Detroit doesn’t move without its people—and these men prove just how deep that truth runs.
Each year, the Michigan Chronicle’s Men of Excellence list reminds Southeast Michigan who’s really doing the work. The 2025 honorees represent a living blueprint of leadership, rooted in legacy and forward-thinking excellence. From classrooms to corporate suites, from faith-based service to frontline policy, this year’s group does more than lead—they build, repair, and pour back into a region that has long carried the weight of resilience on its back.
These aren’t men defined by titles alone. Their impact is stamped on streets, institutions, and in the lives of those who rely on their commitment every day. Michael Aaron, Business Manager and Chief Executive Officer of Local 1191, carries the spirit of organized labor forward, representing the backbone of Detroit’s working class. Derrick Headd, Senior Vice President of Public Policy & Operations at the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, channels policy into tangible outcomes that shape communities, not just boardrooms. And Neil A. Barclay, President and CEO of The Wright Museum of African American History, holds space for our story to be told accurately, unapologetically, and powerfully.
The selection of these honorees wasn’t a symbolic gesture—it was a necessary recognition of Black leadership that keeps Southeast Michigan’s heartbeat steady. These men are confronting layered challenges in real time: disinvestment, policy neglect, health disparities, educational gaps, and economic exclusion. Still, they show up daily, not for praise, but because the work demands it.
Take Dwan Dandridge, CEO and Founder of Black Leaders Detroit. His platform was created to close the funding gap for Black entrepreneurs who remain systematically locked out of access to capital. That barrier isn’t just about money—it’s about opportunity, ownership, and autonomy. Dandridge’s efforts move beyond corporate talking points. He’s building mechanisms that help Black visionaries scale their businesses in a city where so much innovation is born but not always resourced.
Then there’s Mamadou Diallo, CEO of Piston Group. Representing one of the largest Black-owned businesses in the country, Diallo’s presence sends a clear message: Black economic power doesn’t need permission to exist—it needs infrastructure to thrive. His leadership reflects a necessary shift in what representation and influence must look like within Michigan’s business sector.
Charles Bailey, President and General Manager of Lake Star Construction Services, is another name making tangible impact—building not just homes and facilities, but confidence in Black-led construction and development. At a time when revitalization efforts often displace, Bailey ensures that Detroit’s future is shaped by those rooted in its past.
Community accountability lives in leadership like Ricky Fountain’s, the Executive Director of the Community Education Commission. His advocacy centers student mobility and access, two areas often overlooked when people discuss education reform. Meanwhile, Labrit Jackson, Chief of Police for DPSCD, is building trust where decades of systemic failures once created barriers. His work reflects a shift toward community-rooted safety measures that don’t ignore the lived experience of Black youth.
Healthcare disparities continue to show up in Detroit’s zip codes, and that’s where medical leaders like Dr. Michael Pieh and Dr. Norris Polk step in. Pieh, a physician at Sierra Medical Clinic, and Polk of PEDS Urgent Care, serve as gatekeepers for accessible, quality care in communities too often dismissed. Their presence isn’t about symbolism—it’s survival.
Meanwhile, figures like Rev. Ralph L. Godbee, Jr., Chief of Staff at Triumph Church, bridge spiritual care and civic leadership. His role is a constant reminder that ministry can’t exist separate from the systems that shape the people it serves. Similarly, Col. James F. Grady, II, Director of the Michigan State Police, operates at the intersection of public safety and institutional reform—challenging deeply rooted issues within policing by leading with integrity and transparency.
Their collective footprint represents something deeper: an ecosystem of impact. From higher education to government, arts to entrepreneurship, every sector touched by these honorees shows signs of intentional growth. Jerlando F.L. Jackson, Ph.D., Dean of Education at Michigan State and Research Foundation Professor, is transforming educational pipelines. His focus doesn’t just elevate curriculum—it opens doors for future Black scholars to ascend in a field that too often gatekeeps leadership.
Andre Smith, a photojournalist and professor at Wayne County Community College District, documents Black Detroit in its fullness. His lens doesn’t flatten our complexity—it amplifies it. Then there’s Lazar Favors, CEO of the Detroit Black Film Festival and Black Spirits Legacy, spotlighting Black stories in ways mainstream media still fails to do.
Even in local government, presence matters. Hon. Byron Nolen, Mayor of Inkster, represents municipal leadership that listens, builds, and stays accountable. He reminds the region that political power is still personal, especially when rooted in service over performance.
Some of these men carry legacy work. Saul Green, former U.S. Attorney and now owner of Michigan Barber School, stands as a reminder that mentorship is currency. His pivot from law to community investment reflects an understanding of impact that outlives a single title.
Others like Raymond A. Scott, Deputy Director of Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental for the City of Detroit, are entrenched in systems most people never see, but whose influence shapes how people live, work, and build. Their excellence may not always trend online, but it shows up in safer streets, clearer policy, and more equitable practices.
Economic stewardship holds strong across this year’s list. Michael Everett Hall, attorney and engineer for Ford Motor Company, bridges legal frameworks and technical development at one of the city’s anchor employers. Similarly, Jay Love, VP of Facilities at MGM Grand Detroit, manages one of the city’s most visible spaces with a standard that honors Detroit’s tradition of Black excellence in hospitality and entertainment.
The arts, too, carry their weight. Jason McGuire, CEO of Riverside Marina, curates a space where community and culture flow freely, while Ray Moulden of Moulden Allstate Agency ensures Black families in Michigan are equipped to protect generational assets. Their leadership secures the present and safeguards the future.
Some lead from behind the scenes. People like Calvin Toone, VP of Business Development at MCL Jasco, help ensure Black firms are included in development contracts that often overlook them. Everett Stone, CFO and Senior Vice President at Vanguard CDC, is on the front lines of community development work that rarely gets the credit it deserves. Their financial stewardship is a reminder that numbers can tell a different story when equity is the bottom line.
Even amid evolving industries, men like Rodney Prater, CEO of Prater Commercial, and Phares A. Noel, II, President and CEO of Diversified Engineering Concepts, are laying bricks for Black ownership in construction and infrastructure—spaces where our presence is long overdue.
Khali Sweeny, Founder and CEO of Detroit Boxing Gym, remains a pillar for Detroit’s youth. His gym has become a sanctuary, not just for training, but for developing discipline, confidence, and hope.
These 2025 Men of Excellence are not singular success stories. They are collective evidence that Detroit’s power lives in its people. They carry responsibility without seeking reward, and they walk into rooms knowing their presence makes space for others.
Their excellence isn’t accidental. It’s earned, shaped by trial and truth, by setbacks and comebacks. Every one of them represents what happens when Black men are given room to lead, space to innovate, and platforms to be seen.
This year’s Men of Excellence Awards Banquet will take place on June 27 at 6:00 p.m. at the International Banquet and Conference Center. The evening will bring together honorees, their families, and community leaders for a celebration of Black excellence, resilience, and leadership across Southeast Michigan. Purchase tickets here.
The Michigan Chronicle’s 2025 Men of Excellence list is more than a roll call—it’s a masterclass. A living map of leadership that proves when you invest in Black men, you strengthen the entire region.
Their excellence is not up for debate. It’s already in motion.