Mr. Travoris Carnes
Mr. Travoris “TC” Carnes, devoted husband and father, is a former professional athlete, collegiate football standout and young businessman, whom with his wife Lisa, has founded several small businesses in the Hampton roads area.
Brought up near Chicago, Illinois before relocating to St. Louis, Missouri, Mr. Carnes attended Hazelwood East High School where he earned a full athletic scholarship to attend Norfolk State University. While attending Norfolk State, Mr. Carnes served as the football team captain (’97-‘00) and received many awards including; rookie of the year (’96), Defensive Linemen of the year (‘97,’99,’00), Defensive Player of the year (‘99, ‘00), Joe Echols Award (’00), Vince Lombardi Award (‘99,’00), All-American (‘00), Coca Cola Player of the year (’00) and was nominated for the prestigious Dudley Award (’00). Mr. Carnes served on Norfolk States student-athlete advisory board, was a founding member of Norfolk States Fellowship for Christian Athletes and he also personally developed nearly a dozen community outreach programs involving athletes including “Spend a Day with a Spartan”. In 2000 Mr. Carnes graduated with a Bachelors degree in education. In addition to earning a Bachelors degree while at Norfolk State, Mr. Carnes also earned the heart of his college sweetheart Ms. Lisa Joyner. In 2002 they were married by Rev. Dr. Kirk T. Houston in front of a standing room only audience of 500 people at Abyssinia Baptist Church in Norfolk.
In early 2001 Mr. Carnes was on the Chicago Bears draft board, but prior to the NFL draft he suffered a major injury which effectively ended his days as an elite athlete. Subsequently, Mr. Carnes singed a 3 year contract with the Saskatchewan Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League and he played two seasons before begin released in the summer of 2003.
In the fall of 2003 Mr. & Mrs. Carnes started a real estate sales firm and within 2 ½ years the company earned two consecutive sales awards from the Hampton Roads Association of Realtors (’04,05,‘07). In his third year of real estate sales, Mr. Carnes was nominated for the 2007 National Association of Realtors®, “30 under 30”. Having also founded both a real estate investment firm & professional business management corporation Mr. Carnes specializes in marketing & business development.
In July 2008, Mr. Carnes made a bold move, and decided to close his real estate company, which had grown to over 50 agents, and partner with Tracy J. Brown to expand the nationally recognized nonprofit organization Urban Awareness USA. Urban Awareness USA is a Christian nonprofit whose mission is to strengthen, empower and equip faith-based & community organizations with the necessary tools and resources they need to partner with and receive funding from government agencies and private philanthropist to better serve communities. In August 2008, Mr. Carnes played an essential role in securing a private grant to help educate urban faith-based organizations more effectively impact communities. In May 2009, Mr. Carnes was instrumental in establishing a partnership with the U.S. Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (VA).
Travoris, Lisa and their two children Camren & Simone reside in Portsmouth Virginia and are active members of Gethsemane Community Fellowship Baptist Church of Norfolk.
