The Minard Wong Foundation’s Timely Formation, Intersecting with Entertainment

The Minard Wong Foundation formally launched last week at an intimate luncheon held at Ventanas in Atlanta. The organization, founded by Tim Minard and Dame Didi Wong, seeks to empower individuals, communities, and nations by providing aid in education, human rights with a focus on human trafficking, health and wellness with a focus on mental health, economic development, and social justice initiatives. Larry Gildersleve, who has raised significant dollars for several non-profits including the Beloved Benefit in Atlanta serves as the Foundation President.

Left to right Calvin Hughes, Zamaswazi Diamini-Mandela, Bruce Deel, Sergio Fernandez de Cordova

Local business leaders, government officials and dignitaries from around the globe attended.

The host of the launch event was six-time Emmy award-winning journalist Calvin Hughes.

Featured speakers included:

• Bruce Deel, Founder & CEO, City of Refuge

• Zamaswazi Diamini-Mandela, humanitarian and granddaughter of Nelson and Winnie Mandela

• Sergio Fernandez de Cordova, Chairman of PVBLIC Foundation

We were honored to be invited and learn more about the foundation’s mission to promote lasting peace, positivity, and prosperity throughout the world.

Tim Minard, NFL Great Jerome Bettis, Dame Didi Wong, Eric Hendricks, David Corbin and Former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell

The Minard Wong Foundation intersects with the entertainment industry on many levels.

Tim Minard is a dynamic, award winning serial entrepreneur with over 30 years in the technology, sports and entertainment world. He is CEO of Eclipse Gaming based in Duluth, Georgia. He has dedicated his business and personal life to being purposeful and is passionate about having a positive impact on the people, businesses and communities he is involved with.

Larry Gildersleve,, President of The Minard Wong Foundation with Randy Davidson of Georgia Entertainment News

Dame Didi Wong is an award-winning international keynote speaker, angel investor, film and TV producer/financier, best-selling author, and philanthropist. In addition Dame Didi Wong is one of twelve “Apostles” for His Holiness Pope Francis’ Scholas Occurentes Foundation.

Our introduction to the Minard Wong Foundation was via Tyler Edgarton of Raulet Property Partners. Raulet Property Partners is heavily invested in the film and entertainment space via their studio and related real estate assets. At the event, we sat with Rob Moran and Chandler Rierson of Bay Point Media. Bay Point is also deeply involved in the entertainment industry with their financial positions in companies like Georgia’s  Athena Studios and Trilith Studios. There were many other entertainment professionals at the event as well.

Rob Moran of Bay Point Media, Randy Davidson of Georgia Entertainment News, Chandler Rierson, CPA of Bay Point Media

The Minard Wong Foundation will create its own initiatives, as well as support existing organizations, around its focus areas including education, health, economic development, and social justice. Together with the personal connections of the founders and those connections in the entertainment industry the foundation will make a lasting global impact.

One of the foundation’s first projects is to help with the new Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. statue, depicting his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech. The statue will be unveiled on April 1st in the Rodney Cook Sr. Peace Park in Atlanta’s Historic Vine City, where it will join 18 other statues representing Georgia’s Peace icons of the last 300 years. The statue was commissioned by the Minard Wong Foundation along with Clyde and Sandra Strickland and the National Monuments Foundation. Tim Minard, Dame Didi Wong, and The Minard Wong Foundation are also sponsoring the statue’s India granite pedestal.