The Minority, Women, Disadvantaged and Evanston Business Enterprises Committee has resumed its activities after a months-long pause, welcoming three new members during its first meeting since May. The appointments aim to reinvigorate the group’s mission of supporting local entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities. n nChair Bobby Burns, also a Fifth Ward councilmember, emphasized the importance of diverse perspectives in shaping policies that benefit all city businesses. The committee, originally established under former Mayor Lorraine Morton, had been inactive due to unfilled vacancies. n nThe newly appointed members include Larry Brothers and John Gipson, both experienced construction professionals with decades of work in Evanston. Brothers, active in the industry since 1998, has collaborated with various local firms. Gipson, a lifelong resident of the city, began his career at age 14 and has expertise in demolition, general contracting, and masonry. He holds a license as a mason in Chicago. n nWendy Weaver, the third addition, co-owns C&W Market & Ice Cream Parlor with her husband Clarence. The business started as a corner store in 2014 and has since expanded to include a restaurant and a food truck. Her firsthand experience as a small business operator is expected to bring valuable insight to the committee’s discussions. n nBurns noted that while construction remains a key focus, input from owners of service and retail businesses like Weaver’s is equally vital. Despite these appointments, three seats remain open on the nine-member board. Existing members Tawana Johnson and Lenice Levy also attended the meeting. n— news from Evanston RoundTable
— News Original —
Minority economic development committee welcomes three new members
In its first meeting since May, an Evanston minority economic development committee welcomed three new members and discussed goals and plans for the group. n nThe Minority, Women, Disadvantaged and Evanston Business Enterprises Committee was established under previous mayor Lorraine Morton. n nVacancies on the board have kept it from meeting over the past few months and stalled new progress. n n“I just want you all to get an idea of all the things this committee is responsible for,” Bobby Burns, chair of the committee and Fifth Ward councilmember, said. n nNew members n nThe three new members, Wendy Weaver, Larry Brothers and John Gipson all operate as business owners or construction workers in the city. n nBrothers has been working in construction in Evanston since 1998 and has worked with multiple construction companies in the city. n n“You can see why he’s on here,” Burns said. “ We focus a lot, as you notice, on construction … Larry has a strong vision, I think, for how we can get better results as a city.” n nThe other contractor and new board member, John Gipson, was born and raised in Evanston and has also worked in construction for the past few decades. n n“I’ve been in construction since I was 14 years old, been on a lot of projects in the area,” Gipson said. “I mean a lot of demolition work, a lot of general contracting and I feel real comfortable in most trades and very competent.” n nGipson also is a licensed mason in the city of Chicago working with concrete and masonry blocks. n nThe final new member, Wendy Weaver, is co-owner of C&W Market & Ice Cream Parlor, along with her husband, Clarence. n n“We actually started the business in 2014 as a corner store and expanded into a restaurant and now we have a food truck, and keep going more and more and more,” Weaver said. n nBurns said that Wendy’s experience as a business owner would provide an important voice for the board and other business owners. n n“The point of this committee is really to serve all businesses, not just those in the trades, but businesses like Wendy’s so that’s why y’all are here,” he said. “But also we want you to weigh in on the construction side of things, too. We value your perspective even on those matters.” n nEven with the three new members, three vacancies still exist in the nine-person committee. n nOther people present during the meeting were existing members Tawana Johnson and Lenice Levy.