Last year’s Agere Award’s guest of honor, Alfa Demmellash, was recently saluted as a CNN hero and was singled out and recognized among a group of creative philanthropist honored on June 30, 2009 by President Obama. 

Ms. Demmellash and her husband and co-founder Mr. Alex Forrester run Rising Tide Capital(RTC), a company in New Jersey that helps low-income entrepreneurs start or grow their businesses. www.risingtidecapital.org

The group runs the Community Business Academy, an intensive training session coupled with year-round coaching and mentorship to help individuals "really work on the hands-on management side of their business," Demmellash says. The organization supports underserved populations, including women, the formerly incarcerated, minorities, unemployed and working poor, and immigrants and refugees.

2010 Guest of Honor

to be announced soon...