Black Enterprise Lessons from the Top: Success Strategies from America's Leading Black CEOs

During the past quarter century, Black Enterprise magazine has been authoritatively chronicling the prime movers and shakers among African American entrepreneurs while annually ranking their top companies in numerous categories. Now, in Black Enterprise Titans of the B.E. 100s, editor-at-large Derek T. Dingle looks more closely at the 11 individuals who operate America's very largest black-owned firms. Among them are the well-known, such as Jet and Ebony magazine founder John H. Johnson and Black Entertainment Television creator Robert L. Johnson, along with the not-so-well-known, such as auto dealer and former NFL star Mel Farr Sr. and "People's Banker" Emma C. Chappell. Touching upon an array of industries--ranging from media and music to food processing and construction--it presents these "passionate, proud and persevering" men (and one woman) in illuminating profiles that benefit from the magazine's long-range perspective. They show how both established and emerging leaders have used "imagination and drive" to battle "a lack of capital, diminished access, and outright racism" and still succeed on such a grand level. Additionally, they introduce these formidable corporate figures to a broader audience that in the future will also benefit from their experiences. --Howard Rothman