Since 2019, the Cincinnati Regional Chamber has recognized and celebrated a class of exceptional Black leaders who are making a difference in their fields and their communities. These leaders are business influencers, artists, entrepreneurs, mentors, and volunteers who lead with passion and vision to create a better tomorrow for the Cincinnati region. This year’s We Are Making Black History honorees were celebrated at the Chamber’s Annual Dinner on February 29.
Tracey Artis
CEO of I Hear Music Now Inc.
A prominent force in the gospel music industry, Artis is best known for her marketing, brand consulting, and radio promotion expertise that has helped launch more than 50 Billboard No. 1 singles. Her promotions and marketing firm, I Hear Music Inc., has produced the “I Hear Music in the Air Conference” annually in Cincinnati for 23 years. “The legacy that I hope to leave behind is one of servanthood. … Those that serve, those are the greatest among us.”
Keith Borders
Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer and VP Community Development at Union & Guardian Savings Bank
A multilayered career in corporate litigation management, employment law, and DEI strategies has positioned Borders to succeed in his current facets of economic and community development that promote homeownership lending opportunities. “I imagine and hope for the future of Cincinnati that it continues to be a center of empowerment and opportunity not only for a few, but for everyone.”
Patrice Borders
CEO and Founder of Amplifyei
Borders is a workplace consultant who helps organizations build mindful, emotionally intelligent leadership. Her neuroscience- based methodology equips leaders to navigate stress, uncertainty, and conflict while protecting their personal and professional well-being. “The best advice I received was to be present: to be here, now, and in this moment.”
Vernon Jackson
CEO and Founder of Noble Barber & Beauty, Creator of The Gifted Event
In his Corryville salon, Jackson hosts The Gifted Event, a service that delivers haircut experiences to children with special needs through patience, empathy, accommodation, and understanding. His work has garnered more than 30 million social media views and earned Jackson a guest appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show. “When you live some place your whole life, you give it so much of yourself. … It’s a relationship.”
Danielle Lewis Jones
Head of Communications for Kroger Health
A lifelong Cincinnatian, Lewis Jones held prominent public relations positions for Fifth Third Bank and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital prior to her current role at Kroger Health. She is a mentor for young women and a board member for Ladies of Leadership and serves on LifeCenter’s Donor Family Council. “I love our little big city. The degrees of separation are small, which means the connections are tight.”
Alandes Powell
Executive Director and Co-Founder of Black Art Speaks
In 2020, Powel co-founded Black Art Speaks, a nonprofit dedicated to elevating artists and promoting cultural expression. She participates in multiple community boards and initiatives, including the Cincinnati Black Lives Matter Mural, that champion social justice, the arts, and community development. “At the end of my days, what I want is to not have left anything on the table undone.”
Robert Sanders
Principal and Founder of Sanders Development Group
A native of Over-the-Rhine, Sanders graduated from Taft High School and Ohio State University before founding Sanders Development Group in 2019. The group recently completely a $4 million renovation of Triversity Construction’s headquarters in Walnut Hills. “Education 100% changed the opportunities that I’ve had in my life. … I just want people to have opportunity, because if you give people opportunities, for the most part they will take advantage of them.”
Rolanda J. Wilkerson
Senior Director and Fellow of Beauty Care at Procter & Gamble
With a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Louisiana State University, Wilkerson’s 18-year career with P&G has helped pioneer research to advance the inclusivity of multicultural hair, skin, and personal care product designs. She is a passionate advocate for women in STEM careers. “When there’s a level of satisfaction in the work that you do every single day, that’s success.”
