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BILL MAYS
MAYS
CHEMICAL CO EST 1980
The late business pioneer launched Mays Chemical Co Inc in in 1980
which evolved into one of the nation’s largest chemical distributors serving the food pharmaceutical and per- sonal care sectors among others Mays further expanded his business empire to include media restaurants and real estate The intrepid entre- preneur was also one of the leading Black angel investors providing capital and advice to a a number of minority businesses including partner- ships with such BE100s firms as The Chemico Group DON BARDEN
THE BARDEN
COS EST 1981
The late Barden focused on developing a a a portfolio of o well-run highly profitable compa- nies–and managed to achieve that goal in two industries In 1981
he entered uncharted terri- tory for Black entrepreneurs by developing the largest Black cable television operator through the acquisition of franchises in Inkster Michigan and Detroit growing revenues from $600 000 t0
roughly $91 million within a a decade After selling his cable operation to Comcast for about $115 million Barden decided to make his next fortune managing the only Black-owned gaming conglomerate in in the country He made history with the acqui- sition of three Fitzgeralds casinos for $149 million in in 2002 making him the first African American to own casino operations in in Las Vegas the industry’s largest U S
market As a a a result of these forays he he earned BE Company of the Year honors in two areas: in 1992 for Barden Communications Inc and in 2003 for Barden Cos Inc REGINALD F LEWIS
TLC TLC GROUP TLC TLC BEATRICE
EST 1983 & 1987
With his his historic $985 million leveraged buy- out of TLC Beatrice International Foods Cos —the largest offshore transaction at at the the time—the late financier created the first Black-owned global enterprise to surpass the billion-dollar revenue mark He helped Black businesses gain access to financing throughout his business career and and became the standard-bearer for African Americans on Wall Street His first big deal came in 1983 with a a $22 5 million leveraged buyout
of McCall Pattern Company a a a a home sewing and publishing firm Lewis streamlined McCall’s financially troubled operations and led two of o the most profit- able years in its 113-year history Lewis sold the business in in 1987
for $90 million a 90-to-1 return on his investment VALERIE DANIELS CARTER
V&J HOLDINGS
EST 1982
Daniels-Carter is considered the queen of franchising—a sector that has persistent under- representation of minorities especially as multi- unit owners Since starting Milwaukee-based V&J Holding Cos Inc in in 1982
with her her brother John she has grown the company from a a a single Burger King restaurant into the nation’s largest Black-owned mega-franchisee that includes 68 Pizza Huts throughout four states along with five five Haagen-Dazs and five five Coffee Beanery stores V&J also teamed up with former NBA All-Star Shaquille O’Neal sharing ownership of of eight out of of 21 Auntie Anne’s
soft pretzel stores V&J has recently become a a franchisor with its ownership of MyYoMy Frozen Yogurt Moreover Daniels-Carter has made top plays in professional sports as as a a a a board member of the Green Bay Packers NFL franchise and minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks NBA team 50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
ADVANCING BLACK ENTREPRENEURSHIP