EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Carver Community Organization will celebrate its 80 years of service to the community with its first formal Gala on Saturday, Nov. 1, from 6-10 p.m. at Bally’s Event Center in downtown Evansville.
This black tie event will feature an evening of dining, dancing and entertainment, and a half pot drawing. To purchase tickets or a table sponsorship for the Gala, go to www.carverorg.org and click on 80th Anniversary Gala.
For 80 years, the Carver Community Organization has been dedicated to developing confident and compassionate individuals of all ages through various programs and initiatives aimed at community development, education and personal growth. Our commitment to fostering a supportive environment has positively impacted countless lives and continues to be our driving force.
Carver Community Organization strives to reach children and families through our multiple programs including the Childcare Center, providing quality educational experiences for children under age 5; youth programs for students in K-12 that help children work toward academic success and skills to thrive in a diverse community; senior programs, empowering those 50 and older to stay active, independent and connected to the community; and connecting families to community resources.
Also to be featured at the event will be a guest speaker, Evansville native and entrepreneur Dr. Iris Cooper. She is also a former “Carver Kid,” having attended Carver as a child.
Cooper graduated from Bosse High School in Evansville, Indiana in 1971, and attended Fisk University for two years. She transferred to Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana in 1973 and graduated with a B.A. degree in journalism. In 1977, Cooper received an M.B.A. degree in marketing, also from Indiana University. Her D.B.A. degree in entrepreneurship was awarded from Walden University in 2016.
Among her many accomplishments was being marketing manager of the restaurant division of the Lazarus restaurants in Columbus, Ohio; vice president and manager of community development lending at Key Bank. And, in 1989, she co-founded and served as vice president of marketing for Glory Foods, Inc., the first minority-owned food product line in the nation. As the only female owner, Cooper wrote the business plan, created the brand, and conceived the disruptive marketing strategy which introduced pre-seasoned, heat-and-eat “soul food” to the grocery shelves.
Cooper applied her knowledge of financial services in 2001 by opening Pyramid Mortgage Company, targeting self-employed customers. JustAskIris!, also launched in 2001, specializing in marketing, strategic planning, and financial management. In 2007, Cooper became director of the entrepreneurship and small business division of the Ohio Department of Development. Under her leadership, Ohio rose from 29th worst place for small businesses to the ninth best in the nation, and first in the Midwest in four years.
She is a published author and has taught business courses at Columbus State Community College, Franklin University and Otterbein University, sharing her knowledge and experiences with the next generation.
She is the recipient of numerous awards including a YWCA Woman of Achievement and a Woman of Economic and Leadership Development (WELD). She also has received the Amos Lynch Legacy Award from the Champions of Diversity organization and the Sharon Burkes Soar Award from Franklin County Children’s Services for her advocacy work in Central Ohio.
