Ayanna Makalani (left) and Nellie Stokeld (right), two of Centro's 2016 Small Business Owner of the Year. Photo credit: Pavel Fedorov.
Our 2016 fall party and fundraiser celebrated Centro's first Small Business Owners of the Year: Ayanna Makalani, Owner of Heal Pilates, Nellie Stokeld, Owner and Queen at The Pie Shop, and Reem Assil, Owner of Reem's. We praise their accomplishments as successful small business entrepreneurs, but also as authentic and inspiring women leaders in the Bay Area.
Ayanna Makalani, Owner of Heal Pilates
Reem Assil, Owner of Reem's
Nellie Stokeld, Owner and Queen of The Pie Shop
The night also honored two colleagues, recipients of our Opportunity and Equity Maker Award: Claudia View, CEO at CAMEO and Trina Villanueva, Director of CSR and Foundation Officer at Union Bank. We feel extremely lucky to count them as allies in our shared work.
Trina Villanueva, Director of CSR and Foundation Officer at Union Bank
Oscar Domínguez, Board Member of CAMEO, accepting the award on behalf of Claudia Viek
We also used the stage to launch the first and only guide to help you shop local and small in the Bay Area from emerging entrepreneurs. We called it Meet the Neighbors, and we can't wait to see it become your trusted go-to place to discover and share new favorite local small businesses.
Thank you to all who braved the weather to support Centro, enjoy the food, the drinks, the company and the incredible music of Salt People. Thank you for being community and your genuine excitement for our mission.
Music sponsored by Salt People
Lastly, a shout out to filmmaker and photographer Pavel Fedorov, who captured the fun and the happy for us to share and remember! And our deepest gratitude to our event sponsors: Google.org, Port of Oakland, Union Bank and the University of San Francisco School of Management.
