HZ Construction is honored for Black History Month
HZ Construction is a family-owned and operated construction company that received acknowledgment from Valley Bank for its long-standing contributions to the Central Florida community.
President Anderson C. Hill, II, and his spouse of 47 years, Sandra Myers Hill, have dedicated over four decades to the region. The Hill's notable contributions include leading the construction of the Amway Center, now referred to as the Kia Center and building approximately 30 schools in Orange County.
Read: Orlando Magic will recognize Black History Month during tonight's game
'This honor by Valley Bank is not just a celebration of our achievements but a testament to the hard work, dedication, and resilience of everyone at HZ Construction. We are humbled and motivated to continue our mission of uplifting individuals and transforming communities for the betterment of all Central Florida residents,' said Sandra Myers Hill, co-founder of HZ Construction.
Read: Disney parks reveal new 'Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga' show
The Hills have persistently given back to the community, supporting local initiatives and creating opportunities for others.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Orlando ends minority- and women-owned business program, citing Trump rules
The City of Orlando scrapped a four-decade-old program meant to help businesses owned by women and minorities land a piece of its millions of dollars in contracts, citing new federal rules against such initiatives. City officials' decision Friday to suspend the Minority and Women Business Enterprise program was purportedly in order to receive four federal grants totaling $37 million for renovations to the Orlando International Airport, including updates to Terminal C and bathroom renovations in Terminals A and B. A similar program offered by the airport was also axed on Tuesday. The move comes amid a push by the Trump Administration to rid the U.S. of what President Trump calls 'radical and wasteful government DEI programs' following his Jan. 20 executive order banning all programs fostering diversity, equity and inclusion. The city program, originally established in the early 1980s, allowed minority groups often lucrative contracting opportunities to work within the city, including on multi-million dollar projects such as the construction of the Amway Center, now the Kia Center, and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Its goal was to support 18% of minority-owned businesses and 6% of women-owned businesses, but at its conclusion had reached 12% participation, said Janeiro Coulter, who oversaw the program. In an email sent to the city council Friday, Orlando City Attorney Mayanne Downs explained that because the city sponsors the airport, but doesn't operate it, the pre-approved $37 million grant could be at risk with the program in place. She said that in the past the council had no problem complying with Federal Aviation Administration requirements, but because of Trump's executive orders, 'the landscape has changed.' 'While no court has ever held our MWBE program to be invalid, I cannot in good faith certify that our MWBE program, in its present form, fully complies with these new FAA grant requirements,' she said in the email. She recommended that any race- or gender-based programs within Orlando be immediately or temporarily suspended, to assure the council doesn't violate Trump's executive order. Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Board members were alerted to the airport suspending its own program on Tuesday evening. A letter from CEO Lance Lyttle was sent to board members, stating he'd decided to 'immediately and temporarily' suspend GOAA's program. He added he's attempting to craft a new program expected to have a focus on local and small businesses, as opposed to being specialized for those owned by women and minorities. 'The immediate need to secure funding for the airport and this community has sped this process up and requires us to act quickly,' said Lyttle, who was hired earlier this year. He said he formed a working group of staffers to study the issue and bring forth recommendations to the board in the next 60 days. 'In the meantime, our Senior Staff and attorneys will address procurements on an ad hoc basis.' The airport is owned by the city, but operated by a board comprised of Dyer, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and five appointees by Gov. Ron DeSantis. City Commissioner Bakari Burns said he isn't sure if other programs like My Brother's Keeper, a mentoring program for young Orlando men, will be affected. But he said the council and program officials will still provide support to small, minority-owned Orlando businesses, just in a new way. 'We need to look at what we can get established within the city that will stand the test of time, [and] that will not raise a flag by the Trump Administration,' he said. 'It's going to be a fine line. Of the 616 minority and women-owned businesses affected, all will still receive support, just not from the Minority and Women Business Enterprise program, Coulter said. He's working on a new, race-neutral program to fill the void. And while he's not sure when this new program will be implemented, he claimed the process will be as streamlined as possible. For previous businesses that had been supported, no applications will be needed and no current contracts for work will be affected. 'We're going to make it very easy,' Coulter said in a press conference Wednesday. While not his obvious choice to suspend the almost half-century-old program, which allowed Orlando to move past discrimination and exclusion, he said he's been expecting it since Trump took office and started formulating a plan in the off chance it did. 'I'm a product and a participant of the civil rights movement, so it wouldn't have been my choice,' Coulter said. 'You don't have a choice.' klowery@ rygillespie@
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
New Target boycott launched: Here's what's behind it
The People's Union USA is asking consumers to once again boycott Target. Between June 3-9, the activist group, led by John Schwarz, is calling for people to not shop at the retail chain, instead asking supporters to shop local. "Take the week to spread the word — no more Target. We don't need Target. We don't have to shop at Target," Schwarz said in a June 2 Instagram post. "Shop locally and independently. It's time that people teach a corporation a lesson and let's take that lesson out on Target." Here's what to know about the latest Target boycott. It's essentially for the same reason the activist group organized previous boycotts against Walmart, Amazon and Nestle and General Mills. Although The People's Union blackouts started at a similar time as other DEI-related boycotts, Schwarz told The Arizona Republic that the actions of The People's Union USA are not directly tied to companies' DEI stances. "The mission of The People's Union USA is to hold corporations and corrupt systems accountable, not with violence or empty promises, but with the one thing that actually affects them, the money we spend," Schwarz said via email. This isn't the first boycott against Target this year. Soon after President Donald Trump took office in January, Target joined a wave of major retailers announcing the end of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The changes included ending a program aimed at helping Black employees advance in the company and supporting Black-owned businesses. When the rollback was announced, Target said it already planned to end the program this year. This decision prompted consumers upset with the DEI rollback to boycott the major retailer. A national Target boycott in honor of Black History Month began Feb. 1, led by Minnesota activists. The ongoing Latino Freeze movement asks Latinos to stop spending money at Target and other major retailers that cut DEI. A 40-day boycott during Lent led by Black church leaders ended April 17. There are 107 Target locations in New York, according to the company's store directory, including seven in the Rochester area, and seven in Rockland and Westchester counties. Penfield: 2161 Fairport Nine Mile Point Road Henrietta: 2325 Marketplace Drive Greece: 600 Greece Ridge Center Drive Irondequoit: 500 Skyview Centre Parkway Chili: 3181 Chili Ave. Victor: 7500 Commons Blvd. Webster: 1050 Ridge Road Mount Kisco: 195 North Bedford Road, Suite A Mount Vernon: 500 East Sandford Blvd. Port Chester: 495 Boston Post Road Spring Valley: 50 Spring Valley Market Place West Nyack: 4120 Palisades Center Drive White Plains: 9 City Place Yonkers: 9005 Xavier Drive Looking to save on groceries?: Here's this week's store price breakdown Not all that well. Target acknowledged its reputation has been damaged by the boycotts in its annual report on financial performance filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for fiscal year 2024, which ended in February. The company's net sales were down 2.8% compared with the first quarter of fiscal year 2024, according to Target's Q1 earnings report, and foot traffic, or the number of people entering Target stores, was also down. In February 2025, the first month of boycotts, Target's foot traffic was down 9.5%, according to And the week of March 31, Target's store traffic was down 7.9% compared to the previous year, Newsweek reported. Target's stock price is also down. On April 14, it hit the lowest point in five years at $94. At the end of January, the price per share was $142. Emily Barnes on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network's New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@ This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: New Target boycott launched: Here's what's behind it
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
A new Target boycott begins June 3. Here's what to know in Wisconsin
Another boycott of Target begins on June 3, the latest in a series of week-long spending freezes targeting major corporations across the U.S. The Minneapolis-based retailer been the subject of several other actions this year, including a boycott on the fifth anniversary of George Floyd's murder, a Black History Month boycott and a 40-day "fast" organized by faith leaders to coincide with Lent. Like previous week-long boycotts, the action was organized by The People's Union USA. John Schwarz, the group's leader, told The Arizona Republic the boycotts aren't directly related to companies' DEI positions, but rather to "hold corporations and corrupt systems accountable." In January, Target announced it would be ending its DEI program this year after President Donald Trump returned to office. Here's what Wisconsin shoppers should know: The Target boycott begins on June 3 and runs through June 9. Though the spending freeze is intended to last for a week, a post on Schwarz's Instagram indicated the group is calling for a "permanent boycott" of the retailer. "They've had their chance," the post said. "Now we show them the true power of the people. There are 38 Target locations across Wisconsin, according to its store directory. The People's Union USA has more consumer boycotts through July. Here's the schedule: McDonald's: June 24-30 Independence Day boycott: July 4 After these week-long boycotts, the group has also planned month-long boycotts for July and August, according to Schwarz's Instagram. In July, consumers are urged to boycott Starbucks, Amazon and Home Depot. Walmart, McDonald's and Lowes are the subject of August's boycotts. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Why are Wisconsin consumers boycotting Target this week?
