where are they now?

from fashion, to food, to technology, former BE newsmakers are still making their mark

WE WORKED LONG AND HARD TO TRACK DOWN SOME OF THE feature and cover story subjects of earlier issues of BLACK ENTERPRISE. Some you met for the first time here; others you got to know on a more intimate basis through our pages.

It's a diverse group that includes one of the nation's hottest clothing manufacturers, a financial wizard of a Fortune 500 corporation, the mother-and-daughter management team of a leading black haircare company, and a politician with White House aspirations. Many have had to wrestle with hardship since you heard from them last, but most are still going strong, delving into new career opportunities and launching bold ventures. Here's the low-down.

CROSS COLOURS. Ever wondered what happened to the bright yellow and green logo of Cross Colours? It adorned everything from bomber jackets to baseball caps. One of the first companies to make urban gear fashionable [Yom the 'hood to the "burbs, it burst on the scene as something of a supernova:

A member of the BE 100s Freshman Class of 1992, Solo Joint Inc., the parent company of the Cross Colours line, grossed $15 million in sales. In one year, the revenues of the concern (renamed Threads 4 Life Corp. d/b/a Cross Colours) soared to $89 million, a whopping 493.3% jump. The red-hot apparel manufacturer had risen from No. 80 on the 1992 RE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 list to No. 10, earning the distinction of being the RE growth leader and the BE 100s Company of the Year in 1993.

"Basically it was like hitting the lottery. It just exploded overnight," says Carl Jones, the founder and former president. "It was just overwhelming, and the supply could not keep up with the demand." By 1995, the company had fallen off the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 list. (One Threads 4 Life spin-off, Karl Kani Infinity, is No. 32 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 list.)

Soon after reaching such lofty heights, Cross Colours came crashing down. When the company's biggest customer, retailer Merry-Go-Round, went bankrupt, the company shut down its capital-intensive manufacturing operation, laying off nearly 200 employees. The management then sold the Cross Colours name to other clothing makers.

But, the brand Cross Colours is still around. New York-based Stage II Apparel Corp. acquired the trademark in May 1999. and a new Cross Colours line is slated to debut in 2001.

Jones, who operates from Los Angeles, is currently working on an Self-titled clothing line he describes as "upscale streetwear." And Thomas "T.J." Walker, who served as the company's vice president of product development, and Davide Stennett, the former vice president of marketing, have teamed up to launch Los Angeles-based Modisch, a line of men's and women's contemporary sportswear. Both lines are expected to be unveiled this year.

Observers will be wondering whether lightning can strike twice for the Cross Colours crew.

Known for: Being the highest-ranking African American at McDonald's Corp. B.E. milestone: Appeared on both BE's 25 Hottest Black Managers list in 1988 and the 1993 BE Power 40 What Happened: Retired from his corporate home of 37 years in 1999 Current project: Serving as key supplier to his former employer

ROBERT BEAVERS JR. Many consider Robert Beavers Jr. to be as connected to McDonald's Corp, as the world-renowned Big Mac. Consider him the "Big B."

Over his 37-year career, he rose from being a $1-an-hour crew member to being the corporation's highest ranking African American executive, to his role as senior vice president and zone manager, he was responsible for the management and real estate of over 1,800 stores, which generated over $2 billion annually.

As a result, Beavers earned kudos from BE twice in a five-year period. He was designated one of the 25 Hottest Black Managers in Corporate America in 1988 and one of the BE Power 40 in 1993.

Now, the 56-year-old corporate pioneer has become an entrepreneur. Last year, Beavers was part, of a group of investors that purchased Brea, California-based Fresh Start, Bakeries, one of McDonald's largest suppliers. A former division of the Campbell's Soup Co., Fresh Bakeries has sold buns exclusively to McDonald's for 32 years.

But now Fresh Start is moving into new areas. "We've just taken on a military contract for our product to be distributed to [U.S. military] bases throughout the country and parts of the world," says Beavers, who is also vying for major contracts with supermarkets and other fast-food chains,

The retired executive is also the founder and organizer of United Community Bank based in Lyle, Illinois. Along with a multicultural group of investors, he plans to launch the commercial and personal banking institution in August.

Beavers has come a long way indeed from flipping burgers.

Known for: Being one of the first blacks to own and operate a regional airline B.E. milestone: Featured in June 1985, he stated that he was preparing his company to compete in the burgeoning commuter field What happened: His airline was grounded by 1987 Current project: Owns a chain of gasoline stations

MICHAEL HOLLIS. These days, BET Holdings founder Robert Johnson is getting a great deal of press about being a black entrepreneur trying to get a regional airline off the ground. But 17 years ago, lesser known Michael Hollis, then 29, was the first African American to actually do such a thing. He was the founder and chairman of Air Atlanta.

In the June 1985 feature "Air Atlanta's in a Holding Pattern," BE reported how the Atlanta-born attorney and entrepreneur rinsed over $45 million to launch Air Atlanta, gaining financing from such companies as the Equitable Life Assurance Society (today known as AXA Financial Advisors), General Electric Credit Corp., Aetna Life Insurance, UNC Ventures, the largest black venture capital firm at the time, and North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Co., the country's largest black insurer. His star-studded board of directors included the former mayor of Atlanta, Maynard Jackson, and North Carolina Mutual CEO William J. Kennedy. Small by industry standards, Air Atlanta had 400 nonunion employees and a fleet of five refurbished Boeing 727-100 jets, It served New York, Miami, and Memphis, Tennessee, from Atlanta.

But despite support from the city of Atlanta and its officials, as well as a solid board of directors, Air Atlanta was a casualty of the airline wars of the 1980s. Air Atlanta filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1987 due to poor capitalization,

While Hollis has not made national headlines since his airline endeavor, the 46-year-old entrepreneur has been trying to make other ventures fly, A year after Air Atlanta fell, he regenerated WPBD, a 50,000-watt AM radio station he had acquired from the FCC in 1982. But by September of 1988, Hollis had sold Atlanta's only black AM station for $4.3 million to WGST. At least 14 liens were reportedly filed for nonpayment against Hollis by companies that helped build the WPBD station.

Hollis' new company. Hollis Industries. recently purchased 32 one-stop gas station and convenience stores from Smyrna, Georgia-based Wallace Enterprises Inc. The price tag of the acquisition: more than $30 million.

Admirers know that Hollis can't stay grounded for long, Former Mayor Jackson maintains, "Mr, Hollis is an entrepreneur to his heart."

Known for: Gaining control of family-owned Johnson Products Co. (JPC) B.E. milestone: November 1993 cover story on the sale of JPC to a majority-owned cosmetics conglomerate What happened: The two Joans decided to leave the company What's Next: Making a move into real estate development

JOAN B. JOHNSON AND JOAN M. JOHNSON GALLI. Keeping up with the Joans hasn't been easy.

The Johnson family's mother-daughter team, Joan B. and Joan M., were featured in the November 1993 cover story, "Should Black Businesses Be Sold to Whites?" after they sold Johnson Products Co. (JPC), the Chicago-based haircare products company, to IVAX Corp., a Miami-based cosmetics and pharmaceutical holding company, for $67 million. When the Johnsons closed the deal. it was met with ire from the African American community. Many felt they had not just sold a family business, they had sold a black institution.

JPC has had an interesting history. In 1971, it became the first African American-owned firm to be listed on the American Stock Exchange. By the late 1980s. however, the company was fighting for its life. going toe-to-toe with such beauty and haircare monoliths as Alberto Culver for market share. By the end of that decade, JPC's stock price had dropped as low as $3 a share.

If the external challenges weren't enough, the company faced major internal upheaval. In 1989, Joan B. divorced the company's founder, George. As part of her settlement, Joan B. assumed the helm of the $46 million concern.

Son Eric, took over day-to-day operations of the company, and their daughter, Joan M., became its marketing director. Eric's efforts to streamline JPC's operations helped turn around the company's fortunes and boost the stock price. However, by 1991, family differences between him and the Joans led to Eric's resignation from the company. (He would eventually acquire Baldwin Richardson Foods Co., which is currently No. 55 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 list.)

In 1993, the family decided to sell the company. Despite the public outcry, the family still stands by its decision. "We have no regrets," says Joan M. recently. "Their hard work was not diminished at all by selling the business. All of the accolades still come to both of them."

Remarried for almost five years, Joan B. and George Johnson are today enjoying their golden years. "The two people who started [JPC] have come together again and are enjoying the fruits of their labor," Joan M. says. "They are in their 70s now and have really turned in toward their family and their grandchildren, and each other."

As for the younger Joan, she married in 1995. The Gallis, with their three children in tow, recently returned to the United States from hubby's native land, Argentina, where they lived for the past three years. Their next big project: real estate development. "We're again involved in a family business. It's land we've owned for 27 years that was a [working] cattle farm, and now we're changing gears with it," says Joan M. "We're in the process of zoning and annexing the land into single and multifamily homes."

The elder Johnsons will serve as advisors on this project, while Joan M. and her husband will serve as the principals and managers of the real estate business.

Known for: Being CEO of one of the nation's leading black-owned high-tech firms B.E. milestone: His company, Network Solutions, was ranked among the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 What happened: Sold Network Solutions to majority-owned corporation Current project: Positioning his new company, Netcom Solutions International, to go public

EMMIT McHENRY discovered a concept before its time. In 1979. he founded Network Solutions, the Herndon, Virginia-based systems integration firm that would eventually be responsible for the assignment of Internet domain names. By 1989, Network Solutions had grown to No. 11 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 list, generating gross revenues of $48.8 million. During that same period, it became one of the few firms to successfully graduate from the Small Business Administration's 8(a) program, which sets aside federal contracts for minority businesses.

In 1995, however. Network Solutions dropped off the BE 100s when McHenry and his partners sold the company to Science Application International Corp., a San Diego-based high-tech firm. Within four years, it would have a net worth of $220.8 million. Observers say that McHenry missed out on hundreds of millions--possibly, billions--of dollars since Network Solutions became the company that registered Internet domain names for millions of companies, organizations, and individuals.

"I expected it [Network Solutions] to grow, but no one expected it to be worth what it is today. I had three partners who wanted to sell it. and for a host of reasons, it was just time to move on," he says.

But McHenry has few regrets. Five years ago, the technology pioneer launched NetCom Solutions International Inc. a network integration and logistics firm. The National Minority Business Council named NetCom the outstanding technology firm in 1999. McHenry views the company as a global franchise and he plans to take it public in 2001. Says McHenry: "We are major stock holders in NetCom Solutions South Africa. We also own NetCom Solutions Europe, and at one point we were in China as well."

McHenry will be wired for years to come.

Known as: Disney's financial genius B.E. milestone: Named one of BE's 40 most powerful executives in 1993 What happened: Left Disney to become president of the nation's largest hotel company; resigned within a year Current project: Running a fledgling dotcom

RICHARD NANULA. At age 32, Richard Nanula was the youngest executive ever to be named chief financial officer of a Fortune 500 company. And it just wasn't any corporation. It was The Walt Disney Co., the monolith with the most recognizable entertainment and sports franchises in the world. While there, he was known for packaging unique deals such as the $965 million off, ring of liquid yield option notes (LYONs) to finance Euro Disney in 1990--at the time the largest convertible bond issue ever.

BE noted Nanula's accomplishments. placing him among the 1993 BE Power 40. He was the youngest among corporate all-stars that included the likes of American Express' Ken I. Chenault and Fannie Mae's Franklin Raines.

In 1998, the young exec set his sights on a new game. He traded in the Magic Kingdom for a different type of empire: Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc., one of the nation's largest hoteliers. As president and COO of Starwood, he handled the day-to-day operations of such shining gems as the Sheraton, Westin, and St, Regis hotel chains.

But within a year, his relationship with Barry Sternlicht, the company's CEO and his Harvard Business School classmate, frayed, After a series of published reports of corporate infighting, Nanula resigned.

For months, he fielded offers from several companies. In November 1999, Nanula settled on a one-year old Internet upstart. "I'm excited, in fact, thrilled, to be joining Broadband Sports," said Nanula, 39, when he was named CEO and chairman of the Los Angeles-based sports Website development and content company. "This is an irresistible opportunity that combines my love of sports, business, and the Internet."

Broadband Sports Inc. currently operates four online media properties, including AthleteDirect, the leading provider of official athlete Websites, To snare Nanula, Broadband paid a handsome sum: a reported $180,000 in base pay and 9% of the company in stock, which is valued at roughly $36 million.

Now, Nanula is ready to weave his own magic.

Known for: Being the first black elected governor in the United States since Reconstruction B.E. milestone: Appeared on the cover of January 1989 as a model of bold political leadership for the 1990s What happened: He could not run for a second consecutive term as Virginia's governor because the state constitutions prohibits it Current project: He serves as a professor and, as chairman of an organization that fights AIDS in Africa

L. DOUGLAS WILDER has always played by his own roles--and made history doing it. BE first introduced readers to Wilder in the January 1989 issue as he was beginning his run for the State House. As Lt. Governor of Virginia, he was the highest-ranking elected black state official. In November, Wilder, the grandson of former slaves, made history by becoming the first African American elected governor of Virginia, known as the cradle of the Old Confederacy,

In his role as governor, Wilder proved to be an adroit manager and strong leader. His "New Mainstream" brought an unprecedented number of African Americans into executive-level appointments, expanded the state's international trade, and balanced the budget by paring down the state's bureaucracy, while refusing to raise 'taxes. While most states were battered by recession, Wilder's fiscal prowess earned Virginia Financial World magazine's designation as one of the nation's best-managed states for two years in a row. He told BE at the time: "Throwing money at problems doesn't solve them, but wise and prudent investment to the extent that government is streamlined does."

His national exposure and rock-solid credentials positioned Wilder for a run at the White House in 1992. The bid was short-lived, however. He withdrew, he says, to re-devote his total energy to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Since stepping down as governor in 1994 (bylaw, the incumbent governor can not run for a second consecutive term), Wilder spends time with his private law practice and hosts a radio program. At one point, he was being eyed for the presidency of Virginia Union University, his alma mater. But he withdrew his name from consideration.

Now Wilder makes headlines as the chairman of the Medical University of Southern Africa (MEDUNSA) Trust. This past June, Wilder presented an award to Botswanan President Festus Mogae, honoring him as the first recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award for AIDS Leadership in Southern Africa. In addition to supporting MEDUNSA's cause to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa, the former politician serves as a distinguished professor at the Center of Public Policy and the Department of Political Science at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Known for: Being a model of youth entrepreneurship B.E. milestone: First Black Enterprise Kidpreneurs Award winner in 1996 What Happened: The program continues and has a number of college graduates as former participants What's next: Continued expansion of the program throughout the nation

FOOD FROM THE HOOD, There had not been anything like it: a group of teenagers growing vegetables in an urban community and, in turn, selling them to supermarkets. With the adult help of co-founders Tammy Bird and Melinda McMullen, students from Crenshhhaw High School in Los Angeles, formed Food From the Hood, and landed a $50,000 grant from Rebuild L.A. to produce "Straight Out the Garden" salad dressing, The students handle the marketing, financing, and development of the food, and Sweet Adelaide, based in Hawthorne, California, a co-packer, manufactures and packages the dressing.

In its first year, the group generated $600 in sales, which went into a student scholarship fund. "They decided $600 wasn't going to get them into college," says Assistant Director Haydee Vicedo, referring to the 36 students that began the program. "So, they thought of a new product."

In 1996, the teens were able to generate gross revenues of $280,000. The concept--and success--earned Los Angeles-based Food From the Hood the 1996 BLACK ENTERPRISE Kidpreneurs Award.

Today, Food From the Hood continues to produce a bountiful harvest. "We sold $220,000 worth of salad dressing last year, and we just came up with a new salad dressing," says Aleyne Larner, the program's executive director.

Just like when the program started, students still till the soil in the backyard of Crenshaw High School, planting seeds and growing vegetables and flowers. Today, those items are donated to the local homeless shelters and AIDS hospices in Los Angeles.

In addition, the organization has now set up satellite programs in Ithaca, New York, and Chicago. With no product yet, the programs are setting up the business and eventually will create a product.

Since 1995, Vicedo and Lamer have replaced Bird and McMullen, and the original 36 students have moved on to allow a new group of students to continue the legacy. In 2000, 22 of those who started Food From the Hood graduated college and one, Kaber Gbajabiamila, was drafted by the Green Bay Packers.

Food From the Hood is staying true to the philosophy of being fruitful, and its success is multiplying.