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THE WEEKLY GLEANER | NOVEMBER 4 - NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 9 George Ruddock/Gleaner Writer LONDON: J ACKY WRIGHT, corporate vice-president and chief digi- tal officer at Microsoft US, has topped the 2022 list as the most in- fluential black person in the UK. Born in London of Jamaican parents, Wright has also worked in the UK with HM Revenue and Customs between 2017-19 as the Chief Digital and Information Officer on a loan agree- ment from Microsoft. The Powerlist annually names the most powerful people of African, African American and African- Caribbean heritage in Britain. Jacky Wright was listed number six in 2018 and numbers four on two occasions in 2019 and 2020. As the list was announced with Wright taking the top honour, she said: “I am proud to be in the company of these great leaders of African and African-Caribbean heritage, but I am reminded that we still have a very long way to go. “Each of us has a responsibility to ensure that we not only showcase role models, so future generations can en- vision who and what they can be but, more importantly, we need to make monumental shifts to create a more equitable society.” Placing second on the 2022 list was England and Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford who suc- cessful ran a national campaign to combat child poverty at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, while third place went to Ann Mensah, who is vice president at entertainment giant, Netflix. Completing the top five Oscar- winning actor Daniel Kaluuya in fourth and Professor Kevin Fenton, London’s regional director for Public Health England, in fifth. This was Professor Fenton’s second appearance on the list after he placed second last year behind Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton. Professor Fenton, who was born in Glasgow, Scotland to Jamaican parents, has been at the forefront of the London Region response to the COVID-19 pan- demic after he was appointed Public Health England’s regional director last April. He helped to deliver the region’s successful programs of COVID testing, contract tracing and the vaccine roll out. Windrush campaigner Patrick Vernon, who once again made the top 100 on the Powerlist said: “It is a great honour to be recognised again in the 2022 list for my work as a campaigner and cultural historian. Congratulations to the 100 listed, a number of whom I have worked with in fighting for so- cial justice for the black community in Britain.” The JP Morgan sponsored Powerlist was launched in 2007 to showcase black role models across various in- dustries. This year’s panel of judges was led by retired high court judge, Dame Linda Dobbs. Microsoft VP Jacky Wright heads 2022 Powerlist Microsoft US corporate vice-president, Jacky Wright tops the 2022 Powerlist. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS Kevin Fenton Patrick Vernon SOUTH FLORIDA: SHE IS the founding president of the Jamaica USA Chamber of Commerce in Florida, and through her company’s consulting and contracting services, has facilitated the procurement of billions of dollars in contracts and fi- nancing for small, minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses within the Caribbean diaspora, and through- out Florida, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands (USVI). A federal con- tractor with the US Department of Commerce, MBDA, her company has recently been awarded $4.8 million in contracts to continue developing and growing small andminority busi- nesses for another five years. This corporate executive is Marie Gill, founder and CEO of M. Gill & Associates, Inc. In her company’s over 30-year busi- ness history, M. Gill & Associates has been exceeding expectations. This specialty consulting firmhas truly risen to the occasion to provide access to capital, to contracts, and to new and global markets for an average of 300 clients each year for the past 30 years. The services and core competencies of- fered by the firm include management and economic development consult- ing; marketing research, planning and implementation; public relations; event planning; business-to-business match- maker conferences; entrepreneurship training; export development and growth; community outreach; strategic planning; and grant writing services. A highly sought-after motivational speaker and business coach, Gill leaned on her Jamaican educational and business training, coupledwith her Canadian andUS experiences, to launch her company in 1990 with a mission to help businesses succeed and grow. She and her dynamic team of multicultural consultants have successfully devel- oped and managed strategic growth initiatives for small, medium and large businesses; government agencies; cor- porations; educational institutions; large non-profit and international organisa- tions that operate in the domestic and global economies. A consummate professional, Gill is the first woman, the first black, and the first of Caribbean descent to have won the US Department of Commerce contract to operate the MBDA Business Center programmes in Florida in 2001. She wears many hats! In addition to serving as the CEO of her own firm, she is also the executive director of the FloridaMBDA Export Center, theMiami MBDA Business Center, and the MBDA CARES Act Relief Programs, serving the state of Florida, Puerto Rico and the USVI, where her performance con- tinues to exceed expectations. “As [an] operator of the variousMBDA programmes in Florida and US territo- ries, M. Gill &Associates humbly accepts and celebrates the many recognitions we have received throughout our local community, and for being the current and reigning number one performing MBDA centre among the outstanding performers in theMBDA’s national net- work,” said Gill. “Since our first award as MBDA Operator in 2001, we have consistently achieved outstanding performance in service to clients, and administration of MBDA’s programmes in Florida and the US territories.” With MOUs and collaborative agree- ments throughout the U.S., LATAM and African countries, Canada, and throughout the Caribbean, and an unmatched performance of over $5.9 billion in contracts and financing that have been facilitated for its clients, M. Gill & Associates has shown that it is a strong and trusted global brand in the professional services industry. MBDA CARES ACT RELIEF INITIATIVE Gill has every right to be proud of her accomplishments, especially with her second-year funding under the MBDA CARES Act Relief Initiative. With the closing of somany businesses, she em- phasised her hope that the businesses that have shown resiliency will take ad- vantage of the wealth of opportunities that a post-COVID-19 world will pro- vide. New business development and growth opportunities in healthcare, technology, exporting, manufacturing, construction, professional services, and the hospitality sectors are resurfacing, and only the businesses that are ‘ready’ will be able to effectively compete and seize upon these opportunities. Thanks to M. Gill & Associates, Inc, a CARES Act grantee that is helping in the COVID-19 recovery process for small and minority firms throughout the state of Florida, hope is still alive, and a negative situation (COVID-19) has produced positive results. Through its MBDA CARES Act Relief Initiative, and its new MBDA programmes, M. Gill & Associates, Inc is continuing to produce outstanding results and ex- ceeding expectations for its clients, the MBDA, and local communities across the US and its territories. As president of the 300-plus member Jamaica USA Chamber of Commerce in Florida, Gill has been able to gar- ner support fromwithin the Jamaican diaspora, as well as other Caribbean business owners, who she consistently encourages and helps to access oppor- tunities to start and grow successful businesses in the US. Her chamber’s memorandum of understanding and partnerships with Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) and with CAMACOL have led to many successful business connec- tions between Jamaica and members of the Jamaican, Caribbean, and Latin American diasporas. As a result of its excellent perfor- mance and the stalwart leadership of its CEO Marie Gill, effective July 1, 2021, the US Department of Commerce – MBDA - has awarded M. Gill & Associates over $4.85 million in con- tracts to operate a New MBDA Export Center, and a New MBDA Business Center in Florida, for the next five years, to June 30, 2026. These MBDA Business Assistance programmes have been restructured and are offering, free of cost, special- ised capacity-building training and development – including a certificate training programme administered by Miami Dade College; assistance to attract financial investment to grow minority businesses; bridging the digital divide in various communities throughout the state of Florida, by ex- tending broadband in targeted areas; and partnering with several local gov- ernment agencies throughout Florida and the territories, supported by Miami Dade County’s International Trade Consortium, and Broward County’s Office of Economic and Small Business Development, to host an export univer- sity with resources to address the ex- port training, development and growth needs of small andminority businesses. The city of Miami has also played an important role in facilitating the MBDA programmes.. “We are immensely grateful to the city of Miami, our cost- share strategic partner, for providing a technical assistance hub to physically host our MBDA programmes since 2008, and for their continuing support and partnership. The city’s support has made a significant impact on our ability to stretch the MBDA dollars to provide additional, free services to our clients,” Gill said. With the unending passion for ser- vice among its leadership and staff, the commitment and support of part- ners and community, and a strong vote of confidence from the Minority Business Development Agency, M. Gill &Associates continues to exceed expec- tations, and has no plans to stop! For more information onM. Gill &Associates and its programmes, call 305-576-7888. Email: marie@mgillonline.com, or visit www.mgillonline.com . M. Gill & Associates exceeding expectations Marie Gill, founder and CEO of M. Gill & Associates, Inc. CONTRIBUTED J’can entrepreneur wins $4.8 million in federal grants to serve small and minority businesses THE WE KLY GLEANER | NOVEMBER 4 - 3