Baltimore Mayor’s Business Recognition Awards Honor Community Commitment

AFRO reports Mayor Brandon M. Scott recently hosted the 49th annual Mayor’s Business Recognition Awards alongside the Greater Baltimore Committee and Baltimore Development Corporation, highlighting 14 firms dedicated to Baltimore’s growth and community well-being. The ceremony, held on Dec. 13, recognized businesses with outstanding leadership and a commitment to enhancing the quality of life for Baltimore residents.

Mayor Scott emphasized the event’s goal of inspiring leaders to innovate ways to support their communities and contribute to the city’s overall progress. In a statement, Scott said, “Collectively, we can address Baltimore’s most pressing challenges, create opportunities for growth, and continue to strengthen our connections to one another.”

This year, the GBC shifted the awards ceremony to align with its multi-year agenda focused on advancing the Greater Baltimore region toward equitable economic growth. Awardees were evaluated based on their contributions in at least one of five categories, including economic opportunity, acting as ambassadors for the Baltimore region, local investment, supporting safe and vibrant communities, and community development.

Among the distinguished winners were the B&O Railroad Museum, Carefirst BlueCross BlueShield, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, Elocin Global Logistics, Hon’s Honey, No Struggle No Success, Northern Real Estate Urban Ventures, Parity, Pimlico Merchants Association, TEDCO, The BIT Center, UnitedHealthcare, The Verve Partnership, and Women of Valor.

Mark Anthony Thomas, president and CEO of GBC, expressed appreciation for the recognized organizations, stating, “The organizations celebrated with this year’s Mayor’s Business Recognition awards represent the type of transformation around economic opportunity that GBC has been working diligently toward fostering in the Baltimore region over the past 11 months.”

Parity, founded by Bree Jones in 2020, was recognized for its impactful community development work. The West Baltimore-based equitable development company employs a block-by-block approach to revitalize abandoned homes and create affordable homeownership opportunities. In June, Parity unveiled its first two completed homes in the Harlem Park neighborhood, with plans to renovate an additional 94 homes in the coming years.

Bree Jones, CEO and founder of Parity expressed gratitude for the acknowledgment, stating, “I appreciate GBC and the mayor for recognizing our small but mighty organization, working on the ground to tackle the vacancy issue while building wealth for Black homeowners.”

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