Board of Directors

Ernest “Ernest “Wag” Wagner, is Founder of the Detroit Sports Zone. He is considered one of the greatest players to graduate from a Detroit Public High School. His leadership skills and his ‘pin-point’ jump shot also helped to propel the Wayne State University to a top ten NCAA ranking with life-long friends; Charlie Primas and “Jumpin Johnny” Kline in the early 1950s’.

Ernie’s play with Wayne State University led to an “illustrious” 14-year trip around the world with the infamous Harlem Globetrotters where he was one of their marquee players. After completing this “ambassador” role with the Harlem Globetrotters, “Wag” returned to Detroit and, as the visionary he is, and recognizing the need for athletics among Detroit youth, he founded the Detroit Sports Zone.

President Emeritus
Lewis A. Colson

Lewis A. Colson was Founder and Director of Project Better Man, Inc., a health education program for African American boys, youth, and men interested in dramatically improving their health and wellness.

Colson’s passion for ‘great health’ came with over 40 years of experiences as a player, coach, consultant, and administrator. He was passionate about sports and believed that they can improve a person’s well being. Colson had also published pamphlets, brochures, and materials dealing with crime, drugs and violence prevention for individual schools, teams and school projects.

Treasurer
Gladys Bettis

Gladys Bettis is the President of the Jerome Bettis-Bus Stops Here Foundation, whose mission is to help underprivileged children. She is the mother of retired professional NFL player Jerome Bettis. As such she is the founding member and Past President of the Professional Football Players Mothers’ Association. Ms. Bettis also serves as a Mentor to the Reggie McKenzie Foundation.

Board Member
Mike “Tiger” Price

Tiger is delighted to be working with the Detroit Sports Zone. There is no greater joy than working with seasoned professionals to preserve history and also to help guide the next generation on ethics, community and the right values.

The years of practical marketing service, leading private Corporate 500 sales teams with organization and management processes, have prepared Michael Price for leading documentary video production and historical program development at the Black Documentary Film Office for the upcoming Detroit’s Westsiders II/Next Generation.

Mike Price has over twenty years in media experience in broadcasting and film, sales, marketing and public relations. Mike helped to produce many effective marketing and sales campaigns for recording artists at Warner-Elektra-Atlantic Corporation.

Mike ‘Tiger” Price created, produced and co-hosted Sportstalk, an hour- long, live television sports program that ran in Detroit from April 1988-1998 on the Comcast Cable Regional Network. Sportstalk was nominated for several Innovative Cable Excellence (ICE) awards. He is a consistent research and historical guest on radio and television programs. Lastly, Tiger enjoys his diverse roles at Wayne County Community College as an adjunct professor.

Chairman
Phillip A. Talbert

Phil has had an illustrious career in event management with the City of Detroit which spans 30 years. His numerous undertakings include membership on committees which had responsibility for the Detroit International Freedom Festival, the World Series Celebration, the 1998 Papal Visit, the Red Wing Victory Rally, and Detroit Piston Championship Parade.

In 2006, Talbert formed Total Access Events and Talbert & Associates. Event and project consultations include Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion, The Parade Company, Belle Isle Botanical Society, City of Detroit Recreation and numerous other groups.

Mr. Talbert has received volunteer leadership awards from the United Negro College Fund, Adopt a Child Christmas Program and many others.

Recording Secretary
Baby Gee Joshua

Baby Gee Joshua has had a diverse career, all in the City of Detroit.

She worked in the automotive industry but moved on. Seeing the need, Ms. Joshua next became a counselor dealing with substance abuse, gambling, and AIDS.

She worked at Wayne County Juvenile Detention Facility and the
Detroit Rescue Mission before returning to school for a Certificate as a Nurses’ Assistant. Baby Gee Joshua is highly motivated to change the world we live in and turn around those in “our dying generation.” One way she will help to “stop the progress” is working to build the Detroit Sports
Zone.

Board Member
Brenda Gatlin

Brenda Gatlin was an educator in the Detroit Public Schools for forty-three years serving at Barbour Middle School, Northeastern, Renaissance, Cass Tech, Southwestern High School, and served as Principal at Southeastern High School of Technology where she retired in 2009. In her tenure as a teacher,

coach and principal, she was awarded six “Coach of the Year” awards, earned three consecutive PSL Championships at Cass Tech, and was the first female in the State of Michigan to coach a Class A Boy’s Varsity basketball team.

<span “font-size:12.0pt;font-family:palatino;mso-fareast-font-family:=”” “times=”” roman”;mso-bidi-font-family:palatino;color:#463c3c;mso-ansi-language:=”” en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa;mso-bidi-font-weight:=”” bold”=””>Ms. Gatlin still serves students as Academic Dean of Students in the Horizons-Upward Bound Program at Cranbrook. She will continue to assist youth for she sincerely believes in their potential for greatness.

First Vice Chairman
Miller London

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Miller London attended Northwestern High School, Highland Park Junior College, and Wayne State University.

Before completion of college, Motown Record hired him in 1969 as the first black salesman for that company or any other major record company. He
moved to Los Angeles when the company’s exited from Detroit and stayed
with them for 21 years. His last position with Motown was Vice President and General Manager.

His next move was to New York as Vice President of Marketing and Sales for RCA records.

Called back to Los Angeles by A&M records, he served as Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Black Music Division. After two years with A&M Network Magazine Group as President of Urban Network Magazine hired him. After nine years, London purchased Urban Network from Clear Channel Communications and still functions as an online magazine for the music and entertainment business.

Board Member
Bert Dearing

Bert Dearing has over 45 years of entrepreneur experience in the City of
Detroit in the entertainment and real estate industries. He is one of the largest land property owners in Detroit which includes three entertainment locations.

Dearing has vast experience in the live music industry dating
back to 1968 and was most recently awarded “Jazz Entrepreneur of the
Year” by the New York Jazz Journalist Association. As owner of Bert‘s
Market Place, he is an invaluable member of the Detroit Sports Zone Board
of Directors providing a location for the Board Meetings and the Hall of
Fame Event.

Board Member
Phillis Judkins

Ms. Judkins was born in Detroit and Attended Marr Middle School and Northwestern High School. As a committed Detroiter, she has worked with community groups from 1965 until the present. As a resident of the North End, she became a member of the North End Neighborhood Patrol in 2010. She established a Safe Hour for the Street Patrol and Safe Routes to School. The Safe House staff consists of 35 cleared volunteers who man it.

Phillis is an organizer. She has created block clubs to work with other groups striving to make a difference in the community. She credits many other dedicated Detroit citizens as well as Focus Hope, the Skillman Foundation, Bosco Hall and MCR with giving her the necessary support and skills to move forward with her efforts to augment community life in Detroit.

As a results of Ms. Judkins service she has been the recipient of awards from The Community Volunteer Program in 1984; the Community Spirit Award in 2011; and The Power of One Dedicated Woman Award in 2015.

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Board of Directors