Celebrating 90 Years of Black Business Excellence, GHBC Announces 2025 Pinnacle Award Finalists and Honorees

Sep 7, 2025 | NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

Houston, TX — August 28, 2025. The Greater Houston Black Chamber (GHBC) marked the beginning of its 28th Annual Pinnacle Awards season with an elegant Kickoff Reception at Amegy Tower. The event, held before a dynamic audience of business leaders, entrepreneurs, and community stakeholders, set the stage for a season of celebration, recognition, and renewed commitment to Black business excellence in Houston.

The Pinnacle Awards, last held in person in 2019, remain the Chamber’s signature event. Founded in 1935 as the Houston Negro Chamber of Commerce, GHBC is the second-oldest Black chamber of commerce in the nation. This 90th Anniversary celebration carries historic significance, honoring a legacy of Black business leadership while advancing a future built on resilience, innovation, and economic empowerment.

“This year, as we celebrate our 90th Anniversary, we honor the extraordinary legacy of the Greater Houston Black Chamber and the history of those who built the foundation we stand on today,” said Dr. Asheli S. Atkins, President & CEO of the Greater Houston Black Chamber. “The Pinnacle Awards are about more than recognition; they are about lifting up the stories of resilience, innovation, and excellence that define our past and shape the future of Black business in Houston.”

Honoring Icons and Introducing New Awards

The Kickoff Reception also served as a poignant moment to honor two of Houston’s most enduring public servants: the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and the late Mayor Sylvester Turner. In recognition of their decades of unwavering service, GHBC announced two new awards that will bear their names, cementing their legacies within Houston’s Black business and civic communities. The Sheila Jackson Lee Legends Award and the Sylvester Turner Excellence Award will now stand as annual tributes to leaders whose courage, vision, and advocacy uplift the region.

In addition to these new honors, GHBC presented the Larry V. Green Advocate of the Year Award to Mayor Pro Tem and City Council Member Martha Castex-Tatum, highlighting her tireless commitment to advancing opportunity and equity across Houston.

Celebrating Finalists and Emerging Leaders

This year’s Pinnacle season brings a diverse slate of finalists across multiple award categories. The Pinnacle Awards, GHBC’s signature recognition for established Black-owned businesses, announced finalists for the following categories:

Pinnacle Award Finalists

Ark of Safety Security Solutions
Black Orchids PR
Boatner Logistics
Buffalo Soldiers National Museum
CTM Unlimited
Heist Agency
Medley Inc.
Minty Educational Services
The Slippery Soap
Troy B. Smith Professional Services

Endurance Award Finalists

Firstline Brands
IMPACT Strategies Consultants, LLC

Mickey Leland Public Leadership Award Finalists

Houston Minority Supplier Development Council
Suits for Success Houston
Tech Fest Live
Juneteenth Houston
Harris Health

Mack H. Hannah, Jr. Upstart Award Finalists

Window Hero West Houston
W Johnson Consulting, LLC
Botany Wellness
That Time of the Month Club
Collinnova
Shalom Analytics & Consulting

A Season of Wealth and Celebration

GHBC is also using its 90th year to “redefine member value” by modernizing programming, expanding strategic alliances, and re-engaging the business community with innovative resources for sustainable growth. For the first time, the Pinnacle Celebration has expanded to a multi-day experience designed to empower and inspire.

The Pinnacle Wealth Forum: Wealth Reimagined will take place Friday, October 31, 2025, at Rice University’s Anderson-Clarke Center presented by H-E-B. This one-day forum will feature workshops and expert panels on investing, real estate, estate planning, and raising capital for business. Attendees will also experience the Lender Matchmaker Lounge, connecting directly with lenders ready to fund entrepreneurial visions. A College Edition will provide students and young professionals with tools to build wealth in investing, real estate, creator economy, debt management, and using AI to navigate wealth.

The Pinnacle Awards Gala will be held Saturday, November 1, 2025, at the Bayou City Events Center. This marquee event will gather Houston’s business, civic, and community leaders to celebrate the winners, honor 90 years of GHBC’s impact, and uplift the spirit of Black enterprise.

The Greater Houston Black Chamber appreciates the support of our sponsors including H-E-B, Mastercard, Wells Fargo, Rice University, United Airlines, UH Downtown, Texas Business Leaders Alliance, Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, Amegy Bank, AshBritt, JP Morgan Chase, Port Houston, Ken Jones Photography, Strategic Financial Group, Wealth Development Strategies, Wells Fargo, Unity National Bank, PNC, Prosperity, Frost Bank, Woodforest National Bank, Texas First Bank, Wallis Bank, Sysco and Fredrick G. Turner, Jr. Tax & Accounting.

For more information about Greater Houston Black Chamber’s Pinnacle Wealth Forum and Award Gala and to register, please visit Pinnacle Celebration.

Houston, TX – April 25, 2026 — The Greater Houston Black Chamber (GHBC) successfully hosted its 2nd Annual Wealth Forum: Code to Capital at Rice University’s Anderson-Clarke Center, convening entrepreneurs, professionals, students, financial institutions, and industry leaders for a one-day, high-impact experience focused on building and sustaining wealth.

Held during Financial Literacy Month, the Wealth Forum continues to serve as a signature platform advancing GHBC’s mission to drive economic empowerment by equipping individuals and businesses with the tools, strategies, and access needed to achieve long-term financial success.

The forum’s mainstage programming opened with the Code to Capital panel, featuring Kim Roxie (LAMIK Beauty), Kimberly Evans (BeckEvans), and Jill Johnson (Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership), moderated by Amanda Sapp. The discussion provided candid insights into capital readiness, common barriers to funding, and actionable strategies to strengthen business positioning for access to capital.

The mainstage continued with a featured fireside chat, “Before Capital: The Financial Foundation Every Entrepreneur Needs,” led by Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. The conversation emphasized the importance of financial discipline, debt management, and foundational readiness as critical components of sustainable business growth.

A real-time program adjustment created space for deeper engagement, resulting in what many attendees identified as a defining and impactful moment of the event.

The forum also featured a dedicated College Track, highlighting conversations with emerging and established voices in entrepreneurship and culture. Tyla-Simone Crayton, founder of Sienna Wings, shared her journey building a nationally recognized brand, while Keyheira Keys of DreamCon provided insight into the growth and expansion of one of the country’s fastest-growing cultural conventions. These sessions offered students practical, real-world perspectives on ownership, brand building, and scaling within today’s economy.

In addition to mainstage programming, attendees participated in a series of interactive workshops covering financial management, business growth strategies, wealth building, access to capital, and estate planning. The Lender Matchmaker Lounge facilitated direct connections between attendees and financial institutions, while the Wealth Coach Corner provided one-on-one guidance from financial experts.

A standout component of the forum was the AI Implementation Lab, which sold out ahead of the event and delivered hands-on training focused on integrating artificial intelligence into business operations. Participants developed customized implementation plans and gained practical tools to improve efficiency, increase revenue potential, and scale their businesses.

The event concluded with The Wealth Exchange, an exclusive networking reception sponsored by the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL), providing attendees with an opportunity to continue building relationships and exploring collaborative opportunities.

“The Wealth Forum is designed to move beyond conversation and into action,” said Dr. Asheli S. Atkins, President & CEO of GHBC. “Our goal is to create intentional spaces where entrepreneurs and professionals gain not only knowledge, but clear pathways to capital, growth, and long-term wealth.”

The continued success of the Wealth Forum underscores GHBC’s commitment to supporting Houston’s business community by fostering access, education, and opportunity.

For more information about the GHBC Wealth Forum, visit www.ghbcc.com/wealth-forum.

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GHBC

Greater Houston Black Chamber

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