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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 13, 1992                   TAG: 9202130395
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S-6   EDITION: METRO  
SOURCE: Lisa Swirsky
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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100 HONOR OWNERS OF 9 BLACK BUSINESSES

Attendees were decked out in floor-length gowns and tuxedos, and small samples of cologne topped every napkin, but thoughts of the recession were still in the air Friday night at the second annual NAACP ball that honored black businessmen and businesswomen.

"Many of you . . . have great faith in your country or you could not be in business," said Sylvester Jennings, the keynote speaker at the event.

Jennings is president of First State Bank in Danville. Opened in 1919, First State is one of the oldest black-owned and -operated banks in Virginia.

Mayor Noel Taylor, also on hand to address the honorees, described the gains made by blacks in Roanoke since he came to the city in 1961.

"It was another time in history. The business horizon has broadened tremendously for black entrepreneurs," he said.

Taylor said he thought events such as the ball are tremendous ways of encouraging black businessmen. He said the black community must strive to "provide goods and services that not only minorities will want but also that the majority of people will want, too."

More than 100 people turned out to honor the owners of nine Roanoke Valley businesses.

The honorees were: Robert Akerson of Bob's Car Corner; Howard Childress of Childress Building and Remodeling Contractors; Kenneth Haley of Property Maintenance Corp.; Robert Hughes of Omirr's Restaurant and Lounge; Vanessa Moyer of Vanessa's Beauty Boutique; Lowell and Alice Reeves of Lowell's Restaurant and Supper Club; Hayward Statum of Lincoln Mercury Inc.; and Phillip Wright of Wright's Refrigeration, AC/Heating. - LISA SWIRSKY

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