Awards
The CLIMB Awards, Cincinnati Lifts Inclusion, and Minority Business, is powered by our partnership with the Cincinnati Business Courier. This annual event recognizes and honors the contributions of leading businesses and organizations going above and beyond to ensure a more inclusive and equitable community.
Each year, the Accelerator identifies and celebrates a portfolio firm that is excelling in community impact, innovation or pioneering the path for growth and a Goal Setter company that is creating opportunity through its commitment to a diversified supply chain and direct investment in minority businesses.
Nominations for Minority Business Accelerator Awards must be for a current portfolio company in good standing.
2021 CLIMB Awards
Even in the most challenging times, the best entrepreneurs find ways to excel. These MBE standouts showcase the strength and adaptability of our portfolio firms. Accelerator Champions are recognized each December during the CLIMB Awards.
Pace Setter Award
The Pace Setter Award recognizes the business that demonstrates the most significant year over year revenue growth, along with the most promising forecast for revenue growth in the year ahead.
Fresh off securing a transformational $45Million contract in 2021 from the U.S. Army of Corp of Engineers (USACE), Vazquez Commercial Contracting has continued to set the pace in teeing up federal construction contracts not only for its own organizational growth and expansion, but strategically and intentionally for the benefit of other minority-owned businesses in the Cincinnati region.
JOE VAZQUEZ
President & CEO
Community Impact Award
The Community Impact Award recognizes the business that has consistently demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to giving back to the community and reinvesting its time, talent, and treasure to making a lasting impact on the region.
As one of the early and most celebrated participants in the Minority Business Accelerator, RCF Group has a long and distinguished track record of making an extraordinary impact in both the regional and national business community. A small sample of the organization’s recent activities to impact the community consists of the following initiatives: “Grow Together”; “Touchdown For Hope”; the Black Leadership Forum; and the “Gatherings” monthly diverse networking sessions.
Carl Satterwhite
President & Owner
Scott Robertson
Chairman
Innovator of the Year
The Innovator of the Year Award recognizes the business that has taken unique and innovative approaches to reimagine how it conducts business while enhancing the growth and success of its operation.
The Bryants have integrated synergistic business models and leveraged a well-established supply chain to seamlessly source food items across three operating environments with precise delivery and execution. Aunty’s Homemade Food, located in Arlington Heights, is a leader in on-time delivery technology that allows the entire delivery network to view real-time progress against each stated customer timeline
Tennel Bryant
Co-Founder & President
Chanel Bryant
COO
Capacity to Excel Award
The Capacity to Excel Award recognizes the business that has taken comprehensive and demonstrated steps to optimally position itself for exponential growth.
Kurense’s extraordinary efforts over the past few years to set and achieve significant growth milestones, position itself for and receive investment capital from the Accelerator’s L. Ross Love GrowthBridge Fund, continue to build on the capacity and operations of the business, and presently position itself for a 7-figure investment opportunity to exponentially grow the business over the next 12-24 months are precisely the types of behaviors and positioning that the Capacity to Excel Award was founded upon.
Wyatt Goins
Co-Founder & President
Wade Goins
Co-Founder & CEO
Goal Setter of the Year
The Goal Setter of the Year Award recognizes the corporation that has taken unique and innovative approaches to reimagine how it leads in minority business development while enhancing its existing program.
P&G built on its existing positioning as a Billion Dollar Roundtable member to set bold and transformational objectives to increase minority business spending to unprecedented levels in the organization. P&G partnered with the Accelerator and other minority serving organizations in launching P&G’s Bold Action for Racial Equality (BARE) reflecting its bold vision to grow minority business spending. In parallel, P&G raised its diverse spending goals from $2 Billion currently to $5 Billion by 2030.