership Development program. Mark Lyle Legislative Liaison at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) and retired from the U.S. Air Force At WPAFB, Mr. Lyle advises the 88th Air Base Wing and installation commander on legislative topics. Previously, he worked as a Public Affairs Specialist, where he worked on civic outreach and military ceremonies. Mark volunteers as a mentor for the Montgomery County College Promise and Fatherhood programs. He is also a supporter of people struggling with addiction and volunteers in the support of veterans at Southern Care Hospice. Michael Newsom Director of Montgomery County Fatherhood of the Montgomery County Office of Strategic Initiative Mr. Newsom where he collaborates with community partners to plan, develop, and implement services to help African American fathers to be better parents. He also is the Co-chair of the Montgomery County Office of Reentry's Community and Family Engagement Subcommittee. He partners with Public Health Dayton/Montgomery County to help combat infant mortality and is an Adjunct Professor at Sinclair Community College where he teaches the Advanced Job Training Program to incarcerated individuals. Dr. Travis Perry Medical Director of the Miami Valley Hospital Burn & Wound Center Dr. Perry has been a leader in the MVH Burn Center, which is the region’s only burn unit. He leads a team of clinicians in providing care to those who have suffered some of the most severe injuries. As a former collegiate player, he has taken those skills and the leadership skills from his profession and now coaches young high school football players. He uses his love of football as a torch to mentor students across the region. Dr. Elfred Pinkard President of Wilberforce University Dr. Pinkard’s passion is to make sure young African Americans can attend and graduate from college, especially Wilberforce. As president for the last five years, he implemented policies and hiring strategies that moved the university from academic probation without sanctions. Dr. Pinkard actively participates in print, radio and television interviews that informs the community on the importance of Wilberforce, which is the nation’s first private historically black college/university. Dr. Donald White Executive Vice President; Leadership At It's Best (LAIB) LAIB is a company that provides leadership and life-skills development training program for pre-college students with an emphasis on African American males. Dr. White has more than 30 years of leadership experience and recently provided consultation for business growth in healthcare serving individuals with developmental disabilities. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force and a retired Sergeant with the Riverside Police Department, where he became the first African American to achieve the rank of Sergeant. Parity Inc. has been at the forefront in the fight for diversity and equity in the Greater Dayton Area for more than three decades. Chairman of the Top Ten African American Male Committee, Brian Sanders, stated, “Throughout the years we have honored many great African American men and this year’s honorees have truly made it their priority to serve and mentor, especially our students.” This year, the Top Ten African American Male Luncheon will take place on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023 at Sinclair Community College Ponitz Conference Center, from 11:30 am until 1 pm. Tickets are $75. To purchase tickets or to sponsor a table, please call (937) 818-2241 or email at c.osley.parity@gmail.com. “To serve and advocate for social and economic equity within the African American community” is fundamental to our purpose. We will achieve our mission by the impact and improvement we achieve through community collaborations.

Promoting health and wellness through prevention and education in their community is important to both Marquetta Colbert and her husband, Michael. Michael and Marquetta Colbert A lifelong resident of Dayton, Marquetta Colbert, MS, APRN, PMH-NP-BC, has been a family nurse practitioner for more than 23 years and currently operates practices in Trotwood and Harrison Township offering primary care and mental health services. While promoting health and wellness through prevention and education in their community is important to both her and her husband, Michael Colbert, the Montgomery County administrator, so is giving back their time and treasure. As she says, “It’s the right thing to do.” “I have a passion for helping others and realize the importance of helping them where they are. When people get sicker, the whole area suffers, which leads to social issues, such as poverty and high crime rates,” said Colbert, who is a frequent speaker on health education and prevention topics, including breast cancer awareness. “This is why prevention, awareness and early detection are so important. However, I also believe giving back is equally important and helps the community long term.” Part of their philosophy of caring for their community includes contributing to their scholarship fund through the African-American Community Fund of The Dayton Foundation. Established in 2018, the Marquetta D. Colbert/Colbert Family Health Scholarship Fund rewards a deserving Dayton Public School graduating senior each year with a $1,000 scholarship. The student must be accepted into an accredited nursing program at a community college, college or university and demonstrate financial need. The Colberts also make charitable distributions annually to nonprofit organizations of their choosing through the Colbert Family Health Fund, a free Charitable Checking Account. This fund option has no minimum balance, grant amount or fees. “Scholarships are a great way to help our next generation. Thanks to the African-American Community Fund and The Dayton Foundation, we’re able to influence and provide a means for future nurses in our community who may not otherwise have the financial resources to go to college,” Colbert said. “Hopefully, our scholarship recipients will make an impact on someone else's life, just as I have been able to do throughout my career.” Additionally, Colbert leads by example through organizing and implementing community screenings and health fairs, hosting a monthly informational radio program with local health experts, mentoring young women and more. Through her two primary care practices, she also has been instrumental in training advanced practice nurses to work in primary care and mental health fields. “My hope for the future is to start seeing more changes occurring at the grassroots level, not just changes in policy but actual changes in our residents and in their health and awareness,” Colbert said. “I hope these funds through the Foundation will help make strides in changing our community for the better.” To find how The Dayton Foundation and the African-American Community Fund can help your organization help others, call (937) 222-0410. You may also learn more at daytonfoundation.org or by following the Foundation on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Established in 1921, The Dayton Foundation is the largest grantmaker and leading community foundation in Greater Dayton, with more than 4,000 charitable funds exceeding $1 billion in assets. Since its founding, over $1.1 billion in grants have been awarded, with nearly $58 million awarded last fiscal year. For more information, visit daytonfoundation.org.

The Dayton Area Broadcasters inducted ten longtime local broadcasters into The Hall of Fame Class of 2022, September 8 at The Dayton Convention Center. The Dayton Area Broadcasters Hall of Fame was organized to enshrine talented broadcasters in the Dayton area for their many years of service in the industry and for their dedication to the community. Many were legends and pioneers who should never be forgotten. The Dayton Area Broadcasters Hall of Fame was founded in 2001. This years inductees include: Raymond Graham’s who’s start in broadcasting began at WGCI/WBZI in Xenia after graduation from The International School of Broadcasting. In 1974 Raymond became a staff announcer at WDAO, and co-hosted the popular “Back Page” call-in talk show with Anita Hawes, in addition he hosted a 5 day a week talk show on WDAO’s sister station WAVI for 15 years. Raymond was also co-host of “Black Viewpoint, produced by WDTN television. Over the years Raymond participated in numerous community events that helped elevate and create a better life for others. Robert ”Bob” Moore, Jr was a longtime Radio Account Executive and Engineer at Dayton Stations: WONE, WING, WBLY-FM, WING-AM, and WDAO FM. He also worked at Cincinnati’s WLWT, Detroit’s WGPR-TV/62 Radio and WTLC-FM in Indianapolis. In addition, Bob used his engineering skills to assist in the creation of WDPS-FM Dayton Public Schools radio station and aided in the operation of WUTC -TV, the first and only television station to be owned and operated by African Americans in Dayton. Former radio personality Edna Howell-Parrish began her career at Dayton’s WCXL in 1976 before moving on to other stations including WDAO, WCIN, WSAI, WAKW in Cincinnati, WAOK/V103 in Atlanta, METRO NETWORKS in Cleveland/ Austin, TX, and Oklahoma and WPNW, the Pledge in Grand Rapids, MI. She held positions such as News/Public Affairs Director, Promotions Director, Announcer and Talk Show host. Edna’s commitment to public service and news continues as she hosts and produces a weekly video podcast ‘Straight Talk Live with Edna Howell-Parrish. Edna Howell-Parrish with Gloria Wilson, Kiesha Knox, Judge Mia Wortham Spells and Ramonia Knox. Other honorees included: Mark Allan joined WDTN-TV in 1995, anchoring and co-anchoring the station’s news broadcasts for over 25 years. Brian Davis, a native of Troy, OH, joined WDTN-TV in July 1982, becoming a chief meteorologist of the station in 2009, following the retirement of Carl Nichols. Jason Michaels, also known as Kevin Fodor, has over 35 years in the radio industry and is a longtime news anchor at WHIO Radio. Mike Campbell is still an active reporter for WHIO-TV, where he has also worked as a producer, and video editor. The Cedarville University grad has over 35 years in the business and has won multiple awards. Steve Ross was former operations manager and a longtime producer at DATV, as well as former director and producer at WKEF-TV. The two posthumous inductees were Sandy Patton, a longtime promotion director at WKEF Television, and Jackie Roberts, a radio announcer, reporter, office manager, traffic and continuity director for Cox Media Group. Deborah Parenti, current President, and Publisher of Radio INK, became the third person in the history of the Hall of Fame to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Parenti was inducted into the Dayton Area Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2009 for her work in sales, production and general manager roles. Two Community Service Awards were presented to Dayton Municipal Court Judge Mia Wortham Spells, and Anthony “Tony” Whitmore, formerly of RTA and ex-director of the Ohio Governor’s Department of Development.

The groundbreaking celebration for the new Intel facility in Columbus, Ohio was today at 10:00 a.m. Officials from the private and public sector were on hand to share in welcoming the high-tech industry. United States President Joe Biden was on the stage to applaud the efforts of Intel and other partners who made the Chips Act a reality. He recognized Central State University alum U.S. Congresswoman, Joyce Beatty who stated, “This is a big day for a little black girl from Ohio who got chance to ride on Air Force One.” “This is a day for us to celebrate one month ago on August 9,” she commented. “The president signing the Chips Act into law and turning this into, as they say, the Silicon Heartland,” Beatty added. Biden said of Beatty, “I don’t think we could have gotten the Infrastructure Bill done without Joyce. “I don’t know what you did in those last four hours, but you got it done,” he added. Ohio colleges like Central State University, Ohio’s only publicly funded Historically Black College and Universities, are ready for their share of 50 million dollars in partnerships with Intel and the federal government, to help develop students who can work at Intel. CSU Provost Dr. F. Erik Brooks said, “We are proud of CSU’s Faculty and staff’s efforts in creating a new program in collaboration with other colleges and universities across Ohio that addresses Intel’s need and provides meaningful employment opportunities for our students.” Intel announced the first phase of funding for its Ohio Semiconductor Education and Research Program. A recent Intel press release said, “during this first phase, Intel is providing 17.7 million dollars for eight proposals from leading institutions and collaborators in Ohio to develop semiconductor-focused education and workforce programs.” “The Intel Semiconductor Education Program at Central State University is our journey to promote diversity in the semiconductor field by creating a pipeline to provide practical learning experiences in semiconductor fabrication techniques and processes for underrepresented students and preparing them for Intel careers,” said Mohammadreza Hadizadeh, Central State University Associate Professor of Physics. “We are so excited to receive this award and work with Intel and our collaborators to train our students and develop a new phase of our education and research in semiconductor manufacturing,” he added. “As the only public Historically Black University in Ohio, Central State University has an obligation to produce highly qualified graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure that the United States maintains its leading scientific and innovative edge in the global economy.” “CSU is excited to work with Intel as a higher educational partner to create a diversified workforce that represents the full spectrum of the United States.” “Central State and our collaborative partners including Columbus State Community College, The Ohio State University, Clark State Community College, and Wright State University will create a pipeline that produces underrepresented students prepared for Intel careers by giving students knowledge and practical experience in semi-conductor fabrication techniques, processes, and equipment by establishing a semiconductor educational program at CSU,” said University President Dr. Jack Thomas. “Central State offers Intel a unique opportunity to partner with an institution of higher education with a demonstrated record of producing highly qualified underrepresented graduates in manufacturing engineering and other fields necessary to meet Intel’s workforce demands,” stated Morakinyo A.O. Kuti, Ph.D., Interim Dean, John W. Garland College of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Agriculture and Director of the 1890 Land-Grant Programs. “The Industrial Midwest is back! It was exciting to be in the Silicon Heartland at Intel’s groundbreaking with local, state, and national leaders. President Biden recognized Central State University for our partnership with Intel and CSU alum, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, for her significant contribution to the Chips Act,’’ exclaimed Thomas. About Central State University: Central State University is a public HBCU and 1890 Land-Grant Institution with a 135-year tradition of preparing students from diverse backgrounds and experiences for leadership, research, and service. Central State ranks among U.S. News & World Report’s best colleges in five categories, including Best Undergraduate Engineering Program and Top Public Schools. The University fosters academic excellence within a nurturing environment and provides a solid liberal arts foundation and STEM-Ag curriculum leading to professional careers and advanced studies globally. EEO Statement: Central State University, an 1890 Land Grant Institution, is committed to the full inclusion of all people and does not discriminate based on race, age, ancestry, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV / AIDS states, marital or family status, military status, national origin political beliefs, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. If reasonable accommodations are needed, please contact the Department of Human Resources at (937) 376-6540. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity institution. Contact: Debbie Alberico, Public Relations Director dalberico@centralstate.edu 937-376-6605

Starting a business can be an exciting, but it can also be challenging. To succeed, you will need the right tools. For over two decades, Miami Valley Community Action Partnership (MVCAP) has offered the Micro-Enterprise Business Development and Training Program to help individuals interested in starting and maintaining their own business take the necessary first step. The US Census Bureau estimates that 92% of small businesses are microenterprises. A microenterprise is a business operating on a small scale, often with a sole proprietor and fewer than ten employees. Microenterprises are often started with a small amount of capital from the owner’s savings, contributions from friends and family, or a small bank loan. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 20% of U.S. small businesses fail within the first year. When microenterprises fail, the investment is lost. For many, a small business failure can make a bad situation worse. One of the most common reasons for business failure is a lack of planning. The Micro-Enterprise Business Development and Training Program is a 10-week business development course offered in Montgomery County and gives prospective business owners all the tools necessary to start their business successfully. Students learn about key business functions and the main components of a formal business plan. By thinking through business scenarios, students identify and plan for the many pitfalls that can lead to business failure. The course also focuses on the managerial skills needed to grow and maintain their enterprise. Course topics include managing business records, financing your business, managing cash flow, pricing your products/services, and more. “Over the years, our professionals have helped hundreds [of individuals] understand what it takes to start and run a small business,” says LaSandra James, Director of Micro-Enterprise and Computer Learning for Miami Valley Community Action Partnership of the Greater Dayton Area. “We look forward to returning to in-person classes in the future. Our small classes provide plenty of individualized learning and encouragement, but when in-person, the group tends to bond and form lasting business relationships. Having a network of people that are going through the same business challenges can make a difference in your ability to persevere and stay focused.” “The goals of the Micro-Enterprise Business Development and Training Program are to provide motivated and committed entrepreneurs the opportunity to receive business training and obtain needed start-up capital and technical assistance,” adds Wright. “The course gives a firm grasp on the requirements to start and run a business successfully. MVCAP’s Micro-Enterprise training is a vital component that fills a void for so many disadvantaged individuals in the community. The class has allowed dreamers to pursue lifetime goals. Some students were at first reluctant, but most have gained the courage and the means to confront their fears and take the necessary step forward in changing their lives and possibly sustain a position of self-sufficiency in the community,” says RoShawn Winburn, Instructor for the Micro-Enterprise Business Development and Training course. To reserve your spot in the next ten-week session, complete the required, pre-registration online at Eventbrite. The next class starts Thursday, September 15, and all classes will be conducted at the West Dayton branch of the Dayton Metro Library, from 5:30 -7:30 p.m. each Thursday. For more information, please contact Caroline Christian at 937-341-5000 x172. Miami Valley Community Action Partnership is a 501(c)3 private, nonprofit Community Action Agency, committed to eliminating the causes and conditions of poverty and promoting self-sufficiency by providing programs and services in the Miami Valley.

Presented by Theze Dealz & Thrifty Boutique August is National Black Business Month and although Black businesses should be supported year-round, all month long people across the country are encouraged to recognize and support Black-owned businesses. Historian John William Templeton and engineer Frederick E. Jordan Sr. founded National Black Business Month in Au-gust 2004. The purpose was to “drive the policy agenda affecting the 2.6 million African-American businesses.” Black business owners account for about 10% of U.S. businesses and about 30% of all minority-owned businesses. Zontaye Richardson, owner of Theze Dealz, has been an owner of a retail space for 5 years and knows the importance of supporting Black businesses in the Gem City, which is why “ The Gem City Black Business Tour '' was created. The tour is de-signed to highlight over 20 businesses through-out Dayton. This tour, led by owner and Entrepreneur Zontaye Richardson of Theze Dealz Thrift Store, features shopping, eating, and bringing awareness to black-owned businesses and spending $$. The tour will take place August 13th from 9 am to 4 pm. It starts and ends at Theze Dealz (3183 W. Siebenthaler). Boarding starts at 8:00 a.m. and the bus departs at 9:00 a.m. Reserve your seat to-day! The $50 ticket includes tour, snacks, and an exclusive coupon for bus tour attendees valid at Theze Dealz. Buy a ticket at the store or online: https://www.the-zedealz.com/event-details/the-gem-city-black-business-bus-tour Questions? info@the-zedealz.com 937-350-1170

Online Webinar on Wednesday, August 17, 2022 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Join the Northern Ohio SBA District Office and the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) to learn more about becoming a federal government small business subcontractor. This webinar will examine: The benefits of subcontracting Why are subcontractors needed? Understanding important subcontracting Understanding subcontracting Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) How does the federal government ensure there are small business subcontracting opportunities? And much more! Wednesday, August 17, 2022 Register 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. -- Online Presented by: SBA Cleveland District Office 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 211 Cleveland, OH 44115 Phone: 216-522-4180 www.sba.gov/oh/cleveland All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. This email does not constitute or imply an endorsement by SBA of any opinions, products, or services of any private individual or entity.