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Wells Fargo and the National Black MBA Association Honor Distinguished African American Entrepreneurs

^{Published on 2010-09-16 05:05:49 - Market Wire}
 

LOS ANGELES--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--For the fourth consecutive year, Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC), the nationa™s largest lender to small businesses, and the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA^®) will honor African American entrepreneurs with the NBMBAA/Wells Fargo Entrepreneur Excellence Award. This yeara™s winners are Sandra Maxwell Brooks, owner of Total Care and Concern, Inc. in Charlotte, NC; and Yohance and Di Yonna Mitchell of Vision Tutoring, LLC in Rex, GA.

"This yeara™s winners are prime examples of successful businesses that are dedicated to making a positive impact in their communities"

The winners will be recognized at the NBMBAA Membership Meeting and Awards Reception at the NBMBAA Conference in Los Angeles on Friday, September 24. The award winners, who will each receive $5,000, were selected from a nationwide pool of applicants and were evaluated based on their companiesa™ business performance, innovation, growth and personal service to the community.

Total Care and Concern, Inc., owned by Sandra Maxwell Brooks of Charlotte, NC, is dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities. By providing individualized developmental and cognitive programs, the company aims to maximize independence, productivity and quality of life. Services include residential support for independent living, employment training, and community activities. For more information, visit: [ www.totalcareandconcern.org ].

Vision Tutoring, LLC, owned by Yohance and Di Yonna Mitchell of Rex, GA, provides one-on-one instruction to students in grades 1-12, seven days a week. Lessons are specifically designed to meet each student's unique needs in order to build confidence, develop work ethic, and motivate. Approved by the Georgia Department of Education, Vision Tutoring has made a positive difference in the lives of hundreds of students since 2003. For more information about Vision Tutoring, visit: [ www.visiontutoring.org ].

aThis yeara™s winners are prime examples of successful businesses that are dedicated to making a positive impact in their communities,a said Brenda Ross-Dulan, regional president for Wells Fargoa™s Southern New Jersey region and national spokesperson for Wells Fargoa™s African American Business Services program. aWells Fargo is proud to recognize the owners of Total Care and Concern, Inc. and Vision Tutoring, LLC for their social entrepreneurship and perseverance.a

aThese award winners share our mutual dedication to entrepreneurship and community service,a said NBMBAA Interim CEO, Stephen Lewis, aThis yeara™s award winners have brought their passions and talents to the table and have built exemplary businesses. It is inspiring to see the creative potential that comes from combining business savvy and personal interests.a

Wells Fargoa™s African American Business Services program provides outreach and education to African American business owners through resources including workshops, seminars, tradeshows, and regional and national alliances. In 2008, Wells Fargo joined with the National Black MBA Association to launch the Entrepreneurial Institute, a forum that supports both aspiring and experienced entrepreneurs in accessing the resources they need to grow and succeed financially.

About National Black MBA Association

Established in 1970, the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) is dedicated to developing partnerships that result in the creation of intellectual and economic wealth in the black community through its five channels of engagement: education, career, leadership, entrepreneurship and lifestyle. With 50-plus chapters, a membership base of more than 8,000 and more than 400 corporate partners, the NBMBAA provides access to its constituents through services such as the Annual NBMBAA Conference, local empowerment initiatives and other programs. The NBMBAA Conference is the nation's largest professional African American conference and exposition. To learn more about the NBMBAA, or to become a member, visit [ www.nbmbaa.org ].

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.2 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 10,000 banking stores, 12,000 ATMs, the Internet (wellsfargo.com and wachovia.com), and other distribution channels across North America and internationally. With more than 278,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in America. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked #19 on Fortunea™s 2009 rankings of Americaa™s largest corporations. Wells Fargoa™s vision is to satisfy all our customersa™ financial needs and help them succeed financially.

Wells Fargo is Americaa™s #1 small business lender (2008 Community Reinvestment Act government data) and a leading lender to women- and diverse-owned businesses. Through its award-winning online advice library of businessresources, including topical videos andwebcasts, Wells Fargo provides business owners with timely advice and information to help them succeed financially. For more information, speak with a Wells Fargo banker, visit [ wellsfargo.com/biz ] or call the National Business Banking Center at 1-800-CALL-WELLS.