On April 12, 2011, on behalf of KRA, President & CEO Knowlton R. Atterbeary accepted the 2011 Minerva Entrepreneurship Empowerment Award from the Potomac Valley Alumnae Chapter (PVAC) of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. As part of her introduction of Mr. Atterbeary, Chandra Holloway, Esq., told the audience that “KRA Corporation celebrates 30 years in business this year”, and after briefly describing KRA’s core business operations and workforce development services, went on to say, “while meeting the bottom-line and achieving corporate success, KRA Corporation has also maintained a commitment to supporting the communities in which it operates.” She then described several of KRA’s volunteer contributions in this area, which are planned and implemented under its corporate-wide Commitment to Communities Program. Ms. Holloway continued “thus, KRA stands as a role model for all businesses to remember that you can achieve success while also maintaining a commitment to serving and empowering the community. “ In his acceptance remarks, Mr. Atterbeary acknowledged, “I was taken aback a little when informed that KRA was going to receive this coveted award, because it is generally bestowed on remarkable women…like Oprah Winfrey! But then I discovered that organizations…and men…have been award recipients for their professional and positive contributions to society. Being selected for the Minerva Award* means a great deal to KRA; we are truly honored and proud that our personal dedication to the communities we serve has been recognized, along with our entrepreneurial and professional success.” He also spoke about the legacy of the Delta’s and how for almost 100 years the mere mention of the name has been synonymous with public service…in local communities, across the country, and around the world. And, how for 25 years, dedicated PVAC members have worked within Western Montgomery County to “transform lives and impact communities” by operating and supporting programs such as student mentoring; breast cancer, family health, and safety awareness; transitioning from public-to-private housing; and many more. Mr. Atterbeary concluded his remarks with “we are thrilled to be acknowledged for doing a job that we love doing every day, and we thank the Potomac Valley Alumnae Chapter for bestowing this highest of honors on KRA.”
* California First Lady Maria Shriver is credited with bestowing the first Minerva Awards in the U.S. (it started in Italy in 1983) in 2004. Since then, many local and national, private and public, groups have “adopted” Minerva… the Roman goddess of wisdom…to personify their most prestigious honor, reserved for those who have made extraordinary contributions in dozens of fields…including the Arts, Business, Community Service, Education, Science, and Technology.
Dr. Boone’s 20+ years’ experience in the industry is extensive and her expertise in private-, public-, and non-profit sector workforce-services organizations is unparalleled, particularly in the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan area.
