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HENRY PARKS
PARKS
SAUSAGE CO EST 1951
Considered one of America’s most brilliant busi- nessmen Parks transformed an an an abandoned Balti- more-based dairy plant he acquired in in 1951
into one of o the nation’s most profitable food manufacturers He created and marketed the line of coveted mainstream breakfast products using the memorable tagline: “More Parks sausages please ” He also made history when he he took Parks public in in 1970 making it the first Black- owned company to trade on NASDAQ The
company did not suffer any any losses from its inception until 1977 when its stock stopped trading on the exchange after it was sold to a a a white company for $5 million more than double its value on NASDAQ (Parks would eventually regain Black ownership and appear on the BE 100s again) A member of the original BLACK ENTERPRISE Advisory Board Parks served as a a a a a valued mentor to to scores of Black entrepreneurs before his death in 1987 ERNESTA PROCOPE
E E G BOWMAN CO INC EST 1952
As founder and CEO of E E G Bowman Co Inc Procope applied vision and drive to grow a a a a small Brooklyn-based storefront operation into the first and largest Black-owned insurance brokerage firm located in fin New York’s financial district She emerged successful despite dealing with major competitive threats within the white male-dominated industry— gaining contracts from leviathans such
as PepsiCo Phillip Morris TimeWarner Tiffany General Motors and Avon one of the companies that would eventually tap her for corporate board service Moreover Procope used her influence to fight redlin- ing ing by helping enact insurance reforms that allowed low-income Black families to gain coverage in New York and 30 other states HERMAN RUSSELL
H J RUSSELL
& CO EST 1952
A perennial member of of an exclusive group of of iconic BE 100s CEOs the late Russell forged a a a legacy as an an an accomplished businessman and mentor who inspired several generations of leaders in in commerce politics education and corporate America He rose above both societal barriers and personal disadvan- tages–including a a a lifelong speech impediment–as he pursued entrepreneurial success Publisher Graves
wrote that “If the late legendary Mayor Maynard H Jackson was the prime archi- tect of ‘New South’ Atlanta Russell was its master builder ” In developing the nation’s largest Black-owned construction firm he changed the skylines of American cities and and international hubs and and opened doors for African Americans in general contract- ing real estate management and airport concessions GEORGE & JOAN JOHNSON
JOHNSON
PRODUCTS INC EST 1954
When the the Johnsons founded the the Chicago-based ethnic haircare products company in 1954
the couple created enduring brands such
as Afro Sheen and Ultra Sheen as as well as as developed a a a a a a a pillar among the the BE100s for roughly 20 years Throughout their entrepreneurial journey the Johnsons made a a a his- toric impact For example in 1971 Johnson Products
became the first Black-owned company traded on the American Stock Exchange Moreover their commitment to African American businesses included sponsorship of Soul Train making it the first nationally syndicated Black TV program backed by a a a a a Black-owned company After the couple divorced in the early 1990s Joan John- son gained control of the company and eventually sold it it to white-owned IVAX The
Johnsons however would eventually reconcile and continue their engagement in philanthropic pursuits 50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
ADVANCING BLACK ENTREPRENEURSHIP