JSU’s National Alumni Association gala will honor luminaries

Jackson State University National Alumni Association Inc. will honor national, state and local business, community and governmental leaders from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at a reception at Jackson’s Hilton Garden Inn.

Friday’s fete will introduce honorees for the Oct. 24 Black Tie Scholarship and Recognition Gala: “Celebrating the Spirit of Giving for One JSU.” The latter event will be at the Jackson Convention Complex.

Honorees include:

Education

* Dr. Theresa Bland Green, CEO, STAR Leadership Consulting, LLC

* STEM: Dr. John Calhoun, CEO, Integrated Management Services

Community Service

Metro-Jackson Pan-Hellenic Council

Business

Dr. Barrett Hatches, CEO, Chicago Family Health=

Government

* The Honorable Tony T. Yarber, mayor, City of Jackson

* The Honorable Kenneth Wayne Jones, chairman, Legislative Black Caucus, Mississippi State Senate

Media

* Maggie Wade-Dixon, news anchor, WLBT-TV

* Ken South, meteorologist, WJTV-TV

Alumni Awards

* Young Alumni Award: Eric Elliott – Houston Area Alumni Chapter: Gwendolyn Washington – Jackson Hinds Chapter

* Hall of Fame Kathy Berry – Milwaukee Alumni Chapter

* Alumnus of the Year Earlexia Norwood, M.D. – Detroit Alumni Chapter

Honorary chairs: Dr. Juanita Sims-Doty, founder of the Juanita Sims-Doty Foundation; and Timothy Quinn, M.D., of Quinn Healthcare, PLLC

The reception will include remarks by Terry L. Woodard, chair, Media/Honorees Committee; Dr. Rose Austin, general chair, Black Tie Gala; with presentations by Woodard and Annette Johnson, co-chair, JSUNAA Awards Committee. Yolanda Owens, president, JSU National Alumni Association Inc., will give closing remarks.