men of excellence Sharmyn Elliott Sharmyn Elliott is senior vice president with NTH Consultants, Ltd., a na-
tionally recognized infrastructure and environmental engineering firm, head- quartered in Detroit. During his 30-year tenure, he has built a stellar reputation as a valued consulting engineering veteran, managing the firm’s engineering services on several signature, multimillion dollar, multi-discipline construction projects including Comerica Park, Ford Field, and the New Greektown Casino Hotel, Parking Structure and Expansion. He also has managed the firm’s con- struction engineering services practice, served on its board of directors, and is currently a client lead responsible for municipal, higher-education, and gen- eral contractor clients throughout the Detroit metropolitan area.
Mr. Elliott co-authored a paper titled “Geotechnology for Urban Renewal
and Redevelopment” and received an Award of Excellence for Project Man- agement in Construction Services from the Detroit Recreation Department. He is an NAACP life member, and takes great pride in actively shaping and nurturing the minds of young staff members via a hands-on mentoring pro- gram, intended to minimize what is typically a steep learning curve, and maximize their contribution and success to the profession from a technical and business perspective.
He has a longstanding history of civic responsibility, and consistently volunteers for city-wide initia- tives that positively impact the quality of life for Detroit residents.
✦ Ron English Ron English is the current head football coach at Eastern Michigan Uni-
versity. He will be serving his second season as head coach. English came to Eastern Michigan in 2009, following a year as the defensive coordinator for the University of Louisville football team in 2008.
Prior to spending the 2008 season at Louisville, Mr. English was an as-
sistant football coach at the University of Michigan from 2003 to 2007 where he coached the defensive backs for his first three seasons and served as the football program’s defensive coordinator in his final two seasons.
He was named
Rivals.com National Defensive Coordinator of the Year
during his initial season as the defensive signal caller at Michigan in 2006. That Wolverine defense was rated among the nation’s best, finishing first against the run, fourth in sacks, seventh in third-down defense, and 10th in total defense and 15th in scoring defense.
A 15-year veteran of college coaching, he spent five seasons coaching the
secondary at Arizona State University. He helped ASU to three bowl appearances: the 1999 and 2000 Aloha and 2002 Holiday bowls. He also coached at San Diego State and Northern Arizona.
✦ Terry Gordon Terry Gordon is a native North Carolinian who has practiced medicine in
Michigan since 1987. He is currently director of Quality and Plan Initiatives with UOP. He is also a
consultant with Aetna, Inc., Detroit Medical Center Employee health plan and Oakwood Health System Employee health plan.
Mr. Gordon, a former Air Force officer, received his medical degree at the
University of North Carolina; advanced medical training at the University of Michigan and the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine; and his MBA at Indiana University. He currently lives in Detroit’s Lafayette Park. He spends his spare time mentoring young people, practicing spiritual meditation, yoga, weight training and and also enjoys his dog, Drew.
✦ Michael A. Grace Michael Grace, president, Michigan Southern Christian Leadership Con-
ference, is only the second president in the 41- year history of the Michigan SCLC, founded in 1970 by Dr. Claud Young.
In 2007 the SCLC launched its childhood obesity campaign which includ-
ed seminars on healthy meal preparation, health fairs, seminars and most recently, the organization partnered with the White House’s Let’s Move Cam- paign which is dedicated to fighting childhood obesity.
This year the Michigan SCLC, along with DJK Healthcare, will launch its
medical mobile unit program. Mr. Grace’s goal is for the mobile clinics to improve primary access to health care for those living in undeserved areas who cannot get to a brick and mortar building, while promoting a collaborative model of health care delivery in inner-city neighborhoods.
A born again Christian, Michael Grace has served as a health care execu-
tive for the past 23 years and continues to serve on numerous advisory boards and committees, nationally and at the state level. He notes that the organization would be nothing without the great people who volunteer and have a passion for helping those who have no foundation on which to stand.
✦ Stephen Henderson Stephen Henderson is the editorial page editor of the Detroit Free Press
and the host of “American Black Journal,” which airs at 2 p.m. on Sundays on WTVS/Channel 56. A Detroit native, he is a graduate of University of Detroit Jesuit High School and the University of Michigan.
He has worked previously as a reporter, editorial writer and editor at the Bal-
timore Sun, the Chicago Tribune and the Knight Ridder Washington bureau, where he covered the U.S. Supreme Court from 2003 to 2007. His work has been honored with more than a dozen national awards, including for work that is published in the book, “Best Newspaper Writing 2001.”
✦ James Hooks James Hooks is president of the 25,000 sq. ft. Metro Foodland in Detroit.
He started in the grocery store as part of the Kroger Management Training Program.
He purchased his first store in 1984. Mr. Hooks has been active with the Associated Food & Petroleum Dealers
(AFPD), having served as secretary and treasurer, and he now sits as chair- man of the board.
He also serves as a board member of the Affiliated Foodland Store
Group. Mr. Hooks is active in his community and is a lifetime member of the De-
troit Branch NAACP. ✦ Anthony L. Hoskins Anthony L. Hoskins is the plant manager of Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant
located in Dearborn. He assumed the position in August 2010 after serving as plant manager for the company’s Chicago Assembly Plant for five years.
Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant, home of the best-selling Ford F-150, is the
flagship for the company’s vision of sustainable manufacturing, incorporating state-of-the-art lean and flexible manufacturing processes. Mr. Hoskins man- ages all operations of the facility, including its 3,200 employees working on three crews of production.
In his previous role as plant manager of the Chicago Assembly Plant, he
oversaw a $400 million modernization of the facility that included the addition of a flexible body shop in 2004 and another $134 million upgrade in 2007 that included state-of-the-art equipment with controls to ensure with precise ac- curacy the quality of the vehicle assembly. He also led the successful launch of the new award-winning Ford Taurus and Taurus SHO.
He joined Ford in 1990 as a production supervisor at the Dearborn Assembly Plant. Since that time
he has held various positions at different manufacturing facilities. Mr. Hoskins earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from Iowa State University and a
master’s degree in science from Central Michigan University. ✦ W. Anthony Jenkins ✦ General Holiefield General Holiefield was elected a vice president of the International Union,
UAW on June 14, 2006. He directs the Chrysler, Heavy Trucks and General Dynamics departments.
A UAW member for 36 years, Holiefield served as executive administrative
assistant to UAW President Ron Gettelfinger from June 2004 until his election as vice president. He is the first African American to serve in the union’s top staff position.
Prior to that, Mr. Holiefield served as an administrative assistant to Vice
President Nate Gooden, who directed the UAW Chrysler Department. He was appointed to the staff in 1995 by then-President Stephen P. Yokich and assigned to the union’s Chrysler Department where he held many positions including servicing representative, coordinator and assistant director.
A longtime political and community activist, Mr. Holiefield is a member of
the Michigan Democratic Party, a life member of the NAACP, as well as a board member of the NAACP’s national Board of Directors, a member of the UAW Legal Services Board and a Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) member.
W. Anthony Jenkins is a member of the law firm Dickinson Wright PLLC.
He represents clients in corporate and real estate transactional matters and writes and lectures on the formation and structuring of minority business en- terprise joint ventures and strategic alliances.
He is president-elect of the State Bar of Michigan, a three-term incumbent
member of the Board of Commissioners, and serves on its Executive Com- mittee. He is a member of the Fellows of the State Bar of Michigan Founda- tion. He is the Sixth Circuit member of the ABA Federal Judiciary Committee which conducts peer reviews of potential White House nominees to federal district and circuit court of appeals benches. He is Michigan’s immediate past state delegate to the ABA House of Delegates.
Mr. Jenkins serves or has served on several civic and charitable boards,
including the Detroit Medical Center, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the City of Detroit Elected Officials Compensation Commission and the City of Detroit Board of Police Commissioners.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, a Masters of Public Affairs from Princeton
University, and a Juris Doctorate from New York University School of Law. He is licensed to practice in Michigan and the District of Columbia.
THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE
June 9-15, 2010 Rev. Jim Holley The Rev. Dr. Jim Holley is one of the city of Detroit’s most sought after
pastors and businessmen for his opinions, advice and counseling in the areas of community, civic, economic and religious matters.
He was rated by the Detroit Free Press as one of The Top Five Ministers in
Michigan and was named Michigananian of the Year by the Detroit News. He also has the distinction of one of The Foremost Voices in Detroit which was bestowed upon him by Crain’s Detroit Business magazine.
Mr. Holley is a committed Christian, eloquent preacher, distinguished
scholar, compassionate pastor and has proven himself to be a loyal friend to those who have no voice in the affairs of the community.
He has been hailed for his strong belief that, “The will of God will never
lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you.” In June, 2007, Rev. Holley completed 35 years as pastor of the Historic
Little Rock Baptist Church. During his leadership there have been many ac- complishments.
Through his many endeavors, Rev. Holley oversees well over $50 million in business undertakings.
He has formed many partnerships with corporate interest, which have resulted in meeting many ad- ditional community needs in expedited fashion.
✦ Kenneth L. Hollowell Kenneth L Hollowell, a native Detroiter, is a graduate of Wayne County
Community College and is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He is currently em- ployed as the vice president and station manager of The New 107.5 FM WGPR Radio. He retired as the secretary-treasurer and principal executive officer of Teamsters Local Union #247 after 31 years of service in December 2001.
Mr. Hollowell has a long history of civic and community service in the
metropolitan Detroit area. He has past service with the City of Detroit as an executive assistant to the mayor, police commissioner and Civic Center com- missioner. He served the County of Wayne as a member of its Board of Can- vassers and was one the original appointees to the Wayne County Airport Authority Board. He has also actively served on the boards of the United way for Southeastern Michigan; The Detroit Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau; New Detroit Inc.; The Detroit Urban League; The Salvation Army; The Youth Development Commission; and as the chairman of the 14th Congres- sional District Democratic Party Organization.
He currently serves as a vice chairman of Presbyterian Villages of Michigan; vice president and trea-
surer of the Michigan Association for Children with Emotional Disorders; board member of Barnabas Youth Opportunities Center and the Village of Bethany Manor, as well as serving in the capacity of Supreme Grand Master for International Free and Accepted Modern Masons, Inc.
He is an ordained Presbyterian elder and member of the Broadstreet Presbyterian Church. He
serves the Presbytery of Detroit as a trustee and its assistant treasurer. Mr. Hollowell has always had and continues to display a strong commitment to Excellence. He and his wife, Patricia J. Hollowell, have two adult children.
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