Montgomery mayor honors first Young Professional of the Year
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Montgomery's mayor presented the city's first Young Professional of the Year award Friday evening to Ja'Mese Hawkins.
Hawkins is a revenue branch manager at the Montgomery County Commission and a licensed associate real estate broker at Garth Realty Group.
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said he decided on Hawkins because of her work in the Woods, Wynbrook, Dexter Ridge Neighborhood Association. Hawkins founded the group and serves as its president. She also volunteers at the Montgomery Housing Authority, the Church of the Highlands and as a City League Cheer coach.
Reed made the announcement at the Mayor’s Young Professional Council's inaugural fundraising gala.
"Mayor Reed established the Young Professional of the Year award to honor one outstanding young professional in Montgomery for their exceptional career achievements and growth, leadership in advancing policy solutions and/or systems-level change, and demonstrated commitment to authentic community engagement," a release from Reed's office stated.
The council received more than two dozen nominations.
The five finalists included Kendarrius Mathews, a fifth-grade reacher with Montgomery Public Schools and a specialist with the United States Army; Kandace Besteder, the destination and community development coordinator at the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce; Charletta Smith, the executive assistant to the court administrator at the Montgomery County Courthouse and the owner of Embrace Nu Creations; and Andeana Stewart, the owner of Tiny's Blessing.
More: A Sweet Treat Nothing Bundt Cakes cooks up first Prattville location
Alex Gladden is the Montgomery Advertiser's public safety reporter. She can be reached at agladden@gannett.com or on Twitter @gladlyalex.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Mayor names Ja'Mese Hawkins as first Young Professional of the Year
