By Claudia Abercrumbie
Men of Honor Founder
Now in its 12th year, Men of Honor | A Salute to African American Men will take place on Saturday, November 19, at 6: p.m. at the Duke Energy Convention Center. This upscale, strictly black tie event provides an exciting and unique opportunity for the community to celebrate the accomplishments of African American men who have succeeded against all odds and achieved special greatness.
Our 2022 distinguished honorees are:
• Paul Booth, Division Manager, Office of Human Relations, City of Cincinnati
• Henry Brown, Principal, WEB Ventures
• Damon Jones, Chief Communications Officer, The Procter & Gamble Company
• Tony Mathis, President & CEO, GE Military Engines & Systems
• Chuck Session, Retired Vice President, Government Affairs, Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky
Each honoree will receive a $5,000 grant from the 7 Principles Foundation to designate to an organization of his choice that serves African American males. In addition, The Abercrumbie Group will present four $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors who demonstrate honorable character, leadership, and academic excellence.
Tickets are $200 per person. For more information, please call 513.733.1555 and to purchase tickets, please visit www.theabercrumbiegroup.com/menofhonor.
Paul M. Booth
Paul is a seasoned public sector manager with extensive public policy and legislative experience. He currently serves as Division Manager of the Office of Human Relations for the City of Cincinnati. After beginning his professional career managing public housing, he was appointed to Cincinnati City Council in 1989 to fill an unexpired term and was later appointed again in 1998. Paul was then elected to Cincinnati City Council for two terms in 1999 and 2001. Upon leaving City Council, he was appointed by the Governor of Ohio to consecutive terms on two Commissions: The State Personnel Board of Review and The Department of Commerce. Paul has received numerous awards and citations, and serves as a life-member of the NAACP, a member of the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of National Action Network, and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He is a graduate of Morehouse College with a degree in Business Administration. He and his wife Cynthia have two sons, Paul Jr. and Martin and one granddaughter, Laila.
Henry Brown
Henry retired from Procter & Gamble in 1999 as the Director of Worldwide Engineering. He joined Procter & Gamble in 1968, where he gained experience with a variety of civil engineering projects in building design and construction and was an early contributor to the Company’s corporate economic diversity and inclusion initiatives. Additionally, he spent several years as a consultant to small and mid-size construction and construction-related companies. Post-retirement, Henry served as Project Manager and Technical Advisor to the Board of Directors for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and helped to found WEB Ventures in 2014. He currently serves on several boards for community organizations and has also maintained generous and continuous involvement and support for his alma mater, Missouri University of Science and Technology (MS&T.) Henry is a founder of the Epsilon Psi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha on the MS&T campus, where he holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Avondale.
Damon Jones
Damon is the Chief Communications Officer at Procter & Gamble, where he helps to ensure the world’s largest consumer goods company acts and is recognized as a force for growth and a force for good. He is responsible for a broad range of brand-building, corporate affairs, and advocacy initiatives for the company, overseeing P&G’s global communications organization that is responsible for the Company’s reputation and that of its nearly 100 brands. As a member of the Company’s Global Leadership Council, Damon has helped lead some of the Company’s most creative, impactful, and well-recognized advocacy efforts that address systemic biases, while meaningfully advancing cultural and economic inclusion for a broad spectrum of consumers and communities around the world. A 25-year veteran of P&G, Damon has led numerous initiatives across the globe with assignments in the US, Europe, and Asia. He is a proud alumnus of Xavier University and serves as a board member. He also sits on the boards of The Port and National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
Tony Mathis
Tony is the President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Military Engines & Systems, where he leads a $4 billion business with 3,000 employees, who are focused on developing and manufacturing advanced and next-generation engines and systems for military air combat, tanker, helicopter, and marine applications. Tony joined GE Aviation in 1997 and has held numerous engineering, product support and marketing roles in the military and commercial organizations, supporting airlines, airframers, and military customers. With more than 26,000 engines in operation for 300 U.S. and international military customers, Tony and his team provide support to ensure the fleet remains mission ready. Prior to joining GE, Tony served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force for nine years, working as a flight-test and propulsion-project engineer and achieving the rank of captain. A native of Fitzgerald, Georgia, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University, a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from California State University, Fresno, and an MBA from Xavier University.
Chuck Session
Chuck is newly retired after a successful 42-year career as a strong and dedicated leader in the business world. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Government Affairs for Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky. He was responsible for leading local and state government and regulatory policies, strategies and relationships impacting the company’s interests in Ohio and Kentucky, and those of its 880,000 electric customers and 550,000 natural gas customers. Prior to that, Chuck held several positions in customer service, supply chain management, meter-reading, government affairs, and community relations. Additionally, he serves on the boards of several community organizations and was most recently honored with the 2021 Horizon Award. Chuck holds a business degree from Brevard College and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from MacMurray College. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, spending time with his family, and volunteering at his church and in the community. Chuck and his wife, Maida, have one daughter.