Tel-Chai Nation

A very sad moment as a most impressive businessman who'd been a success in my native Philadelphia sadly succumbed to Covid19:

Herman Cain died on July 30 from complications brought on by COVID-19 and the news quickly unleashed an outpouring of tributes, appreciation and gratitude. His life was a constant rocket ship powered by optimism, confidence and determination. His orbit was the American Dream.

Cain earned a degree in computer science while doing high-level work for the Department of the Navy and before that graduated from Morehouse College, one of the most celebrated Historically Black Colleges in the nation.

He went to work for Pillsbury, which owned Burger King at the time. He was given a chance to turn around stores in the Philadelphia area and performed so well he was next offered a chance to turn around Godfather’s Pizza.

When he took over the restaurant chain had fallen from number three in the nation to number five. He turned it around by using a disciplined approach that meant the business would endure initial pain in order to achieve long-term growth.

Herman was so successful, when he and a partner made an offer to buy the company Pillsbury agreed. It was around this time when I first read the name Herman Cain. I wanted to be a businessman from a young age and would draw logos and daydream of having big factories and lots of employees. [...]

I looked up one of those Black Enterprise articles that celebrated his success at Godfather’s Pizza. It talked about his confidence and the significance of being the largest shareholder of a $234 million company in 1988. Herman observed:

“This demonstrates that Blacks can make it in mainstream corporate America…it can be done.”

Guys like Cain should serve as important role models; they proved it's possible to study the science needed to build up big business successfully in the USA. He should forever be remembered and respected for the successes he brought to the world.

Labels: communications, military, United States