Sharon Owens-Clark started Random Ltd. from her kitchen table in downtown Newport News in the year of December 2005 which turned into DAS Medical Equipment & Supplies.  Since that time her company has grown and undergone two more name changes from World Class Marketing Inc. to World Class Solutions Inc. where she is the President and CEO.  Sharon believes World Class Solutions Inc. identifies the company’s mission as it mission is to make complexity simple with its diverse product portfolio. She partners with and is a supplier for Ferguson Enterprise which is one of the largest billion-dollar companies in the world. Sharon has proven her skills and service and have some of the top customers in the area, Newport News Shipbuilding a Division of Huntington Ingalls, Newport News Sheriff’s office, Achievable Dream, City of Newport News, and many government agencies just to name a few.

Sharon grew up in Newport News. She sits on the Board for The American Red Cross, The City of Newport News Façade Grant Program and Newport News Sheriff Department’s Project Lifesaver.  She gets enjoyment of growing her business and giving back to the community she grew up in, Sharon partners with Local Colleges, Community Service Board and the STEP (Summer Training Enrichment Program) that  help develop youth and young adults prepare for today’s work force.

In her spare time, she enjoys riding her Harley Davidson, supporting her children’s sport endeavors and movie binging.

Thank you to all our members and MBL teammates who celebrated with us at our Virtual Holiday Party! Together we celebrated the holidays with a featured membership showcase, holiday fun filled activities, dancing, and prizes. Thank you to our event planning staff for organizing this festive event and creating a fun, virtual environment for our members. We are so honored to have had the opportunity to recognize our hardworking members and hope to broadcast more of our member’s accomplishments in the future.

The Metropolitan Business Leage (MBL) has announced Ms. Brandi Brown, owner of Ms. Bee’s Juice Bar, as The Main Course Restaurant competition winner!

The Main Course: A Valentine Museum Restaurant Competition administered local Richmond chefs and food vendors the opportunity to be a caterer and café’ owner at The Valentine Museum. In addition, the winner is awarded 2 years of rent-free space at The Valentine and a 1-year membership to the MBL, Richmond Black Restaurant Experience, and Hatch Kitchen RVA.

Main Course Restaurant Competition was in collaboration with the MBL, Hatch Kitchen RVA, and Richmond Black Restaurant Experience. The featured panel of judges showcased successful business owner among the Richmond area including Ukrop (Developer, Quirk Hotel & Board of Trustees, The Valentine), Connie Hom (CEO/ President, Buckingham Greenery, Inc. + Board of Directors, The Metropolitan Business League), Chef Mike Lindsey (Chef/ Owner, Lillie Pearl), Eileen Mellon (Food Editor, Richmond Magazine), Kevin Clay (President & Founding Partner, Big Spoon Co.) and Shemicia Bowen (Co-Founder, Richmond Black Restaurant Experience).

Main Course Contestants were scored on their overall application, cuisine type, and expansion preparedness. Brown wooed the judges with her delicious vegan cuisines in the final competition cook-off and claimed the title of Main Course winner! Another notable award winner was Sharon’s Soul Food Kitchen, who was voted the Community Choice Award Winner upon MBL’s website. Brown’s famous vegan dishes can be found at Ms. Bee’s Jucie Bar located on the Northside of Richmond and will soon make an appearance at The Valentine. The MBL would like to thank its partners for organizing this impactful event and the talented contestants for making this competition possible

The MBL would like to Congratulate this year’s Remarkable Woman of the Year, Lakshmi Challa! This year’s recipient exemplifies True Resilience.

She is the managing attorney of an award-winning law group and has successfully practiced immigration law for over 20 years. Her firm is headquartered in Richmond, VA with offices in North Carolina and India.

Her community connections are transparent through the firm’s commitment to providing a voice to those who do not have a voice, with her pro bono efforts to include helping victims of domestic violence and children who have been trafficked into the US.

She has also served the Office of the Virginia Attorney General as Special Counsel on immigration matters for nearly a decade under Democratic and Republican administrations.

Join us in congratulating the Metropolitan Business League’s 2020 Remarkable Woman of the Year – Lakshmi Challa!