Genesis Block Announces Board of Advisors to Support Building the Entrepreneur Class

Genesis Block is currently hosting the first cohort of its Back on the Block Minority Accelerator designed to advance entrepreneurship in minority communities.

Genesis Block announced today the formation of its Board of Advisors, which include notable small business experts, entrepreneurs and community leaders. The board will provide strategic counsel on the company’s mission to build the entrepreneur class and lower barriers to entrepreneurship. In doing so, the board will further advance Genesis Block’s vision of being the anchor institution for minority and women business services and economic development in southeastern North Carolina.

“We are honored and so proud to have attracted this incredible group of talented professionals and community leaders. This Board will help us drive our mission to build the entrepreneur class forward and create a dynamic inclusive environment for small businesses to thrive,” says Genesis Block Cofounder Girard Newkirk.

The Genesis Block Advisory Board members are:

Joseph Finley supports supports several community initiatives that include; equity in education,
entrepreneurship, Black history in Wilmington and public art.

Joseph “Joe” Finley is a Co-founder of CastleBranch and tekMountain, where he has held a variety of roles, including; Vice President of Sales and President. He is currently on the board of directors for the Cape Fear Collective, Friends School of Wilmington and the Northside Food Cooperative. He is working with several local organizations in an effort to instill long-term economic and cultural change in the Cape Fear region. Joe is one of the most active members of the Cape Fear Community and is a thought leader on various subjects including entrepreneurship, social equity and the expansion of cultural inclusiveness in our community.

Karl Ricanek is Co-founder and CEO of Lapetus Solutions Lapetus and the company recently partnered with Nuralogix the developer of Anura(TM) a platform that can examine a person’s health parameters using a short video of the person’s face.

Karl Ricanek is the Co-founder and CEO of Lapetus Solutions. The company uses technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and facial recognition software to create products that predict life events for businesses including life insurance and wealth management companies. Dr. Ricanek, is also a Professor of Computer Science at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Ricanek’s Lapetus Solutions, was selected 2016 Coastal Entrepreneur Award Winner.

Deborah Hays was elected to serve as New Hanover County Commissioner on December 7, 2020. She is a real estate professional and She was awarded Realtor® of the Year in 2012, and the Hall of Fame award in 2020.

New Hanover County Commissioner Deb Hays is a professional member of the real estate community, and is a committed civic leader, actively involved in local, state, and national committees. She is actively involved in several community organizations, including Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry (WARM) and Lump to Laughter. She has built over 20 Habitat homes, as well as 10 houses in Guatemala on a mission trip, participated in the rebuild of post-hurricane New Orleans, and served on the Community Leaders Task Force for housing, renovation, and rebuild post-hurricane Florence.

Tracey Newkirk is the Co-founder and President of Genesis Block. Tracey is chairwoman of the African American Business Council and serves as a board member for the Downtown Business Alliance, Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry (WARM) and the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. She has years of experience as a corporate executive and has worked tirelessly towards her goal of building a vibrant African American middle class in Wilmington. In 2019 and 2020, she was named to the Top 100 Business Leaders in Wilmington by the Greater Wilmington Business for tireless effort to promote inclusive entrepreneurship.

Albert Steed is the CEO of Hybrid AF and recently selected as a winner of the 2021 Coastal Entrepreneur Awards in the Internet Related Company Category.

Albert Steed is the President and CEO of Hybrid Athlete Foundation, which provides 24/7 membership access support to gyms all around the world. Albert is also the Chief Operating Officer of True IP Solutions which provides a fresh and flexible approach and future-proof Unified Communications solutions affordable by all sizes of organizations. Albert has worked in the software industry for over 20 years working with on-shore, near-shore and off-shore partners in all facets of analysis, design, development, testing, training and deployment. Albert specializes in business enablement through process and technology.

Terry Espy’s career in real estate development and brokerage spans more than thirty years.

Terry Espy is the Founder and President of Momentum Companies. A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Terry has received numerous business honors including “Who’s Who in Outstanding Young Women”, Triangle Business Journal’s “Women in Business Award”, and Raleigh Chamber of Commerce’s “Pinnacle Award”. She has been interviewed by The New York Times, Entrepreneur Magazine, Money Magazine and most recently, The Wall Street Journal. Terry also serves as the President of the Downtown Business Alliance and is a Board Member of the Wilmington Historic Preservation Foundation Board Member, Thalian Hall Center for Performing Arts Member and CREW Commercial Real Estate Women.

Wayne Hippo is a Managing Partner of PS Solutions, and is very active in the Wilmington entrepreneur and technology ecosystem.

Wayne Hippo is a Managing Partner of PS Solutions. PS Solutions, a software development firm headquartered in Altoona, PA with offices in Pittsburgh, PA & Wilmington, NC, uses US-based developers to create and revise custom business software & applications. The company’s creative approach to software development services earned them a position on the Inc. 5000 list, in the top 150 fastest growing IT Services Private Companies (133) and ranked 7th in Pennsylvania. Wayne is also the former Mayor of Altoona, Pennsylvania, serving from 2006–2010.

Girard Newkirk is the Co-founder and CEO of Genesis Block. He and his wife Tracey Newkirk are on a mission to build the entrepreneur class in southeastern North Carolina.

Girard Newkirk is the Co-founder and CEO of Genesis Block. Girard is a native of Pender County and moved back to the Wilmington area by way of San Jose, California in November of 2018 with a mission to develop technology, entrepreneurship and the small business ecosystem in the Cape Fear Region. He was awarded the 2018 Regional Startup World Cup Champion in Nairobi, Kenya for his work in providing renewable energy access for off grid communities. In 2020, he was named to the Top 100 Business Leaders in Wilmington by the Greater Wilmington Business for his work with Genesis Bock and Building the Entrepreneur Class.

For more information on Genesis Block contact info@genesisblockilm.com.