MILLERCOORS AWARDS $150,000 IN GRANTS TO NEXT GENERATION OF URBAN ENTREPRENEURS
MILWAUKEE Ãâ Honoring the spirit of young people aspiring to business ownershipÃâespecially amidst todayÃâs tumultuous economic climate, MillerCoors has announced the winners of its 2008-2009 Urban Entrepreneurs Series and Business Plan Competition. The top five recipients, selected from a highly competitive field of more than 120 applicants nationwide, will be awarded grants totaling $150,000 at a special dinner reception in Chicago June 11th.
Successfully concluding its ninth year, the MillerCoors Urban Entrepreneurs Series and Business Plan Competition (MUES) continues to provide the needed resources to transition aspiring entrepreneurs to business owners, providing more than $1 million in business grants to date, to more than 100 urban professionals across the United States.
ÃâMillerCoors is humbled to award this yearÃâs Business Plan Competition winners with grants that will enable them to take the next steps of business ownership,Ãâ said Larry Waters, Director,Multicultural Relations for MillerCoors. ÃâAs a leader in the beverage industry, we remain committed to empowering the entrepreneurs of today, who will be the business leaders of tomorrow.Ãâ
Throughout the programÃâs tenure, more than 1,500 business plans have been submitted to the
MUES competition, and it is estimated that 50 percent of the winning businesses are currently
operational, empowering urban American communities by providing jobs and sustaining economic
growth and development.
ÃâAs the melting pot that is the United States continues to rapidly diversify, we are beginning
to see increasing numbers of minorities emerging in leadership positions in the world of business,Ãâ
said Jose Ruano, Manager, Multicultural Relations, MillerCoors ÃâItÃâs vital to the present and future
generations of urban entrepreneurs that they are provided with the proper guidance and valuable
resources that will enable them to not only pursue, but succeed in, their business ventures.
This yearÃâs grand prize winner will receive a $50,000 business grant, with the four runners-up each receiving grants of $25,000 to contribute to their companyÃâs start-up capital, or to expand their existing businesses. The grant recipients represent a wide range of businesses, including
educational resources, cosmetology, handbags and accessories, fashion and realty. The 2008-2009
MUES winners are:
Termetrice Gibbons | $50,000
Houston, TX
Excel Assistance focuses on the members, vendors and suppliers of the educational and trade
industryÃâs national associations and organizations who are looking for a convenient way to purchase
or sell their new, used and overstocked items. Through dedicated websites, education professionals can list, sell and auction off equipment and materials and connect with other professionals (www.excelassistance.com).
Jolanda Powell | $25,000
Tallahassee, FL
The Next Level Training and Empowerment Center, LLC (TNL) provides advanced cosmetology training and salon suite ownership opportunities for cosmetologists in the South Georgia-North Florida region. The mission of TNL is to empower career stylists by offering advanced education and by decreasing the barriers to salon ownership by offering salon suites.
ReShon Anderson | $25,000
Fairfax, VA
Angel Handbags is an online-only retail store, offering the latest in designer handbags and
accessories, featuring such brand names as Betsy Johnson and Maxx New York. The site also
features new, up-and-coming designers not readily found elsewhere (www.angelhandbags.com).
George Baker, Sebastine Ujereh Jr., Demetrius Walker, Justin Giboney | $25,000
Houston, TX
dN|Be Apparel, influenced by A. Philip Randolph, continues the movement of cultural consciousness in the messaging of their apparel, which is available online and at 16 retail locations
nationwide. The line is quickly developing a following within the Hip-Hop community, including
artists Common, Wyclef Jean, Rhymefest, Bun B and actor Anthony Mackie (www.dangerousnegro.com).
Bobby Bryant, Laolu Yemitan, Joyce Johnson | $25,000
Houston, TX
iBuy Realty is a Limited-Service Real Estate Brokerage Company that specializes in working with
only buyers. ItÃâs unique system allows potential homebuyers to have more control in the buying
process and receive up to 75% of the commissions paid by the seller, while having the professional
support of a licensed agent (www.ibuyrealty.com).
As the program continues to evolve, MUES will re-launch its interactive website,
www.millercoorsmues.com, on July 1st. The 2009 MUES program will Ãâgo greenÃâ as it celebrates its
10th anniversary, shifting to a paperless, electronic entry submission format for competing business plans via the website.
The site will be the primary resource for the Business Plan Competition, housing all competition
informationÃâincluding the application, rules and regulationsÃâwhile additionally serving as a valuable tool for any and all aspiring entrepreneurs. Users can navigate through the site, seeking guidance from business
professionals, learn more about the competition from previous winners through their blog postings on ÃâMUES
Talk,Ãâ and get an exclusive, behind the scenes look at the competition via ÃâMUES TV.Ãâ
MillerCoors is proud to acknowledge its longtime national community partnerships with the Atlanta
Business League, the Chicago Urban League, the Detroit Urban League, the Greater Harlem Chamber
of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Dallas, the Urban League of Greater
Dallas and North Central Texas, Recycling Black Dollars of Los Angeles, the University of
Wisconsin at Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Urban League. In November of 2008, the MUES
program was also endorsed by the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC).
About MillerCoors
Built on a foundation of great beer brands and more than 288 years of brewing heritage, MillerCoors continues the commitment of its founders to brew the highest quality beers. MillerCoors is the second largest beer company in America, capturing nearly 30 percent of U.S. beer sales. Led by two of the best-selling beers in the industry, MillerCoors has a broad portfolio of highly complementary brands across every major industry segment. Miller Lite is the great tasting beer that established the American light beer category in 1975, and Coors Light is the brand that introduced consumers to refreshment as cold as the Rockies. MillerCoors brews full-calorie beers Coors Banquet and Miller Genuine Draft; and economy brands Miller High Life and Keystone Light. The company also imports Peroni, Pilsner Urquell and Molson Canadian and offers innovative products such as Miller Chill. MillerCoors features craft brews from the
Jacob Leinenkugel Company, Blue Moon Brewing Company and the Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company.
MillerCoors operates eight major breweries in the U.S., as well as the LeinenkugelÃâs craft brewery in Chippewa Falls, WI and two microbreweries, the LeinenkugelÃâs 10th Street Brewery in Milwaukee and the Blue Moon Brewing Company at Coors Field in Denver. MillerCoors vision is to become the best beer company in America by driving profitable industry growth. MillerCoors insists on building its brands the right way through brewing quality, responsible marketing and environmental and community impact. MillerCoors is a joint venture of SABMiller plc and Molson Coors Brewing Company.
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Flowers Communications Group
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