The New Blood.Meet the latest movers and shakers in the executive B.E. 100s community ORDINARILY, NO ONE LIKES TO BE THE new kid on the block. But the BE 100s isn't your average neighborhood. To say the least, competition to get in is stiff. And once you've taken up residence, you know you're in good company. Which brings us to this year's fresh crop of entrants. Like newcomers of the past, they have already proven themselves worthy business people of formidable power and influence. But as first-timers in a village of veterans, their quest for Verb 1. quest for - go in search of or hunt for; "pursue a hobby" quest after, go after, pursue look for, search, seek - try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of; "The police are searching for clues"; "They are searching for the equity in the list of the nation's largest black companies is just beginning. Among the newest neighbors are three heavyweights: one in radio broadcasting The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. , one in food manufacturing and the last in wholesale office furniture and design. Combined, they have 73 years of business experience between them and approximately $207.79 million in revenues. Their debut not only injects new life into the existing BE IOOS IOOS Integrated Ocean Observing System community, it ensures that interest in gaining entrance remains high. SENDING THE RIGHT SIGNALS "Soft and warm, a quiet storm ..." croons Smokey Robinson at the start of WBLS-FM's evening program every weeknight week·night n. A night of the week exclusive of Saturday and Sunday. week  nights at 10 in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . But it's not just a Big Apple groove thing. Turn on just about any urban contemporary radio station in the country at night, and you'll quickly find out exactly what the Quiet Storm is: programming dedicated to pumping out love tunes until the wee hours of the morning. It's the most popular nighttime format in the urban radio market. And it's the brainchild of Catherine Liggins Hughes, chairperson of Radio One Inc. in Lanham, Maryland Lanham is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County in the State of Maryland in the United States of America. Because it is not formally incorporated, it has no official boundaries, but the United States Census Bureau has defined a census-designated place consisting of . Hughes has transformed an idea into a booming $65 million powerhouse. Founded in 1980, Radio One is the largest radio broadcasting company in the country targeting urban listeners. Upon completion of pending acquisitions, it'll own and operate 25 radio stations, 24 of which are located in eight of the top 20 African American African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race. markets. Radio One now ranks as No. 40 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 list. It all began with her idea for the Quiet Storm back in the 1970s. "I created the format specifically for Howard University Howard University, at Washington, D.C.; coeducational; with federal support. It was founded in 1867 by Gen. Oliver O. Howard of the Freedmen's Bureau, to provide education for newly emancipated slaves. A normal and preparatory department was opened the same year. radio," says Hughes, 51, who made the transition from lecturer at Howard University to sales manager sales manager n → gerente m/f de ventas sales manager n → directeur commercial sales manager sale n → for WHUR-FM in 1973. Two years later, she became the station's first female general manager--and the first African American female general manager of a broadcast facility in Washington, D.C. But, thinking the format wouldn't catch on, WHUR refused to trademark it. "They basically threw a million-dollar baby out the window," she recalls. Still, she managed to increase the station's revenue from $300,000 to $3 million in her five-year tenure. Determined to control her own professional destiny, she left Howard in 1978 to go to WYCB, where she wanted to get experience in building a station from scratch. WYCB became the first 24-hour gospel station in the country. Soon after, she went to WOL v. t. & i. 1. See 2d Will. , also in Washington, D.C., to begin planning a company with her then-husband, Dewey Hughes, a broadcast journalist. With a solid business plan and their combined experience in radio broadcasting, they landed a $950,000 loan from Silver Spring, Maryland-based Syncom Capital Corp. and Chemical Bank in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of in 1979. A year later, the couple launched Radio One Inc.'s predecessor, Almic Broadcasting, and bought their flagship station In broadcasting, a flagship station is the station which originates a broadcast network, or a particular radio show or TV show, primarily in the United States and Canada. This includes both direct network feeds and syndication, but generally not backhauls. , WOL-AM. In 1987, they branched out into FM territory and purchased WMMJ in the same market, which became the first East Coast FM station to offer an urban adult contemporary Urban adult contemporary is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have rap music on their playlists. The format was designed by Barry Mayo when he, Lee S. format. In 1992, the Federal Communications Commission Federal Communications Commission (FCC), independent executive agency of the U.S. government established in 1934 to regulate interstate and foreign communications in the public interest. passed the "'duopoly rule,' which stated that you could own two stations each of AM and FM frequency in the same market," explains Hughes. Radio One was able to benefit from the FCC's decision and purchased four stations in Baltimore, four in Detroit, one in Philadelphia and two more in Washington, D.C., between 1992 and 1998 for approximately $132.2 million. At press time, the acquisition of 10 more stations was pending in St. Louis, Richmond, Virginia Richmond IPA: [ɹɯʒmɐnɖ] is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. , and Cleveland. Radio One is built on a simple yet aggressive strategy: acquire and turn around underperforming stations in the top 30 African American markets. Obviously, it has worked. All stations owned or managed by Radio One as of December 31, 1998, were ranked first or second in their markets in both audience and net broadcast revenue share, which totaled $60.8 million last year. Determined to keep Radio One a "family affair," Hughes, who attended Omaha, Nebraska-based Creighton University Sitting on a 108-acre campus just outside Omaha's downtown business district in the Near North Side neighborhood, the University currently enrolls about 6,800 students. Creighton is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. and the University of Nebraska before heading off to Harvard for a six-week specialized broadcast management course in the summer of 1971, has since handed the reins for the day-to-day operation of the 450-employee enterprise to her son, Alfred C. Liggins III, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. . "Radio One has been in the family since Alfred was little," says Hughes. "I particularly appreciate his eagerness in accepting the responsibility of a second-generation business." This past March, Radio One filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for approximately $125 million of its common stock to be offered publicly on Nasdaq. At press time, the prospectus had not yet become effective. "Going public at this stage of our development will provide the capital for continued expansion, and for our listeners who are directly responsible for our growth -- a chance to own a piece of the rock." says Hughes. BEATING THE COMPETITION ONE SCOOP AT A TIME Eric G Eric G was a Miami Bass/Hip-Hop rapper, DJ, and producer, acting as the primary creative force behind Triple M DJ Crew, the Bass Station parties and night club, the rap group Worse 'em Crew, the Bass Station record label, and Never Stop Productions . Johnson is back. Nine years ago, he served at the helm of a BE 100s legend, Chicago-based Johnson Products Co. Inc., the publicly held haircare and cosmetics company founded by his father, George, in 1954. Assuming the role of CEO in 1989, the savvy businessman slashed overhead and boosted production, restoring the then-ailing concern to profitability in record time. In 1992, Johnson Products' revenues grew about 31% to $43 million, and the company was cited as the seventh best-performing stock on the American Stock Exchange American Stock Exchange (AMEX) Stock exchange in the U.S. Originally known as “the Curb,” it began as an outdoor marketplace in New York City c. 1850. It moved indoors to its present location in the Wall Street area in 1921. . By 1993, it was sold to IVAX IVAX Industrial Vax (Dec Computer) Corp. for $69 million, a move that upset many African Americans who felt the concern should have stayed in black hands. (Johnson presided over the company after control shifted from his father to his mother, Joan, after a much publicized divorce.) Today, he's not only preserving one of Chicagoland's black institutions, he's pushed it into the stratosphere. When he purchased Baldwin Ice Cream Co. in 1992, it was a small concern trying to expand its product line and strengthen its distribution channels. Last year, the enterprising Johnson orchestrated a deal that boosted the sales of the company by roughly 2,300%, from $2.7 million in 1996 to $62 million in 1998. It has ranked the Matteson, Illinois-based food manufacturer, renamed Baldwin Richardson Foods Co., No. 44 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 list. Identifying product-line synergism synergism /syn·er·gism/ (sin´er-jizm) synergy. syn·er·gism n. Synergy. synergism and enhanced distribution, Johnson, 48, scooped up the Liquid Products Division of Quaker Oats Co.--commonly known as Richardson Foods Co.--in a deal worth in excess of $30 million. (Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.) The deal came to the entrepreneur while he was working with NationsBank Corp. to identify business opportunities. Percy Berger, a senior banking official, told Johnson that Quaker Oats, which had been divesting a number of brands, had put Macedon, New York-based Richardson on the block. The company was just too appetizing for him to pass up. "We had premium ice cream and Richardson had ice cream toppings, among other food products. It was a natural fit," he reflects. "This division also provides us with the ability to access new markets." NationsBank--now called Bank of America
Bank of America (NYSE: BAC TYO: 8648 ) is the largest commercial bank in the United States in terms of deposits, and the largest company of its kind in the world. after a 1998 merger--helped provide the financing, which included Johnson's personal funds as well as senior and subordinated corporate debt and equity capital. (NationsBank holds a minority interest in the concern.) Baldwin's history is as rich as a scoop of its ice cream. Founded in 1921 by seven black postal workers, it began as an ice cream parlor Ice cream parlors are places that sell ice cream and frozen yogurt to consumers. Ice cream is normally sold in two varieties in these stores: soft-serve ice cream (normally with just chocolate, vanilla, and "twist", a mix of the two), and hard-packed, which has an assortment of on Chicago's South Side known as Seven Links Ice Cream Co. The shop became Baldwin's after one of the founders, Kit Baldwin, bought out his partners in 1946. By the 1960s, the concern operated more than a dozen shops throughout the area. By 1967, the company had been purchased by black dairy executive Joseph Robichaux and his wife, Jolyn, after Baldwin's death. In 1971, when Jolyn took over the company after her husband died, she strategically shifted the business from selling the product directly to consumers to selling it to grocery stores. Johnson, a Babson College Babson College, located in Wellesley, Massachusetts (zoned as "Babson Park," ZIP code 02457),[1] is a private business school that grants all undergraduates a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. The F. W. graduate and University of Chicago M.B.A., grew up in the family haircare business and, by 1992, was ready to purchase his own concern in a different industry. Baldwin presented a scrumptious opportunity to go scoop-for-scoop with such industry giants as Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Inc., Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc. and Blue Bell Creameries Blue Bell Creameries is the manufacturer of Blue Bell brand ice cream, made since 1911 . The company, which produces the third-best-selling ice cream in the country, sells their products in only 17 Southern states, although Blue Bell ice cream has also been eaten aboard the . "What appealed to me about the ice cream industry is that there were no brands that had more than 14% on the national market. It was largely a regional business," he says. "Baldwin had a great product that needed repositioning, repackaging and better distribution." Even before the last year's deal, Johnson added significant helpings to Baldwin's bottom line. In the past five years, the Years, The the seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109] See : Time company, which sells 11 flavors of ice cream and three flavors of sherbet sher·bet n. 1. also sher·bert A frozen dessert made primarily of fruit juice, sugar, and water, and also containing milk, egg white, or gelatin. 2. Chiefly British A beverage made of sweetened diluted fruit juice. , expanded its market share from 1.8% to 7.1% in its traditional market areas. In 1997, ice cream and sherbet sales grew more than 240% to $6.5 million. The addition of Richardson appears to be the topping on the dessert. Its brands enable the concern to increase its retail and commercial trade. For instance, Richardson generates a significant share of its revenues from supplying McDonald's restaurants There are more than 30,000 McDonald's restaurants in 119 countries. Restaurants The first McDonald's was not a restaurant at all, but it was a sit-in stand. The company's early franchises were built to a standard pattern that did not offer seating; this was in part to prevent with sundae toppings, shake flavorings, ketchup and breakfast syrup. And the division's line of mustard sauces, chicken-wing sauces and pretzel dips under the Nance's label have proven to be solid with both consumers and restaurants. It seems like Johnson is building a new family business empire. His wife, Pamela, is a co-owner and vice president of administration, and his brother, John, vice president of sales, is responsible for domestic retail and food-service sales. Seeking to complete more acquisitions within the food industry, Johnson plans to develop a pantry of brands that he'll serve up to grocery stores, restaurants and consumers for years to come. Designs of a company It's often said that an easygoing eas·y·go·ing also eas·y-go·ing adj. 1. a. Living without undue worry or concern; calm. b. Lax or negligent; careless. c. nature and business are like oil and water--they just don't mix. But don't be lulled by Robert Holland Jr.'s pleasant personality. Owner and CEO of the Holland Group L.L.C. DBA Workplace, a $80.8 million wholesale office furniture and design firm in Bingham Farms, Michigan (No. 29 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 list), he is a tried-and-true businessman. One look at his resume will prove that. Holland is perhaps best known for his 10-month stint as CEO of the Waterbury, Vermont-based ice cream company Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc. (see cover story "Sold on Ice Cream," April 1995). He began his corporate career at Mobil Oil Corp. in 1962 after earning a bachelor of science Noun 1. Bachelor of Science - a bachelor's degree in science BS, SB bachelor's degree, baccalaureate - an academic degree conferred on someone who has successfully completed undergraduate studies degree in mechanical engineering from Union College and an M.B.A. in international marketing from Bernard Baruch Graduate School in New York. In 1968, Holland moved on to McKinsey & Co. Inc., where he spent the next 13 years honing the business skills--namely, the ability to develop long-term growth strategies--that would later define him as a "turnaround" wizard and eventually make him a partner in the firm. Then began a chain of chief executive positions at various companies. Most notable are City Marketing in Detroit, where he helped to successfully restructure its beverage distribution business, and Rokher-J. Inc., where he primarily dealt in business development projects and provided strategy assistance to senior management of major corporations. After years of helping other companies do better in business, Holland, 59, decided to take the entrepreneurial leap of faith. "I thought to myself, `Shame on me if I can do this for others and not for myself,'" he says. After resigning from Ben and Jerry's in October 1996, he saw a business opportunity with WorkPlace Integrators, one of the top 10 dealerships of Steelcase Inc., the world's largest manufacturer of office furniture. In June 1997, he officially assumed ownership of the company, which, with 280 employees, serves more than 1,000 businesses in the Detroit and Toledo, Ohio
His first challenge was forming strategic alliances to meet customers' changing needs. "It's hard to be a first-rate firm if we do everything in-house," says Holland. Instead, he aligned WorkPlace with various universities, advisory firms and financial models that could provide the right combination of resources--expertise in office culture, information technology and productivity--that the company was lacking. Holland also pushed for a more service-focused approach and expanded WorkPlace's offerings into the world of design. "We help companies facilitate the work they do in their own unique space," he says. It does this by designing work spaces around the core activities of a particular business. "This way, a bank, for example, looks completely different from an office structure in another industry," he explains. As far as WorkPlace's own structure is concerned, Holland continues to build the company on the strength of the people who work there--and those hoping to. He has set up an apprenticeship program with A. Philip Randolph Asa Philip Randolph (April 15 1889 – May 16 1979) was a prominent twentieth century African-American civil rights leader and founder of the first black labor union in the United States. Early Years Randolph was born in Crescent City, Florida. High School in Detroit, where students can get training in the design industry. But Holland, a husband and father of three, doesn't just give them skills. Students who successfully complete the program are hired by WorkPlace--guaranteed. "The kids who go through our program won't have to worry that they can't get a job after all their hard work." The program could result in the hiring of up to 30 people. Holland, known for his dedication to social issues, believes that corporations have a responsibility to the communities in which they operate. He demonstrates his own commitment by serving as the vice chairman of the board of trustees board of trustees Politics The posse of thugs who oversee an institution's administration. See Board of directors. of Atlanta's Spelman College Spelman College: see Atlanta Univ. Center. Spelman College Private, historically black, women's liberal arts college in Atlanta, Ga. Its history is traced to 1881, when two Boston women began teaching 11 black women, mostly ex-slaves, in an Atlanta and by sitting on the board of various organizations, including the Harlem Junior Tennis Program, the NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association Foundation, the Henry Ford Health System and the Research Corp., devoted to the advancement of science and technology. "To me, business is another platform for what most of us do naturally--take care of one another." RELATED ARTICLE: Meet the Next Generation This year, several companies--including Radio One, Baldwin Richardson and Workplace Integrators--join the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 list. The following is a synopsis of 14 newcomers and their rankings. Dallas la Mavis Specialized Carrier Co. No. 23 Based in Louisville, Kentucky  “Louisville” redirects here. For other uses, see Louisville (disambiguation). , this company provides building materials Building materials used in the construction industry to create . These categories of materials and products are used by and construction project managers to specify the materials and methods used for . , warehousing and logistics to clients such as General Motors and DaimlerChrysler. Led by A. Wade Houston, it grossed $102.5 million in 1998. Belle of Orleans DBA Bally's Casino Lakeshore Resort No. 24 Headed by Norbert A. Simmons, this New Orleans-based gaming/entertainment company grossed $100 million last year. It is one of the nation's first black-owned casinos. Olajuwon Holdings No. 27 This Houston-based umbrella company of 64 Denny's Restaurant franchise units is the business baby of CEO Akinola Olajuwon. Last year saw a robust return of $85 million. Bridgeman Foods South Inc. No. 34 Ulysses Bridgeman Jr. is president of this quick-service restaurant company in Louisville, Kentucky. With 2,500 employees, it grossed $72 million in 1998, dishing out fast food at its Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers franchises. Automotive Carrier Services No. 38 Helping to make business a family affair is Alice Houston. Wife of A Wade Houston (see Dallas & Mavis, above), she is CEO of this Louisville, Kentucky-based transportation and logistics company. It grossed $65.4 million last year. Specialized Services Inc. No. 48 Michael B. Jackson heads this transportation purchase support firm in Southfield, Michigan. It grossed $55.02 million in sales in 1998. Pacific Network Supply Inc. No. 52 Based in sunny San Jose, California San Jose (IPA: /ˌsænhoʊˈzeɪ/) is the third-largest city in California, and the tenth-largest in the United States. It is the county seat of Santa Clara County. , this telecommunications company rang up $50 million in sales last year. Started in 1988, it is headed by Houston L. Williams. Omniplex World Services Corp. No. 54 This security/facilities support firm racked up $49 million in 1998. Led by Julien G. Patterson, this McLean, Virginia, concern services government agencies and Fortune 1000 companies. Houston Associates Inc. No. 70 This Arlington, Virginia, telecommunications firm is headed by John R. Houston III. Its network operations engineering and maintenance services brought in $34 million in revenues last year. Southeast Fuels Inc. No. 87 Energy sales is the name of the game for this Greensboro, North Carolina “Greensboro” redirects here. For other uses, see Greensboro (disambiguation). Greensboro, North Carolina (IPA: [ɡɹiːnsbʌɹəʊ]) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. , company. Led by Ralph K. Shelton, it sold coal and oil to utility companies and the government to the tune of $28.59 million in 1998. Armstrong Data Services Inc. No. 93 The information technology newcomer, this company is based in Vienna, Virginia, and grossed $26.09 million last year. Headed by Jack c. Priester, it was ranked as one of Washington, D.C.'s fastest growing tech firms for the past two years. H.L.W. Fast Track Inc. No. 95 This Youngstown, Ohio, concern owns 19 McDonald's Restaurant franchises and is the largest black owner in the international chain. Herb Washington served up fries and milk shakes to the sweet sound of $25 million in 1998. Premier Circuit Assembly Inc. No. 99 Located in Spring Hope, North Carolina Spring Hope is a town in Nash County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,261 at the 2000 census. A notable native of Spring Hope is Carolina Panthers founder and owner Jerry Richardson. , this firm produces connectivity devices for computer and telecommunications companies. Under the guidance of Sam Dickens III, it grossed $24 million last year. Q.C. Onics Inc. No. 100 The last of the auto industry entrants, this Angola, Indiana-based business drove home $23.5 million in 1998. Led by Larry L. Smith, it provides wire harnesses and cable assemblies to Tier-1 automotive suppliers and companies. |
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