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2008 Chrysler Financial/NNPA Foundation Entrepreneurial Award Program
Washington, D.C – The Washington Informer and The (Memphis) Tri-State Defender have been named winners of the 2008 Chrysler Financial/NNPA Foundation Entrepreneurial Award—a unique award that recognizes the nation’s black-owned newspapers for their entrepreneurial accomplishments and commitment to community service. The Entrepreneurial Award seeks to encourage members of the Black Press of America to look beyond traditional streams of revenue, such as advertising, and to develop creative ways to thrive in today’s competitive media industry.
“These two publications exemplify the spirit of the Entrepreneurial Award in their ability to implement innovative ways to grow their businesses while staying true to their mission to inform and serve their communities,” said William Jones, Chief Operating Officer for Chrysler Financial.
The Washington Informer won grand prize for The Birney Informer, a supplement produced entirely by third- and fourth-grade students at Birney Elementary School in Southeast Washington, D.C. The Birney Informer is distributed as an insert in The Informer newspaper each month. An additional 1,000 copies are distributed to the school for students, teachers and parents, which increased the overall circulation of the newspaper. In addition, The Birney Informer is posted and archived on The Informer’s Web site. “The Informer’s involvement with this project took it beyond a mere mentoring program,” said Jones. “This project not only contributes to the positive self-esteem of the students, but The Informer is using it as an opportunity to promote literacy in the community as a whole, while continuing to expand the newspaper’s brand and increase its advertising and subscription base.
This is the second consecutive year The Washington Informer has won the Entrepreneurial Award. As grand prize winner, publisher Denise Rolark Barnes received a $10,000 cash award, as well as the use of a Chrysler, Jeep® or Dodge vehicle for one week. In addition, the publisher was presented with an original sculpture, designed especially for the Entrepreneurial Award by Washington, D.C. artist Cheryl Foster.
The 2008 Entrepreneurial Award Honorable Mention prize went to executive editor Dr. Karanja A. Ajanaku and The (Memphis) Tri-State Defender for their campaign to educate the Memphis community about the importance of tipping—a very potent issue, since the restaurant industry is a major employer in the community. The campaign not only helped to increase the newspaper’s bottom line, but affected an entire segment of the Memphis economy. For its efforts, the Tri-State Defender was awarded a $2,500 cash prize and a commemorative plaque.
The Entrepreneurial Award entries were judged on the basis of seven criteria: originality of idea; creativity; innovative use of resources; entrepreneurial spirit, strategic planning; plan execution and community benefit. This year’s panel of independent judges included Gail Perry-Mason, First Vice President of Investments for Oppenheimer & Co. and author of Girl, Make Your Money Grow: A Sister’s Guide to Protecting Your Future and Enriching Your Life (Random House, 2003); Ken Smikle, publisher of Target Market News; entrepreneur Monte Long, owner of Vicksburg Chrysler/Jeep in Michigan and Karen Dinkins, reporter for WWJ-AM/CBS Radio in Detroit.
About Chrysler Financial
Chrysler Financial offers automotive financial products and services to both dealers and consumers of Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. In addition to offering vehicle wholesale and retail financing to more than 3,500 Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge dealers, Chrysler Financial also provides fleet management and lines of credit to dealers. Currently, nearly three million drivers in the United States enjoy the benefits of leasing or financing with Chrysler Financial. Chrysler Financial has an employee base of 4,000 and supports a global portfolio of $70 billion. For more information visit corp.chryslerfinancial.com.
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