KAZELL PUGH WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE WATTS-WILLOWBROOK NEIGHBORHOOD OF SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES. He attended a Catholic school through the 8th grade and then went on to Loyola High School, which is an all boys Jesuit college prep school. He won a football scholarship to the University of Colorado at Boulder to study Communications where the Philadelphia Eagles drafted him. Following a brief NFL experience, Kazell enjoyed a successful decade – long career in the Hotel/Hospitality Industry.
With the help of some of his former high school classmates, former NFL star and Amer-I-Can founder, Jim Brown and California Congresswoman, Maxine Waters, Kazell co-owned the “Playground”, a sports apparel store located in South Central Los Angeles. The store was created to help redevelop the neighborhood after the Rodney King riots ravaged the community, educate/employ gang members, and foster sports after school programs for the kids in the neighborhood. The “Playground” was featured on Good Morning America and visited by President Bill Clinton and then Commerce Secretary, Mr. Ron Brown.
In 1994 American Family Insurance hired Kazell as its first Director of Urban Marketing. His re- sponsibilities included emerging market development, Sponsorship events/activities, diversity training for the entire company, niche market advertising, and minority recruiting in all the company operating sales states. Through his efforts, many community organizations received much needed financial support to conduct youtheducation and health and wellness programs.
During his 12-year career with American Fam- ily Insurance, Kazell was promoted to a District Sales Manger and Sales State Director in two different sales states and has been honored with numerous achieve- ment awards for his tireless efforts and work in com- munity service.
Kazell started TLC Springwater in August of 2005, a bottle water company specializing in 3 & 5 gallon btls of spring, purified, and distilled water, sales & rental of water and filtration coolers, private label bottle water, TLC branded water by the case, coffee and supplies. The Company has experienced steady growth each year and plans on expansion in other markets and States. Some of TLC’s customers are the Cleveland Indians, Cuyahoga Community College, University Hospitals, Cleveland Clinic, and Case Western Reserve University. TLC Springwater prides itself on it’s robust “Sustainability” and “Value Adds” initiatives to it’s customers and the community at large.
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This is Richard Alexander from Blakely Ave in Los Angeles just visiting the area from Columbia, MD. Say hello to your family.