Black Chamber of Commerce's 13th Annual Ascension Awards: Winners announced
The Black Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County hosted its 13th Annual Ascension Awards program Saturday at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, singling out leaders and businesses who have "ascended to greatness" in their respective fields.
The Ascension Awards honors Black and minority-owned businesses and professionals of distinction. This year's award categories include:
• Distinguished Black Business of the Year (more than five years in business).
• Emerging Black Business of the Year (five years or less in business).
• Nonprofit/Public Sector of the Year.
• Young Professional of the Year (under 40 years of age).
• Dicky Sykes Social Justice Advocate Award.
Nominations were submitted by members last fall. Finalists were selected by a panel for their operational excellence, leadership, and contributions to their communities. Recipients were revealed live during the program.
Here are the recipients of the 2025 Ascension Awards:
Winner: M.D. Home Health LLC; Mario Dickerson, CEO: For keeping loved ones in good health with personal and medical services.
Winner: We're No Different; Niesha Wood, Founder/CEO: For addressing the growing demands for high-quality home health care for all age groups.
Winner: Young Men of Distinction; Jacoby Waters, president: For providing life skills, mentoring and social skills to local youth.
Winner: Dr. Debra Robinson: For advocating for a high-quality education for students in Palm Beach County and for ensuring minority-owned businesses had opportunities to do business with the county School District.
Winner: Jasmine Govan, Florida Power & Light: Empowering underserved communities through STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education.
Palm Beach County Commissioner Bobby Powell Jr. received this year's President's Award for his longstanding support and commitment to the Black Chamber's mission.
Founded in 2004, the Black Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County is committed to advancing the economic interests of its members through advocacy, education, information sharing, and resource brokering to maximize their success.
The Chamber focuses its resources on addressing the unique challenges faced by Black-owned and minority businesses, ensuring a level playing field and equitable opportunities for all.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: PB County Black Chamber of Commerce names Ascension Award winners
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(NASDAQ: CBSH) is a regional bank holding company offering a full line of banking services through its subsidiaries, including payment solutions, investment management and securities brokerage. One of its subsidiaries, Commerce Bank, leverages 160 years of proven strength and experience to help individuals and businesses solve financial challenges. In addition to offering payment solutions across the U.S., Commerce Bank currently operates full-service banking facilities across the Midwest including the St. Louis and Kansas City metropolitan areas, Springfield, Central Missouri, Central Illinois, Wichita, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and Denver. Beyond the Midwest, Commerce also maintains commercial offices in Dallas, Houston, Cincinnati, Nashville, Des Moines, Indianapolis, and Grand Rapids and wealth offices in Dallas, Houston and Naples. Commerce delivers high-touch service and sophisticated financial solutions at regional branches, commercial and wealth offices, ATMs, online, mobile and through a 24/7 customer service line. Learn more at ABOUT FINEMARK FineMark Holdings, Inc. is the parent company of FineMark National Bank & Trust. Founded in 2007, FineMark is a nationally chartered bank and trust company, headquartered in Florida. Through its offices located in Florida, Arizona and South Carolina, FineMark offers a full range of financial services, including personal and business banking, lending, trust and investment services. FineMark's common stock trades on the OTCQX under the symbol FNBT. 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Factors relating to the Proposed Transaction that could cause or contribute to actual results differing materially from those contained or implied in forward-looking statements or historical performance include, in addition to those factors identified elsewhere in this press release the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of Commerce or FineMark to terminate the definitive merger agreement governing the terms and conditions of the Proposed Transaction; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Commerce or FineMark; the possibility that revenue or expense synergies or the other expected benefits of the Proposed Transaction may not fully materialize or may take longer to realize than expected, or may be more costly to achieve than anticipated, including as a result of the impact of, or problems arising from, the integration of the two companies, the strength of the economy and competitive factors in the areas where Commerce and FineMark do business, or other unexpected factors or events; the possibility that the Proposed Transaction may not be completed when expected or at all because required regulatory, shareholder or other approvals or other conditions to closing are not received or satisfied on a timely basis or at all (and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect Commerce or FineMark or the expected benefits of the Proposed Transaction); the risk that Commerce is unable to successfully and promptly implement its integration strategies; reputational risks and potential adverse reactions from or changes to the relationships with the companies' customers, employees or other business partners, including resulting from the announcement or the completion of the Proposed Transaction; the dilution caused by Commerce's issuance of common stock in connection with the Proposed Transaction; diversion of management's attention and time from ongoing business operations and other opportunities on matters relating to the Proposed Transaction; and other factors that may affect the future results of Commerce and FineMark, including continued pressures and uncertainties within the banking industry and Commerce's and FineMark's markets, including changes in interest rates and deposit amounts and composition, adverse developments in the level and direction of loan delinquencies, charge-offs, and estimates of the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses, increased competitive pressures, asset and credit quality deterioration, the impact of proposed or imposed tariffs by the U.S. government or retaliatory tariffs proposed or imposed by U.S. trading partners that could have an adverse impact on customers or any recession or slowdown in economic growth particularly in the markets in which Commerce or FineMark operate, and legislative, regulatory, and fiscal policy changes and related compliance costs. 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Guests toured, chatted, and listened to instructors explain what a Hololens does and what mycelium is and why robots are so much fun to work with. Speaking during lunch, Dean Andrew Chin described the school as 'a place where big ideas come to life.' Tours of the new labs left no doubt that new ideas would definitely come to life. Two well-known companies have made big commitments to the SAET which is critically important because it shows the level of confidence both companies have in FAMU's success training architectural professionals. In 2024, Trimble made a generous gift to the school to establish the Trimble Technology Lab. The partnership represents a major milestone as FAMU became the first HBCU to host a Trimble Technology Lab. The lab is set to revolutionize the learning experience for students in architecture and construction engineering as they utilize laser scanning and reality capture to document and preserve old structures. 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Students learn how to plan and script the movement of the robot, developing 'Digital-Twin models for simulation before sending the code to the robot for 'hands-off' physical construction. 'As we modernize our studios, labs and common spaces, the SAET is creating an environment where creativity and innovation thrive," Chin said. "The future of the School is grounded in partnerships that connect our students to national firms, global experiences and emerging technologies. The result will be graduates who are both visionary and highly employable.' Diane Greer is a retired professor of Architectural History at FAMU who served as Editor of Florida Architect magazine for 30 years. In that time, she has seen a lot of change in the city's built environment. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU architecture grads make their mark as school turns 50
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Trump admin outlines US Steel plan, but union voices concerns
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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick posted on social media on Saturday how the 'golden share' to be held by the president would operate, revealing that the White House is willing to insert itself aggressively into a private company's affairs even as it has simultaneously pledged to strip away government regulations so businesses can expand. Under the government's terms, it would be impossible without Trump's consent to relocate U.S. Steel's headquarters from Pittsburgh, change the name of the company, 'transfer production or jobs outside the United States,' shutter factories, or reincorporate the business overseas, among other powers held by the president. Lutnick also said it would require presidential approval to reduce or delay $14 billion in planned investments. 'The Golden Share held by the United States in U.S. Steel has powerful terms that directly benefit and protect America, Pennsylvania, the great steelworkers of U.S. Steel, and U.S. manufacturers that will have massively expanded access to domestically produced steel,' Lutnick posted on X. That $14 billion figure is higher than what the companies disclosed on Friday when Trump created a pathway for the investment with an executive order based on the terms of the national security agreement being accepted. Lawmakers from Pennsylvania say the higher figure includes the cost of an electric arc furnace — a more modern steel mill that melts down scrap — that Nippon Steel wants to build in the U.S., bringing the value of the deal to at least $28 billion. 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That's when the idea of the 'golden share' emerged as a way to resolve national security concerns and protect American interests in domestic steel production. As it sought to win over American officials, Nippon Steel made a series of commitments. It gradually increased the amount of money it was pledging to invest in U.S. Steel, promised to maintain U.S. Steel's headquarters in Pittsburgh, put U.S. Steel under a board with a majority of American citizens and keep plants operating. It also said it would protect the interests of U.S. Steel in trade matters and it wouldn't import steel slabs that would compete with U.S. Steel's blast furnaces in Pennsylvania and Indiana.
