FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 22, 2018 • THE QUEENS COURIER 45
Michelle Stoddart – Civic Award
Michelle Stoddart
is the Director of
Public Relations
and Community
Development for
Resorts World Casino
New York City
(RWNY). She was a
member of the executive
team that handled
record-breaking
attendance during the
Casino’s debut weekend
in October 2011.
In her role, Stoddart
coordinates public
relations and social
media messaging, and
she’s responsible for
the implementation of
community outreach
and charitable giving.
Prior to her position
with RWNY, Stoddart
was the Director of
Marketing & Tourism for the Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC)
where she was charged with the research, development, and execution of projects
that promoted business and new neighborhood revitalization in Queens County.
During her tenure, Stoddart initiated and enhanced several signifi cant projects that
directly contributed to QEDC’s growth and prominence throughout the borough
and beyond.
For over fi ve years, Stoddart worked with SBA Women’s Business Center, the
Women’s Venture Fund, where she served as a special events manager and client services
associate. Prior to joining the WVF, Stoddart was the Chief Executive Offi cer of
ElleDeuce Communications, a privately held marketing and event production company
specializing in marketing for start-ups to mid-size businesses and non-profit
organizations.
Rev. Dr. Leslie Mullings – Spirit Award &
Keynote Speaker
Th e Rev. Dr. Les Mullings
is the founder and CEO
of Challenge Preparatory
Charter School. It was his
tireless vision to develop
and create Challenge
Preparatory Charter School
to serve the needs of the Far
Rockaway community. As
founder, he led the school
through every stage of our
development. As Lead
Applicant he chaired the
Planning Team and navigated
the team through the
extensive charter process.
Mullings holds a Ph.D.
in Urban Studies from
the University of London
Chelsea, a Masters in
Counseling/Psychology,
and a certifi cate in Business.
He is enrolled in graduate
work for Advanced
Education Leadership at
Harvard Graduate School
of Education.
Dr. Mullings is also
the Senior Pastor of the
Community Church of the
Nazarene in Far Rockaway. He has led the church through the development of multiple
programs that serve the Far Rockaway community.
Dr. Mullings became the face and leader for the Far Rockaway community’s
response to Super Storm Sandy. As a part of the relief process, Dr. Mullings founded
and created “Project Sandy Far Rockaway.”
Patricia Dorothy Chin – Lifetime
Achievement Award
Born on September 20, 1937, Patricia
Chin is a Jamaican entrepreneur and
co-founder of VP Records, the world’s
largest independent reggae label and distributor
of Caribbean music. “Miss Pat”,
as she is aff ectionately known, was raised
in the heart of Kingston by a Chinese
mother and an Indian father. Th e eldest
of three, she was born into an environment
that groomed her to become a leader,
role model and visionary.
While most of her colleagues describe
her as the “business mind and backbone”
of the family-owned and operated company,
Miss Pat prefers to talk about the
mission of VP, the goal being to bring
people together by spreading her beloved
culture to the world. Together, Patricia
the “P” and Vincent, the “V” in VP
Records, were a vital component in the
growth and evolution of not only a genre, but a culture that has touched every country,
every culture and every continent.
“It was not easy to sell our culture in a foreign country,” Miss Pat admits. “We
were constantly developing new artists and at the same time educating and selling to
our customers. But it’s the love and passion and hard work, day aft er day that made
VP Records what it has become.”
Over 50 years later, from a small used-record shop in Kingston, Jamaica, to a New
York City based, multinational company, VP Records stands as a symbol for reggae
music, for the culture and message of its abiding roots and continued legacy.
As a Grammy-winning label co-founder, retailer, merchandiser, and accolades too
numerous to mention, Miss Pat has left her indelible mark, and has tremendously
impacted the lives of many around the world.
Patricia Chin has recently received an Order of Distinction from the Jamaican
Honours System and is the fi rst female to receive the American Association of
Independent Music Libera Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.
Thomas “Crater” Crater, Jr.
Journalism Award
Th omas Crater is the owner, founder and
publisher of Th e New York Page, a Queensbased
periodical that chronicles the salient news
events of greater southern Queens. He is a selfless,
tireless professional who gives his all in
everything that he does.
Crater has a close relationship with the Greater
Jamaica Development Corporation (GJDC) and
was the sole member of the Beautifi cation of
Downtown Jamaica committee. He worked hard
to ensure that his concerns were addressed, but
more importantly, that the needs of Southeast
Queens were addressed.
Born in Memphis, Tennessee; his family
moved to New York City when he was very
young. He graduated from high school and
then began his professional career in the employ
of such prestigious publishing fi rms such as Th e
New York Amsterdam News, Black Enterprise
Magazine and Th e Johnson Publishing company.
Having spent many years in both publishing
and advertising, Crater was well prepared
to launch his own publication. Functioning as
founder, business owner and publisher of Th e
New York Page newspaper, Crater merged the
fi rm with a major publisher in the 1980s that not
only expanded his footprint, but also bolstered
the paper’s circulation tenfold. Th is exposure
launched Th e New York Page into another
dimension of the publishing market.
Despite his intense schedule and day-to-day
commitments, Crater has found the time to be
very attentive and devoted to both his family
and his church. In so doing, he derives much
satisfaction.