Board Members

Founder

Byron Stingily



Byron Stingily currently serves as the Regional Director of Safe Schools for McHenry County. He has worked as a school administrator for the past 9 years. During that time he has helped his students achieve significant gains on standardized test scores. During his tenure as principal of Banner West the school achieved the highest possible rating on the Chicago Public Schools scorecard metric.  His approach of incorporating a “Culture of Care” has inspired some of the most challenged students to accomplish great things! Many lives have been transformed as a result!

As a musician, Byron Stingily continues to achieve at a high level.  He is recently featured as a writer and vocalist on the Grammy nominated Louie Vega album. He is currently in production on House Music album, which has a slate of the some of the biggest names in dance music scheduled to collaborate. He has managed several successful artists.  Byron Stingily has recorded on over half dozen certified Gold Albums, which includes 10 Billboard number 1 Club Chart songs, and U.K. Top 100 Pop songs!  He still can be found actively performing at some of the best venues all over the World!

Founder | Chief Executive Officer

Everett Cowings

Mr. Cowings co-created the Mentorship Program for the State of California.  As a co-founding member of the Mentorship Program, his duties included public speaking for the State of California. Everett Cowings addressed the issues of disadvantaged and minority students, including students with disabilities. The Mentorship Program created hundreds of full-time and part-time student jobs. Mr. Cowings was partially responsible for sending thousands of students to the college of their choice across America.

Mr. Cowings sat on the Board of Directors for the multi-million dollar non-profit corporation, Community Counseling Service Inc., and the United Friends of the Children, which helps foster children through adulthood and college.  Mr. Cowings was handpicked by the late Mayor Tom Bradley to serve in The New Leaders Organization.

Mr. Cowings currently serves as CEO of Continuous LLC and President of the Board of Directors for the Agape Corporation.  The Agape Corporation is a multi-million dollar non-profit that owns and operates two Charter high schools, one middle school, an elementary school, and an accredited junior college and vocational college.  Some of Everett Cowings’ other business accolades consist of owning and overseeing successful entertainment companies and international companies in Asia.

Co-Founder | Chief Financial Officer

Thelma Ricks

Ms. Thelma Ricks comes with over 20 years experience in the banking industry, beginning with Bank of America, where she held several executive positions in the areas of employee development and customer relations. Thelma Ricks traveled throughout California with World Savings and Loan Association, ensuring that customer service in various locations conformed to company standards. Ms. Ricks was also a Branch Manager for nine years, ending her career as Vice President with Guarantee Savings and Loan Association in charge of the operations of over 30 bank branch offices.

Through hard work and determination, Ms. Ricks worked her way up to the position of Vice President of a major corporation, shattering the glass ceiling by becoming the first African American male or female to be employed by the banking industry in Central California.

Co-Founder | Chief Operating Officer

Jon-Michael Foshee

Jon-Michael Foshee is an actor, screenwriter, film producer, and published novelist, with over a decade of management experience in multiple industries. Mr. Foshee has previously served on the Board of Directors for a Texas non-profit corporation, and works to improve local economic development and sustainable job creation. In addition to his business acumen and philanthropic endeavors, Jon-Michael focuses on creating original content for film and television to drive job creation in the entertainment industry both at home and abroad.

Co-Founder | Chief Technology Officer

Duane Buford

Duane Buford is an award-winning Chicago-based composer and former member of the multi-platinum band, Ministry. From an early age, Buford was inspired by jazz artists such as Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis, which catapulted his desire to pursue an ongoing education and career in music. His studies included private lessons with renowned Jazz pianist Alan Swain, as well as curriculum at Chicago Conservatory of Music and Northeastern Illinois University.

A native of Chicago, Buford works with a plethora of local studios and agencies, such as Leo Burnett and Draft, offering his multifaceted skills as a composer, pianist, and programmer. Buford is recognized for his accomplishments as a member of Ministry, which was nominated for a Grammy for their contributions to the feature film, The Matrix. Ministry was also selected by the late film director Stanley Kubrick to perform in Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster film A.I. Artificial Intelligence.

Duane Buford’s collaboration with filmmaker Ronit Bezalel has spanned fifteen years. He began by scoring her award-winning documentary short, Voices of Cabrini (1999). He composed original music for the 2004 film, A Day on the Force: Women’s Professional Tackle Football (directed by Bezalel, Laurie Little, Sree Nallamothu), and composed the music for Bezalel’s recent documentary, 70 Acres in Chicago: Cabrini Green.

Today, Buford continues to reside in his hometown of Chicago, focusing his efforts on composition for film and television, as well as utilizing his programming background to build the Chicago Devotion website. Through his lifelong personal connection to the community, Buford is dedicated to creating an online gathering place to help those who need us most.

Co-Founder | Director of Marketing

Melquan Smith

Melquan Smith was born and raised in the Bronx, New York City. After graduating from Cardinal Hayes High School, Melquan attended Howard University and Baruch College, where he received a B.S in Marketing. After building his experience and skills, he capitalized on a dynamic idea at the age of only 22: he began selling fur coats to celebrities of music and screen.

Not one to be confined to a single entrepreneurial endeavor, Melquan started an independent record company named Yamak-ka records in New York City. Armed with the experience of both business and the music industry, he developed an entertainment management company that married the best dynamics of both worlds. Melquan Entertainment became a management company of musicians and songwriters that specializes in protection, guidance, and consultancy to smartly manage and tailor artists’ careers, including the famous WuTang Clan.

Melquan is also a marketing consultant for many prestigious companies like Sony, RCA, and Capitol. He provides in-depth and strategic consultancy to start-up record companies, and to guide and manage individual business structures. He is brilliantly skilled in the art of management with multiple entertainment industries, analyzing the latest trends, and stability tactics needed for a successful business.

Melquan also uses his dynamic knowledge of the music business and marketing to develop unique radio promotions for major record companies, and retail promotions for various record company stores. Recently, he has established a burgeoning New York City real estate company, and is putting his entertainment and marketing acumen to work as an Executive Producer to finance and produce feature films for Continuous, LLC.