- CWAAUSA - Crystal Awards 2010 Honorees

Max was born in Bomi Hills, Bomi Territory, Liberia, West Africa in the Liberian Mining Company (L.M.C.) hospital where his father was employed as a staff member. He was one of seven siblings (three boys and four girls). He attended the Liberian Mining Company Private School (an international private school) from grades One through Eight. He graduated valedictorian and matriculated to the College of West Africa (CWA) High School in Monrovia, Liberia on a full scholarship. After two years at CWA, he immigrated to Detroit, Michigan, United States of America as a permanent resident. Max attended the John J. Pershing High School in Detroit and graduated with an A average earning him a Michigan Merit Scholarship and admissions to several of America’s most prestigious colleges. He accepted admissions to Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts – which at the time was and remains the most selective liberal arts college in the United States.

Max Duncan served in the United States Navy with honor and distinction in logistics and later as an investigator. He served aboard the aircraft carrier, United States Ship (USS) Kitty Hawk CV-63, named after the town of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina the site of the Wright Brothers first powered airplane flight. Mr. Duncan received numerous letters of commendation during his four years of service aboard the Kitty Hawk (1986-1990). He was Sailor of Month thrice and part of the Kitty Hawk’s Meritorious Unit Commendation. While aboard the Kitty Hawk, Max Duncan crossed the equator at Longitude E44-47’ on April 26, 1987, completed the transit of the Suez Canal on May 17, 1987, and circumnavigated the globe between January and June 1987 (he is thus of the Order of Magellan). He received the Naval Expeditionary medal for his service in the Persian Gulf. Max also served in the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. He was honorably discharged and holds a protected veteran status for his participation in a U.S. Naval campaign in the Persian Gulf region.

Max Duncan holds four college and university degrees in business management (BSBA -Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with honors), accounting (MS - Master of Science in Tax Accounting), law (JD - Doctor of Jurisprudence), and legal regulations-taxation (LLM - Masters of Law in Taxation). His advance law degree, LLM, is from one of America’s elite law schools – Northwestern University Law School in Chicago, Illinois (from whence hails the retiring U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens and Ada Kepley, first American woman to obtain a law degree (1870)). He also holds a law degree (JD – Doctor of Jurisprudence) from one of America’s first tier premier law schools, the University of Iowa - College of Law (a Public Ivy League of the Great Lakes and Midwest that consistently ranks in the top 10 U.S. public law schools). He has decades of experience in management, non-profit organizations, audit defense, accounting and regulations. He has professional experience as a tax and business advisory consultant in what was at the time the largest accounting and business advisory firm in the world. He has been the executive in charge of forming and heading the tax department of a multi-billion dollar enterprise. While working as a Big 4 tax and business advisory consultant, his clients included State governments and America’s top Fortune companies. He has been a national instructor of continuing legal and accounting education for lawyers, tax professionals and CPAs. Mr. Duncan has been to Liberia numerous times over the last 35 years.

Mr. Duncan is the husband of Wani-Mai Brownell-Duncan, his spouse of over 24 years and the mother of their three lovely children. Mr. Duncan is a senior executive in the international practice of a Houston based tax, nonprofit and business advisory consultancy.

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DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

Jesse Kingg, United States Navy/Air Force

Jesse Kingg graduated valedictorian of the C.W.A. class of 1980 and graduated Summa cum Laude from Alma College, Michigan with a BS in Physics. He joined the US Navy’s elite nuclear submarine officer corps and completed three years of service on board a nuclear attack submarine as a certified Navy Nuclear Engineer and Submarine Officer.

In 1991 he transitioned from submarines to naval aviation. After completing initial aviation training with distinction he was selected to fly F-18 fighter jets. He served several tours of duty in California and Japan, and was assigned commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 22 in Lemoore, CA before retiring from the Navy as a Commander in 2004.

In 2005 he earned a Masters in Business Management from Stanford University and worked as an executive in the medical device industry. He is currently with biotech firm Dendreon as the Vice President and General Manager of their manufacturing plant in Union City, GA.

Kingg is Member of Phi Beta Kappa Academic Honor Society, Sigma Pi Sigma Physics Honor Society and American Mensa. He was the only US naval officer in history to be designated both a certified navy nuclear engineer and an FA-18 Hornet pilot. He amassed over 2600 flight hours and more than six hundred carrier landings. He earned over thirty military service awards including two Navy Achievement Medals, five Navy Commendation Medals (including one for valor in combat), one Meritorious Service Medal, and five Navy Air Medals for flying more than seventy combat missions over Iraq and Afghanistan.

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DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

J. Edwin Lloyd, Jr.

Veteran United States Army

Received Honorable Discharge from the United States Army January 10, 2007, Served with the 0377 Chemical DECON Unit 1998 – 2003, Mobilized for Operation Enduring Freedom January 2003 – January 2004, Assigned to 201 Military Intelligence Brigade, Fort Lewis, WA, Chaplain Assistant 2290th United States Army Hospital Brigade 2004 - 2007

Awards

Recipient Armed Forces Reserved Medal with M Device, Recipient Army Achievement Medal, Recipient National Defense Service Medal, Certificate of Achievement National Advance Leadership Camp, Ft Lewis Washington

Civilian Data

Currently holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Liberia, A Master of Theology from Howard University School of Divinity, a Certificate in Trauma awareness and recovery from Eastern Mennonite University and a Diploma in Computer Electronics. Currently serves as a member of The Regional Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He is currently pursuing a Master certificate in Project Management from the Villanova University. Has traveled extensively through Africa and has also attended religious seminars in Europe and Asia. He is currently the Senior Pastor of the Whosoever Will Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland. He is married to Ruth Lloyd and this union is blessed with two lovely girls; Janet and Albanie.

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DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

Felix Gbee - United States Army

Mr. Felix P. Gbee was born in 1973 at the St. Joseph Catholic Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia. Mr. Gbee started his education at the St. Christopher Catholic School, where he attended until the 9th grade. He joined the Fox family, College of West Africa, in 1992 and is a graduate of the Class of 1994. Mr. Gbee has always put the pursuit of education first, and sees it as a means to improve our lives and nation. He received his BS degree from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota with a major in Economics and minor in Business Administration. He earned his Master’s degree from the American Intercontinental University with a major in Healthcare Management/ Policy. Mr. Gbee served in the United States Army for 8 years as an Infantry Scout. He had a tour of duty to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and received several medals and awards to include: 2 Army Commendation Medals, 2 Army Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Infantryman Badge, Air Assault Badge, etc. Currently, Mr. Gbee is a senior analyst with the Armed Forces Services Corporation. He has two sons, Francis L. Gbee and Alan G. Gbee, and is a bachelor.

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SPECIAL RECOGNITION - DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

Joyce M. Shelton - United States Air Force

Joyce Shelton ’77 – Joyce currently lives in California with her husband, Byll and two sons.

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CRYSTAL AWARD