Staff WriterThe CARAH Awards are the premiere recognition awards in the Caribbean American community. The 2009 Gala is chaired by Congresswoman Donna Christensen (D-USVI) and Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY) and held under the patronage of the Caribbean Diplomatic corps, and honors and celebrates individuals of Caribbean heritage who have been standard bearers of excellence, and who have made positive contributions to the American and international landscape.
Hailing from the island of Jamaica, George Willie is a CPA and a distinguished holder of the Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) designation. Mr. Willie holds a three decade long career in the accounting profession, which includes 28 years at Bert Smith & Co. He specializes in audits of healthcare, government and not-for-profit entities. Mr. Willie has testified before various regulatory and legislative bodies on many significant accounting and auditing issues, most recently to the U.S. Department of The Treasury Advisory Committee on “The Audit Profession”. He has the privilege of serving on numerous boards and committees which include : The American Institute of Public Accountants (AICPA) Private Companies Practice Section’s Executive Committee, the AICPA Financial Accounting and Reporting Subcommittee (Examination), the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s Advisory Council on Government Auditing Standards, Advisory Council-Kogod School of Business (American University), and the Board of Visitors – Howard University School of Business, and the Board of Investment Trustees – Montgomery County, Maryland. He is also a member of the Audit Committee of the American Institutes for Research.
George Willie has received numerous accolades, including being named several times as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Practitioners by the CPA Magazine and Accounting Today. In 2006, Mr. Willie was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award in the field of Business and Community Service from Howard University and in 2005 was presented with the Special Vision 21 award by the Howard University School of Business at its 35th Anniversary Celebration.
Other Honorees include : Hon. Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, Member, Maryland House of Delegates; Willard Wigan MBE, MicroSculptor and ‘Icon of the Impossible’; Dr. Anthony Kalloo, Chief of Gastroenterology at Johns Hopkins Hospital; Lynton Scotland, VP Operational Excellence, NRG Energy and Alison Hinds, Soca Diva.
The Gala will be co-hosted by John Blake, Host, Caribbean Experience, WHUR FM 96.3 and Maureen Bunyan, Anchor, ABC TV7.
Past keynote speakers and honorees include : Prime Minister Owen Arthur of Barbados; Black Enterprise publisher Earl Graves, legendary actress Cicely Tyson; Hon. Eric Holder, US Attorney General; Dr. Cato Laurencin, Vice President, University of Connecticut Hospital; and Dr. Velma Scantlebury, Kidney Transplant Surgeon.
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