Jenee and I were honored to have been asked to serve as judges for this final judging event. Jenee was assigned to the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year and I judged the Most Innovative Business
category. We started the interviews and presentations at about 6:30 PM and ended at about 9 PM. The final winner was chosen from each category to be announced at the awards banquet Saturday evening.
Saturday there was a day long convention with displays and guest speakers. All of us at the Self-Reliance Center were invited to attend but I have been fighting a terrible chest congestion and cough for about 4 days and still felt under the weather so we did not go.
We did attend the Awards Banquet which was really an outstanding event recognizing those in ACE from all over the Philippines who have worked so hard starting and growing their businesses.
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| Stephen & Betty Gibson - Founders of ACE |
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| Elder & Sister Naegle |
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| Brother & Sister Corban Church |
Corban Church is a young successful entrepreneur from Provo Utah. He quite BYU to start a Window Manufacturing and Sales Company. In fact he sold windows to my nephew Michael for many years. He also was the owner of Mechie Handbags that was very popular in Utah. He sold both of his businesses for millions and now teaches entrepreneurship at BYU and deals in real estate. We met Corban previously some years ago when Kristy was one of 5 surviving cancer stories that was presented at their Annual Huntsman Cancer Drive held in the Grand America. He was the key note speaker for this convention as well as a new financial contributor to ACE. A very friendly and down to earth individual who we enjoyed being with.
Elder & Sister Naegle are Self-Reliance Missionaries from Manila. We spent some time visiting with them and sharing ideas and perspectives as to how their SR work is moving along and what kind of duties and responsibilities they have in comparison to us here in Cebu. The Naegles are from West Bountiful. He is the owner of a Home & Corporate security and fire alarm installation company. At just 59 he and his wife decided to serve a mission and here they are. We are going to arrange a short trip to Manila in the near future to stay with them and have them show us around Manila, especially the Banta Rice Fields of Manila.
After a nice Filipino dinner the awards ceremony took place with each presenting couple going to the pulpit to announce the finalists and the winner in their assigned category. It was really our honor to have been selected by the Gibson's to participate in this event and rub shoulders with these magnetic, philanthropic and impressive people.
After all the awards were given out the evening concluded by having all of the finalists and winners come up to the stage for pictures.
The event really opened my eyes to the tremendous level of energy and dedication that these Philippine people have taken to become Self-Reliant. ACE has a large number of graduates throughout the Philippines in 120 chapters. We are hoping that a working relationship between ACE and the Self-Reliance graduates of the Starting and Growing My Business program can be developed. ACE is a LDS based NGO so they understand the Self-Reliance program. many of their alumni are Bishops/ Branch Presidents and District /Stake Presidents. We are sincerely hoping that the ACE alumni will reach out as mentors for those graduating from the SGMB program. Steve Gibson and I have been discussing this possibility and will continue to work towards this end. In fact there are works going on in Salt Lake to sign a workable collaborative agreement between the two programs.
To see the great success that has transpired over the previous years holds out a tremendous hope for the members of the church who are now or will become involved in the Self-Reliance program. The church is counting on SP to strengthen the membership of the church and to lift the people out of poverty. From what we saw last night, the Philippine people are well on their way.
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