Meet the Founder
Renate Matthews has been a business educator in the city of Detroit for more than 14 years, and is currently a Business Educator at Lincoln King Academy (formerly Cornerstone Health + Technology High School). She is responsible for the educational programming of students in the Empowered program (formerly Youth Entrepreneurs) the DECA organization, and the school's pre-COVID robust internship program. She has seen the positive life-changing effects of engaging out-of-the-classroom learning experiences. Therefore, S.Y.N.C. was founded because Renate is adamant about providing as many of those types of opportunities as she can for young professionals all over the city of Detroit and beyond. Born, raised, and still residing in the great city of Detroit, Renate is a loving mother of two, a gleaming grandmother of one, and a proud wife of over 30 years. Renate also provides professional development opportunities for adults as well and she serves on the Board of Directors for the DAD Foundation, which is a business invested in creating employment opportunities for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Connect with Renate directly via LinkedIn.
|
Meet Our Professional Advisors
Winelda Wilson brings a wealth of knowledge to the S.Y.N.C. team, along with her creative edge in strategic marketing and her acumen in personnel development. She serves as our visionary President who has the management expertise to ensure that our organization is successful in meeting our social entrepreneurship goals. Winelda is also experienced in quality youth programming. She is an incredible mother to a beautiful daughter and a son-in-law, who are responsible for 90% of her daily smiles as they have promoted her to her new position as a glistening grandmother to her precious gem of a little lady.
|
S.Y.N.C. is pleased to welcome our newest advisor, Gerrard W. Allen, who has over 15+ years of experience in sales, customer service, entrepreneurship and event planning, specializing in daily operations and networking. Gerrard holds a bachelor's degree from Eastern Michigan University and a master's degree from the University of Michigan. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. from EMU. Gerrard currently serves as a College and Career Advisor in the Detroit Public Schools Community District, where his experience as a business owner and college graduate serve his duality of perspective upon advising youth in their career aspirations. Gerrard is passionate about building strong partnerships and vetting the most organic opportunities for young people. Additionally, he is the self-published author of I'm Gorgeous: The Anthology Project. Gerrard and his wife currently reside in Michigan with their blended family of seven. They enjoy traveling, live concerts, entrepreneurship and pursuing all of their creative goals.
|
In Memory of: YaLonda McClure
December 22, 1969 - February 6, 2021
YaLonda served on the S.Y.N.C. Advisory Board as the strategist who developed and implemented innovative business solutions that solidified the foundation of our business model.
YaLonda McClure had over 30+ years of experience in automotive manufacturing and assembly, specializing in quality, continuous improvement, and operational excellence. She held a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering and Manufacturing Systems from Kettering University, and a Master of Business Administration, with a concentration in Finance, from Lawrence Technological University. This native Detroiter was also a Lean/Six Sigma certified Black Belt, and a licensed Realtor. She was the definition of love; leaving behind three beautiful daughters. YaLonda, we love you and will miss you profoundly.
|