Dear Readers,
Where has the time gone? Ten Years. C-Style Magazine began as a hobby. Something to pass the time in between changing my career from the non-profit sector and get back to my first love - entertainment. I always loved to read, write and dreamed about becoming a famous actor, singer, etc., some day. Reality stepped into view, however, and with the down turn of the economy in 2008, I quickly realized that while the world was becoming more high-tech, the road to entrepreneurship was wide open.
Along the way, people began to notice C-Style and invited us to share with our audience some incredible experiences. I never knew about the "Angel's Share" until I was introduced to American "Whisk(e)y" by Tom Bulleit of Bulleit Bourbon. I had never watched a golf tournament until Omega watches invited me to one at the incredible Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, and I had never known Chicago had so many incredible chefs until I covered Chicago Gourmet.
Over the past 10 years, however, I met some pretty wonderful and talented people who came aboard to make the C-Style brand what it is today. So I would like to introduce you to some of the key people who contributed their time and talents to C-Style here:
Turon M. Ivy ~
Turon has served as Editor-At-Large for C-Style Magazine since 2013. As the "right-hand" man to the Editor-in-Chief, Turon's primary focus was covering concerts and interviews with celebrity artists such as Common, Twista, Bridget Kelly and former Chicago Bulls player, Taj Gibson.
Turon grew up in Chicago and attended school in the Chicago Public Schools District, graduating from Kenwood Academy High School. He has been involved in education for over 20 years. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology and a Psychology Minor from Louisiana Tech University. He later pursued further studies in the Education Program at Loyola University, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Curriculum Instruction and Educational Leadership.
Jetta Bates Vasilatos ~
Jetta has served as a contributor writer and marketing expert to C-Style since 2014. Jetta's participation included promoting several contest promotions for brand giveaways, and coverage of events including Whisky Fest and the launch of Guinness Beer Blonde.
As managing director of Twist Global, a profound sense of breathless possibility undergirds Jetta Bates Vasilatos’ approach to life, love and business. Jetta masterfully curates the best ideas and trends, marrying them with strategically astute branding, public relations and marketing campaigns that take businesses and individuals from good to great. Jetta has brought her talents to a broad range of national and international business initiatives from fashion and film to retail, tourism and nonprofits. Past clients include The Nielsen Company, BP, The Embassy of France, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Daewoo (Korea) and Auchentoshan, the high-end whisky distillery.
When Jetta isn’t tending to the bottom line, she is shaping her lifestyle channel Jettasetting. Star of BravoTV’s “Tour Group,” Jetta has been a TV and radio correspondent featuring travel, lifestyle and personal branding topics on ABC, iHeartRadio and other media outlets.
Jetta also regularly shares her trendsetting expertise in magazines, including Essence and Recommend.
Jetta co-authored “The Entrepreneur Within” and has been a featured speaker at SXSW, Social Media Week Chicago and Ad Week, New York.The Columbia College Chicago graduate, an avid “curator of cool,” can be found sharing unique shopping, travel, dining and entertainment experiences to consume and enjoy at Instagram and Twitter @jettasetting.
Katie Cahnmann ~ Katie became a contributor to C-Style in 2012. Katie contributed her talents in both promotions of C-Style events in video production and through cross-promotion with her popular events calendar, "Now You Know."
Katie recently joined the AARP Foundation Chicago team to become a School Partnership Manager for Experience Corps. She oversees the program at 9 city schools with volunteers 50+ tutoring K-3 graders reading below grade level. She also freelances and has run www.nowyouknowevents.com for the past 8 years.
As a blogger and writer, she’s been featured and/or honored in ChicagoNow CHI-lebrity Style, Chicago Woman Magazine, CandidCandace.com, Fab Food Chicago, Voyage Chicago, 220 Publishing, C-Style Magazine (of course) among other publications.
When she’s not checking in on her schools and volunteers for AARP, you can find her exploring and eating her way through Chicago and the rest of the world. She loves good food (especially ice cream), the color green, traveling, and spending time with her loved ones.
Louis contributed his photography talents to C-Style through coverage of large scale events including Food & Wine Magazine's Culinary Showcase.
Louis Byrd III is an award winning freelance photojournalist from Chicago’s South Side, specializing in editorial, special event/promotional, wedding and public relations photography. He's served as photo editor and principal photographer at Cachet Magazine and has also provided photography for the Chicago Defender, N’DIGO Magapaper, Ebony/Jet, The Chicago Reporter, Proud Magazine, Journey Magazine and Eastman Kodak’s online publication. His promotional and public relations experience includes providing photography for several advertising firms, corporations and non-profit organizations.
His interest in photography was sparked by the fascinating photo essays he saw in Time, Life and National Geographic and Ebony magazines as a high school freshman and developed a passion for “telling the story with pictures.” He counted among his early photographic heroes Life magazine’s Gordon Parks, Sr. and Ebony’s Moneeta Sleet, Jr. That passion extended into radio and television journalism for a short time. However, one event sparked a renewed interest and commitment to still photography – attending the Million Man March in Washington D.C. and seeing the media distortion that took place afterwards.
Byrd has received numerous awards for his work including an award from the Chicago Association of Black Journalists (CABJ) for excellence in photography /multiple images; 1st place winner in the Chicago Alliance of African American Photographers (CAAAP) Photo Shoot Out Competition for 2001 and 2nd place winner for Photographer of the Year, and had his work on display as part of the Black Creativity juried art exhibit held at the Museum of Science and Industry.
Louis was also one of 50 black photographers that participated in a historic photographic project entitled “The Journey: The Next 100 Years” that documented life in Chicago’s African American community at the turn of the century. That exhibit debuted at the Museum of Contemporary Art and the historic South Side Community Arts Center in February 2001 and has since toured the Chicago area.
When he isn't out shooting or building websites, Louis spends time with his wife Angela traveling, visiting historical sites and attending various music and art festivals.
Desiree joined C-Style in 2015 as an Associate Editor. Desiree covered dining, spirts and music events including Mariano's Bright Farms Launch, Carnivale's Anniversary Gala, Indie Spirits Expo and the UNIQLO launch event in Chicago.
Desiree Sanders is a native Chicagoan. Born and raised in Chicago's South Shore Neighborhood, she attended St. Dorothy's Grammar School and Seton Academy (both now closed). She briefly attended Columbia College before the entrepreneurial bug bit. In 1990, she opened the first African American Bookstore in Downtown Chicago, Afrocentric Bookstore. Afrocentric Bookstore was the Premiere Black Bookstore during the 90's and 2000's.
Afrocentric Bookstore was known for its vast selection of Books from the African Diaspora, and its Celebrity Booksignings. Afrocentric Bookstore hosted such notable authors such as Maya Angelou, Terry McMillan, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Colin Powell, Patti Labelle, Al Green, Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Johnny Cochran, and many many others. In 2003, Afrocentric Bookstore expanded to the Bronzeville Community. Afrocentric Bookstore closed its doors in 2009.
Since that time, Desiree Sanders became Certified in Sustainable Urban Agriculture through the Chicago Botanic Garden and taught community gardening in low income communities.
She also was an Event Specialist for a Prominent Product Placement Company as well. Currently, she is Brand Manager for Dat Donut, a very popular Chicago Donut Shop.
Desiree is the Mother to two wonderful daughters. Chicago Rapper Noname (Fatimah) her oldest, and Iris (her youngest) who is A Freshman at Wellesley College.
Al Hendricks ~
Saint Louis native, Al Hendricks, A U.S. Army veteran with 40 years of managerial experience for a major technology giant for the U.S. and Asian markets, Al joined C-Style in 2016 as a contributing editor covering automobile, spirits and dining experiences.
In his leisure time, Al can be found on the road travelling to unknown parts of the world, enjoying fine wines and tequilas or spending time with his two grown children and extended family. A widower, Al currently resides in Aurora, Illinois.
Gregory Carter ~
Gregory Carter joined C-Style in 2017 as an Associate Editor. Gregory covers spirits, dining and nightlife events including the Effen Vodka Truth Nightclub promotion, Barilla Pasta Competition and the Seagram's 777 Bar Crawl. Gregory quickly became our "man-about-town" being in the know about Chicago's hottest events.
A Chicago native. Gregory grew up on Chicago's West Side. He has a background in marketing and remains a loyal West Side resident.
We would also like to acknowledge Donna Binbek and Tunisia Fortson, two extraordinary photographers who covered events for C-Style in the early days including the Hennessy Artistry Tour, Fashion's Night Out, Grill Masters Competition, World Culinary Festival and the Chicago Auto Show's Nissan Kick-Off Reception.
Last, But Not Least..
.Lori Hendricks ~
Lori Hendricks started C-Style Magazine on September 18, 2008 from her dining room table on the South Side of Chicago. A life-long Chicago native, Lori attended Columbia College in Chicago where she obtained a bachelors degree in Arts Management. After honing her skills in special events with companies such as the American Red Cross, Today's Black Woman Expo and the Minnesota Black Music Expo and Awards, Lori launched C-Style as an online events calendar to inform Chicagoans of "All That's Hot And Happening In The Windy City!"
Saint Louis native, Al Hendricks, A U.S. Army veteran with 40 years of managerial experience for a major technology giant for the U.S. and Asian markets, Al joined C-Style in 2016 as a contributing editor covering automobile, spirits and dining experiences.
In his leisure time, Al can be found on the road travelling to unknown parts of the world, enjoying fine wines and tequilas or spending time with his two grown children and extended family. A widower, Al currently resides in Aurora, Illinois.
Gregory Carter joined C-Style in 2017 as an Associate Editor. Gregory covers spirits, dining and nightlife events including the Effen Vodka Truth Nightclub promotion, Barilla Pasta Competition and the Seagram's 777 Bar Crawl. Gregory quickly became our "man-about-town" being in the know about Chicago's hottest events.
A Chicago native. Gregory grew up on Chicago's West Side. He has a background in marketing and remains a loyal West Side resident.
We would also like to acknowledge Donna Binbek and Tunisia Fortson, two extraordinary photographers who covered events for C-Style in the early days including the Hennessy Artistry Tour, Fashion's Night Out, Grill Masters Competition, World Culinary Festival and the Chicago Auto Show's Nissan Kick-Off Reception.
Last, But Not Least..
.Lori Hendricks ~
Lori Hendricks started C-Style Magazine on September 18, 2008 from her dining room table on the South Side of Chicago. A life-long Chicago native, Lori attended Columbia College in Chicago where she obtained a bachelors degree in Arts Management. After honing her skills in special events with companies such as the American Red Cross, Today's Black Woman Expo and the Minnesota Black Music Expo and Awards, Lori launched C-Style as an online events calendar to inform Chicagoans of "All That's Hot And Happening In The Windy City!"
During her tenure as E-I-C, Lori has been invited to share her expertise and experiences with spirits, wines, culinary and travel on radio and as a guest blogger for several travel websites.
As the principal executive director of C-Style Events, Lori has launched the #CSTYLE10 Anniversary Tour beginning in November 2018 and has partnered with CCW Global, Inc. to produce the "We're In This Love Together Tour - A Tribute To Al Jarreau Starring Chris Walker and Guests" in Spring 2019.
Finally, most of all dear readers, none of this would have been possible without your support as our beloved audience. To our partners, Thank You, for entrusting us to help promote and experience your brands. To my family, (especially my beloved sister, Lisa) and friends, thank you for all the love, support, encouragement and just for being there whenever I needed you!
We Love You Dearly!
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