Board and Officers

Anthony Neal - President

Tony Neal is currently President/CEO of Educational Equity Consultants and Executive Director of the Center for Educational Equity (eec4justice.com)

At a young age, Tony saw the value in quality education and was interested in balancing the scales of opportunity and justice and eradicating roadblocks to equity and equality. He has made a career in helping people and communities utlize education, push past ignorance, and open their minds and hearts to a higher level of learning.

Tony served as director of Southern Illinois University East St. Louis Charter School for 11 years. During his tenure, the school was recognized as a Distinguished School by the Illinois State Charter School Board. In addition to his current full-time position, Tony is adjunct professor at Webster University, where he teaches in the Media Communications department. He has served as faculty and trainer for numerous Dismantling Racism Institutes of the National Conference for Community and Justice and has trained for the Anti-Defamation League’s A World of Difference, and for the Coro Midwestern Leadership Center.

In 1991, Tony received a United States Court Appointment to the Educational Monitoring Advisory Committee, St.
Louis Desegregation Program. He has presented at the International Principals’ Conference in London and in Toronto. He has also spoken and/or conducted training for more than 500 agencies, companies, organizations, and school districts, including ones in South Africa and Ghana.

Tony hold a Bachelor’s Degree from Morehouse College and a Master’s from Washington University. He is a 2000 graduate of the FOCUS St. Louis Leadership Program, a 2003 graduate of the Harvard University Urban Principals’ Institute, a 2006 graduate of the Vanderbilt University/Peabody College Summer Fellows Program, and a 2007 graduate of the National School Leaders Network Facilitators’ training at Wellesley College.

Tony was Area Governor for Toastmasters International Area #119. He also serves on the board of directors for The Ethics Project, Vernare Learning Charter Academy, Fullerton Neighborhood Association, The Sweet Potato Project,
and the national board of Within Our Lifetime Project, an inititative whose goal is to eliminate racism within our lifetime. In 2000, Tony was one of three fathers named St. Louis Post Dispatch Father of the Year. His story and picture appeared on the front page of the Father’s Day edition.

Tony is a distinguished member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He has received the following accolades:

NCCJ Leadership Award
2014 Andrew Young Outstanding Leadership Award, presented by the Ethics Project at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC by Andrew Young
Urban League College Resource Center Service Award
Black Child Development Service Award
Spirit of Excellence Award, presented by Parkway School District
Outstanding Service Award, presented by Royal Vagabonds, Inc.
Toastmasters First and Second place awards in the Area and Division Public Speaking Contest
Morehouse College, St. Louis Alumni of the Year Award for 2016

Most recently, Tony co-authored a book, Becoming a Social Justice Leader: Using Head, Heart, and Hands to Dismantle Oppression.

On February 20, 2017, Tony was featured in the national PBS special “The Talk: Race in America.”

Shirley A. Brown - Secretary

Shirley A. Brown is a consultant in fundraising, event management, and association management with over thirty years of experience.

Current Board Affiliations

Harris-Stowe State University Alumni Association (President)
Royal Vagabonds Foundation, Inc. (Secretary)
Talladega College Board of Trustees

Membership Organizations:

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Harris-Stowe State University Alumni Association
The Links, Inc. – Gateway Chapter
NAACP
St. Louis Black Leadership Roundtable

Awards

Distinguished Alumni Award, Harris-Stowe State University
Women of Strength and Courage Award, National Council of Negro Women, St. Louis Gateway Chapter
Community Service Award, St. Louis Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.
Black Achievers Award, YMCA of Metropolitan Washington, DC
Outstanding Service Award, Birmingham Urban League
Outstanding Leadership and Dedicated Service Award, Continental Societies, Inc.

Other

Society Columnist, Saint Louis Argus newspaper
Listed in the inaugural issue of Who’s Who in Black St. Louis

Osborne Shannon, Jr. - Treasurer

Jimmie Capelton - Director

Vin Capone - Director

Dr. Vin Capone is a 20+ year veteran of Apple Inc., working as a senior market development executive in the higher education arena. His focus is on learners with special needs and alternative learning styles. He believes that education is key way to change the world.

A learning-challenged individual himself, he is acutely aware of the difficulties that many students face today. Capone is a lifelong learner and uses technology to overcome many of those challenges. He works nationally and internationally with educational leadership on large-scale education initiatives.

Capone started in the Apple’s enterprise division, working with Hollywood studios. His work has taken him to the sets of major motion pictures, television shows and independent films. Prior to his tenure at Apple, Capone was a photographer for many newspapers and publications, and his experience includes video production, cinematography, audio engineering, 3D and special effects. He also worked as a photojournalist for The Los Angeles Times.

Capone is a graduate of the University of Missouri with bachelor’s degrees in journalism and history. He earned his Doctorate of education from Lynn University. He is an avid traveler, adventurer, licensed pyro-technician, private pilot and a voracious reader. He and his wife, Sarah, reside in St. Louis, Missouri.

Fred L. Finley - Director

Fred Finley is a sales, marketing, entrepreneurship, and engineering professional. In his most recent role, Fred manages multicultural wine & spirits accounts for Southern Glazers distributors, handling all aspects of sales, marketing, and community engagement. Prior to his role with Southern Glazers, Fred assisted Sprint PCS in launching their wireless network. During his tenure at Sprint, he worked as an Radio Frequency engineer in the network operations division.In 1996, Fred and several business partners created a monthly networking event called “1st Friday.” For over twenty years, 1st Friday served as a platform for African American professionals to meet, commune, and socialize. Today, it is still recognized and remembered as a long-standing quality brand.In addition to operating 1st Friday, Fred’s entrepreneurial spirit pushed him to build to two nightlife establishments in midtown St. Louis. Seven Nightclub, his first venture, opened in 2001 and was frequented by notable professionals, athletes, and area socialites. Eight years later, Fred started his second business venture, EXO Restaurant & Lounge, which remained open until 2015.Fred has more than twenty years of business experience working in corporate America and also being a small business owner. He has built strong business relationships in the St. Louis metro area and is well-respected by his peers, family members, and associates.Before joining the corporate world, Fred grew up St. Louis and attended Parkway West high school, where he was a standout student athlete. He studied engineering and played football at the University of Missouri-Rolla. He eventually transferred to UM -St. Louis where he completed a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. Fred also holds an Associates of Arts degree in engineering.Fred has interest in building financial equity in the St. Louis community. He has aspirations of forming an African American owned holding company to ignite long-term wealth and financial freedom. Other interests include traveling, architectural design, and coaching his 12-year-old son.