The 2nd Impact Honors Dinner and Gala to Honor Fathers on June 15

Father's Day is on the horizon, and you are looking for the best opportunity to celebrate, right?

Well, Impact Church on Sylvan Road in East Point has the perfect evening planned! Join us for an actual VIP experience including a delectable four-course dinner and world-class entertainment as we honor the men in your life and eight others designated as Impact Honors Honorees for their contributions to their families and the community.

Impact Honors is one of a series of events under the auspices of More Than Possible, a financial campaign designed to revitalize the Tri-Cities community and beyond. The funds raised will benefit Fiscally Fit, a program established to increase financial literacy; the development of a business incubation center that will foster local entrepreneurship; and the creation of an educational center for youth where they can learn technology.

Hosted for the second year by WSB TV News anchor Jovita Moore, this Father's Day Eve event is an excellent alternative to traditional observances. Impact Church Chief Financial Officer Theodore Florence says, " We are proud of our honorees and are excited to share their commitment to the community with others. And, it is equally as important to us, to toast all men who fulfill the father role in some capacity in the lives of those they encounter at home, at work, and in the community."

CFO Florence says, "This event is open to the public, and like our host, Jovita Moore says, "It's the perfect destination for your entire family to celebrate the important men in your lives."; and, I agree!"

JOIN THE CELEBRATION - PURCHASE TICKETS HERE!

2019 Impact Honors Award Recipients
(click here to view full bios)

Jason Carter CEO, One Music Fest

Jason “J” Carter is a charismatic and engaging entrepreneur with over 17 years of Lifestyle
Marketing and Business Start-Up experience.

He has founded several organizations including SoL Fusion Media Group, a creative brand, and event management agency, ONE Musicfest, a sell-out annual urban progressive music festival, Red Creative, a marketing, digital media, and graphic design firm, and Ice Pick, LLC, alive event venue ownership and management company.

In recognition of his work in Brand Marketing and Event Production, he has received Heineken's Independent Achiever Award, the Coors Light Brand Marketer of the Year and the prestigious Phoenix Award from the City of Atlanta. Featured in various lifestyle publications including, Billboard, Rolling Stone, Black Enterprise, Huffington Post, Ebony, MTV.com, The Atlantan Magazine, Jezebel Magazine, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, VIBE Magazine, Uptown Magazine, Creative Loafing and others. Hardy's commitment to his profession is evident.

J. Carter is a founding member of the Georgia Entertainment Caucus. He serves on the board of the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, and is a member of 100 Black Men of Atlanta and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.

The Harlem, New York native and graduate of Florida A&M University resides in Atlanta, GA with his wife and two sons.

Larry Dingle Partner -Wilson, Brock, and Irby, L.L.C.

Larry Dingle's primary practice areas are zoning, land use, and local government law and land use litigation. As a partner at Wilson, Brock, and Irby, LLC he has earned high prestige through his representation of clients such as Sax Fifth Avenue.

Larry Dingle's prior and current community service includes the Board of Directors for the Bank of North Georgia; Chairman of the Board of the Southeast Energy Assistance (Georgia's largest non-profit weatherization agency); Chair of the Board of Directors of Central Fulton Senior Services; and Georgia State University’s Board of Visitors. Mr. Dingle has been a member of the Georgia Bar Association for twenty years.

Attorney Dingle received his undergraduate degree and his law degree from Georgia State University. He served as Clerk of Council for the City of Atlanta from 1977-1990. Dingle is the co-author of Major Land Use Laws in Georgia, which was published by the National Business Institute, Inc., in 1990. Mr. Dingle earned distinction in the City of Atlanta as a civil servant and attorney and has been recognized nationally for contributions to the practice of law.

Javarro "Jay" Edwards
CEO, JME Group, LLC

Jay founded the JME Group, LLC, a successful Atlanta-based business specializing in specialty retail, food and beverage concessions in the aviation space. Focused on quality and strategic growth, JME Group has an expanding national presence. In its twelfth year, JME currently has concessions operations in multiple airports around the country. These airports include JFK in New York, Denver, Newark, Los Angeles, and Kauai.

In addition to his professional endeavors, Jay is a civic leader in the Atlanta community. Most notable, Jay is a loyal and committed alumnus of his alma mater Morehouse College. He is an active member of the College's National Alumni Association and currently serves as the President of the Metro Atlanta Alumni Chapter. Jay is an inductee of the Henry Morehouse Society for his charitable commitment to the College.

Additionally, Jay is an active member of Kappa Boule’ of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Eta Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and 100 Black Men of DeKalb County. Continuing his passion for youth athletics and sports, Jay is an NCAA Division 1 football referee in the PAC-12 Conference.

Jay is married to Tiffany Cochran Edwards, and they are the proud parents of their daughter Emerson. They worship at Impact United Methodist Church. In his spare time, Jay enjoys as much golf as possible.

Rob Hardy Director, Writer, and Producer

Rob Hardy, a 2014 NAACP Image Award nominee, broke into network television with his January 2007 directorial debut of the Emmy Award-winning show ER. Soon after, Black Enterprise Magazine listed him among the Top 40 Entertainers Under 40 for the year 2008.

Since recently Executive Producing No Good Deed for Sony Pictures, Hardy has returned to television with directing stints on several shows including: Empire, Power, How to Get Away with Murder, The Flash, The Blindspot, Criminal Minds, Being Mary Jane, Arrow, Castle, Grey’s Anatomy, The Vampire Diaries, Bones, The Originals, Finding Carter, and Satisfaction.

Rob Hardy graduated from the New York Film Academy and has directed commercial projects for clients, including CNN, TBS (Turner Broadcasting), American Honda, Coca-Cola, Georgia Lottery and The National Cancer Institute. He serves on the Advisory Board for the International Feature Project (IFP) Film Lab series and is a lifetime member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He is also a public speaker who recently launched a one-person live stage show series, called Amazing Stories.

Hardy resides in Atlanta, GA with his wife and two sons.

Juan and Gee Smalls Owners, Virgil's Gullah Kitchen Founders

Juan and Gee are a successful Atlanta-based couple, certified Relationship and Life coaches, philanthropists, and entrepreneurs and fathers of 18-year-old Gee Smalls, Jr.

Since 2008, Juan & Gee have dedicated their careers to helping the underserved Black LGBTQ
community by blogging, speaking, coaching, interviewing and working in-the-trenches to empower others to have healthy relationships and experience their best lives. Juan & Gee’s passion for improving the lives of the forgotten and disenfranchised within their community led to the creation of Love Works shortly after they married in 2009, where they strive to help couples of all persuasions find the love that works for them.

In 2011, the duo started created The Gentlemen’s Ball, which is an annual Black-Tie Gala that celebrates black LGBT people and allies for their work in creating social change. By 2014 the yearly Fundraiser evolved into The Gentlemen’s Foundation, a 501c3 organization.

Juan & Gee are also recent restaurateurs, with the opening of Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen & Bar in Historic college park in June of 2019. In addition to media appearances, their expertise and unique perspective are in demand by a diverse group of clients, including major corporations, public institutions, government agencies, and philanthropic organizations.

DePriest Waddy Executive Director of Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity

DePriest Waddy's experience leading transformative growth across a diverse portfolio of businesses has positioned him well as the Executive Director to accelerate the mission of the Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity (JCCE). One of the largest Community Action Agencies in Alabama; JCCE has a $30 million budget and over 500 employees.

DePriest has 30 years of executive leadership experience in strategic fundraising, operations, and marketing with various corporate, and Atlanta-are national non-profit organizations. In addition to serving as Regional Director with United Way of Greater Atlanta; his entrepreneurial spirit in his work and turnaround expertise strengthened the organizations previously under his leadership including Year Up, Prevent Child Abuse Georgia; Big Brothers Big Sisters, Atlanta Public Schools Project GRAD Atlanta. AT&T and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

He is an active mentor and has established a legacy in youth and workforce development programs. Fueled by his faith, family, and friends, DePriest believes his many successes are a gift from God. He and his wife believe in sharing their many blessings and endowed The Carol and DePriest Waddy Scholarship through Cascade United Methodist Church.

DePriest has served on and chaired several non-profit boards including DeKalb Workforce Development, Travelers Aid, TechBridge, Inc., and Odyssey Atlanta.

DePriest holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from The University of Alabama and a Master of Business Administration degree from Kennesaw State University. DePriest and his wife, Carol have been married for 25 years and have one adult daughter and a new granddaughter.

Tirrell D. Whittley CEO, Liquid Soul

Tirrell D. Whittley is the visionary and executive leader of LIQUID SOUL. Since founding the company in 2001, it has grown into one of the nation’s leading brand marketing agencies specializing in advertising, marketing, social media, and publicity for entertainment, sports, and corporate brands. Recognized as an expert in millennial and multicultural marketing, Mr. Whittley has become a trusted advisor for brands looking to find impactful ways to target consumers.

Under his leadership, LIQUID SOUL has developed marketing and distribution campaigns for an astounding slate of films and television shows. His portfolio includes such legendary properties and blockbuster hits as Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy, 42: The Jackie Robinson Story, War of the Planet of the Apes, Game of Thrones, Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Fast & Furious 6, Black-ish, The Voice, Empire, Power, and numerous others.

To date, the go-to agency’s strategies have driven results for over thirty #1 studio films and more than 150 films that have generated over $3 Billion at the box office. The company’s corporate clients include such iconic brands as Walmart, Coca-Cola, General Mills, Home Depot, NCAA, and AT&T.

Mr. Whittley has been received recognition as the Atlanta Business League’s “Entrepreneur of the Year,” Florida A&M University’s “School of Business & Industry (SBI) Hall of Fame” Inductee, and the “Film Advocate Award” from the BronzeLens Film Festival. He is also a recipient of an “Innovators Award” from the Black Women in Film Network and is among the Who’s Who in Atlanta and Atlanta Tribunes “Top 25 Architects of Success”.

About Impact Church
“Impact Church is a multicultural gathering of people who are committed to sharing the love of Christ with the world.” Located in East Point, Georgia, Impact is about the business of “doing church differently” in the greater Atlanta community, across the nation and the world.

Impact Church on Sylvan
2323 Sylvan Road
Worship Experiences t 8:00 am; 10:00 am and 12 noon.

Our Vision - An inclusive gathering of people committed to holistic salvation and doing Christ's work in the world.
Our Purpose - To transform lives and communities as we make an impact in our world.

About Impact Honors and More Than Possible

Impact Honors is one of a series of events under the auspices of More Than Possible, a financial campaign designed to revitalize the Tri-Cities community and beyond. The funds raised will benefit Fiscally Fit, a program established to increase financial literacy; the development of a business incubation center that will foster local entrepreneurship; and the creation of an educational center for youth where they can learn technology.

For more information on Impact Church and the programs and services, click here.