TORONTO, ON, April 12, 2022 – The Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA) announces its 40th Annual BBPA Harry Jerome Awards Gala on Saturday April 30, 2022, at Beanfield Center, Exhibition Place. After running virtually in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the much-anticipated event will return to an in-person format in 2022. The event will begin at 5 pm with a cocktail reception, followed by the awards gala at 6:30 pm.
“We are thrilled that our gala will return to an in-person format so that we can continue this inspiring tradition of coming together to celebrate excellence in the Black business community,” said Nadine Spencer, CEO of the BBPA. “Due to the impact of COVID-19, we desperately need financial support to assist people facing business challenges. The BBPA Harry Jerome Awards Gala is a huge community fundraising effort and we are grateful for the unwavering support of our donors, corporate sponsors, and many volunteers.”
The Harry Jerome Awards acknowledge and celebrate the evolution, innovation and leadership of key individuals in the Black community. The recipients of these awards have changed and improved their various sectors, with a proven and demonstrated track record of supporting the Black community. The announcement of the recipients today, Tuesday, April 12, 2022, is the first step in celebrating their outstanding achievements. Through the BBPA Harry Jerome Awards Gala, their work will be further highlighted and others will be inspired to do even more to help advance our community.
Established in 1983 in memory of the late Harry Jerome, a Canadian Olympian and social advocate, the BBPA Harry Jerome Awards recognizes and honours achievements within the Canadian Black community. This fundraising event supports the BBPA’s work in promoting the professional and business advancement of Black Canadians.
The BBPA Harry Jerome Awards is recognized as one of the most prestigious national awards in Canada. Honourees receive awards in 12 categories, including RBC Young Entrepreneur, Professional Excellence, Leadership, Arts, Business, Lifetime Achievement, President’s Award, Diversity, Athletics, Decade Leader, and Technology. This year, a newly added category, TheInternational Leader Award will honour Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados.
“The addition of the International Leader Award is an exciting moment for the BBPA, as it makes the Harry Jerome Awards a truly global endeavor,” said BBPA Interim President Ross Cadastre. “We are proud to honour Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados as our first recipient of the HJA International Leader Award and look forward to celebrating international excellence on an ongoing basis in the future.”
The BBPA is proud to honour and celebrate the following 2022 award honourees:
- RBC Young Entrepreneur Award – Trent Out Loud (Award Sponsor RBC)
- Professional Excellence Award – Eleanor Beaton (Award Sponsor Zoosh Service Enterprise)
- Leadership Award – David Simmonds (Award Sponsor TD Bank Group)
- Arts Award – Siphe November (Award Sponsor BrandEQ Agency)
- Business Award – Mark Harrison (Award Sponsor Bell)
- Lifetime Achievement – Joe Halstead (Award Sponsor BBPA)
- President’s Award – Amaka Umeh (Award Sponsor BBPA)
- Diversity Award – Navdeep Bains (Award Sponsor Loblaw Companies Limited)
- Jerome Family Athletics Award – Cynthia Appiah (Award Sponsor Apothic Wines)
- Decade Leader Award – David Mitchell (Award Sponsor Diversity Institute)
- Technology Award – Jonah Chininga (Award Sponsor PepsiCo)
- International Leader Award in Economic Growth – Mia Mottley, P.M. Barbados (Award Sponsor BBPA)
Event Information: The 40th Annual BBPA Harry Jerome Awards will be held on April 30, 2022. Online tickets for the Harry Jerome Awards are $250. To learn more about the gala, visit harryjeromeawards.com
About the Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA): Founded in 1983, the BBPA is a charitable organization whose mission is to advance Canada’s Black community by facilitating the delivery of programs that support business and professional excellence, higher education, and economic development. Along with the Annual Harry Jerome Awards, the BBPA presents workshops and programs at the BBPA Centre of Excellence, the BBPA National Scholarships, and the National Black Business Convention (NBBPC). For more information, please visit the BBPA online at www.bbpa.org.
Media contacts:
Elayna Paula
hello@sixthgeneration.ca
647 514 6632
Nadine Spencer
nadine@bbpa.org
416 315 0697
