Kansas City, MO -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/26/2014 -- On Monday, August 25, 2014 the White House announced that James S. Allen, Jr., co-founder of Honor Capital, LLC, a Kansas City native and Navy Veteran, has been selected as a 2014 recipient of the “Veteran Entrepreneur-Champions of Change” award. James (Jim) Allen, Jr. will formally receive the designation on Wednesday, August 27, 2014 at 1:00 PM ET at the White House as they honor "Champions of Change" veterans and their families who are doing extraordinary work across the country as leaders in entrepreneurship. The “Champions of Change” have distinguished themselves by continuing to serve our country through their successful small businesses and non-profits that create jobs, spur economic growth, and help their communities. This program was created as an opportunity for the White House to feature outstanding individuals with the hopes that they will empower and inspire members of their communities to do the same.

Whittled down from more than 600 applications, the White House chose Mr. Allen for his career and work with Honor Capital, LLC. Honor Capital, LLC is a Kansas City, veteran owned business dedicated to creating financial solutions for post 9/11 veterans so they too can become small business owners. Each of these businesses will create jobs, strengthen families and communities, help sustain the economic growth within the city and make America stronger. As the son of a WWII Naval Special Warfare Officer, Jim learned the value of putting "service before self" and throughout his forty-year career, Mr. Allen has successfully created startups in law, real estate development, investment banking and hospitality. Three of his most notable Kansas City companies are Gilmore & Bell, Stern Brothers & Co. and The National Golf Club of Kansas City. Honor Capital, LLC is co-founded by Marc Esposito and Jamie Allen, Jim’s son. Marc was a West Point graduate and decorated, medical evacuation Army helicopter pilot who served two tours and flew more than 400 medical evacuation missions in Afghanistan. Jamie is a Shawnee Mission East and an Annapolis graduate, and former Navy officer that literally "earned his spurs" in combat with an Army cavalry unit during the Iraq Surge.

The “Champions of Change” program is a White House initiative to identify and honor veterans who have started a for-profit or non-profit business, veteran spouses who have started their own business, and individuals that support veterans by providing them with skills, capital, and other necessary resources. This event will showcase these inspirational leaders and highlight the importance of their work. The program will feature remarks by Dr. Jill Biden, wife of the Vice-President and an avid supporter of veterans, as well as Daymond John, Kevin O’Leary, and Robert Herjavec, from ABC’s Emmy Award-winning TV show Shark Tank. The event will be live streamed on the White House website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/live.

To learn more about the White House Champions of Change program, visit www.whitehouse.gov/champions and to learn more about Honor Capital, LLC, visit http://www.honorcapitalllc.com