Bernard Bronner

For Bernard Bronner, success did not come easy. Bernard Bronner, second generation President and CEO of Bronner Bros., Inc., learned the rules of success and achievement from his late father, Nathaniel Bronner, Sr.

Mr. Bronner’s preparation for running the 66-year-old hair care company began at age six with his own paper route. He later joined the family business as stock boy, quickly ascending the ranks to cashier, beauty salesman, accountant and Vice-president of marketing for the company.

In 1993, Mr. Bronner was named President and CEO of Bronner Bros. Under Mr. Bronner’s direction, Bronner Bros. has built on the legacy established by his late father by developing new brands and establishing itself as Georgia’s largest African American, Christian-based company. Mr. Bronner continues to keep his father’s vision alive by expanding his holdings and developing even more business ventures.

In 1989, he undertook his greatest business challenge and started UPSCALE Magazine. Today, UPSCALE’s popularity continues to grow in leaps and bounds. UPSCALE is the ultimate lifestyle magazine bringing readers the very best of black culture from arts and entertainment to beauty, fashion, news and views. With nationwide circulation, it has remained loyal to its readers’ every-changing lifestyle.

In 1995, Mr. Bronner started Bronner Bros. Real Estate Division, acquiring a building with over 150 offices, which is Bronner Bros.’ headquarters and houses UPSCALE’s marketing and advertising executive staff. Mr. Bronner is endowed with a keen business sense – moving the company to another level with his unyielding energy and focused mind.

One of his ventures, Rainforest Films, launched the independent theatrical release of the 2000 smash hit, TROIS, which became one of the highest-grossing African American independent films of all time. Rainforest follows all projects from concept to production to promotion, ensuring success and satisfaction in every product. Rainforest’s successful films, Gospel and Stomp the Yard received outstanding reviews and were box-office hits. Despite all that he has achieved, Mr. Bronner gives credit for everything Bronner Bros. is today to his father, Nathaniel H. Bronner, Sr. Mr. Bronner says his father’s basic philosophy dictated that family members place “God first, family second, business third and everything else after that.” He says, his father also emphasized the importance of hard work, honesty, moderation, thriftiness and selective association.

Mr. Bronner is a graduate of Georgia State University with a degree in Business Administration. He has been married to Sheila Bronner, editor-in-chief of UPSCALE Magazine for 29 years and they have five children.

MYA Marie Harrison

Mýa Marie Harrison (born October 10, 1979)[1] is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and actress. Born into a musical family, before entering the music industry she appeared on BET's Teen Summit. Signed in 1996 with Interscope Records, she released her eponymous debut album in April 1998. A critical and commercial success, the album produced her first top ten single "It's All About Me". Subsequent singles, "Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)" and "Take Me There" continued to raise her profile and attained chart success worldwide, with the former garnering her first Grammy nomination. Fear of Flying, her second album, was released in April 2000 and became a worldwide success, boosted by the success of its singles "Case of the Ex" and "Free".[3] Harrison continued her rise to prominence in 2002 when she won her first Grammy Award in the category for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for her rendition of Labelle's 1975 hit "Lady Marmalade" along with Pink, Christina Aguilera and Lil' Kim, which topped the charts globally.[4]

Taking a more active role in the production of her music, Harrison released her third studio album, the eccentric Moodring, in July 2003. The album produced the single "My Love Is Like...Wo" and was certified gold by the RIAA.[3] Following a label change and a delay in her fourth studio album, Harrison went independent and recorded two exclusive albums for the Japanese music market, Sugar & Spice (2008) and K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple) (2011).[5][6] In between recording those two albums, she launched her own independent record label Planet 9 and competed in Dancing with the Stars – season nine; finishing in second place.[7]

As an independent artist, Harrison continues to regularly release music. Beginning in 2014, she released a trio of R&B-rooted EPs, With Love (2014), Sweet XVI (2014), and Love Elevation Suite (2015). In 2016, Harrison released her seventh album, the Grammy-nominated Smoove Jones. The follow-up, TKO (The Knock Out) arrived in April 2018 to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of her debut album.

Harrison made her feature-film debut in 1999's thriller In Too Deep starring LL Cool J and Omar Epps. She continued to appear in supporting roles in films such as Chicago (2002), Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004), Shall We Dance? (2004), and Cursed (2005).

Harrison's contribution to music has earned her many accolades in the fields of pop and R&B music categories. In 2009, Billboard listed Mýa as one of their Hot 100 Artists of the 2000s; placing her in the 97th position.[8] As of October 2020, she has sold over 3.2 million albums in the U.S. and 7 million albums worldwide.[9][10]