King Crush Thursday - The Interviews

Dr. Kenneth Scott, President/CEO,  Beech Companies is well known throughout the Philadelphia region for his support and commitment to community service. His work has produced comprehensive development in the areas of Business, Education, Finance, Media, Philanthropy, Real Estate Development and Technology. Dr. Scott currently serves as the President of the Beech Companies (Beech Interplex, Inc., B...

Charles Watkins was born and raised in New Orleans, LA. He attended McDonogh 35 Sr. High, Columbus State University in Columbus, GA and law school at LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center. Charles has been a prosecutor his entire career. Starting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana then going to Waycross, GA and Atlanta, GA. Currently he is a federal prosecutor in Buffalo NY. Check out the VIDEO of this interview!

Shane Nelson is a Black and Indian educator, social impact innovator, and entrepreneur. He thrives off of building value-based collaborations for students and organizations. Shane graduated from Drexel University in 2016 and Syracuse University in 2019. Outside of work, Shane reads, cooks, and sneaks a tv show in when he can. Check out the VIDEO of this Interview!

John William, Flautist, born John William Conner, is vastly emerging as one of the premier flautist in the music industry. The Atlanta native prides himself on producing a unique sound that keeps his audience captivated until the very last note. From the mesmerizing melodies to the hypnotic harmonies, John believes that music is a conduit for one to achieve inner peace and tranquility. John prides...

Brandon Chastang aka B Mcfly  which stands for Being Motivated Comes From Loving Yourself, reenacts real life scenarios through skits to spread awareness while being sober. He has been clean since 2018 and serves as a powerful role model for others and activist for change in our community.

David W. Brown has owned or managed five advertising/public relations firms throughout his 30+ career in Philadelphia. His most successful venture was BrownPartners, – which operated from 2002 – 2011 – and became one of the most decorated minority-owned ad agencies in the history of Philadelphia’s advertising industry. The company won almost every award in the field including three Pepperpots from...

Mark Prince was born and raised in Washington, DC and a proud 3rd generation graduate of Howard University. Mark is married to Karen Prince (whom he met at Howard) for 14+ years, with a beautiful 12 yr old daughter, McKenzie.vMark has maintained an international footprint as a top tier musician and recording artist for the last 25 years. Touring and recording with some of the world’s greatest arti...

Sharif El-Mekki  is the Founder and CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development . The Center exists to ensure there will be equity in the recruiting, training, hiring, and retention of quality educators that reflect the cultural backgrounds and share common socio-political interests of the students they serve. The Center is developing a nationally relevant model to measurably increase teacher...

Dr. Oscar Holmes IV is the founder of WHConsulting Firm, LLC and creator and host of Diversity Matters podcast which premiered in 2020. Additionally, he is the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs, an Associate Professor of Management and the Rutgers University Student Executive (RUSE) Director at Rutgers School of Business-Camden where he has taught executive education, graduate, and undergra...

Dr. G. Preston Wilson, Jr. is the Director of the Fisk Jubilee Singers®. A native of Durham, North Carolina, Dr. Wilson returns to Fisk University with a deep-rooted connection to the Fisk Jubilee Singers®. He was a member of the ensemble under the tutelage of the late Dr. Paul T. Kwami. Dr. Wilson earned his Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2...

James Wright has nearly 20 years of experience in neighborhood planning, economic and real estate development, and galvanizing multiple stakeholders to leverage community assets, specifically business corridors. James holds an MBA in Urban Economic Development from Eastern University. He was recognized as a 2016 Rising Star by the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations. Pri...

Michael Robinson, M.S., is an award-winning corporate executive, Human Resources professional, and university administrator. He serves as a senior pastor of an urban ministry in North Philadelphia, PA, and is a columnist for a weekly regional newspaper in Philadelphia.  He has empowered and launched thousands towards achieving their life goals!

Lamar Smith is a former health inspector who saw an opportunity to follow his passion & build a legacy that will influence the world positively and set up a future for those he loves. He loves Glenside & the people that live there; he works dawn till dusk everyday in order to build a business that focuses on inspiring the youth & the community with authentic taste & a warm welcome...

James E. Dupree has been a practicing fine artist in the city of Philadelphia for over five decades. With exhibitions and residencies of national and international scope, Dupree has created a legacy within the world of Fine Arts and Culture. His mediums include but are not limited to painting, mixed media, and sculpture. With 35 different series of work reflecting the life of a contemporary Africa...

Dr. Jay Fluellen is a Philadelphia born musician known as a composer, college professor, educator, accompanist, pianist, singer, and organist/choir director. He is highly sought after as both a composer and a pianist. He has a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Temple University in the field of Music Composition. In addition, Dr. Fluellen has  his K-12 Music Pennsylvania State certification from E...

Dr. Albert Hicks is a heart transplant cardiologist at Baylor Scott & White in Temple, Texas. He currently serves as the Program and Medical Director of the Cardiac Transplant Program, Director of Clinical Heart Failure, and Associate Program Director of the Cardiology Fellowship. He is a proud Howard University graduate, and completed his Internal Medicine training in Philadelphia. He finishe...

Dennis Maurice Dumpson is the founder of #InvestBLK, a consultancy that invests 75% of profits in Black leaders, movements, and communities. He uses his expertise in fund development, external affairs, and anti-racist strategy development to support nonprofit organizations in alleviating anti-Blackness in their culture practices. After more than 15 years as a leading fundraiser and in-house strate...

Chris Davis is a Co-founder and CMO of Revcarto, a two-and-a-half-year-old digital sales and marketing agency with a RevOps focus. As a small business founder himself, Davis is committed to supporting B2B companies with a combination of deep industry knowledge and personal, human connection. As the former Director of Development for We Love Philly, Chris intends to use his experience to help Revca...

Dr. Rollo Dilworth is Vice Dean and Professor of Choral Music Education at Temple University’s Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts in Philadelphia, PA.  In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in choral music education, Dilworth conducts the “Singing Owls” Campus/Community Chorus. His choral publications can be found in the catalogs of Hal Leonard, Colla Voce, and Santa...

 Ed King  is married with one child (daughter), since February 2018 he’s served as Pastor of Bethel UHCA. Pastor Ed has been a recording engineer since the age of 16. He recently began to focus on song writing and started a publishing/production company 4th Son Music. Check out his debut release of an EP complication “The 4th Son Project Vol 1”

Donald Dumpson, Ph. D., President/CEO of Diverse Arts Solutions and Minister of Arts at Arch Street Presbyterian Church, founded the Westminster Choir College Jubilee Singers (WCCJS), the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) Community Chorus and the Philadelphia Heritage Chorale, Inc. He taught at Cheyney University, elementary general music and the High School for Creative and Performing Arts in...

Derrick Norton, Sr. is a Husband, Father, Brother and Pastor of New Beginnings Evangelistic Outreach Ministries, Norristown, PA

Darryl Bundrige is the Executive Director and Senior Vice President of City Year Philadelphia. He began his career with City Year Philadelphia in 2009 as Managing Director of Impact and assumed his current role in 2015. As Executive Director, Darryl maintains strategic relationships with the School District of Philadelphia, City Year Philadelphia’s site board, corporate and philanthropic partners,...

Edward “Buster” Gay is a loving husband, father of 4 young men, son, brother, minister, mentor and business owner of Integrity Support Solutions, a company that provides support to adults with intellectual disabilities.  He’s an all around great guy!

Roger Lee is an arts entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience (as a business owner and a freelancer), a higher education professional with six years of experience, and an advisory board member and grants panelist for arts, cultural, and education organizations. Please visit www.rogerleearts.com to learn more about Roger's career.