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ROBERT SMITH
VISTA EQUITY PARTNERS
EST 2000
Smith founded Vista in in 2000
after leaving Goldman Sachs in 1999 Under his watch Vista established a a a a a a remarkable track record by regularly returning investors 30% or or more on an an annualized basis As a a a a a result he has outperformed his white peers on their turf Since Vista was founded Smith has been in charge of more than 290 completed transactions by the firm totaling more than $91 billion in transaction value The largest BE 100s private equity firm continued to expand its holdings by acquiring Lithium Technologies This deal allowed Vista to pick up a a a a a cloud-based social media man- agement and online community solutions company company and enables the company company to build its roster of more than 50 companies including Cvent and Solera Holdings Known for eliminating the $34 million debt of Morehouse’s 2019 graduating class he has worked with major corporations to supply internships and jobs within the tech and financial fields THOMAS MOOREHEAD
STERLING MOTORCARS
EST 2004
Gaining foreign import franchises has always been elu- sive for Black auto auto dealers However veteran auto auto dealer dealer Moorehead became a a a a a a a trailblazer as the world’s first African American Lamborghini and McLaren dealer in in the history of both brands in 2016 and and the world’s first African American Rolls-Royce dealer in in 2013 His brands also include BMW MINI Cooper and formerly Harley Davidson He zoomed past the competition as as as Sterling Motorcars now serves as as as the leading provider of new and pre-owned luxury cars in in in the Mid-Atlantic region with five locations in in in Virginia Maryland Delaware and and Southern Pennsylvania SHEILA JOHNSON
SALAMANDER HOTEL & RESORTS
EST 2005
Johnson is a a business titan most known for co-founding Black Entertainment Television with then-husband Robert Johnson and selling it to Viacom for roughly $3 billion in in 2000
Following their divorce in in 2002 Johnson launched the the Salamander Resort & Spa in 2005
The luxury hotel company owns two properties and manages five others around the the United States’ Southeastern region Its growth strategy has resulted in in an impressive 24% jump in in revenues from $170 million million in in 2016 to $210 million million in in 2017 Today Johnson’s net worth is estimated at at about $820 million while her resort company was recognized as as the 2018 BE100s Company of of the Year As vice chairman of of Monumental Sports & Entertainment and and president and and managing partner of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics she is also the only African American woman to have ownership in three professional sports teams including the NBA’s Washington Wizards and the NHL’s Washington Capitals SHONDA RHIMES
SHONDALAND
EST 2005
Rhimes is the first African American woman to create and executive produce a a Top 10 network series—the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy However throughout the years her creative lightning has struck several times with series such as spin-offs Private Practice and Station 19 the political thriller Scandal and and the legal whodunit How to Get Away with Murder Dominating ABC’s Thursday night lineup for well over a a a decade earned Rhimes $10 million a a a year in her studio pact with ABC Rhimes’ success posi- tioned her production company Shondaland to cut a a a a a deal with Netflix three years ago for nine figures and creative control over her new properties Her 2016 book Year of Yes became an an an instant New York Times bestseller and spun off a a best-selling journal 50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL • PHOTOS (BOTTOM LEFT): MARJORIE KAMYS COTERA (MIDDLE RIGHT) RON CEASAR
ADVANCING BLACK ENTREPRENEURSHIP