Orlando, FL – The Orlando Business Journal selected Allie L. Braswell, Jr. as one of 15 finalists for the 2012 Most Influential Men awards. The finalists were chosen out of 141 nominees.

Currently, Braswell serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Central Florida Urban League (CFUL), an organization dedicated to empowering residents to achieve social and economic success for the betterment of the entire region. The CFUL is part of the National Urban League (NUL), a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities.

Braswell created a program that assists Central Floridians in their efforts to return to work, through an “Apprenticeship to Work” model called the Center for Workforce Innovation. Known as CWI, the public/private collaborative provides employability skills and serves as a developmental training center specializing in new economy jobs for Central Floridians in the 21st century throughout the emerging "Super Region."

Braswell’s ideas for bridging the employment and skills gap have garnered him national attention. He was invited to speak about CWI at the White House and on CSPAN. Additionally, his program was adopted as part of the NUL’s 8-Point Plan.

In addition to his work at the CFUL, Braswell serves as a member of numerous committees and boards, including the Executive Advisory Board for MyRegion.org, the Wells Fargo Community Advisory Board, and the Central Florida Partnership Regional Caucus.

As a military veteran who served 13 years in the Marine Corps, Braswell continues his military service as a U.S. Army Reserve Ambassador, and most recently was appointed to the Advisory Committee for the Center for Minority Veterans by the Honorable Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary of Veteran Affairs. His concept for a national repatriation partnership between the NUL and the VA was the subject of an essay in the NUL’s State of Black America report.

In addition to his work with veterans, Braswell has also been very vocal about the recent tragedy that took place in Sanford, Fla. — the untimely death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. Speaking in solidarity with Martin’s family and with Sanford residents, Braswell called for the arrest of shooter George Zimmerman and a full examination of the Sanford Police Department.

As part of his advocacy, Braswell spoke at several rallies with civil rights leaders Rev. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. He was invited to participate as a panelist for WESH-TV 2’s program, “Race: A Community Conversation.” During the program, Braswell emphasized that equality, understanding and empowerment are keys toward racial harmony.

“I am fortunate to have enjoyed so many opportunities throughout my career, but I believe that my greatest accomplishment is my children,” Braswell says. “A strong spiritual connection to God and a rock-solid foundation in faith gives me the fortitude to serve as an unrelenting voice for the underserved.”

The Orlando Business Journal will host its Most Influential Men awards on Nov. 8 from 6-9 p.m. at the Sheraton Orlando Downtown. For more info on Braswell or the Central Florida Urban League, visit http://www.cful.org/

About the Central Florida Urban League

The Central Florida Urban League (CFUL), an affiliate of the National Urban League, is a community-based agency whose mission is to assist Central Floridians in achieving social and economic equality for the betterment of the entire region. More than 40,000 residents have benefited from CFUL’s empowerment programs. Visit http://www.cful.org/ for more information.

Chatter Buzz Media, LLC
Ashley Cisneros
321-236-0083
[email protected]
http://www.cful.org/