JM Family, Southeast Toyota and JM Lexus Announce 2014 African-American Achievers

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. - Feb. 18, 2014 - PRLog -- Colin Brown, president and CEO of JM Family Enterprises, Inc., announced the 2014 African-American Achievers. The four recipients will be honored for their contributions to South Florida at the 22nd annual African-American Achievers awards ceremony on Wednesday, April 9 at 6:15 p.m. at the Broward County Convention Center.

The 2014 African-American Achievers are:

  Marshall Davis - Arts & Culture
  Barbara Sharief - Business & Entrepreneurism
  Estella Pyfrom - Community Service
  James F. Griffin II - Education

In recognition of this year’s Achievers and their efforts to improve the quality of life in our community, JM Family and subsidiaries Southeast Toyota and JM Lexus will make a charitable contribution of $40,000 – $10,000 for each category – to the charity(ies) of the honoree’s choice. Including the contributions to be made this year, JM Family has donated more than $360,000 in the names of the African-American Achievers.

The 2014 honorees were selected by an independent panel of community leaders from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties that also included former Achievers. The selection committee reviewed nearly 200 nominations received after an extensive public outreach campaign.

“JM Family’s founder, Jim Moran, established the African-American Achievers awards in 1992 to say thank you to remarkable leaders in South Florida for their valuable service and contributions,” Brown said. “This year’s Achievers are no exception. Each is an inspiring individual who has gone above and beyond, and this is our opportunity to celebrate them for their selfless giving.”

Look for the 2014 Achievers and their stories in public service announcements by media partners WPLG Local 10, WPTV Channel 5, WEDR-FM 99 JAMZ, WHQT-FM HOT 105, WMBX-FM 102.3, and in print advertisements throughout South Florida.

*Click here (http://jmfeblogs.com/press-images/index.php/JM-Family-Sou...) to download individual headshots. Bios of the Achievers are included below.

About the 2014 Honorees:

Arts & Culture: Marshall Davis
Marshall Davis’ love for the arts started at a young age and has carried him through a widely successful and influential career in South Florida. For the past 30 years, Marshall has served as managing director for the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center where he helps residents experience history through unique educational programs. The center has undergone state-of-the-art improvements under his leadership, offering the community a place to gather for concerts, gallery exhibits and special events. Marshall’s enthusiasm was also the driving force for initiating the first Black Music Month and Jazz Month celebrations in his beloved hometown of Miami. Through his tireless work, Marshall shares his deep appreciation for African heritage and inspires future generations to enrich their lives through the arts.

Business & Entrepreneurism: Barbara Sharief
Barbara Sharief’s younger brother suffered from complex medical conditions, and as a child, she witnessed the difficulties he had with quality in-home health care. The experience sparked a life-long devotion to caring for others, one that she pursued through education and working at local hospitals. More than a decade ago, Barbara started South Florida Pediatric Homecare Inc., which employs 600 professionals and is regarded as one of the area’s most respected home health care operations. The strong emphasis Barbara places on caring for patients and comforting their families helps her company succeed, and it also influences her other passion – public service. As Commissioner of District 8 and Broward County Mayor, Barbara uses her professional savvy to focus on job creation and economic development, further strengthening the community where she lives and works.

Community Service: Estella Pyfrom
In one selfless act, Estella Pyfrom invested a large portion of her pension fund – one that she had earned working for the Palm Beach County school system for more than 40 years – to pursue her life-long dream of helping underprivileged children and their families. Today, Estella’s Brilliant Bus is a one-of-a-kind mobile learning center that travels to economically disadvantaged areas to help over 20,000 students achieve their academic potential and empower families to get involved in their education. Estella addresses other community issues as well, and has even turned her Brilliant Bus into a food pantry on wheels by partnering with Feeding South Florida to distribute essential needs to more than 3,000 individuals each month. Her dedication to serving others and commitment to giving back is changing lives for the better, one bus stop at a time.

Education: James F. Griffin II
James Griffin knows children have limitless potential – as long as they are given the proper resources and support to achieve greatness. During his tenure as an educator, he has transformed classrooms into international hubs where students connect with the world using the latest technology. James also strives to prepare youth for life beyond school through vigorous academic programs. Algebra U offers students an accelerated path for high-school level math and the Innovative Program centers on college readiness and vocational aptitudes. He has been awarded Principal of the Year accolades from Broward County and the state of Florida, as well as grant money to continue implementing virtual classrooms in area schools. James’ pursuit of providing children with the keys to success is shaping a brighter future for South Florida and beyond.

RSVP
The community is invited to attend the awards ceremony on Wednesday, April 9. To RSVP, visit www.africanamericanachievers.com or the African-American Achievers Facebook page, or call 866-516-2497.

Learn more about the program and past honorees at www.africanamericanachievers.com and become a fan on Facebook.

About JM Family Enterprises, Inc.
JM Family Enterprises, Inc. (http://www.jmfamily.com/), founded by Jim Moran in 1968, is a $12.5 billion diversified automotive company ranked No. 27 on Forbes’ list of “America’s Largest Private Companies.” It is also ranked No. 37 by FORTUNE® as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For,” its 16^th consecutive year on the list. JM Family has approximately 4,000 associates and its primary subsidiaries include: Southeast Toyota Distributors, the world’s largest independent distributor of Toyota and Scion vehicles; World Omni Financial Corp., a diversified financial services company; JM&A Group, one of the leading independent providers of finance and insurance (F&I) products in the automotive industry; JM Lexus, the largest volume Lexus dealership in the world; and JM Service Center LLC, the company’s internal shared services center. Headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Fla., JM Family has major U.S. operations in Jacksonville and Margate, Fla.; Commerce and Alpharetta, Ga.; Mobile, Ala. and St. Louis, Mo., in addition to offices in Mississauga, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec.