BBA provides honors due

Earl “Skip” Cooper, president of the Black Business Association (BBA), above left, holds President’s Award, which went to Walter Rhodes, seated, vice president of supply management for Southern California Edison, for exceptional commitment to increasing procurement opportunities to African American firms. In the second photo, Cooper stands with Gloria Pualani of Northrup Grumman, which received the Aerospace Industry Award. The BBA celebrated its 39th awards dinner last week at the Omni Hotel. Other honorees included Kenneth McNeely of AT&T (Chairman’s Award), Valerie Lynne Shaw of the Board of Public Works (Special Recognition Award), Robin Petgrave of Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum (Community Service Award) and Cooper himself (Lifetime Achievement Award).