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To Recognize Joe DeLoss with the Reese Neader Memorial Award for Entrepreneurship & Social Change
Title
WHEREAS, Reese Neader was a staple of the Columbus community who rallied entrepreneurs to create their own small businesses; and
WHEREAS, Reese passed away on December 14th, 2016 at the age of 34; and
WHEREAS, to carry on the legacy of Reese Neader and recognize entrepreneurs working towards the common good, Columbus City Council established the Reese Neader Memorial Award for Entrepreneurship and Social Change; and
WHEREAS, the Reese Neader Memorial Award is presented quarterly to a small business or entrepreneur in Columbus working to improve neighborhoods, create jobs, and boost the quality of life for the people of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, this quarter’s Reese Neader Memorial Award goes to Joe DeLoss; and
WHEREAS, Joe founded Hot Chicken Takeover in 2014 as a pop-up restaurant committed to championing supportive employment to adults affected by homelessness, incarceration, and poverty, and introducing Columbus to outstanding, spicy fried chicken; and
WHEREAS, Joe now leads an enterprise of 120 individuals with around 70 percent of those workers coming from backgrounds that make it hard to find employment, and has become a nationally-recognized thought leader and advocate of integrating second-chance employment into corporate HR practices;
WHEREAS, Joe has grown Hot Chicken Takeover from an Olde Towne East walk-up window in 2014 to three restaurants and $6 million in sales last year; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this Council does hereby present Joe DeLoss with the Reese Neader Memorial Award for Entrepreneurship and Social Change.