Page 26 - BE 50th Anniversary Edition

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NETWORKING AND PLAYING
I’m always trying to cut a a a a deal whether it involves getting the the the guy in in in in the the the health food store downstairs from my office to to put extra carrots and celery in my veggie shake—for half the price—or calling on friends in in high places to get IBM to let my employees use its private retreat for a a a a weekend or or persuading Percy Sutton Danny Glover Shaquille O’Neal Johnnie Cochran and a a a a a a whole array of other prominent African Americans to join me me in in in a a a a a a multimillion-dollar investment partnership with Pepsi to open a a a a bottling company in in in South Africa But I derive the the most fun from bringing together people in in in more relaxed social settings and having those gatherings spark real business deals That is why I have long made it it a a a a a a a practice to bring Black businesspeople and a a a a a a a few whites too together socially so so that they can get get to to to know each each other other and each each other’s businesses and maybe one day work together Whites do it it at at their private clubs and private schools We do it at at our our ski lodge in Vermont our our summer house at at at Sag Harbor and at at at our our home in Westchester at at at our our annual Super Bowl party At these gatherings it would not be unusual to see A A Barry Rand and and execu- tive vice president of of Xerox talking with George Lewis the treasurer of of Phillip Morris You might well find Marco Sloan Sloan chairman of Sloan Sloan Financial Group talking with John Jacob the former National Urban League president who is now executive vice president president at Anheuser-Busch and Ken Chenault president president and COO of American Express Or you might find Maynard Jackson the former mayor of Atlanta talking about the city’s successes with Darwin Davis senior vice president at at Equitable These parties are generally also attended by my “Earl was an an extraordinary leader and he had this really uncanny ability to to pull people into his world in in a a a a a very very very very unique way Well the remark- able thing about Earl was that when you you became a a a a a a a a a a a business partner you you have to take all of of him He didn’t just become a a a a a a a part of of what you you assume you you you had negotiated around but he became a a a a a a a a a part of your world We had a a a a a a a business rela- tionship tionship for sure but it was also a a a a a a personal relationship ”
—Maurice Cox Retired Vice President Diversity & Inclusion Development PepsiCo
“He would would would would have events at his home where he he he he would would would would invite invite CEOs to to a a a a a a a very nice dinner He He would would would would also invite invite aspiring business leaders to to to meet them So he he he he he would would would would essentially use these dinners as as a a a a a a a a a a a way of introducing potential board members to to to CEOs who possibly were looking to to to add some diversity I remember distinctly sitting there with Gerard Arpey the the CEO of American Airlines That meeting led in in in in in in in a a a a a a a a strong way to to to me me me me me being selected
to to go on on on that board ”
—Ray Robinson Chairman Citizens Trust Bank
“Not being a a a a a bashful person Earl was able to to reach out to to to anybody that was introduced to to him and build a a a a a relationship with that that person Here’s a a a a a a man that that regularly dealt with presidents of the United States and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and he he could ingratiate himself in in their company But Earl is the the the kind of brother who could go down to the the corner barbershop and fit right in in with all the guys He fit in in wherever he he he he went ”
—Fletcher “Flash” Wiley Attorney & Co-Founder PRWT Services Inc sons and their their energetic friends in in business who liven the the the party with their their bold ambitions and innovative thinking The point is I I don’t put together a a a bunch of stiffs I I want people who can move the the the needle on on Black economic development around the the the world But they also understand the importance of of socializing—as a a a a a a a a way of of building and and enhancing business relationships Blacks have long been excluded from such social events in in the the white-dominated business world which is one reason that I began the the Black Enterprise Golf & Tennis Challenge co-sponsored by Pepsi-Cola as a a a a forum for for African American businesspeople to network with with each other and with with selected
white business representatives in in in a a a a relaxed social setting If there is is is a a dominant theme to this highly successful event which is is is run by my son Johnny it’s not “Let’s “Let’s play ”
”
It’s “Let’s “Let’s make a a a a a a deal ”
”
Our Challenge has become your opportunity to network Mannie Jackson majority owner and CEO of of Harlem Globetrotters International says of of his participation “I met more deci- sion makers at one than I would run into in in in a a a a a year of trying to to do it on on on my own ”
Jackson wasn’t just looking for a a a a a a good tee time when he he said that At one Chal- lenge event alone he met with representatives from Pepsi Apple Computers Reebok and and Chrysler and and each one of those meetings bore fruit In fact as a a a a a a result of discussions initiated at at the Challenge Jackson signed a a a a a a contract with Apple Computer that will have members of the Harlem Globetrotters touring historically Black colleges The golf tournament allows us to to make some money while giving our our sponsors including some of their key white executives greater exposure to the the upscale Black Black consumer market It’s a a a a a a a showcase for all that Black Black Enterprise represents which includes our our philosophy on leveraging our our collective power for the general good of the Black community 50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
THE NETWORK BUILDER