Attorney to receive Unsung Hero Award

The 2016 Shining Light Regional Cooperation Awards will be presented to James B. Nicholson, Rev. Faith Fowler, Frederick W. Hoffman, and DeAnte Thompkins for their important contributions to progress, cooperation, and understanding in Southeast Michigan. They will be honored on Thursday, Oct. 6, at a special breakfast ceremony at the Ford Conference & Event Center in Dearborn beginning at 8 a.m.

James B. Nicholson, chairman, PVS Chemicals, Inc., will receive the Neal Shine Award for Exemplary Regional Leadership. He heads a family-owned, Detroit-based company in operation since 1945, and has an extraordinary history of leadership and stewardship in Southeast Michigan. The scope and breadth of his volunteer resume and generous financial support are exceptional. He is perhaps best known for his chairmanship of the Detroit Symphony and is currently chair of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.

Rev. Faith Fowler, executive director, Cass Community Social Services, and pastor of Cass Community United Methodist Church, will receive one of two Eleanor Josaitis Unsung Hero Awards for her commitment to serving the underprivileged. She is devoted to helping disadvantaged people in Detroit and beyond by providing food, housing, healthcare, and job/career training to better their lives and raise them out of poverty.

Frederick W. Hoffman, Of Counsel, Clark Hill PLC, will receive the second Eleanor Josaitis Unsung Hero Award. Hoffman has worn many hats over the years and is often called upon to help. He has been a lawyer, corporate executive, writer, public servant, volunteer, philanthropist, political strategist, Honorary German Consul, and friend, advisor and confidant to many. His wisdom, energy, and relationships throughout the business, political, and social fibers of our community have influenced meaningful progress and success – especially related to the auto industry, economic development, and job creation.

DeAnte Thompkins, metro region workforce development technician, Michigan Department of Transportation, will receive the Dave Bing Future Leader Award for his commitment to fostering opportunities for disadvantaged youth. After graduating from Northwood University, he joined MDOT and became director of the Metro Region’s Youth Development and Mentoring, Transportation and Civil Engineering (TRAC), and co-op programs. He has mentored and hired more than 700 students to date, focusing his energies on economically distressed areas that have traditionally been under-represented in the transportation industry.

Thom Linn, chairman emeritus and attorney, Miller Canfield, immediate past chair of the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition and co-chair of the Shining Light program said, “It is a special honor to salute these extraordinary leaders. They each, in their own way, have made significant contributions to the quality of life in Southeast Michigan.”

Joyce Jenereaux, president and publisher (retired) of the Detroit Free Press and co-chair of the Shining Light Awards program added, “We are proud to present such exceptional honorees. They exemplify the best of our community and show us the way to a better future for our citizens and our region.”

The Detroit Free Press and Metropolitan Affairs Coalition launched the Shining Light Awards in 2007 to highlight the critical importance of regional leadership and cooperation to the success of Southeast Michigan. The awards are named in memory of the late Neal Shine, former Detroit Free Press editor and publisher, who consistently demonstrated his dedication and commitment to the Greater Detroit community.

Visit their Web sites – www. ShiningLightAwards.com, www. mac-web.org, and www.freep.com to learn more.

The tenth annual awards ceremony and breakfast is open to the public. Tickets are $55; tables of 10 are $550. For ticket information, please go to www.shininglightawards.com or call 248-336-8623.