From One Family’s Turnaround to More Than 30 Families

Buchanan’s discipline was forged long before Finvy existed. As a student-athlete at North Carolina A&T, he learned the perseverance that later carried him through one of the biggest challenges of his adult life: digging out of six figures of debt and building financial stability. Clearing his own balance sheet gave him a passion for helping others achieve the same result.

What started as conversations with friends and family grew into a commitment. Over time, Buchanan coached and mentored more than 30 families, helping them collectively eliminate over $375,000 in debt while improving their savings habits and financial confidence. That coaching work — years of sitting with real households and real budgets — is the research and development behind the Finvy platform.

It is also the kind of ground-up wealth work BBR has spotlighted before, from community financial literacy efforts like the Cassandra Cummings Rich Auntie Wealth Initiative to founders building financial tools for underserved families.

What the Finvy Platform Actually Does

Through his coaching, Buchanan recognized a common challenge: many people understand the importance of budgeting and debt reduction but lack the tools, structure, and accountability needed to act. Finvy was founded to close that gap. The platform combines budgeting tools, debt-payoff strategies, and personalized recommendations to help users make measurable, trackable financial progress — and it is built for employers as well as individuals, giving workers a financial wellness benefit with a plan attached rather than a pamphlet.

Today, Buchanan continues to advocate for financial literacy and financial wellness through community outreach, speaking engagements, employer partnerships, and media appearances. He is also authoring his first book, sharing the lessons that transformed his own financial journey and the principles that have helped dozens of other families do the same.

A Mission Shaped by Loss — and Built for Legacy

Buchanan’s mission was shaped by personal adversity. In 2012, he lost his mother, an experience that profoundly changed his perspective on life, purpose, and legacy. Years later, a mini-stroke reinforced the importance of pursuing meaningful work and making an impact while time allows. Those moments strengthened his belief that success should be measured not only by personal achievement, but by the lives we help improve along the way.

His stated goal for Finvy is simple: help people gain control of their money, create opportunities for their families, and build a legacy that lasts for generations. Learn more at FinvySmartBudgeting.com.

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The book opens on a familiar scene: waiting for someone to commit, for a business deal to close, for the right moment to chase a goal that has been carried for years. Coates calls that waiting what it is — a negotiation, renewed daily, in which today is traded away for a promise about tomorrow. His argument is that patience has a line, and most people cross it without noticing: patience becomes postponement, and postponement becomes the life they meant to live, deferred.

A Book Built Like a Decision

Across ten chapters, Stop Negotiating with Tomorrow walks the reader through the places the bargain hides. Early chapters take on chasing outcomes that never arrive and giving effort a purpose instead of a hope. The middle of the book turns to relationships — keeping yourself in them — and to business, where Coates is blunt: a business deal is not your destiny, and no single closing should hold a life hostage. Later chapters deal with believing beyond the familiar, preparing while you wait, and beginning again after an ending, before closing on independence you can use and releasing the need for applause.

Each chapter pairs real-life case studies with practical exercises and reflection questions, so the reading turns into decisions. The book closes with “Your Next Thirty Days,” a structured action guide, and readers get access to a downloadable 30-Day Action Planner — choose one area of life that has been on hold, and spend thirty days taking concrete steps to change it.

From the Author of 12 Great Business Principles

Coates writes from the operator’s seat. He is the founder and publisher of Black Business Review, the media platform covering Black-owned business; the founder of Alexis Coates Consulting, where he advises small businesses on technology and AI adoption; and the author of 12 Great Business Principles, the book behind BBR’s Business Class series. His consulting career spans more than fifteen years, including a dozen years owning an IT company — a background that shows up in the book’s insistence on terms, deadlines, and decisions over motivation.

That insistence is the thread through everything he publishes: collected results over activity, ownership over waiting. Stop Negotiating with Tomorrow applies the same standard to a life that it applies to a business — stop renewing a bargain that costs you today and pays in promises.

The timing is deliberate. The book lands as Black Business Review closes its strongest year — an audience of more than 92,000 across Instagram and Threads, a twice-weekly Briefing, and a growing Orbit community — and it gives that audience the publisher’s own operating system in print: how he decides, what he refuses to wait on, and why he measures everything by what gets collected, built, and finished. For readers who know Coates through the magazine, the consulting practice, or the Business Class series drawn from his earlier book, Stop Negotiating with Tomorrow is the fullest statement yet of the philosophy behind all three — and a working manual, not a memoir.

How to Get It

Stop Negotiating with Tomorrow is available now in paperback and Kindle editions on Amazon: get the book on Amazon. The audiobook edition, narrated in a digital voice, has been submitted to Audible and is expected this month. Readers can download the free companion 30-Day Action Planner referenced in the book here, hear Coates’s thinking on the BBR podcast, and get stories like this one in the free BBR Briefing every Tuesday and Friday.

Join Orbit — where Black professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders connect, collaborate and turn opportunities into action. https://orbit.blackbusinessreview.net/

A Maryland Number, A Personal Standard

Join Orbit — where Black professionals, entrepreneurs, and leaders connect, collaborate and turn opportunities into action. https://orbit.blackbusinessreview.net/

In conclusion, Double SS Transportation Services is more than just a ride; it’s a promise of quality and reliability in Maryland’s transportation landscape. As the business continues to grow, the commitment to personal service and community engagement will remain at the forefront. Whether for business or pleasure, clients can trust that their transportation needs will be handled with the utmost care and professionalism.

To experience this level of service for yourself, call 667-657-8382 and discover how Double SS Transportation Services can elevate your travel experience.

Stewart’s approach is not just about providing a service; it’s about creating an experience that resonates with customers. His focus on building relationships leads to repeat business and referrals, which are crucial to the longevity of any small business. Each satisfied customer not only continues to use the service but also becomes a brand ambassador in their own right, spreading the word to friends and family.

The company’s 667 number puts it in Maryland, in a market where Black-owned transportation businesses compete on the oldest advantage in the service economy: reputation travels by word of mouth, and every ride is an audition for the next one. A small operator cannot outspend the platforms. It can out-serve them — Stewart answers his own phone, knows his repeat clients by name, and treats “on time” as the floor rather than the ceiling. This personal attention makes clients feel valued and ensures that their specific needs are always met, whether it’s a quick ride to the airport or a special night out.

As the business continues to grow, Double SS Transportation Services remains committed to its core values: quality, reliability, and respect. These principles guide every decision made and every interaction with clients. It’s this unwavering commitment that not only drives business success but also instills confidence in customers, ensuring they return for their future transportation needs.

In terms of marketing and outreach, Stewart emphasizes the power of community. By engaging with local businesses and organizations, he can establish a solid reputation grounded in trust and reliability. This approach not only helps build a loyal customer base but also fosters a sense of community support that is crucial for small businesses. Each ride serves as an opportunity to connect with customers, gather testimonials, and grow the business organically.

Double SS Transportation Services also recognizes that every client is unique. They offer customizable packages tailored to specific needs, which can include anything from corporate accounts for frequent travelers to special arrangements for family outings. This level of personalization ensures that every client feels valued and understood, which is often lacking in larger transportation services.

Furthermore, the dedication to customer service extends beyond just the ride. Each interaction with Double SS Transportation Services is designed to build relationships. This includes follow-up calls to ensure satisfaction and requests for feedback, which help improve services continuously. Such proactive engagement is vital in an industry where customer satisfaction can make or break a business.

In today’s fast-paced world, the need for reliable transportation is greater than ever. Individuals often juggle many responsibilities, and having a dependable service can alleviate some of that pressure. Double SS Transportation Services aims to be that trusted partner, ready to meet any transportation need at a moment’s notice. From corporate events to personal outings, the flexibility of the service allows it to cater to a wide range of clients.

The vehicle itself, a black Chevrolet Suburban, is not only a symbol of comfort and luxury, but also of safety. Passengers can feel secure knowing that they are being transported in a well-maintained vehicle equipped with all necessary safety features. This is a significant consideration, particularly for families or those requiring transportation for vulnerable individuals. The spacious interior allows for ease of movement, making it ideal for transporting multiple passengers or larger items such as luggage for airport trips.

Moreover, the appointment-based model offers a level of predictability that many riders appreciate. Imagine having a busy day filled with meetings or events; knowing exactly when your driver will arrive eliminates unnecessary stress and allows you to focus on what truly matters. Whether it’s an early morning flight or an important business meeting, having a reliable transportation service can make all the difference.

With the rise of technology-driven transportation solutions, it’s easy to forget the value of a personal touch. Double SS Transportation Services understands that while technology can facilitate connection, it cannot replace the human elements that make a service memorable. This means that every ride is not just a trip from point A to point B, but an experience where the client feels valued and cared for. This commitment to excellence is what sets Double SS apart in a crowded field.

The wins cut across every kind of community Black mayors serve: major cities, mid-sized regional centers, and small Southern towns where the mayor’s office is the center of daily life. For Black Business Review readers, the results matter beyond politics — mayors control the contracting, permitting, and small-business programs that decide whether Black-owned firms get a fair shot at city work. Our full coverage of the night’s results is in Election 2026: The Morning After.

The Big-City Anchors

In Newark, Ras Baraka — one of the most nationally visible Black mayors in America — won re-election, continuing a tenure that has made New Jersey’s largest city a proving ground for Black political and economic power. On the West Coast, Rex Richardson was re-elected in Long Beach, California, and Emma Sharif held Compton, California, keeping two Los Angeles County cities under experienced Black leadership.

In the South and Mid-Atlantic, Frank Scott Jr. won again in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Phillip Jones was re-elected in Newport News, Virginia — two mayors whose administrations have put supplier diversity and minority business participation on the city agenda.

The Small-Town Bench

Some of the night’s most telling results came from smaller communities, where Black mayors are often the backbone of local economic life:

• Ethan N. Dunbar — Lewisville, Arkansas
• Katrina Evans — Campti, Louisiana
• Roderick Hampton — Haynesville, Louisiana
• James “Spike” Harris — Jonesboro, Louisiana
• Derrick M. Rainey — Wrightsville, Arkansas
• Jaylen Smith — Earle, Arkansas
• Clarence A. Vappie — Baldwin, Louisiana
• Derrick Wood — Dumfries, Virginia

Earle’s Jaylen Smith remains one of the most remarkable stories in American local politics: first elected at just 18 years old, he has now won a second term from the voters who made him one of the youngest mayors in the nation.

Meet the Re-Elected Mayors

Graphics: African American Mayors Association (ourmayors.org).

Why It Matters for Black Business

Mayors sit closer to Black business than any other elected officials. They sign off on city contracts, run the permitting offices that can speed up or stall a new storefront, appoint the economic development teams that recruit employers, and set the tone for whether minority-owned firms are invited into public work or left outside it. A re-elected mayor is a known quantity — relationships built with local Black chambers, CDFIs, and business owners carry forward instead of starting over.

The African American Mayors Association, which represents more than 500 Black mayors across the country, celebrated the results as proof of durable trust between these leaders and their communities. As AAMA put it in recognizing the winners, these mayors earned continued confidence for “strengthening communities, advancing opportunity, and delivering results for the people they serve.”

With new terms secured, the work now turns to what these administrations deliver: contracts opened, main streets revived, and opportunities created in the cities they lead. Black Business Review will be watching — and reporting on the mayors who turn re-election into results.

Source: African American Mayors Association (ourmayors.org), 2026 election results.

Join Orbit — where Black professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders connect, collaborate and turn opportunities into action. https://orbit.blackbusinessreview.net/

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Top Line: 2026 Election Results

Senate: Democrats win control, as called by the Associated Press. Democrats entered the night in a 53–47 minority and needed a net gain of four seats. They flipped at least seven Republican-held seats — in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Kansas, Iowa and Maine — guaranteeing at least 51 seats.

House: Democrats win control, as called by the Associated Press. In AP’s count, Democrats had won 222 seats with more races still leading as counting continued, well past the 218 needed for a majority.

Still too close to call as of 7:30 a.m. ET: the U.S. Senate races in Alaska and Mississippi were listed by AP as too early to call. The governor’s races in Alaska and Kansas were also too early to call as of 7:30 a.m. ET. No winner is projected in this article from raw vote totals alone.

Big Wins

The night’s biggest stories reached well beyond Washington. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton for the U.S. Senate — the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Texas since 1988 — and Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, ending more than three decades of Republican control of the Texas governor’s office. In Georgia, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms defeated Republican Rick Jackson to become the first Black woman elected governor in the United States, and the first Democrat to win Georgia’s governorship since 1998. In South Carolina, Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Republican Darline Graham for the Senate seat long held by Graham’s late brother, Lindsey Graham. In Kansas, Democrat Adam Hamilton defeated incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Marshall — the first Democratic Senate victory in Kansas in 94 years. In Wisconsin, Democrat David Crowley won the governorship and will become the state’s first Black governor. In Florida, Republican Byron Donalds won the governorship, becoming Florida’s first Black governor, in a Republican hold.

Michigan Spotlight

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has won Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat, defeating Republican Mike Rogers, according to a race call by the Associated Press at 2:27 a.m. ET. El-Sayed led 52% to 46% when the race was called; in AP’s latest count he had 2,480,577 votes to Rogers’ 2,154,946, with about 96% of the expected vote counted. El-Sayed, 42, a former public health official, succeeds retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters and holds a seat Democrats have held since 1979 — a seat widely viewed as essential to the party’s path back to a Senate majority. He will become the first Muslim American to serve in the U.S. Senate. Rogers, a former congressman, lost his second consecutive bid for the Senate. In Michigan’s governor’s race, Democrat Jocelyn Benson, the state’s secretary of state, won the open governor’s office, as called by AP.

State-by-State Senate Highlights

Flips to Democrats (AP-called): North Carolina — Roy Cooper defeated Michael Whatley. South Carolina — Annie Andrews defeated Darline Graham. Ohio (special election) — Sherrod Brown defeated incumbent Jon Husted, regaining the seat Brown lost in 2024. Texas — James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton. Kansas — Adam Hamilton defeated incumbent Roger Marshall. Iowa — Josh Turek defeated Ashley Hinson in an open-seat race; this was the call that gave Democrats the Senate majority. Maine — Troy Jackson defeated incumbent Susan Collins, who had served nearly 30 years.

Key Democratic holds (AP-called): Georgia — Jon Ossoff won re-election, defeating Mike Collins. Michigan — Abdul El-Sayed held the open Peters seat (see above). New Hampshire — Chris Pappas defeated John Sununu for the open seat of retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. Virginia, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Oregon also returned Democratic senators, as called by AP.

Key Republican holds (AP-called): Florida (special election), Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wyoming returned Republican senators, as called by AP.

Too close to call as of 7:30 a.m. ET: Alaska and Mississippi.

Governors: Winner → Loser, Flips Flagged

Thirty-six states elected a governor. Democrats won in states long controlled by Republicans, including Texas and Georgia, and AP reported the results put Democrats on course for a majority of governorships for the first time in two decades.

• Texas — FLIP to Democrat: Gina Hinojosa → Greg Abbott (incumbent Republican). AP called the race at 10:17 p.m. ET; Hinojosa is the state’s first Latina governor-elect.
• Georgia — FLIP to Democrat: Keisha Lance Bottoms → Rick Jackson. Bottoms is the first Black woman elected governor in U.S. history.
• Ohio — FLIP to Democrat: Amy Acton → Vivek Ramaswamy.
• Iowa — FLIP to Democrat: Rob Sand → Zach Lahn.
• Maryland — Democratic hold: Wes Moore → Dan Cox (see Maryland block below).
• Florida — Republican hold: Byron Donalds → David Jolly. Donalds will be Florida’s first Black governor.
• Wisconsin — Democratic win: David Crowley → Tom Tiffany. Crowley will be Wisconsin’s first Black governor.
• Michigan — Democratic win: Jocelyn Benson won the open governor’s office.
• New Mexico — Democratic win: Deb Haaland won; AP noted she is the first Native American woman elected to lead a state.
• California — Democratic win: Xavier Becerra won.
• New York — Democratic hold: Kathy Hochul won re-election.
• Pennsylvania — Democratic hold: Josh Shapiro won re-election.
• Illinois — Democratic hold: JB Pritzker won a third term.
• Massachusetts — Democratic hold: Maura Healey won re-election.
• Colorado — Democratic win: Phil Weiser won.
• Connecticut — Democratic hold: Ned Lamont won re-election.
• Rhode Island — Democratic win: Helena Foulkes won.

Republicans held the governorships in states including Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont and Wyoming, as called by AP. Too close to call as of 7:30 a.m. ET: Alaska and Kansas.

Maryland

Gov. Wes Moore won re-election, defeating Republican Dan Cox in a rematch of 2022, as called by the Associated Press at 8:01 p.m. ET, one minute after polls closed. In AP’s count, Moore had 1,163,257 votes (62.7%) to Cox’s 616,821 (33.3%). Moore, Maryland’s first Black governor, returns with Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller for a second term. Attorney General Anthony Brown and Comptroller Brooke Lierman were also re-elected, each with about 67% of the vote, as projected by AP. Voters approved Question 3, the constitutional amendment on congressional redistricting backed by Moore, with about 60% in favor in AP’s count — a change that removes the state constitution’s compactness and contiguity requirements for congressional districts and could reshape Maryland’s House map in future cycles. In Baltimore, state Sen. Antonio Hayes — recently named chair of the Maryland Senate Finance Committee — remains a central figure in the state’s budget debate; read Black Business Review’s coverage: Antonio Hayes Takes the Gavel. All Maryland incumbents in the U.S. House won, and Del. Adrian Boafo won the 5th District seat long held by Steny Hoyer.

What It Means for Black Business

A Democratic House and Senate change the terrain for Black-owned businesses on the issues that decide who gets capital and who gets contracts. Committee control determines the oversight agenda for small-business lending, Community Development Financial Institutions, minority business development programs, and federal contracting and set-aside rules. A Democratic majority is more likely to defend and expand those programs — and to press regulators and large banks on lending disparities — while President Donald Trump retains the veto, so legislation will still require negotiation and, in the Senate, Republican votes to override. The governors’ results may matter sooner: new Democratic governors in Texas, Georgia, Ohio and Iowa control state contracting, supplier-diversity offices, and the state agencies that license, fund and buy from small businesses. In Maryland, a second Moore term plus Question 3 means continuity on state economic policy and a new congressional map fight ahead. The practical takeaway for owners is unchanged but sharper this morning: register as a vendor with your state, keep certifications current, and watch committee assignments in January — that is where the money decisions will be made first.

How Texas Could Flip All-Democratic

Start with what actually happened, because Texas is where the night’s map changed most — and where it did not change completely. AP called the U.S. Senate race for Democrat James Talarico over Republican Ken Paxton (5,266,242 votes to 4,115,458 in AP’s latest count, about 94% of precincts reporting): the first Democratic Senate win in Texas since 1988 and the first Democratic statewide win of any kind since 1994. AP called the governor’s race for Democrat Gina Hinojosa over incumbent Greg Abbott at 10:17 p.m. ET, with Hinojosa at about 57% to Abbott’s 41% when called; Abbott conceded on election night. Democrat Vikki Goodwin defeated incumbent Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick for lieutenant governor, as projected by AP in its overnight reporting — the first Democrat in that office in 27 years — and Democrats led the rest of the statewide ballot, including state Sen. Nathan Johnson over Mayes Middleton for attorney general, in the Secretary of State’s count reported by AP. That is a genuine statewide breakthrough, driven by the big metros: Harris County (Houston), Dallas County, Travis County (Austin), Bexar County (San Antonio) and Tarrant County (Fort Worth) are now the state’s population and turnout engine, and sustained suburban movement toward Democrats in and around those counties is what turned a double-digit statewide deficit from 2024 into Democratic wins in 2026. Demographic trends point the same way — a younger, more diverse, more urban electorate, with more than 7.4 million Texans voting early.

But an all-Democratic Texas has not happened, and tonight’s numbers also show where it did not. In the U.S. House, AP’s Texas tally had Republicans leading in 24 districts (18 called) to Democrats’ 14 (13 called), with seven districts still too early to call as of 7:30 a.m. ET — so the congressional delegation remains majority-Republican in every called and leading race. The Texas Legislature also remains in Republican hands, which is why Goodwin will preside over a Republican-controlled state Senate whose members can vote to limit the lieutenant governor’s powers. A full flip would still require: winning the remaining statewide offices on a sustained basis, not in one wave year; flipping the state House and Senate through district-by-district organizing in suburbs that voted Democratic at the top of the ticket but Republican down-ballot; and holding the metro margins through a presidential cycle, when turnout is higher and the electorate is different. The timeline is therefore a cycle-by-cycle question, not a single night. Tonight, Texas moved decisively toward a flip at the statewide level — Senate, governor and lieutenant governor — and did not complete it in the House delegation or the Legislature. That gap, between a blue top of the ticket and a red map underneath it, is the story to watch in 2028 and 2030.

Results: Associated Press (AP). Race calls are AP projections; official results come only after state certification. Cross-checks: NBC News, CBS News and CNN projections for control of Congress.

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The victory carries a triple first for Georgia. Bottoms will be the state’s first Black governor, its first woman governor, and its first Democratic governor since Roy Barnes left office in 2003 — ending 24 years of Republican control of the governor’s office. She succeeds term-limited Governor Brian Kemp and takes office in January.

The Associated Press called the race at approximately 9:24 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, November 3, with Bottoms holding a commanding lead of roughly ten points as returns came in. She carried the ticket on a night that swept Georgia Democrats to major wins, including the re-election of U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, and that delivered control of both the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate to the Democratic Party.

From Atlanta City Hall to the Governor’s Office

Bottoms, an Atlanta native and attorney, is no stranger to executive office. She served as the 60th mayor of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022, leading the city through the COVID-19 pandemic and a period of national reckoning on policing and public safety. She is the only mayor in Atlanta’s history to have served in all three branches of city government, having previously worked as a judge and as a member of the Atlanta City Council.

After leaving City Hall, she moved to the White House, serving as a senior advisor to President Joe Biden and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement from 2022 to 2023, where she was one of the administration’s principal liaisons to state and local leaders, business organizations, and community groups across the country.

She won the Democratic nomination in May with more than 57 percent of the primary vote, then faced Jackson, a billionaire healthcare executive, in one of the most closely watched governor’s races in the nation. Pre-election polling had shown a tight contest; the result on Tuesday was not close.

A Barrier More Than Two Centuries in the Making

Since the founding of the republic, roughly 2,300 people have served as governor of an American state. Only a handful have been Black, and no Black woman had ever won the office — until Tuesday night. Bottoms’s election closes one of the longest-standing gaps in American political leadership.

Georgia is a fitting state for the breakthrough. It is home to Atlanta, widely regarded as a capital of Black business in America, with one of the largest concentrations of Black-owned firms, Black corporate leadership, and Black wealth-building institutions in the nation. The state that produced Maynard Jackson, the first Black mayor of a major Southern city, has now produced the first Black woman governor in American history.

What Georgia’s Business Community Will Be Watching

For Black business owners in Georgia, the transition in the governor’s office raises immediate practical questions. State government is one of the largest buyers of goods and services in Georgia, and the governor sets the tone — and the targets — for who gets access to that spending. Procurement policy, supplier diversity in state contracting, small-business lending programs, and appointments to the boards that oversee economic development will all be early signals of the new administration’s priorities.

Bottoms built her mayoral administration in a city where Black entrepreneurs are central to the economy, and her time in the White House put her in direct contact with business organizations in every state. Georgia’s Black business community — from Atlanta’s established firms to the growing corridors in Savannah, Augusta, Columbus, and Macon — will be watching her first appointments and her first budget for evidence that the state’s economic agenda includes the businesses that have too often been last in line for state opportunity.

She will also govern with a national tailwind and a national spotlight. Democrats’ capture of both chambers of Congress means Georgia’s new governor takes office at the same moment her party returns to power in Washington — a combination that could move federal infrastructure, broadband, and small-business dollars toward states whose leadership is positioned to receive them.

The Road Ahead

Bottoms inherits a state with a strong economy, a growing population, and persistent gaps in wealth, health outcomes, and business ownership between its communities. Her campaign now gives way to a transition, with an inauguration set for January and a first legislative session that will test how quickly an historic candidacy becomes a governing record.

On Tuesday night, though, the moment belonged to history. A daughter of Atlanta — a judge, a councilmember, a mayor, and a White House advisor — became the first Black woman elected governor in the history of the United States.

Results: Associated Press (AP). Read Black Business Review’s full election coverage at blackbusinessreview.net.

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It is a significant chair to fill. The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, part of the 500-acre Grande Lakes Orlando resort, is a par-72, 7,122-yard course set on a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, and it has been the home of the PNC Championship since 2012. The Head Golf Professional there runs the daily golf operation — coaching, member and guest experience, and the team that delivers both.

A Career Built Across the Army, Federal Service and the Fairway

Cherubin does not arrive by the usual route. In announcing the appointment, Marriott Golf pointed to a career that spans the golf industry, the U.S. Army and the Social Security Administration — a background the company credited with shaping his leadership in coaching, golf operations and membership relations.

He is a PGA Class A Professional with a specialization in Executive Management, and he is completing a further specialization in Golf Operations. Most recently, he served as Head Golf Professional at Arlington Ridge Golf Club in Leesburg, Florida, where he led all aspects of daily golf operations — recruiting, onboarding, training and developing the golf services team.

“Started Later, Struggled, and Rebuilt”

Cherubin’s coaching profile tells the other half of the story. He came to golf later than most professionals, and he does not hide it. “Today, I’m a PGA Class A Golf Professional,” he writes, “but more importantly, I’m someone who understands what it’s like to start later, struggle, and rebuild.” That perspective has made him a sought-after coach in Central Florida, where he has taught out of the Leesburg and Ocala area.

It is also the perspective he now brings to Grande Lakes, where the membership and guest list runs from resort visitors playing a bucket-list round to serious players preparing on a tour-tested course. Golf’s leadership ranks are still opening up — BBR has tracked that shift in its coverage of the game’s Black-owned courses and clubs — and Cherubin’s appointment puts a Black PGA professional in one of the most visible clubhouse roles in the Marriott Golf portfolio.

Read next: Top 10 Black-Owned Golf Courses & Clubs Worth Traveling For

What Comes Next at Grande Lakes

The timing could hardly be bigger. The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club reopened on November 1 following a comprehensive regrassing project across its tees, fairways, rough and greens — the course was closed from late April through October 31 — so Cherubin’s first weeks in the role are also the club’s first weeks back in play. Every guest walking through the clubhouse door this month is, in effect, meeting the new operation and its new Head Golf Professional at the same time.

Then comes the club’s biggest week of the year: the PNC Championship returns to The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club December 17–20, 2026 (championship play December 19–20), bringing 20 major champions and their family partners to the course he now runs. This year’s field is already shaping up as a headline one — world No. 1 Nelly Korda returns, Cameron Young and Brooks Koepka make their PNC debuts, and a record four women are in the field. For a professional whose career has moved through service, operations and coaching, it is a fitting stage — and a name Black golfers in Central Florida will know well.

Join Orbit — where Black professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders connect, collaborate and turn opportunities into action. https://orbit.blackbusinessreview.net/

NASSAU, Bahamas — Western Air Limited, the largest privately owned airline in The Bahamas and one of the largest Black-owned and operated airlines in the world, is flying into its next era under second-generation leadership. Sherrexcia “Rexy” Rolle, Esq. serves as President, CEO & Accountable Manager of Western Air — the airline her parents, Captain Rex J. Rolle and Shandrice Woodside-Rolle, established in September 2000 and built into a carrier valued at over US$90 million.

A Second Generation Takes the Controls

Rolle stepped into the top job on January 1, 2024, becoming the first woman President & CEO in the airline’s history and joining the roughly 8 percent of airline CEOs worldwide who are women. She succeeded her father, Captain Rex Rolle, who led the company from its inception and now serves as Chairman of the Board, bringing more than four decades of aviation experience to the role. Her mother, co-founder Shandrice Woodside-Rolle, serves as Vice-President & COO.

The promotion was earned from the inside. An aviation and corporate attorney licensed in California, Washington, D.C. and The Bahamas, Rolle spent more than nine years as Western Air’s VP of Operations & General Counsel — and started her career at the airline in baggage claim. On taking the role her father held for 23 years, she called it “truly an honor to step into the role that my Dad served for so long.”

Built From One Route Between Nassau and San Andros

Western Air began with a single idea: the people of The Bahamas’ outer islands deserved reliable air service. The Rolles started with Fairchild Metro III aircraft on one route, between Nassau and San Andros, and the consistency of that service created demand from island to island.

Under Rexy Rolle’s operational leadership, the airline retired its turboprops for a uniform fleet of Embraer ERJ145 50-seat jets, opened its own passenger terminal and full-service maintenance facility in Freeport, Grand Bahama — a facility she spearheaded in 2015 and reopened rebuilt after Hurricane Dorian and the Covid-19 pandemic — and launched the airline’s first U.S. route, between Nassau and Fort Lauderdale, in 2022.

The Operation Today

Today Western Air operates daily jet service between Nassau and Freeport, Marsh Harbour, Exuma, Cat Island, Bimini, Congo Town, San Andros and Fort Lauderdale, plus on-demand charters throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America and the United States. The airline employs more than 230 people, operates its own passenger terminals and maintenance facilities at San Andros and Grand Bahama, and holds what the company describes as the best on-time record in the region. Its customer-first policies include tickets that stay usable for a full year, with no change or cancellation fees.

Headquartered at San Andros Airport on Andros Island, Western Air stands as proof of what Black family ownership can build in one of the world’s most capital-intensive industries — a story that belongs alongside the global builders BBR has spotlighted in its Black Entrepreneurs Worldwide coverage.

About Western Air

Founded in September 2000, Western Air is the largest privately owned airline in The Bahamas, operating a uniform fleet of Embraer EMB145LR & XR 50-seat jets with 230+ employees. The airline operates daily jet service across The Bahamas and to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as well as on-demand charters throughout the Caribbean, Central & South America and the United States, from its own passenger terminals and maintenance facilities in San Andros and Grand Bahama. For more information, visit westernairbahamas.com.

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Senate committee chairs are appointed by the Senate President, and Bill Ferguson — who holds that authority — was the advertised special guest at Hayes’s Baltimore fundraiser the same evening, where the appointment was confirmed publicly before Hayes posted his own statement. Hayes succeeds Sen. Pamela Beidle of Anne Arundel County, who has chaired Finance since 2023 and is retiring at term’s end after withdrawing from her re-election race at the February filing deadline. There is no learning curve: Hayes has sat on Finance since 2019 and has been its vice chair since 2025.

“I am deeply honored to serve as the next Chair of the Maryland Senate Finance Committee, and I do not take lightly the responsibility of making decisions that affect families across our state,” Hayes wrote on Facebook Thursday evening. “Thank you to everyone who has believed in me and my leadership.”

A West Baltimore Path to the Gavel

Hayes was born in Baltimore and built his career in the city’s public life before he ever held office — legislative aide to Del. Salima Siler Marriott, director of legislative affairs for the City Council President, assistant deputy mayor, and a staffer at the city Department of Social Services. Voters in the 40th District, which runs through West and Northwest Baltimore, sent him to the House of Delegates in 2015 and to the Senate in 2019. He is now in his second Senate term, has served as Majority Whip, and has already chaired the Executive Nominations Committee. The Finance gavel is the biggest of his career.

A Record Built on Household Costs

Hayes’s committee work has run through working families’ wallets. In the 2026 session he carried the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund affordability bill — an effort to cut car insurance costs in a city where premiums are a barrier to getting to work — and it was signed into law. He has sponsored legislation to open alcoholic beverage licensing to food retailers — a food-access fight in underserved neighborhoods — and has backed reinvestment along West North Avenue through its state development authority.

Why This Gavel Matters for Black Business

Finance is not the money committee — spending and taxes run through Budget and Taxation. Finance decides something just as consequential: how private business is allowed to operate in Maryland. By the General Assembly’s own description, the committee’s jurisdiction covers financial institutions, credit regulation and consumer financing, commercial law and consumer protection, economic development, insurance, labor and employment, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, utility regulation, transportation and health care. Maryland’s cannabis laws move through Finance too, including the social equity licensing framework and the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund, which steers cannabis tax dollars into the communities hit hardest by prohibition.

That means the issues Black business owners organize around — who gets a loan and on what terms, what insurance costs, what employers must pay, who gets a cannabis license and where the reinvestment money lands — are decided in this room, on this committee’s calendar. It is the same ground Maryland’s minority business community has worked for years, the work of advocates like Wayne Frazier. The chair decides which bills get hearings and which get votes — and that chair now belongs to a senator from the 40th District.

What to Watch

The 2027 session convenes January 13 — the first of a new four-year term — and Hayes heads into the November 3 general election as the Democratic nominee in the deep-blue 40th District, facing only a minor-party challenger. Watch for his vice chair pick, the next round of cannabis social equity and reinvestment bills, and whether insurance affordability stays atop his agenda. Maryland business owners who need a hearing in Annapolis now know whose door to knock on.

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JAY-Z. Photo via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

The announcement, made October 26, puts the 25-time Grammy Award winner on the biggest stage in entertainment — a stage his own company has run for years.

Inside the JAY-Z Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show

Since 2019, Roc Nation — the entertainment company JAY-Z founded — has partnered with the NFL as its live music entertainment strategist, shaping every halftime show of the modern era. Roc Nation will executive produce the Super Bowl LXI telecast and serve as strategic entertainment advisor for the performance, with Hamish Hamilton directing.

In other words, after years of selecting the headliners, JAY-Z has selected himself.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell noted that when the league first reached its agreement with Roc Nation to produce the show, his one request was that JAY-Z take the stage himself one day, whenever the moment felt right to him.

The run of shows under Roc Nation’s watch has defined the modern halftime era: Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, The Weeknd, Dr. Dre and friends, Rihanna, Usher, Kendrick Lamar and, most recently, Bad Bunny.

A 30-Year Run to the Biggest Stage

The moment arrives in a milestone year. JAY-Z’s debut album, Reasonable Doubt, turns 30 in 2026, and the halftime performance caps a run that has made him one of the most successful businessmen in entertainment history — a billionaire whose Roc Nation empire spans music, sports and live events.

“From Reasonable Doubt to standing on the Super Bowl Halftime stage, this has been a journey,” JAY-Z said in the announcement. “Thirty years of music, work, and culture on the world’s biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true.”

The bar is high — and his own company set it. Last year’s Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, starring Bad Bunny and executive produced by Roc Nation, won seven Emmy Awards, the most in halftime show history.

The announcement adds another chapter to a year of milestone moments for Black entertainment’s power players, including Mara Brock Akil, whose debut novel became a national bestseller in 2026.

How to Watch

The JAY-Z Super Bowl LXI halftime show airs during Super Bowl LXI on Sunday, February 14, 2027, on ESPN and ABC, streaming on Disney+ and NFL+. Spanish-language coverage will run on ESPN Deportes and Univision.

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