BUSINESS FOCUS Briefs Forsyth Tech wins awards Publications and marketing materials produced by Forsyth Technical Community College have won prestigious awards from two different organizations. The College learned recently that materials designed to recruit new students to the school and to build its corporate training programs received four National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) 2007 District 2 Medallion Awards. The District 2 Medallion Awards recognize outstanding public relations and marketing efforts at community and technical colleges in 11 southeastern states as well as the Bahamas and Bermuda. Forsyth Tech received silver awards for its Viewbook and recruitment radio spots, and bronze awards for its corporate and continuing education brochure as well as its comprehensive student recruit ment campaiga. J According to Dr. Sharon B, Cu>i ti, Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Forsyth Tech, "Receiving such distinction from a jury of peers is indeed an honor. More important, however, is how effective these materials have been in making our community aware of the excellent educational oppor tunities available at Forsyth Tech." Last month. The College's 2007 Annual Report received an Award of Excellence at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District HI Awards Program in Atlanta. The CASE District III Awards Program recognizes outstanding work entered by member schools in ten southeastern states. Forsyth Tech was the only community college to win an award of any kind in this competition. Vasser is interim OIP director I Dr. Uchenna Vasser, assistant professor of Spanish in the Department of English and Foreign Languages at Winston-Salem State University, has been appoint ed interim director of the Office of International Programs (OIP). Vasser assumes the role of Dr. Funwi Ayuninjam, Vasser wno had served as director or OIP since February 2006. Vasser has taught Spanish for more than 15 years in a variety of settings including the University of Minnesota at Morris. She also served as chair of the Department of World Languages at Dillard University in New Orleans. Yasser has been educated in Africa, Europe, and North America. She possesses an appreciation tor global communities and the ability to speak several languages including Portuguese, Spanish, and Ibo. She continues to travel extensively in Western Europe; Africa; and North, South, and Central America. Vasser earned her Bachelor of Arts in psychology at Schiller International University in Madrid, Spain and her Master of Arts in Romance Languages at the Ohio State University, and her doctorate in Romance Langauges and Literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Trinity earns top exporter award Trinity Furniture of Trinity, N.C., has been award ed a 2008 ThinkGlobal/Commercial News USA Exporter of the Year award from ThinkGlobal Inc., publisher of Commercial News USA, the official export promotion magazine of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Commercial News USA is a catalog-style maga zine distributed to an estimated 400,000 readers in 176 countries worldwide. Awards are given to one U.S. company in each of 15 industry categories. Privately held Trinity Furniture was named Exporter of the Year in the Consumer Goods category. Winners were chosen based on the total number of documented export deals completed in 2006, total per centage increase in sales in 2006 compared to 2005, exports as percentage of total sales, the company's commitment to exporting, the company's commit ment to customer service, and the company's innova tion and originality in marketing products or services. Conway joins AmEx Sony a O. Conway has joined American Express as director of Public Affairs and Communications. Her work will support the American Express Service Center-Greensboro and the Risk Customer Servicing Network. She will develop and implement communications strategies and plans to support internal and external commu nications needs of the Greensboro America*! Express Customer Service Center, as well as the compa ny's Global Risk Customer Servicing Network. Conway joined the American Express team Conway Monday. She reports to Chuck Waiiington, wno was recently promoted to Vice President, Public Affairs & Communications. Conway joins American Express from Guilford County Schools where she has been the chief com munications officer since 2004. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Guilford College in Greensboro. Currently, she is an active member of the Greensboro Rotary and the Board of Directors of the High Point Chamber of Commerce. Trio shares WSSU top employee honors SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE Winston-Salem State University employees Kay Bridges, Judy Cooley and Mary Young Smith are recipients of WSSU's outstanding employee award. The award, titled Recognition of Employees When Achievement and Responsibility are Displayed (REWARD), recognizes employees who are observed exemplifying extraordinary acts. "The award is an excellent way to honor our colleagues who take the extra steps to make the WSSU community a better place to live, leam and work," said Dr. Donald J. Reaves, WSSU Chancellor. "On behalf of the WSSU communi ty, I am very pleased to recognize these three out standing employees." The award includes a certificate of apprecia tion presented by Chancellor Reaves, a story in the WSSU newsletter RamPages and a dinner for two at the well-known Piedmont Club, a Winston-Salem premiere private membership club with an outstanding restaurant. Bridges, administrative secretary in the Department of Chemistry, recipient for November 2007, is a graduate of Forsyth Tech. Bridge^ Smith Cooley She is celebrating her 20th year of service to WSSU. Among her laurels, students noted that "her dedication of time and her thoroughness in ensuring that all details are met" assisted1 with the successful participation by WSSU students and faculty in a National Research Conference, which included the receipt of a research presen tation award by the students. Cooley, accounts payable supervisor in WSSU's Division of Finance and Administration, is recipient of WSSU's December 2007 award. A WSSU graduate, Cooley has worked for her alma mater since Spring 2000. According to her nominator, "She can always be counted on to help with the daily workload, even if they are not her assigned tasks. When one of her employees is out, the work is not left undone." Smith, assistant director for assignments in Housing and Residence Life, is the January 2008 award recipient. An alumna of WSSU, Smith graduated magna cum laude. and has worked at WSSU since Fall 2004. A relentless volunteer in the city. Smith'?, colleague noted she "works end less hours making sure that students are properly housed. She is truly a team player, will solve a problem and will not let it go unsolved without contacting the proper resources for the correct information." Locally-based magazine forms union with tech firm CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT A Winston-Salem-based Christian lifestyles mag azine has joined forces with a state-of-the-art technol ogy company. Hope Today Magazine teamed with Streaming Faith in January. The partnership is designed to give the magazine a stronger presence online and in the audio/video5 sphere . "With starting a new year, I am excited to be start ing a new partnership with Hope Today Magazine," Parks said Chance Mason, President of Streaming Faith, a live streaming video production company designed to provide ministries with tools that pro pel their messages to the world. "This magazine is surely to be a blessing to all who read it, and Streaming Faith feels humbled to be a part of their family. I sincerely look forward to new exciting possibilities with Hope Today in the new year." Bishop John C. Parks, senior pastor of the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem and a retired business executive, founded Hope Today two years ago. The magazine tackles life situ ations on an inspirational level. It is available in more than 8,000 mainstream markets across more than 40 states. Parks, who serves as president and publisher of Hope Today, is excited about the possibilities the new union with Streaming Faith may bring. "We at Hope Today Magazine are excited to part ner with Streaming Faith," he said. "Merging print and web media provides an incredible force and pres BARACK OBAMA. WILL BLACK AMERICA VOTE ence for both companies. I look forward to many great ventures with Chance Mason and Streaming raith. Student's innovative idea gains attention Jerry Mathurin chronicling his road to be a millionaire SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE BOCA RATON, Fla. - Jerry Mathurin, the entrepreneurial col lege student who developed an innovative eBook so readers can follow his journey of becoming a millionaire, has landed several businesses to advertise on his Web site, www.aMillionairesJournal.com. Among the new advertisers are Devin Robinson, Hanetball and TeleLakay TV. "I believe in Jerry, his website and want to be part of the history he'll make," said Devin Robinson, a local actor, activist and motiva tional speaker who recently pur chased two adverts. Robinson, who also founded Aids Awareness Poets, believes that supporting Mathurin will help him gain expo sure for his website and organiza tion. Fritz Valdeus, the owner of Hanetball, a flourishing new sport combin ing teamwork and an intense car diovascular workout, also trusts that Mathurin is ori the path to suc cess. "I chose to advertise on his site not only because it's a great idea and we are inspired by Jerry, but that it will reach an important audi ence who will fall in love with our unique sport," said Valdeus. Readers of Mathurin's 'dorm Future millionaire Jerry Mathurin. room to riches' story will not only witness the struggles of a young entrepreneur trying to accomplish his dream, but will also be able to track Mathurin's progress as new ? advertising spots are filled. "It's only the infancy of this site, but we are catching the eye of advertisers and our growth looks to be infectious," added Mathurin. When Mathurin attains his mil lion dollar goal, he says he will donate 10 percent of his earnings to charities throughout the United States. Determined to relieve his moth er from working a 60-hour week, the 24-year- old student, came up with the idea to create an evolving eBook and sell ads to place on his Web site. Instead of most millionaire autobiographies that document accomplishments post achieve ment, Mathurin thought people would enjoy seeing firsthand the process of attaining a dream. Mathurin is currently majoring in Computer Programming at Palm Beach Community College while working part time as a Computer Tutor Specialist Hanes picks y up Lott Award Former CEO is now a strong advocate of local arts, downtown development SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE HATTIESBURG, Miss. - R. Philip Hanes, the former CEO of Hanes Companies, will be honored today & the University of Southern Mississippi with the Trent Lott National Center of Excellence for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship Innovation Award. Former Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott is expected to be on hand to present the award dur ing a noon luncheon and awards ceremo ny where H a n e s will be" t h e keynote speaker. The Hants award celebrates Hanes lire time of innovation and highly successful contribution to the economic development of downtown Winston-Salem. "The Trent Lott Center's mission is to foster innovation in our region and promote eco nomic growth. Phil is the per fect example of how innovative methods can be used to improve depressed economic areas," said Ken Malone, direc tor of the Trent Lott Center. In addition to his business expertise, Hanes has a remark able record of activity in the arts and conservation commu nities. says Malone. "I think Mr. Hanes will pro vide a spark to get us thinking outside of the box on some of the issues as Hattiesburg defines strategies for moving forward with downtown rede velopment. Hanes earned a reputation as a business leader through his achievements growing the Hanes Companies as president from 1965-77 and as the board chairman from 1978-90. His innovative leadership style is recounted in his book "How to Get Anyone to Do Anything." In the book. Hanes shares his strategies for jump-starting seemingly impossible chal lenges and addresses specifics about networking, risk-taking, fund-raising and problem-solv ing. . As a founder of the American arts council move ment, Hanes has served on the boards of more than 50 nation al. state and local arts agencies, most notably as a founder of * See Hanes oif A13