AT&T Proudly Presents the 32nd Installment of the Black History Month Digital Calendar, a Celebration of Remarkable Achievements and Contributions
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AT&T Proudly Presents the 32nd Installment of the Black History Month Digital Calendar, a Celebration of Remarkable Achievements and Contributions
February 3, 2025
Decades ago, AT&T embarked on a journey — one that has now become a time-honored tradition — of commemorating the profound impact and historical contributions that Black Americans have made to our communities. AT&T has always held the belief that thriving and dynamic communities make for the perfect environments to live, work, and nurture families. This initiative is a testament to that commitment.
In keeping with this enduring tradition, AT&T is delighted to introduce the 32nd edition of our Black History Month Digital Calendar. This interactive chronicle is a symbol of our respect for the distinguished Black leaders who have shaped the world we live in. These exceptional individuals serve as role models for the generations of tomorrow, inspiring them to reach for the stars. Our digital calendar serves not just as a testament to the honorees’ accomplishments, but also as an engaging tool to educate, inspire, and celebrate their legacy.
Check back throughout the month as we feature additional leaders:
Elaine Black
Ms. Black has been an advocate for community and economic development since the early 1970’s when she served as President of the Ad-Hoc Committee for Logan in Philadelphia, Pa, which advocated the creation of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) because banks were not investing in urban neighborhoods. She served on the first Federal Reserve Bank Board for CRA in Philadelphia.
She has held several positions in banking and government—including serving as the Deputy Director of Commerce for the City of Philadelphia and Executive Director for Tools for Change in Miami. She has served as the Secretary of the Super Bowl Host Committee and on other civic organizations in South Florida.
As President of the Liberty City Trust her responsibility is the development of the Liberty City Community focusing on improving the quality-of-life residents through housing and jobs.
She is currently Secretary of the Gwen Cherry Park Foundation, Vice President of the Belafonte TACOLCY Center, Inc., Chair of Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida. She is on the boards of I Have a Dream Foundation (IHAD), and National Association of Negro Women (NCNW)—the Miami Section.
The Miami Herald, el Nuevo Herald and their parent company, McClatchy selected Ms. Black as one of the 50 influential people in Florida, to be a part of the Influencer Project, a high-profile statewide initiative to fuel in—depth discussions about issues facing Floridians.
In 2024, Ms. Black received President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Volunteer Services.
She is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University. She has studied at Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, and Florida International University and in 2012 she received a Certification in Community Real Estate Development from University of South Florida.
Ms. Black is committed to working with individuals and organizations to achieve their goals — working together we achieve more.
Brian Butler
Brian Butler is President and CEO of Vistra Communications (Vistra), a Tampa, FL based integrated marketing, communications and consulting agency. Founded in 2007, Vistra has offices in Tampa and Northern Virginia and provides services to government, commercial and nonprofit clients. Vistra’s growing portfolio includes healthcare, education, transportation and infrastructure, among other client industries. Vistra supports over 12 federal government agencies and several Fortune 500 clients.
Brian is a combat-decorated, retired career military officer. Prior to founding Vistra, he provided strategic communications counsel to senior leaders at U.S. Central Command and served as a policy director on the Homeland Security Council in the White House. He also served as a Spokesperson for an Army Secretary and on the Communications Team for a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon. Brian also worked in the Washington, D.C. office of FleishmanHillard. Brian is an often-sought guest speaker and panel moderator on topics including leadership, entrepreneurship, diversity, and service.
Recognized for his leadership, Brian was named a Tampa Bay Business Journal Most Admired CEO, a Florida 500 Most Influential Business Leader, a Power 100 – Tampa Bay’s most influential leaders, as well as the Tampa Bay Chamber Outstanding Leader of the Year among other awards. The Tampa Bay Lightning honored Brian as the 480th Lightning Community Hero for his work in fostering change in our community. Brian received the United Negro College Fund Corporate Champion for Education Award and the Tampa Organization of Black Affairs (TOBA) Corporate Leadership Award. Brian was named 2023 Living Legend on the Florida Trend Florida 500 list.
Vistra Communications was the Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council 2020 Doing Well While Doing Good® Humanitarian Award winner and the 2019 Class 3 MBE Supplier of the Year, Tampa Bay Chamber 2016 Small Business of the Year, and the SBA South Florida District Veteran-Owned 2016 Small Business of the Year. Vistra was recognized as an Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Company.
Brian holds master’s degrees from the National War College and Central Michigan University, a bachelor’s degree from Hampton University and numerous certificates from leading universities and programs including the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program with Babson College.
An active and avid community leader and supporter, Brian serves on local and national boards including U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Veteran-Owned Businesses Association, Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council, Tampa Bay Partnership, Visit Tampa Bay and WEDU Public Broadcast Television. Brian served as the 2023 Chairman of the Tampa Bay Chamber Board of Directors. Brian founded the CEOs in Schools initiative with Hillsborough County Public Schools and co-created the Advancing Racial Equity on Nonprofit Boards Fellowship program with the Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay.
Christie Grays Chambers
Christie Grays Chambers is Vice President and Lead, Healthcare Practice and Lead, Culture & Inclusion at Blanca Commercial Real Estate, Inc., the leading independently owned commercial real estate services firm in Florida. With a highly specialized career spanning more than 25 years in commercial real estate and healthcare, Christie leads the expansion and client relations of the firm’s healthcare practice across all service lines. Under Christie’s leadership, the healthcare practice has grown from 5 buildings to 24 buildings totaling 1.7 million square feet.
Christie also leads the firm’s culture and inclusion initiatives serving as the liaison with corporate real estate directors and minority and woman-led certification organizations. She actively engages with HBCUs to bring in summer interns to introduce them to the world of commercial real estate.
Christie began her career in commercial real estate in 1996 as the first Black woman broker with Cushman & Wakefield in Florida. In 2000, she was recruited to Miami and worked at Codina Realty and Duke Realty, specializing in office and healthcare properties. She has successfully led the negotiations of significant lease transactions on behalf of both building owners and tenants.
Christie also served as the Director of Government and Community Relations for Baptist Health South Florida. There, she ensured positive relationships in business, government and civic communities were maintained, while managing the department’s multi-million-dollar budget.
Christie is a graduate of Spelman College and has her MBA from Alliance Manchester Business School having studied abroad in Manchester, England and Hong Kong. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. For the past 24 years in Miami, Christie’s involvement in the community has been extensive. Here are a select few.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION:
- Healthcare Realty Broker of the Quarter – 1Q2024
- Top Healthcare Professional, Legacy Magazine
- 40 Under 40, South Florida Business Journal
- Distinguished Young Leader, Thurgood Marshall College Fund
- Miami’s Most Powerful & Influential Black Leaders, Legacy Magazine
- Board Member of the Year, Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
- City Year Miami, Board Vice Chair – 2024
- Urban Land Institute Leadership Institute – Class of 2023
- Leadership Miami – Class of 2005
- Former South Florida President, National Association of Health Services Executives
- Former President, South Florida Chapter, National Alumnae Association of South Florida
Stanley G. Gray
Upon graduating from The United States Naval Academy Mr. Gray was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He served in Training, Infantry, Artillery, Ceremonial and Reconnaissance units where he commanded four companies for over three years until an injury forced him to resign his commission. While in the service, he graduated from a host of military courses/career schools to include the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Amphibious Warfare School, Airborne School, Scuba School, and The Marine Corps Amphibious Reconnaissance School. For his service, he was awarded several personal awards for both merit and leadership.
Upon entering Corporate America as a Human Resources Professional, he worked for several Corporate 100 Organizations. In his twelve years with Corporate America, he served over seven at the Director or V.P. level. His fields of expertise and passion were organizational development/effectiveness and labor/employee relations.
In 2001, he established his own H.R. practice that revolved around labor, organizational effectiveness, organizational development and executive search. In addition to his H.R. practice he developed a commercial real estate investment firm that provided housing for renters in the Tampa / St. Petersburg area.
While in Tampa he has served as both a member of the Board of Directors and as a member of the Executive Committee for the YMCA, The Boys and Girls Clubs, Tampa Leadership and Hillsborough Kids. In addition, he was commissioned as a member for the City of Tampa’s Code Enforcement Board and elected by his peers as the Co-Chairperson for the Board.
He has mentored a host of high school students while in Tampa. Additionally, he founded On Track, a tax-exempt not-for-profit organization established to “Sustain and Create Hope, Options, and Opportunity” for several of Tampa’s Title One School attendees. He is a founding member of Naval Academy’s Minority Association (Standing on the Shoulder of Giants), and the revived Urban League of Hillsborough County. In addition, he is a member of Keiser University’s Advisory Board, the Force Recon Association and is a Life Member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
Shantae Gilmer
Shantae Gilmer is the Chief Operating Officer of Premier Choice Group. She elevates brands and leaders through print and digital platforms to maintain their competitiveness and relevance in today’s marketplace. Public Relations is a specialty she has optimized at PCG.
She has worked with the Department of Juvenile Justice, Verizon, Boys and Girls Club of America and the State of Florida. Her ambition, supportive nature and innovative approach makes her a great partner to PCG’s CEO and founder, Shanae Hill. For over 20 years, Gilmer has worked in the private and public sectors and has experience in marketing, public relations, strategic planning, content creation, advertising, branding, executive coaching and change management.
Gilmer’s hobbies include writing, traveling, and listening to music. She holds a bachelor’s in health science education and a master’s in Health Administration from the University of Florida and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Alec Hall
Attorney Alec Fitzgerald Hall was reared by his maternal grandmother, the late Maggie Cleggette, along with his two brothers and sister in the Riverview Terrace Housing Projects in Tampa, Florida. Alec graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida with a bachelor of Arts degree in American history (post-bellum America). Alec formerly worked for the Florida Department of Corrections as a probation officer and later worked for the Florida Parole Commission as a parole examiner prior to attending law school. Alec received his Juris Doctor degree from Nova Southeastern University, Shepherd Broad Law Center, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Alec received his master of Divinity degree (in ministry) from Luther Rice University and Seminary in Lithonia, Georgia.
Alec has practiced law for over 26 years beginning his career as a state assistant public defender for Seminole and Brevard Counties. He has been an Assistant Federal Public Defender for the Middle District of Florida for over 24 years. On June 15, 2021, Alec was officially appointed as the Federal Public Defender for the Middle District of Florida by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Alec specializes in vertical criminal representation, which includes trial, appellate, and habeas corpus practice.
Alec is a member of the Florida and District of Columbia Bars. He is also a member of the United States Supreme Court, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida.
Alec is a 34 year and life member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Alec has previously received the Omega Man of the Year Award for his chapter, Pi Iota, for the State of Florida (two times), and for the Seventh District (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi) (two times).
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