Bernard Harris was born in Houston, TX, but would move at the age of 6 with his mother to a rural area of New Mexico, where they would reside until they relocated to San Antonio, TX during his high school years. His time in New Mexico engendered in him the desire to become an astronaut,…
Reuben Shelton was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was a standout high school basketball player recruited to play for the national powerhouse Kansas University Jayhawks. A career-ending injury focused him on his career objective of becoming a lawyer, and following a clerkship with St. Louis’ first African American federal circuit court…
Floyd Newsum was born and raised in Memphis, TX where his childhood gave him a front row seat to the Civil Rights movement, while being reared by an activist father who was part of the city’s first crop of Black firefighters. Determined to pursue his love of art from an early age, Floyd pursued his…
Kenny Frank was raised in Chicago, where his father who had a PhD in electrical engineering was employed at Bell Laboratories. An internship opportunity, as a high school student led to his eventual career path, where he would attend and obtain a BS in Computer Science at the University of Southern California. He transitioned from…
Roger Mitchell was born and raised in northern New Jersey, where he grew up as the youngest of two children and played football through high school. He completed his undergraduate degree at Howard, before enrolling at and receiving his medical degree from New Jersey Medical School. His triumphant career led him to become at one…
Carroll G. Robinson migrated to the United States with his parents at the age of nine, where he would spend his formative years in Patterson, NJ before attending university in southern New Jersey, and ultimately matriculate law school at George Washington University. Upon earning his law degree, he moved to Texas where he embarked on…
Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Michael Harding began his professional career as a production manager trainee with Anheuser Busch in the 1970’s, a journey that will span a nearly four decade tenure with the same company. Michael would rise to become the second African American plant manager in the company’s 130 plus year history, and…
Dale Lockett spent the early part of his life moving from place to place due to his father’s career as a Methodist pastor, before his family settled in East Texas. He would attend the University of Houston where he pursued an education in TV production, before embarking on a career behind in the background of…
Born into a military family in North Texas, Gerald McElvy distinguished himself as a student at the University of Houston, before earning his MBA in Finance and embarking on a career in the energy industry. His storied 33-year career at ExxonMobil is a fascinating one that watched him rise to become the highest ranking African…
Shawn Taylor started his career an an auditor for the public accounting firm Arthur Andersen. He later went on to work as a financial advisor, before stepping out on his own when he structured a deal to acquire 19 Taco Bell stores in the Houston area. He would later own a minority stake in the…
