In a record-breaking achievement, Marcella Barnes has blazed past her second diamond and made it all the way to her tenth, making First Financial Security, Inc. history by becoming the newest member of the Chairman’s Club and earning the title of Executive Field Chairman. Furthermore, she has distinguished herself as the first African-American female EFC in the company.
Marcella is only the latest in a long line of record breakers this year, but she was no stranger to firsts even before this achievement. She was one of the first women to establish herself as a major real estate developer in the Baltimore construction industry, with over 30 years of experience helming multi-million– and billion–dollar projects with her firm, True North Developers & Associates. With her financial services business, Marcella has spent years helping her clients use cash value to create tax-free retirements and served as a Certified Financial Education Instructor to help entrepreneurial women structure better business deals and perfect their financial plans.
She credits a lot of her success to her mother, who taught her about entrepreneurship after moving to America, opening a grocery store and later purchasing the building to rebuild it from the ground up. Marcella helped her mother pull drywall and put down floors in the process, which taught her all about construction and laid the foundation for her future in business.
“She has pushed me, and pushed me, and pushed me my entire life, in every single business I have started.” With her mother by her side while accepting her awards, Marcella continued: “She has been there for me through everything, and she’ll continue to push me again and again.”
After thanking every person on her team by name, she paused to consider her historic achievement. “I thank God for the opportunity, because we also need to continue to help our community,” she said, “and have them understand that we are here for them, and we are here to stay.” Everyone at FFS is waiting with excitement to see where her business goes from here.
Congratulations to Marcella Barnes on this monumental achievement!