PROPEL’s annual Ignition Awards returns on Thursday, January 16th, 2025, at The Cellars at Allagash Brewing Company!
Join us and celebrate young professionals making an impact in the Portland community! Register for PROPEL's Annual Ignition Awards today!
Explore the 5 award categories for this year's Ignition Awards!
Business of the Year
Recognized as a top 100 Cybersecurity Provider and Tech Elite 250 Managed Services Provider in North America, Uprise Partners continues to rapidly grow its customer base annually. Founded in 2017 by technology executives from Fortune 500 technology companies, Uprise Partners serves clients across the globe with a diverse approach tailoring IT and cybersecurity to meet unique business needs. For more information, visit uprisepartners.com
Entrepreneur of the Year
Becky McKinnell
iBec Creative
Becky McKinnell is the Founder and CEO of iBec Creative, Portland, Maine’s leading award-winning digital agency, and the Founder and Designer of Wildwood Oyster Co., a lifestyle brand inspired by salt air and celebrated for its signature leather handbags and seaweed jewelry. At iBec Creative, Becky and her talented team partner with companies of all sizes to digitally transform their brands, helping them thrive in today’s eCommerce marketplace. As a Certified B Corporation™, iBec Creative is committed to making a positive impact—focusing on environmental sustainability, equity, and inclusion while delivering exceptional results for clients. Becky founded the agency in 2006, just a day after graduating from the University of Southern Maine, and has since earned recognition as one of Businessweek’s Top 25 Entrepreneurs 25 and Under, U.S. Small Business Administration Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and numerous awards for iBec’s innovative work.
Community Leader of the Year
Genius Black
The Maine Humanities Council
Genius Black, also known as Jerry Edwards, is a social innovator, podcast host, and grant writer based in Maine. Naturally a storyteller and motivator, he focuses on collaboration and media arts.
Genius curates a collaborative collective of musical talent, GEM CITY Maine. He is the father of two, 17 and 20 years old. He hosts Maine’s Black Future podcast with the Maine Monitor, focusing on historic and current influential Black Mainers. The podcast was awarded a multi - generational ‘Grants for Change’ award in 2023, and Genius was named the Maine Arts Commission Media Arts Fellow for 2024.
Genius is a Portland Media Center and Portland Ovations board member, and he honorably served as Emcee for the Maine Immigration Forum’s inaugural event in 2023. Genius is a News Center Maine political analyst, appearing on the state-wide “Political Brew” talk show. He is also the Digital Media Coordinator for the Maine Humanities Council, and recently published his first book: “7 Genius Grant Writing Secrets”.
Young Professional of the Year
Samuel Murray
Maine Mariners
Samuel Murray began his sports sales career as an Inside Sales Associate for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the MiLB. In the summer of 2021, he joined the Maine Mariners as an Account Executive and was promoted to Director of Sales in the spring of 2023. He was then promoted to Vice President of Sales & Strategy in the winter of 2024. He oversees both short term and long term ticket sales strategy for the Mariners. Sam is originally from Rochester, NY where he grew up playing hockey and baseball. He currently resides in downtown Portland and enjoys golfing, surfing and playing pond hockey!
Nonprofit of the Year
The Center for Grieving Children is a nonprofit organization that provides a safe space, loving peer support, outreach, and education to grieving children, teens, young adults, households and the community. With services in Portland, Sanford, and virtually, the Center provides services at no cost that are led by dedicated and highly trained staff and volunteers thanks to the generous support of our community.
The event will take place on Thursday, January 16th, from 5:00-7:30 PM at Allagash Brewing Company Portland. Tickets will be $30 per person and will include one (1) drink ticket.
There will be light hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar for attendees 21+.
Awards presentation will begin at 6PM
Jul 01, 2025
Jul 25, 20259:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Jul 25, 20256:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Jul 25, 20255:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Jul 28, 20259:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Aug 01, 20255:30 PM - 8:00 PM
