(FLINT, Mich., Oct. 27, 2022) The nominations are in and judging is underway for the Flint & Genesee Group’s Art of Achievement Awards. Now in eighth year, this annual awards celebration recognizes business excellence and community leadership in Flint and Genesee County.
More than 85 businesses and organizations and 100 individuals are contenders for 14 awards that will be presented Thursday, Nov. 3, from 6-9 p.m., at the FIM Capitol Theatre in downtown Flint. The Group will also present three special honors at the celebration, including the Art Hurand Award, Economic Development Project of the Year and Charles Stewart Mott Award.
“Flint & Genesee is home to countless professionals and organizations who are making a positive impact in our community and continue to raise the bar,” said Tim Herman, Flint & Genesee Group CEO. “We look forward to celebrating some of them at this year’s Art of Achievement Awards.”
The following individuals and companies are nominees in the business category:
Business Impact Award – Recognizes a company with 50 or more employees working to have a positive impact in Flint & Genesee.
- Job Impulse, Inc.
- Regional Medical Imaging
- Spen-Tech Machine Engineering Corp.
Claire M. White Award – Honors a woman working for the betterment of Flint & Genesee in community, career or someone else’s life.
- Jennie Bauder
- Lennetta Bradley Coney
- Sheena Harrison
- Shane Jackson
- Rachelle Kippe
- Karianne Martus
- Tamara Mathis
- Jashell Mitchell
- Chia Morgan
- Erin Sage
- Keysa Smith
- Ann Marie Van Duyne
Diversity, Inclusion & Equity (DEI) Award – Recognizes a business or organization that has demonstrated leadership in their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to help make Flint & Genesee a place of opportunity and inclusion for those who live and work in the county, no matter their background or where they reside.
- Community Foundation of Greater Flint
- Financial Plus Credit Union
- Flint City Handball Club
- Flint Social Club
- Genesee County Sheriff’s Office
- MitchMatch Ventures, LLC
- Mott Community College
- Tee’s Plentiful Salads
Minority-Owned Business Award – Recognizes a minority-owned business working to have a positive impact in Flint & Genesee.
- Communities First, Inc.
- Drinks of Essence Bartending School
- Ennis Center for Children
- Flint Social Club
- For The Love of Dance Studio
- The John L Group
- Little Suga’s
- My Bees Nest, LLC
- Prestige Janitorial Services of Michigan, LLC
- Prestige Promotions, LLC
- Professional Nursing Services, Inc.
- Sheldon T. Banks LLC
- Tee’s Plentiful Salads
Nonprofit Impact Award – Recognizes a charity, church or nonprofit making great strides to positively impact any facet of the Flint & Genesee community.
- 513 Recovery Clubhouse
- B.C. YOUTH
- Back to the Bricks
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Flint
- Crossover Outreach
- Fenton Center of Hope
- FIM – Flint Institute of Music
- Flint SOUP
- Food Bank of Eastern Michigan
- Invisible Giants Legacy & Leadership Foundation
- James-Moorehouse, Inc.
- Metro Community Development
- Peckham, Inc.
- Mark Missionary Baptist Church
- Sylvester Broome Empowerment Village
- Uma Strong Marshall Outreach
- A Place For Veterans
- Well of Hope
Small Business Award – Recognizes a company with fewer than 50 employees working to have a positive impact in Flint & Genesee.
- 3Sixty Interactive
- Delta Tire
- Drinks of Essence Bartending School
- Flint Social Club
- Flint United
- ILL DRIP, LLC
- Prestige Promotions, LLC
- Refinery Hair Co.
- Scratch BBQ and Catering
- Sisco’s Catering, LLC
- Special Occasions
- Stephens Wealth Management Group
- Storage of America
- Tee’s Plentiful Salads
Young Professional Leader Award – Recognizes a young professional 40 or younger making great strides to benefit their company and/or the community.
- Marquita Adams
- Tyler Bailey
- Molly Baskin
- Vedant Gupta
- Jennifer Hickmott
- Tamara Mathis
- Chia Morgan
- Kevin Mays
- Brittany Mitchell
- Kelly Price
- Jerin Sage
- Autumn Scherzer
The following companies and individuals are nominees in the hospitality category:
Attraction of the Year – Recognizes a venue or attraction that continues to raise the bar, offering top notch entertainment or programming to the community and visitors.
- Back to the Bricks
- Flint Drop Fest
- Flint Public Art Project
- For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum
- HAP Crim Festival of Races
- Really Cool Comic Con
- Sloan Museum of Discovery
- Whaley Historic House Museum
CTA of the Year – Recognizes a Flint & Genesee Certified Tourism Ambassador who exemplifies excellence in hospitality and customer service.
- Terry Pickard, CTA
- Jerin Sage, CTA
- Jessica Lynn Taylor, CTA
- Amber Taylor, CTA
Frontline Ambassador of the Year – Recognizes outstanding customer service in the non-hotel areas of food service, bartender, transportation, business, etc.
- Ebonie Jones – Yum Vittles, LLC
- Jerin Sage, CTA – The What’s Up Downtown Project
- Elizabeth Sykes – American Airlines/Bishop International Airport
- Tom Wade – Churchill’s Food & Spirits
Hotel of the Year – Recognizes a Genesee County hotel for its outstanding service, comfort and attention to hotel guests, providing an excellent overall experience.
- Best Western Plus Flint Airport Inn & Suites
- Comfort Inn & Suites Grand Blanc
- Fairfield Inn & Suites Flint Grand Blanc
- Hampton Inn & Suites Flint/Grand Blanc
- Hilton Garden Inn Flint Downtown
- Home2 Suites by Hilton Grand Blanc Flint
- Knob Hill Bed & Breakfast
- Residence Inn Flint Grand Blanc
Gloria DeHart Community Champion – Recognizes an individual or organization who has worked to improve Flint & Genesee in the eyes of the hospitality community.
- Derek Brown
- Dr. Dallas Gatlin
- Dr. Jawad A. Shah
- Jerome Threlkeld, CTA
- Dale K. Weighill
- Junior League of Flint
- Keep Genesee County Beautiful
- The What’s Up Downtown Project
Restaurant of the Year – Recognizes a Genesee County restaurant for their outstanding service, menu and overall experience of the customer.
- Barley & Vine
- Bella’s Concessions & Catering
- Blackstone’s Smokehouse
- Blondie’s Food & Spirits
- Cocina Mio
- Community by Fuel Up Fresh
- Grill of India
- Pizza Mia
- Sauce Italian American Kitchen
- Sweet Peaces
Hotel Ambassador of the Year – Recognizes a hospitality worker who provided outstanding service. This may include, but is not limited to front desk, host, hostess, housekeeper, guest services, hotel restaurant and maintenance.
Best Western Plus Flint Airport Inn & Suites
- Jeanette Anderson, CTA
- Shuronda Brown
- Andy Charles
- Deniesha Coulter
- Kinya Eldridge
- Keniesha Harris, CTA
- Matt Hensel
- Dominique Jones
- Fadi Kasbari
- Amanda Montgomery
- Christine Morrison
- Lucia Qazaha
- Issa Salem
- Cassondra Thomas
Comfort Inn & Suites Grand Blanc
- Kassady Davis
- Kerry Johnson
- Sherri Sposato
Fairfield Inn & Suites Flint Grand Blanc
- Kenneth Brown
- Genell Crain-Reeves
- Cassandra LeGrand
- Marissa McCollum
- Elizabeth Morris, CTA
- Arnenia Odum
- Ebony Robinson
- Theresa Sharpe
Hampton Inn & Suites Flint/Grand Blanc
- Monte’Via Collins
- Geri Geske
- Melissa Mancour
- Jada McDonald
- Felicia Rietz
- Julie Ross
Hilton Garden Inn Flint Downtown
- Ellen Bailey
- Eneida Berlin
- Candice Brown
- Dorothy Brown
- Candice Champine
- Sheryl Champine, CTA
- Dwayne Corder
- Briana Crane-Jackson
- John “JW” Creasey
- Sharon Hicks
- Katie Hinman
- Chris Inman
- Ethan Irish
- Sandra Johnson
- Matt Knopf
- Adrian Muldrew
- Reosha Pope
- Jeff Stableford
- Brandi Starr
- William Walker
- Jarett Ward
- Dan Wright
- Taryn Young
Holiday Inn Express Flint-Campus Area
- Kenyarta Hart
Home2 Suites by Hilton Grand Blanc Flint
- Ashley Bradley
- Laura Carroll
- Teresa Pennington
- Heidi Smith
- Savannah Tapia
- Traci Wing, CTA
Hyatt Place Flint/Grand Blanc and Hampton Inn & Suites Flint/Grand Blanc
- Melanie Cieslinski
Knob Hill Bed & Breakfast
- Diana Phillips
Residence Inn Flint/Grand Blanc
- Angela Smallman
Tickets are on sale now for $10 and may be purchased online by visiting flintandgenesee.org.