2014 FOUNDERS' GALA
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On May 29, 2014, The Westchester Clubmen honored four iconic members of the black community at its historic Founders' Gala: Al Branch "The One-To-Watch" Award As General Manager of The Blueprint Group, industry veteran Al Branch has applied his near-lifelong experience in overseeing multiplatinum artists’ careers to lead the way for executives keeping their companies running smoothly. With more than a collective 25 million records sold worldwide to his name, Branch has played an integral role in making Blueprint the most successful full-service management company that the industry has to offer. With deep roots in the music industry, Branch was first introduced to the game as a teenager after his cousin, who worked closely with a young Russell Simmons, showed him how to deejay. |
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While attending The City College of New York as a nursing major with a basketball scholarship, he applied his philosophy – “Not to be broke in life” – to his future, cultivating his passion for music business by taking an internship at Pendulum/EMI Records in the early ‘90s and splitting time as a student and paid intern.
“I just want to elevate the perception of what hip-hop and the hip-hop generation are in terms of seasoned opportunities and branding and marketing,” he says. “I’m trying to build this into a content and media powerhouse, as well as trying to evolve the company into an ad agency.”
Reverend Al Sharpton
Community Leadership Award
Rev. Al Sharpton is the founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN), a not-for-profit civil rights organization headquartered in Harlem, New York, with over sixty chapters nationwide including a Washington, DC Bureau and regional offices from coast to coast. Under Rev. Sharpton's leadership, NAN has become the most active social justice organization in the country. This success was acknowledged by President Obama at the 2013 NAN Keepers of the Dream Awards via video when he said: “Thank you Rev. Al and the National Action Network for the work you do to keep up the relentless march for change.”
Throughout his career, Rev. Sharpton has challenged the American political establishment to include all people regardless of race, gender, socio-economic status, or beliefs. In fact, few political figures have been more visible than Rev. Sharpton in the last two decades. Rev. Sharpton's oratory skills have served as a platform for making changes in the American social and political establishment. He is a nationally-syndicated radio host, T.V. personality, and columnist. He has four popular radio shows broadcast throughout the country, a nationally-syndicated television show, and a column that appears in newspapers across the country.
Rev. Sharpton is a defender for human rights, even being praised by President Barack Obama as "the voice of the voiceless and a champion for the downtrodden." Admiration for Rev. Sharpton also proved to transcend party lines when former President George W. Bush said "Al cares just as much as I care about making sure every child learns to read, write, add and subtract."
Keith Clinkscales
Innovator Award
Keith Clinksales leads REVOLT Media & TV as CEO. An expert and speaker on new media, lifestyle, and culture, Clinkscales oversees an aggressive strategy to make REVOLT the new #1 name in music by focusing on building a network that is real- time,
multi-platform, and fueled by artists and fans. In October 2013, Clinkscales steered REVOLT to become the third largest, independent network launch in cable television history.
One of the only media executives with an Emmy nomination and multiple Peabody awards, Clinkscales’ passion for quality journalism has earned him over 40 credits as an executive producer of films and documentaries. Clinkscales also remains one of the few minority CEOs in cable television.
His reputation for producing content that smartly combines pop culture, hip hop and passion platforms like music & sports has earned him top executive honors from Crain Communications, Advertising Age, CableWorld Magazine, Black Enterprise and the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame. Additionally, Clinkscales is a two-time recipient of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Excellence in Journalism Award and has been listed among the 2014 CableFAX 100 as an industry power player.
Marvet Britto
Entrepreneurship Award
Charismatic, Resilient, Dynamic Maverick ––are just a few of the attributes that embody the drive, vision and passion of Public Relations Architect and Brand Strategist Marvet Britto. As Founder and President of The Britto Agency (TBA), an internationally recognized public relations and brand architecture firm, Ms. Britto has become an unparalleled force in a milieu of sectors, catapulting her burgeoning business into a global publicity, marketing, brand strategy, and event-design powerhouse. Britto has become known for engineering blueprints that position clients for category leadership and help create uncontested market space.
Ms. Britto is renowned for her infectious energy, persuasive charm, raw talent and innate zeal characteristics, which deeply permeate throughout the various endeavors she undertakes. With no formal training in the field, the Connecticut native has utilized the better part of the past two decades to grow her firm from a mere vision to one of the most sought after and undoubtedly recognizable PR and Branding firms in the world. The Britto Agency represents a collective of some of the most venerated brands spanning across a hybrid of disciplines. Today, Marvet Britto, herself, is a global brand revered for her atypical ability to blend insight, passion and intellect into memorable campaigns that enhance the visibility and brand equity of her clients.
Orlando Ashford
Corporate Award
Orlando Ashford is the President of the Talent business segment at Mercer, a global consulting leader in talent, health, retirement, and investments.
Mr. Ashford serves on the Board of Directors for ITT Corporation, Executive Leadership Council (ELC), and StreetWise Parners. He was recently elected Vice Chairman of ELC. He also serves on the Boards of Trustees for ROADS Charter High School and Prep for Prep, in addition to serving on advisory boards for Purdue University School of Technology and the NFL Players Association.
Mr. Ashford is among the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) "2013 Directorship 100", a list of the most influential leaders in the boardroom and corporate governance community. He also has been named repeatedly among the "Top 100 Executive in Corporate America" by Uptown Professional Magazine and "100 Top Influential Blacks in Corporate America" by Savoy Magazine. He is the recipient of the 2014 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Excellence in Leadership Honor for Workforce Diversity and Unity from the Illinois Commission on Diversity and Human Relations (ICDHR).
with Emcee
Asuncion "Sunny" Hostin
Asuncion "Sunny" Hostin earned her bachelor's degree from Birmingham University and her law degree from the University of Notre Dame. Hostin is a managing director of business intelligence and investigators at Kroll; she leads investigation teams in investigating fraud and corruption. Hostin is CNN's legal contributor for American Morning. She has also served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., where, she was awarded a Special Achievement Award for her work as a child sex crime prosecutor. Hostin has also served as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division. She works as a professor of evidence at Pace Law School.
“I just want to elevate the perception of what hip-hop and the hip-hop generation are in terms of seasoned opportunities and branding and marketing,” he says. “I’m trying to build this into a content and media powerhouse, as well as trying to evolve the company into an ad agency.”
Reverend Al Sharpton
Community Leadership Award
Rev. Al Sharpton is the founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN), a not-for-profit civil rights organization headquartered in Harlem, New York, with over sixty chapters nationwide including a Washington, DC Bureau and regional offices from coast to coast. Under Rev. Sharpton's leadership, NAN has become the most active social justice organization in the country. This success was acknowledged by President Obama at the 2013 NAN Keepers of the Dream Awards via video when he said: “Thank you Rev. Al and the National Action Network for the work you do to keep up the relentless march for change.”
Throughout his career, Rev. Sharpton has challenged the American political establishment to include all people regardless of race, gender, socio-economic status, or beliefs. In fact, few political figures have been more visible than Rev. Sharpton in the last two decades. Rev. Sharpton's oratory skills have served as a platform for making changes in the American social and political establishment. He is a nationally-syndicated radio host, T.V. personality, and columnist. He has four popular radio shows broadcast throughout the country, a nationally-syndicated television show, and a column that appears in newspapers across the country.
Rev. Sharpton is a defender for human rights, even being praised by President Barack Obama as "the voice of the voiceless and a champion for the downtrodden." Admiration for Rev. Sharpton also proved to transcend party lines when former President George W. Bush said "Al cares just as much as I care about making sure every child learns to read, write, add and subtract."
Keith Clinkscales
Innovator Award
Keith Clinksales leads REVOLT Media & TV as CEO. An expert and speaker on new media, lifestyle, and culture, Clinkscales oversees an aggressive strategy to make REVOLT the new #1 name in music by focusing on building a network that is real- time,
multi-platform, and fueled by artists and fans. In October 2013, Clinkscales steered REVOLT to become the third largest, independent network launch in cable television history.
One of the only media executives with an Emmy nomination and multiple Peabody awards, Clinkscales’ passion for quality journalism has earned him over 40 credits as an executive producer of films and documentaries. Clinkscales also remains one of the few minority CEOs in cable television.
His reputation for producing content that smartly combines pop culture, hip hop and passion platforms like music & sports has earned him top executive honors from Crain Communications, Advertising Age, CableWorld Magazine, Black Enterprise and the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame. Additionally, Clinkscales is a two-time recipient of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Excellence in Journalism Award and has been listed among the 2014 CableFAX 100 as an industry power player.
Marvet Britto
Entrepreneurship Award
Charismatic, Resilient, Dynamic Maverick ––are just a few of the attributes that embody the drive, vision and passion of Public Relations Architect and Brand Strategist Marvet Britto. As Founder and President of The Britto Agency (TBA), an internationally recognized public relations and brand architecture firm, Ms. Britto has become an unparalleled force in a milieu of sectors, catapulting her burgeoning business into a global publicity, marketing, brand strategy, and event-design powerhouse. Britto has become known for engineering blueprints that position clients for category leadership and help create uncontested market space.
Ms. Britto is renowned for her infectious energy, persuasive charm, raw talent and innate zeal characteristics, which deeply permeate throughout the various endeavors she undertakes. With no formal training in the field, the Connecticut native has utilized the better part of the past two decades to grow her firm from a mere vision to one of the most sought after and undoubtedly recognizable PR and Branding firms in the world. The Britto Agency represents a collective of some of the most venerated brands spanning across a hybrid of disciplines. Today, Marvet Britto, herself, is a global brand revered for her atypical ability to blend insight, passion and intellect into memorable campaigns that enhance the visibility and brand equity of her clients.
Orlando Ashford
Corporate Award
Orlando Ashford is the President of the Talent business segment at Mercer, a global consulting leader in talent, health, retirement, and investments.
Mr. Ashford serves on the Board of Directors for ITT Corporation, Executive Leadership Council (ELC), and StreetWise Parners. He was recently elected Vice Chairman of ELC. He also serves on the Boards of Trustees for ROADS Charter High School and Prep for Prep, in addition to serving on advisory boards for Purdue University School of Technology and the NFL Players Association.
Mr. Ashford is among the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) "2013 Directorship 100", a list of the most influential leaders in the boardroom and corporate governance community. He also has been named repeatedly among the "Top 100 Executive in Corporate America" by Uptown Professional Magazine and "100 Top Influential Blacks in Corporate America" by Savoy Magazine. He is the recipient of the 2014 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Excellence in Leadership Honor for Workforce Diversity and Unity from the Illinois Commission on Diversity and Human Relations (ICDHR).
with Emcee
Asuncion "Sunny" Hostin
Asuncion "Sunny" Hostin earned her bachelor's degree from Birmingham University and her law degree from the University of Notre Dame. Hostin is a managing director of business intelligence and investigators at Kroll; she leads investigation teams in investigating fraud and corruption. Hostin is CNN's legal contributor for American Morning. She has also served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., where, she was awarded a Special Achievement Award for her work as a child sex crime prosecutor. Hostin has also served as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division. She works as a professor of evidence at Pace Law School.