A Defining Night of Power, Purpose, and Generational Wealth
On February 22, 2026, The Starling Atlanta Midtown will not simply host a gala. It will host a moment.
A moment where influence gathers under one roof. Where boardroom authority meets cultural impact. Where Black excellence is not discussed as aspiration — but recognized as established power.
Presented by Men’s Business Quarterly, the 2026 Global Men Icon Awards Gala stands as one of the Southeast’s most anticipated black-tie gatherings of leadership, wealth, and legacy. This year, 40 nationally recognized and distinguished men will convene in Atlanta, representing a powerful cross-section of government, enterprise, ministry, media, athletics, education, and community advancement.
This is not an awards show built on popularity.
It is a recognition platform built on measurable impact.
The Global Men Icon Awards honors men whose work shapes economies, strengthens institutions, and expands opportunity. These are leaders who build companies, guide policy, protect communities, and create generational pathways.
Among the distinguished honorees are DeKalb County CEO Michael L. Thurmond, whose leadership oversees one of the most diverse counties in the Southeast; President of Morris Brown College Dr. Kevin James, guiding the revitalization of a historic institution; Executive Vice President of Research and Member Engagement Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough, a nationally respected higher education voice; and The Honorable Marvin Arrington Jr., whose legal and civic influence spans decades.
They are joined by respected legal authorities including Attorney Brian Poe and Attorney Kareem Maddison, real estate strategist and HMH Holdings founder Dr. Harold Maurice Hardnett, Metro Atlanta President of iHeartMedia Spencer Bynes, and NFL veteran Orson Prince-Charles, whose athletic excellence transitioned into broader influence beyond the field.
The lineup also features visionary entrepreneurs, educators, media leaders, and cultural architects such as Dr. Alain Chaps, Dr. Gerald Mitchell, Thomas Gumes, Kevin Giles, Demeitrice Collins, Cornell Madison, Nando Mel, and Dr. Raimaine Rasul York — each representing a lane of impact that extends far beyond their titles.
Together, they form a portrait of modern Black leadership — disciplined, strategic, global.
A Curated Experience of Influence
The Global Men Icon Awards Gala is as intentional in design as it is in recognition.
Guests will step onto a red carpet designed to reflect prestige and presence. Luxury brand activations will create a high-end atmosphere worthy of the honorees. Elevated dining will match the refinement of the room. And throughout the evening, high-level networking will unfold — not casually, but purposefully.
Because this room carries weight.
In this room are contracts, campaigns, nonprofit initiatives, scholarship programs, development projects, and policy conversations. In this room are the architects of enterprise and community alike.
The awards program itself is thoughtfully curated to celebrate legacy and forward-thinking leadership — recognizing not only career milestones but transformative influence.
The Global Men Icon Awards is not built on applause alone. It is built on alignment.
Alignment between success and service.
Between wealth and responsibility.
Between recognition and reinvestment.
Honoring Legacy, Elevating Spirit
While the evening celebrates living leaders, it also pauses to honor those whose legacies continue to shape culture and scholarship.
This year, the gala will honor the memory of Alvin Ailey–trained dancer Stanley Alexander, whose artistry uplifted communities through movement and ministry; Egyptian scholar and global physician Dr. Charles Finch III, MD, whose work bridged medicine and African-centered scholarship; and pediatrician and civil rights advocate Dr. Booker Taliaferro Washington Poe, whose decades of service expanded healthcare access and strengthened families.
These men may no longer walk among us, but their impact remains active — in institutions, in communities, in minds shaped by their leadership.
The Global Men Icon Awards understands that power without legacy is incomplete.
And so, remembrance stands alongside recognition.
Investing in the Next Generation
True leadership does not stop at achievement. It multiplies.
In alignment with its unwavering commitment to legacy-building and next-generation leadership, the Global Men Icon Awards will proudly recognize five exceptional Young Men of Power Scholar recipients.
These emerging leaders exemplify academic excellence, integrity of character, and extraordinary commitment to community impact. They are not future leaders in theory — they are already demonstrating the discipline, courage, and clarity required to shape a brighter future.
Through this recognition, the Awards makes a bold statement: excellence must be transferred, not hoarded.
The presence of these scholars in the room bridges generations — reminding attendees that legacy is not only what we build, but who we prepare.
Where Atlanta Meets National Influence
Sponsored by Women of Wealth Magazine and hosted by Renee Knorr, the Global Men Icon Awards reflects a powerful intersection — Atlanta’s cultural refinement and Washington, D.C.’s national impact.
Atlanta has long been recognized as a capital of Black enterprise, politics, and creativity. Washington, D.C. remains the nerve center of policy and institutional power. This gala symbolically unites those worlds — regional influence and national reach — under one elegant roof.
The Starling Atlanta Midtown becomes more than a venue. It becomes a setting where leaders gather not for visibility, but for validation — recognition among peers who understand the weight of responsibility.
A Defining Moment
On Sunday evening, February 22, 2026, the spotlight will shift toward a room filled with achievement earned, wealth structured, and legacy secured.
Doors open at 5:00 PM.
Black-tie attire required.
The ambiance will be refined. The room will be intentional. The conversations will matter.
But beyond the aesthetics, the Global Men Icon Awards represents something larger — a declaration that Black leadership is organized, strategic, and global.
It is a reminder that success is not accidental. It is constructed.
That wealth is not symbolic. It is generational.
That power is not loud. It is steady.
And that legacy is not promised. It is built.
The Global Men Icon Awards is not simply an event on a calendar.
It is a marker in time.
A gathering of influence.
A celebration of disciplined excellence.
A night where icons assemble — not for applause, but for acknowledgment.
And when the evening concludes, what remains will not be décor or program notes.
What remains will be alignment, connection, and a renewed standard for what Black excellence looks like at its highest level.
On February 22, Atlanta does not just host a gala.
It hosts legacy in motion.
