FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 23, 2023
Scottsdale, Arizona
ACEL and SupportU Honors 2023 Mentoring Awards to Gerald Bohulano, Mentor of the Year and Jazmine Cole, Mentee of the Year
On January 21st, 2023 – Asian Corporate and Entrepreneur Leaders (ACEL), a non-profit organization providing Asian American professionals opportunities to work together to enhance Asian American leadership, celebrated the recent year’s accomplishments by bestowing the much anticipated Mentoring Awards at their annual awards gala ACELebration. This year’s Mentoring awards were generously sponsored by SupportU – a woman, minority-owned company founded on the principle of doing the right thing by every customer. This year’s outstanding SupportU Mentee of the Year Award was awarded to Jazmine Cole. The outstanding SupportU Mentor of the Year Award was awarded to Gerald Bohulano. Held at the Embassy Suites Hilton in Scottsdale, the premier Asian community gala was sold out with approximately 250 guests in attendance representing a diverse community along with AAPI.
“To have a mentor means being able to learn from someone who has a desire to pay it forward by passing along their extensive knowledge of professional experience and practical skills they have gained throughout their career/life and who can help me navigate varied challenges, be my cheerleader and motivate me. Though I have the support of family and friends, it was nice to have someone outside of my personal or professional life to remind me of what I am working towards and give me more confidence in my ability to achieve the goals I am setting for myself”, stated Cole, who is currently a Team Coordinator for evolvedMD, a behavioral health company here in Arizona.
Bohulano is an active community member and dedicated volunteer, being appointed by Phoenix Mayor, Greg Stanton, to serve as a board member for the Advancing Youth Workforce Committee. He is most proud to have founded the first LGBT alumni association group in Arizona history, Devils’ Pride at Arizona State University, where he studied journalism and mass communication from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School. He also dedicates his time as a board member to the Miss Phoenix, Miss Scottsdale and Miss Maricopa County Scholarship Pageant among other boards and planning committees for local nonprofits and charities. When he is not volunteering, he manages and implements communication plans and oversees strategic and tactical execution as the marketing communications manager for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona to more than 2 million members.
SupportU’s mission is to help provide employment and development opportunities to untapped populations and empower diverse communities to live inspired, purposeful lives – bringing out the best version of people and delivering awesome results for clients and customers. They believe that good business starts with building powerful partnerships with their clients, employees and communities. SupportU was founded on the premise of doing the right thing by customers and creating awe inspiring customer service programs for Clients. At SupportU, their values shape the culture of their organization. They empower their employees, listen to ideas and collaborate for the best outcomes. They are innovative, forward thinking and brave. SupportU delivers profoundly good customer service programs that turn issues into opportunities and brings customers back to brands again and again.
“SupportU is based on a few simple principles. We believe that the success of any organization starts and stops with its people. We also believe that it’s important to create a safe work environment, where we embrace each other’s differences and that it’s okay for everybody to be themselves. And if we create a culture that truly embraces these qualities, we believe that this underserved talent will deliver exceptional customer service to our clients.” stated Hui Wu-Curtis, COO and founder.
Jason Wong, Founder and Chairman of ACEL, began the much anticipated mentorship awards back in 2014. For these students and young professionals, access to AAPI leaders and role models can inspire knowledge, ideas, education, and innovation that lasts a lifetime and can really influence their careers or creativity. Mentoring is a key component of ACEL. These higher level mentoring relationships close the generation gap and strengthen the community as a whole.
Highlighting the event was keynote speaker, the charismatic and inspiring Mr. Jeffrey Roh, CEO of IntuitiveX, healthcare innovators transporting healthcare innovations from idea to commercialization; and the dynamic duo Sherry Scott and Kenney Ho, who emceed the spectacular event with formidable wit and kept guests at the edge of their seats. Guests enjoyed cocktails, conversation, photography and a lovely dinner with colorful entertainment. A most fortuitous dance performance by Ty’s Lions and a Cambodian Blessing/Wishing dance helped guests welcome another great year.
ACEL hosts leadership chapters in six cities as well as three collegiate chapters. ACEL offers AAPI youth a mentorship program and an annual leadership conference in August open to the community. Visit ACEL https://aceleaders.org/ for more information.
For Media inquiries, please contact Khamsone Sirimanivong, Board of Directors, Public Relations at ACEL at khamsone.sirimanivong@ACELeaders.org or 602.486.3461
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The next ACEL Mentorship cohort applications are due on 1/31/2023 – https://aceleaders.org/mentorship-program/
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