LIGHTING THE WAY | BLC Newsletter Q2 2022
Message from the Executive Director
In Good Hands for the Future…
It was challenging to take the helm of a membership organization during a pandemic when we were unable to meet but it was a challenge worth undertaking. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to reconnect with those of you I knew and to meet so many other talented and inspiring African American business leaders.
For more than two years, I have been your BLC Executive Director and have enjoyed working with you to plot a new direction for this now 12-year-old association. I am very proud of what we have accomplished and excited about the future as I turn this organization over to new leadership.
Montel Gayles is the perfect person to take the helm of the BLC at this critical juncture. He has the skills, experience, and the temperament to continue the important work we have begun. I have known him for twenty years. I like him and I trust him.
As he assumes the newly created role of BLC’s Chief Executive Officer, I now relinquish the day-to-day responsibilities to concentrate on working with our new generation of business leaders, helping them to open doors and to tell their stories.
I remain committed to the BLC and will continue to lend my time and talents to the mission we all embrace --building a legacy of leadership and success that endures far beyond the time any of us are here.
Avis LaVelle
Executive Director
Message from the next
Chief Executive Officer
My name is Montel Gayles, and I am honored to be the Business Leadership Council's ("BLC") next Chief Executive Officer. I salute outgoing Executive Director Avis LaVelle for her past work with the BLC. During her tenure, the BLC saw a dramatic increase in membership and numerous educational sessions were offered to members to improve their ability to bid and win contracting opportunities.
I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to lead the BLC. I inherit responsibility for an organization is truly headed in the right direction and is doing so on a strong financial footing. As CEO, I will work every day to maintain the BLC's positive momentum and to expand the organization's influence in the public and private sectors. I intend to use all my 30 plus years work experience as an attorney, businessman, and former government appointee to strengthen our members' contracting opportunities and capabilities. I will also work to increase the number of BLC members. There is strength in numbers and together we can and will do great things for Chicago's Black business community!
By working together during this time of economic uncertainty BLC businesses will succeed. You can count on me to work diligently with the BLC's Executive Board to provide you with the services and advocacy you require to be successful. Together, we will weather this economic storm and improve the economic wellbeing of Black businesses and Chicago's Black community. It's simple, when our members are awarded contracts to provide their goods and services, they put Black people to work. Access to a good job with good benefits is the key to improving the social and economic conditions of Black people in Chicago and throughout the country. Improving the lives of Black people is the BLC's mission and that will be my mission as well as your CEO.
I sincerely look forward to meeting all BLC members during the remainder of 2022, however, please feel free to contact me at the BLC main office with any questions or concerns you may have. On behalf of the BLC, I wish all of you a success and I look forward to the work ahead.
Montel M. Gayles
Chief Executive Officer
BLC.
Making Our Voices Heard.
Civic and business leaders come to the BLC, seeking support for positions and projects that impact the broader African American community. We carefully consider each proposal before deciding to add our voices and take a position.
BLC urges Illinois Power Agency to amend its proposed Long‐Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan Plan to create more opportunities for small and minority businesses to participate in the solar energy business.
BLC New Members
The Business Leadership Council welcomes new members whose professional skills, talents and business capabilities make us a more powerful voice for the African American business community. We also celebrate our established members whose powerful contributions have helped to make the BLC a respected partner in the Illinois Business Community.
Kalia Coleman
Partner
Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP
Legal Sector/Vanguard
Merry Green
President
MCPG Events
Events Production and Marketing Communications/Established
Christopher Mitko
Advisor
Cresa
Commercial Real Estate,Construction Industry Related Professionals/Vanguard
Mechie Nkengla, PhD
CEO & Chief Data Strategist
Data Products
Information Technology
Professional Services/Vanguard
Robert Reed
Chief Executive Officer
RCR Technology Corporation
Information Technology
Information Technology Sector/Sustained
Bill Williams
Principal
KMW Communities, LLC
Real Estate Development, Sales, and Construction
Construction Industry Related Professionals/ Civic/Non-Profit
James E. Williams, Jr.
Director of Finance and Asset Management
University of Chicago
Education/Commercial Real Estate
Institutional/Non-Profit
Kenneth P. Williams, Jr.
Chief Administrative Officer
City of Chicago
Government
Civic/Non-profit
Member Spotlight
Langdon D. Neal
Partner and Owner, Neal & Leroy, LLC
Langdon D. Neal is a managing partner and owner of Neal & Leroy, LLC. whose practice concentrates in real estate, zoning, land use, and public and private finance, employment, and labor law. The firm, one of the oldest minority-owned and operated law firms in the United States, was founded in 1938 by Langdon’s grandfather, Earl J. Neal, who was later appointed a Circuit Court Judge. In both 2018 and 2019, Mr. Neal was named one of Illinois’ Leading Lawyers in several practice areas.
Neal & Leroy's practice is primarily focused in real estate matters including zoning, development and land use, real estate transactions and finance, public and project finance and diversity and inclusion business development. The firm also practices construction law, historic preservation, litigation, municipal law, labor, and employment.
Neal & Leroy advises its clients on the MBE and WBE certification process in Chicago and the State of Illinois, works with them to develop business opportunities with corporations and governmental entities and negotiates contracts on their behalf. As an expression of his personal commitment, Langdon has focused much of his practice and personal life on minority and women business enterprise opportunities and advancement.
”My relationship with the BLC has been one of the most meaningful experiences in my professional life,” says Neal. “I am privileged to own an 84-year-old minority-owned business whose longevity and continued success has depended on the support of other businesses throughout our history. I am deeply committed to mentorship and development of other minority-owned businesses to form lasting partnerships which insure all our continued economic viability and growth”.
Neal & Leroy also represents municipal clients in court, demonstrating the advisability and propriety of government diversity goals and guidelines. In representing public agencies, Neal has also developed programs to increase diversity on public construction projects and to increase utilization of minority and female laborers, apprentices, and journey-workers.
Neal advises corporate clients in developing, implementing, and reviewing diversity programs and on methods to ensure diversity program compliance. In addition, He has advised, counseled, and mentored numerous emerging minority businesses on how to expand their operations, achieve success and maximize opportunities to ensure continued growth and expansion.
Mr. Neal’s civic activities include serving on the State Board of Elections since 1985, and as Chairman, from 1995-1996, and as Chairman of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners since 1997. He serves on the Board of Directors of numerous community and charitable organizations in the Chicago area.
He has a long history of giving back to the community and has served in various roles in charitable and civic organizations including Business Leadership Council, After School Matters, High Jump, Cornell University School of Arts and Sciences Council, Jane Addams Juvenile Court Foundation, Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Illinois College of Law, Chicago Foundling Home, Mercy Hospital, Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois, Co-Chair of the Black Ensemble Capital Campaign, Children’s Place Association, the Public Education Fund, the Support Group, Sherwood Conservatory of Music, Urban Gateways, Jackson Park Hospital, and the Francis Parker School Board of Trustees.
Juan Teague
CEO, Juan and Only Events, LLC
Juan Teague is an entrepreneur, activist, and a connector of people. Her natural interpersonal skills and business savvy make her an effective social and civic leader throughout Chicagoland and beyond.
With more than 20 years’ experience in the hotel and hospitality industry, Juan built her career from the ground up—without a college degree—to become Director of Entertainment and Special Events and, ultimately, Director of Sales at the Hard Rock Hotel. This feat is particularly noteworthy, as Blacks represent only 2% of Directors in the industry. Juan was pivotal in increasing brand recognition for the boutique brands she represented—boosting revenues growth in the Business Travel and Group by as much as 80%.
Since 2009, Juan has operated her own Chicago-based creative agency— Juan & Only, LLC—with three practice areas:
- Consulting: Hotels, Venues, & Sports Team to increase revenues and community engagement.
- Experiential Activations for corporate clients to impact their consumers.
- Producing and Co-producing Large-Scale Events, concerts & festivals such as Aahh! Fest by Common, Arc Festival, Lollapalooza, and Englewood Festival, Arc Festival to name a few.
Juan has specifically worked to bring festivals and entertainment to predominantly Black communities in Chicago, challenging the narrative created by media and redlining.
With premiere clients such as Kanye West, Donovan McNabb, Def Jam, Dwyane Wade, Columbia Records, Atlantic Records, Jack Daniels, Heineken, and President Bill Clinton, Juan and Only has unique and diverse experience staging events throughout the U.S. for corporations, nonprofit organizations, and high-profile sports, entertainment, and political figures.
During the pandemic, Juan became a fierce advocate for financial assistance and mitigation for small venues and entertainment-related gig workers. She is a member of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and the National Association for Catering and Events (NACE). In addition, as a creative and innovative civic leader, she also mentors students in the Grammy U® program at NYU and Columbia College.
Committed to community investment and to providing job training and opportunities for local youth, Juan is ever passionate about helping people. In 2020, she launched yet another business --Washington West—through which she partners and consults with small Black and Brown businesses, connecting them with financial investors and other capital resources.
After growing up on Chicago’s West Side, Juan now resides in Washington Park on the South Side, where she proudly lives in the former home of Jesse Binga, Chicago’s first Black millionaire. With her wealth of real-world experience and her host of influential contacts nationwide, Juan Teague is an inexhaustible force of positive energy and contagious enthusiasm for helping others and making a difference in the world.
Juan is a member of Business Leadership Council
(BLC) and the PR Committee for James Beard Awards with Illinois Restaurant Association. She was Co-Chair of Chicago’s “Year of Chicago Music 2021” and a member of the City’s subcommittee for Tourism and Culture. She was also Civil Chair for Chicago Sinfonietta 2021.
BLC Events:
Past &
Present
BLC’s goal is to educate, empower and enlighten our members about issues that impact our businesses and our communities. We invite impactful leaders to address our members and guests, to share their views and help us make informed decisions about our world.
Upcoming Events
BLC’s First Annual Awards Ceremony, Spring 2023
Nominations being sought for the 1st Annual BLC “ Gamechangers” Awards. The Business Leadership Council is asking its members to nominate potential awardees in four categories:
The Frank Clark Award for Lifetime Achievement
This award will be given to an African American corporate leader or entrepreneur who has stood the test of time and risen to the top of their field while taking time to mentor and support young executives and businesses in the process.
Government Gamechanger
Award
This award will be given to the local, state, or federal government official who has done the most toward bringing equity and inclusion to government procurement and administration.
Community Partner for Progress
Award
This award will be given to the individual or organization that we feel has done the most to assist local businesses to survive and thrive.
Business Breakout
Award
This award will be given to a new or recently emerging business leader who has risen to prominence based on their innovation and business acumen.
To nominate your choice for each award email your nominations to Avis Lavelle at alavelle@bblcchicago.com
Do It Today!!!
September Soiree
September 15, 2022
General Membership Meeting
September 21, 2022
BLC Members in the News
Show Strategy CEO and Vanguard Co-Chair Glenn Charles featured in Crain’s front-page article, “Why the Black unemployment rate refuses to go down”
Four BLC Members receive the 2022 Chicago Defender Men of Excellence Awards:
Robert Blackwell Jr. EKI-Digital
Cory Thames, Chief Engagement Officer, BLC
Corey Taliaferro, Executive Director Illinois/Indiana Medicaid Plan, AETNA
Leon Walker, DL3 Realty (Special Award)
Multiple BLC members profiled in Crain’s 2022 Notable Executives of Color in Construction and Commercial Real Estate:
Jimmy Akintonde President & CEO JAMAA Construction
Dwayne Barlow, President, The BarTech Group
Ernest Brown, President, Brown & Momen
Randal Dawson, Executive Vice President, CBRE
Leon Walker, Managing Partner, DL3 Realty
Ryan Green, Chief Investment & Administrative Officer, DL3 Realty
Suzet McKinney, Principal &. Director of Life Sciences, Sterling Bay
Wilbur C. Milhouse III, Chairman & CEO, Milhouse Engineering & Construction
Mamon Powers Jr., CEO & Chairman, Powers & Sons Construction
Danielle Tillman, Managing Principal, bKL Architecture, Chicago
Hansel Whiteurst, Vice President, Berglund Construction
BLC:
Looking Forward,
Giving Back
Black Women’ Lawyers Association of Greater Chicago’s “Beyond Ball”
“Partnering to Close the Racial Wealth Gap” Chicago Urban League, Summit 2022
Chicago
Defender Men of
Excellence Awards
Dorothyjeanius
STEAM Leadership Institute
June 2022
Opportunities for BLC Companies & Members
Q2 2022
Berglund Construction sought minority subcontractors (union labor) for a variety of projects:
- Columbia College’s South Loop Campus
- Waukegan Carnegie Library
- Thrive-Englewood’s 6-story, 61-unit new mixed use residential/commercial building
- Peggy Notebart Nature Museum, Interior renovations
World Business Chicago introduces new program to lift small businesses on City’s south and west sides.
United Way, a BLC Member organization, sought out general contractors or contractors with specialties in Electronics, HVAC Furniture, Painting for an office build-out project.
Russell Reynolds LLC, Personnel search for candidates for President of the Civic Committee and Commercial Club
Power Construction Company, LLC, Seeking M/WBE participation for construction industry professionals at 878 and 920 N. Wells Avenue
Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, Annual Supplier Diversity Fair
Sterling Bay and McHugh Construction, Construction industry bid opportunities for project at 225 N. Elizabeth Street