Barma Shane Staten began cutting hair at 13 because he could not afford a haircut.

More than 20 years and thousands of haircuts later, local barber Staten was honored for his business achievements as outstanding entrepreneur of the year. Staten received the award at the first Soul 4 U Awards, which gave 20 awards to faculty, staff and community members in Carbondale.

Staten, 34, was chosen for his achievements as owner of Kampus Kutz by the event staff and coordinators.

"I feel honored," Staten said. "I didn't even know I was going to get it, but when you do hard work eventually other people are going to see it."

Though his work earned him the award, Staten said cutting hair has not always been his top priority.

A devoted baseball player at his East St. Louis high school, Staten was drafted to the Major League Baseball team Oakland Athletics in 1992. He turned down this opportunity for a baseball scholarship to Jackson State University, where he continued to cut hair for friends and teammates until a knee injury ended his career.

Staten transferred to SIUC in 1993 and has lived in Carbondale ever since.

He received his bachelor's degree in administration of justice in 1999, and got his barber's license from Belleville Barber College in 2006. That allowed him to open Kampus Kutz, located across Route 51 from campus, in January 2007.

There's "nothing like having your own business," Staten said.

Other ventures Staten is involved with include his record label, Sound Mind Entertainment, which he has used to create tracks for artists throughout the Midwest and South. Staten, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, is also looking to bring a barber college to Carbondale in the future.   more »