2024 Awards
$1,000 Special Recognition was Awarded to Four Oklahoma City-based Minority Business Enterprises, or MBEs
2024 OKC Minority Enterprise Development Champion presented to:
Gloria Torres | Executive Director, Calle Dos Cinco
Gloria Torres, a seasoned professional with over 25 years in public education, is a driving force behind community empowerment and revitalization in South Oklahoma City. Raised in the area, she now leads the strategic direction of Calle Dos Cinco, a nonprofit focused on revitalizing the Historic Capitol Hill district. Drawing on her experience as a public-school administrator in OKCPS, Ms. Torres actively engages the community in cultural growth, encouraging investment through new businesses and volunteer-led events.
Ms. Torres shares insights on community engagement, strategic planning, and the pivotal role businesses play in the resurgence of historic neighborhoods. Her commitment to fostering a vibrant future for South Oklahoma City makes her a compelling and influential voice in the ongoing conversation about community development.
2024 OKC Minority Enterprise Development Distinguished Leader Award presented to:
Jabee Williams | Founder and Owner of Eastside Pizza House, Scrambl'd, and Live Free OKC
Jabee is an Oklahoma City-based community organizer, educator, entrepreneur, and Emmy Award-winning artist, dedicated to the well-being and liberation of Black people. He’s toured with Run the Jewels and Murs, collaborated with Chuck D, and released albums that have topped iTunes charts. Jabee co-founded "Juneteenth on the East," gathering 15,000 attendees in 2023, and founded LiveFree OKC, the city's first community violence intervention program. His efforts extend to empowering youth through music and financial literacy programs, public art projects, and Black-owned businesses, including Eastside Pizza House and Scrambl’d.
2024 OKC Minority Enterprise Development Innovative Leader Award presented to:
Dr. Pinky Patel | Founder and CEO of Myri Health
Dr. Patel was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, to parents who immigrated from India over 30 years ago with only $7 in their pockets, no formal education, and no knowledge of English. Growing up, she lived and worked in motels that her parents managed, learning early on the values of hard work and determination. She graduated as valedictorian from Chandler, OK, and participated in pageants to earn scholarship money. Her drive for education led her to study on a choir scholarship, and she eventually earned her doctorate in pharmacy from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
After working at UnitedHealthcare for 13 years, she felt a deep pull towards addressing the significant gaps in maternal and postpartum care that she had experienced firsthand. This passion led her to found Myri Health, a platform dedicated to bridging these gaps, democratizing care, and providing accessible, affordable support to all mothers. Building Myri Health was a labor of love—quite literally, as she launched the app in 166 countries just three weeks before delivering her son.
Dr. Patel's journey didn't end there. With a community of over 40,000 followers online, she has combined her expertise as a personal trainer and pre/post-natal corrective exercise specialist to create a comprehensive solution for maternal health. Her experience in healthcare, entrepreneurship, and personal training has come full circle, fueling her passion to make a lasting impact.
The mission behind Myri Health is more than just a professional endeavor—it's deeply personal. Dr. Patel's "why" has always been about ensuring that no mother has to navigate the challenges of postpartum care alone. Her parents’ entrepreneurial spirit, her education, and her experiences have all converged to bring this mission to life, and she is committed to continuing this work for the benefit of mothers everywhere.
2024 OKC Minority Enterprise Development Selfless Leader Award presented to:
Dr. Phong Hoang | Owner of Midtown Drug
Inspired by the loss of his father in 2008 due to poor health, Dr. Hoang pursued a postgraduate residency after earning his Doctor of Pharmacy degree. This profound loss motivated him to deepen his medical and pharmaceutical knowledge through additional academic, research, and clinical training, with the goal of helping others lead longer, healthier lives.
Dr. Hoang’s entrepreneurial journey began with the co-founding of his first pharmacy, where he served as pharmacist manager/co-owner for over seven years. During this time, he successfully expanded the business, adding three additional pharmacies in partnership with his co-owners. However, in April 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Hoang faced another personal tragedy—the passing of his beloved mother from terminal cancer. In a heartfelt decision, he chose to step away from his businesses to be with her during her final moments.
Driven by the memory of his parents and his passion for improving patient health, Dr. Hoang founded Midtown Drug. This new venture is not only a pharmacy but a tribute to his parents, dedicated to helping patients live longer, healthier lives. At Midtown Drug, Dr. Hoang combines his extensive experience with a renewed commitment to providing exceptional care and service to the community.
2024 OKC Minority Enterprise Development Charismatic Leader Award presented to:
Ashley Barnett | Partner/General Manager of Cyclebar Classen Curve
Originally born in Wichita, Kansas where Ashley grew up playing basketball, running track and always staying active, she went on to play Division II basketball at Drury University for two years. She then transferred to Wichita State where she received her bachelors in Strategic Communications and Master’s in Sports Management.
Ashley has always had a passion for the fitness, sports and entertainment industries, and began pursuing a career in this field. She went on to work for a minor league hockey team in Wichita, where she coincidentally met the OKC Thunder and helped them with their Wichita, Kansas appearance. After this fated meeting she moved to Oklahoma City and began working at the Thunder as a marketing coordinator in 2017. Change is of course so hard and this move helped Ashely get more involved in this community. She joined Cyclebar Classen Curve as an outlet and also joined Leadership Oklahoma to further get involved in this community.
The transition to Oklahoma City almost 8 years ago has been a pivotal leadership change in Ashley's life. After joining Cyclebar she became an instructor, and once COVID hit this led to her pursuing fitness full time as a NASM-CPT trainer, becoming the general manager and partner at Cyclebar OKC. She's now been in this role for over 3 years and cannot believe how amazing her past experiences led her to managing, partnering, coaching, and leading this business. It’s been an incredible journey and I’m thankful to the owners for giving me this opportunity!
Ashley is the oldest of four, and moved to Oklahoma City with her husband Marcus! Marcus is a social worker and educator at Wheeler Middle School.