Holland & Knight Sponsors Washington Business Journal's Minority Business Leader Awards

WASHINGTON (March 21, 2014) - Holland & Knight was proud to sponsor the Washington Business Journal's Minority Business Leader Awards presented at an evening reception on March 20. Now in its seventh year, this program recognizes Washington's top minority business owners and executives based on their success, leadership and community involvement.

"Holland & Knight knows how important it is to include everyone in our business community and to recognize those who contribute to our region's success," said Paul Kiernan, executive partner of the Washington office. "We are proud to sponsor this unique event that shines the spotlight on those who make things happen in and around Washington—the game-changers who are spurring the region’s growth."

"There is a reason why we have been a part of this program since its inception," said La Fonte Nesbitt, the Holland & Knight partner who originally caused the firm to join with the Washington Business Journal to sponsor these awards when he headed the firm's Washington area offices. "It is wonderful to see that these awards have become such an established part of the D.C. business scene. The number of nominations and number of attendees at this year's award program affirm how important these recognitions have become. It was a wonderful and inspiring evening."

In addition to being recognized at the reception, the 2014 recipients were profiled in the Washington Business Journal. They are:

• Mario Acosta-Velez, Verizon
• Brian E. Argrett, City First Bank of D.C.
• Andre Banks, Forest City Washington
• Alex Barron, Walmart, U.S.
• Kenneth J. Brewer, Sr., H Street Community Development Corp.
• Timothy Chi, Wedding Wire, Inc.
• Kris Collo, MicroPact, Inc.
• Valarie Dock, Bolana Enterprises, Inc.
• Al Espinoza, Innotion Enterprises, Inc.
• Andres Gonzalez, Finesa Real Estate Group
• Carl Hairston, M&T Bank
• Randy Hayman, D.C. Water and Sewer Authority
• Linnie Haynesworth, Northrop Grumman Corp.
• Sonny Kakar, Sevatec, Inc.
• Clayton Lawrence, Lawrence Executive Alliance of Professionals (LEAP) LLC
• Yoon-Young Lee, Wilmer cutler Pickering Hale and Door LLP
• Michael Marshall, Marshall Moya Design LLC
• Bo Menkiti, The Menkiti Group & Kelly Williams Capital Properties
• Paola Moya, Marshall Moya Design LLC
• Dolly Oberoi,  C2 Technologies, Inc.
• Cassandra Pinkney, Eagle Academy PCS
• Deborah Scott Thomas, Data Solutions & Technology, Inc.
• Venkat Subramanian, Angarai International, Inc.
• David Thomas, Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business
• Joseph West, Minority Corporate Counsel Association, Inc.

A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Barbara Lang, former president of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce.