Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 11-3-15 Edition

Features
Area Businessman Shares His Life’s Experiences In Book, ‘Stand’
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
Tampa area businessman, Gary Hartfield is excited about the debut of his first book, Stand, which he has been working on for the past 2 years.
President and CEO of
Serenity Village, Inc., Seren- ity Village Insurance and Consulting and Sweet Talk Wireless, Hartfield said his book parallels “the children of Israel coming out of Egypt. And just like they went through some lands, we do, too – the lands of not enough, just enough and more than enough,” he explained.
Hartfield said the purpose of his book is to share with readers some of the chal- lenges one must go through in order to reach the next level.
“I hope this book serves as
GARY HARTFIELD ...Author of book, ‘Stand’
a source of education, motiva- tion, and empowerment for all who read it,” Hartfield stated.
Having been the guest speaker for different organi- zations and churches, Hart- field said his friends kept
‘STAND”
compelling him to ‘put it (his life’s story) on paper.’ “I fi- nally decided to go ahead and do that,” he said.
As a father and entrepre- neur, he has launched several startup businesses and serves as a role model and source of
inspiration for many students and business professionals.
Hartfield will be hosting a book signing and book release party on Sunday, November 15, 2015, 7-10 p. m. at Chart House, 7616 Courtney Camp- bell Trail. Although the event is free to the public, RSVP is required. Make reservations by going to: http//www.eventbrite.com/o /gary-t-hartfield- 8359958922?s=45739038.
The book title, Stand, comes from the scripture found in Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” And, it also comes from a con- versation with his mother, Mrs. Norma Hartfield.
A native of Ft. Walton Beach and graduate of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University with a Bachelor of
Science Degree in Engineer- ing Technology, Hartfield had a conversation with his mom about his wanting to quit college. He offered one excuse after another about why he needed to leave col- lege. After she listened, Mrs. Hartfield told him that after he had done all that he could do to remain in school, uti- lized all avenues, scholar- ships, etc., she just needed him to stand. That has re- mained on his conscious since his college days.
Hartfield, a Tampa resi- dent, also has a Master’s De- gree in Business Administration from the Uni- versity of West Florida.
“Although life can some- times be complicated, I am grateful for the lessons learned along the way that have anchored my humility and trust in God,” he con- cluded.
Mary J. Blige, Keyshia Cole
To Appear In Concert
At USF Sun Dome Sunday
On November 8th, two pop- ular performers will perform at the Sun Dome at the Uni- versity of South Florida. The concert will begin at 7 p.m.
Born in the Bronx, New York, Mrs. Mary J. Blige began performing at a young age. At 18 years old, Mrs. Blige signed with Andre Harrell’s Uptown Records, becoming the MCA-distrib- uted label’s youngest and first female artist.
Influenced early on by the music of Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and Gladys Knight, Blige brought her own urban-rooted style to the forefront on her 1992 debut album, What’s the 411?
In 1994, Mrs. Blige re- leased her second album, My Life. The album proved to be another critical and popular success with singles such as "Be Happy," "Mary Jane (All Night Long)" and "You Bring Me Joy."
Mrs. Blige won her first Grammy Award in 1996, for "I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need to Get By," a duet with Method Man. Her third album, 1997's Share My World, reached Number One on the Billboard albums chart, and featured hits like "Love Is All We Need" and "Every-
MARY J. BLIGE Mrs. Blige recorded her
most popular and acclaimed album to date, The Break- through, in 2005. In addition to selling more than seven million copies worldwide, The Breakthrough was nominated for eight Grammy Awards and won three, for best R&B album, best R&B song and best R&B female vocal per- formance.
In 2014, she was responsi- ble for all of the tracks for the soundtrack to “Think Like a Man Too” and expanded her musical palette geographically with the album, The London Sessions, showcasing her time in the United Kingdom.
Keyshia Cole’s entry into the music industry came when
KEYSHIA COLE
she released her RIAA Certi- fied Platinum debut album, The Way It Is, in 2005. The album featured the hit single “I Should Have Cheated,” which reached Number Thirty on the Hot 100. Her second album, Just Like You, was re- leased in 2007 and debuted at Number Two on the Billboard 200 and was nominated at the GRAMMY Awards for Best Contemporary R&B Album.
Ms. Cole released her sixth studio album, Point of No Re- turn, in 2014 before the re- lease of her reality show, Keyshia Cole: All In, in 2015. The show is a follow up to her previous reality shows Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is and Keyshia & Daniel: Family First.
thin.”
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