The Game Of Tennis: An African American Journey
by Bernard A. Chavis is an interesting account of a man who
has seen a lot of problems in terms of race and inequality. It
really makes you wonder why more African Americans don't have an
interest in the game of tennis. It will really get you thinking of a
solution to improve African American participation in the sport.
Mr. Chavis was a standout basketball and football player growing up
in Washington, DC, but never seriously considered playing tennis
when he was young. In a recent interview with Tennis Week
magazine, Chavis stated: "During my youth, playing tennis was out
of the question," Chavis says. "It was not considered a manly sport
and if any of my friends saw a Negro youngster even pick up a
racket, that unfortunate youngster would be teased and ridiculed for
days on end."
Chavis went to college (Villanova University) on a basketball
scholarship. He taught himself how to play tennis and went on to
serve as national president of the American Tennis Association.
In his book Mr. Chavis examines the barriers that prevented blacks
and other minorities from playing and enjoying the game of tennis.
As an administrator and ambassador of the game Mr. Chavis is sharing
his experiences to level the playing game for the sport that he
loves so that young men like me won’t be denied the physical and
business rewards associated with the game of tennis.
To learn more about
Bernard A. Chavis visit:
http://chavisinfo.com.
- Publisher: Buy Books
on the Web.Com
- Pub. Date: December
2007
- ISBN-13:
9780741442901
- 210 pages
Review written by Christopher and
Gary Johnson.
GM's Corvette
Plant Manager Honored by the Engineering Deans of Historically Black
Colleges and Universities
Unique Award Created to Recognize Wilmer
Cooksey's Longtime Dedication to African-American Education
Wilmer Cooksey
Detroit, MI
(BlackNews.com) - The Council of Engineering Deans of the
Historically Black Colleges and Universities will recognize GM
Corvette plant manager Wilmer Cooksey with its Lifetime Service
award for his longtime dedication to education for African
Americans. The group will present the prestigious award to Cooksey,
a former college professor, on Saturday, Feb. 16 during the Black
Engineer of the Year Award program in Baltimore.
"Many
people leave the workplace for academia, but Wil did the opposite:
he brought his advanced academic knowledge to the shop floor," said
Gary Cowger, GM group vice president of Global Manufacturing and
Labor Relations, who will speak about Cooksey 's achievements during
the award ceremony. "We are grateful for the leadership he has
brought to GM manufacturing, and we're proud of his lifetime
commitment to education."
|
The award was created especially for Cooksey, who was an
assistant professor in industrial engineering at General
Motors Institute in Flint, Mich. before taking his first job
GM manufacturing job in 1976. Cooksey held leadership
positions at GM plants in St. Louis, Atlanta and Fairfax,
Kan. before being named plant manager of GM's only Chevy
Corvette plant in Bowling Green, Ky. in 1993. Under
Cooksey's direction, the Corvette and the plant have won
numerous awards. Cooksey, who has called running the
Corvette plant his "dream job," announced his retirement
effective March 1.
Cooksey serves on the Tennessee State University Foundation
Board of Trustees, the Western Kentucky University School of
Business Advisory Board, the Western Kentucky University
College of Education and Behavioral Science, Drug Abuse
Resistance Education Advisory Council and the Advancing
Minorities' Interest in Engineering (AMIE) Board of
Directors.
A
native of Fort Worth, Texas, Cooksey earned a bachelor's
degree in electrical engineering from Tennessee State
University in 1965 and a master's degree in industrial
engineering from the University of Toledo in 1972. He
completed postgraduate work in mechanical engineering at
Michigan State University.
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest
automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader
for 77 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about
280,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in
Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 35
countries. In 2007, nearly 9.37 million GM cars and trucks
were sold globally under the following brands: Buick,
Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Hummer, Opel,
Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's OnStar
subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety,
security and information services. More information on GM
can be found at
www.gm.com
CONTACT(S):
Edd Snyder
GM Communications
Phone: 313-665-4266
Email: edd.snyder@gm.com
Brenda Rios
GM Communications
Phone: (313) 655-3165
Email: brenda.rios@gm.com |
Many of you were introduced to Wilmer “Wil” Cooksey, Jr., through
our exclusive interview with him in 2003. Mr. Cooksey was named
manager of the world's only Corvette plant in February of 1993. As a
lifelong fan of the car, it was a dream job come true.
Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Mr. Cooksey received a Bachelor of
Science degree in electrical engineering from Tennessee State
University in 1965. He earned a Master's degree in industrial
engineering from the University of Toledo in 1972 and completed post
graduate work in mechanical engineering at Michigan State
University.
A Distinguished Graduate of the Officer's Training School, Cooksey
served as an executive officer in the U.S. Army Artillery, 1st
Lieutenant. His last assignment was a year in Vietnam. For his
efforts while in Vietnam, he was awarded the bronze medal.
Mr. Cooksey's General Motors career is the epitome of achievement
beginning with his first job as an assistant professor in industrial
engineering at GMI in Flint, Michigan to his current position.
Mr. Cooksey’s accomplishments are long and historic. In 1997
Cooksey received the "Black Engineer of the Year President's
Award." Also in 1997, Austin Peay University named him
"Achiever of the Year" in their Focus Program. He also received
a Presidential Citation from the National Association for Equal
Opportunity in Higher Education in recognition of exemplary
experience that honors Tennessee State University.
Dollars & Sense
Magazine honored Cooksey in their 1998 "Salute to
America's Best & Brightest Business and Professional Men and Women."
Cooksey is featured on the cover of
African Americans on
Wheels magazine as they named the Corvette
the "Best Urban Car of the Year." He has been honored as an
Outstanding Graduate of Tennessee State and named a "Black
Achiever in the Industry" by the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference.
You can read Gary Johnson’s exclusive 2003 interview with Mr.
Cooksey below.
BMIA.com:
How important of a factor was education in your accomplishments?
Education has been critical to my success. In the 1950’s and 60’s
you couldn’t expect or dream about opportunities if you didn’t
further your education. The same holds true today. Growing up I
saw so many people who were not given the professional opportunities
available because of a lack of education. My mother taught my
siblings as well as myself the importance of education. In fact,
all eight of us went to college. An education is something no one
can ever take away from you.
BMIA.com:
You’re involved in a lot of community service work. Were you taught
as a child to be a good citizen or is this something that you
learned later in life in the work world?
Growing up in a lower-income, blue-collar family in Texas, we
depended on services to help us out during certain times. Even
though my mom worked full-time in a hospital, money was very tight.
There were quite a few times when services would bring food or
Christmas presents to the house for us kids.
Now I am in a position to return the favor and help others.
Supporting my community through the United Way and educational
institutions, like Tennessee State University (TSU), are very
important to our workplace and to me.
BMIA.com:
Who influenced you the most?
Wil Cooksey: My mother always had her sights set on
earning a college education. However, she was burdened by taking
care of our family and working full-time. She took night courses
and always kept trying. She was absolutely delighted when I as well
as my siblings earned our college degrees. It was her focus and
determination that influenced me the most growing up.
My wife, Dr. Elizabeth Cooksey, has also been a great influence in
my life. We met while we were in college at TSU. It was with her
guidance and example that I saw the importance of getting a great
education as well as having a good social life. She’s been a
guiding light ever since. This year we’ll celebrate our 40th
wedding anniversary.
BMIA.com:
What’s your position on Affirmative Action in the workplace?
Wil Cooksey: Affirmative Action is absolutely
necessary. I believe that organizations are aware of the importance
of diversity. However, many do not have the action steps behind it
to support creating a diverse workforce. Unfortunately, you are not
going to get the right mix of people automatically.
In today’s competitive market it is very difficult to recruit the
best and brightest. It takes a good recruiting program to attract
the talent and diversity that companies need to be successful. It
requires mentoring, training and hiring practices that bring in
people who are going to continue to grow and challenge traditional
thought.
BMIA.com:
Based on your experiences, how does someone fight racism and sexism
in America?
Wil Cooksey: The most important way to fight racism or
sexism is not to feed or perpetuate it. You cannot win if you use
racism to fight racism. Every individual has to walk the talk and
set the example of how you as an individual want to be treated.
Education is the key. I believe that ignorance is the basis for
most of the racism and sexism that we see in our society. We will
all have a greater understanding of one another if we support
educational programs and opportunities for all different kinds of
people.
BMIA.com:
What was your earliest or most vivid recollection of being
“different?”
Wil Cooksey: I never really realized that I was
different until I started wanting to go to the movies with my
friends. Not only was I black and had to sit in the upper balcony
but I was also tall. In fact I was so tall for my age that I had to
carry my birth certificate with me so the movie attendants would
believe that I was 10 years old. Otherwise, I would have had to pay
more than 10 cents to see some of the greatest westerns ever made.
It is at that age that I realized the inequities between the races.
By working and being surrounded by all types of people, I quickly
learned that if I was going to be successful you have to have a
better understanding of all people.
BMIA.com:
What would you say has been your biggest success to date? (Personal
and/or business).
Wil Cooksey: My entire career I have focused on
becoming the plant manager of the world’s greatest sports car, the
Chevrolet Corvette. The success that the car and the plant
have had – winning more than 55 industry awards – in the past 5
years and launching the brand new Cadillac XLR means a great
deal to me. It has taken the teamwork and focus of everyone at
Bowling Green Assembly.
Personally, my greatest success is being happily married to my wife
for forty years. We’ve been together through degrees, moves, wars,
children and careers. I am very proud of her and her
accomplishments. Most recently she earned her doctorate in
secondary education. It is with her unending support that I am most
successful.
BMIA.com:
Did you have any mentors growing up?
Wil Cooksey:
When I first hired into General Motors your mentors were people you
didn’t even know. They worked behind the scenes making sure that
you were given opportunities that you would traditionally be looked
over for. I began my career as a professor at GMI, now Kettering
University, and teaching statistics. However, my goal was to get
back into production management and to become a plant manager. At
that time GM’s Chairman of the Board was Dick Terrell. It was as a
faculty member that I met Mr. Terrell. The board used to come and
have lunches with the faculty quite frequently. He took an interest
in my career and helped me transition to a career in manufacturing
where I eventually became a plant manager. Little did I know that
he was pushing my career from behind the scenes.
Now I serve as a mentor to many students at TSU and I can proudly
look at the careers of employees who have grown up through my
ranks. It is my pleasure and greatest achievement to help mentor
those who have ambition, talent and a drive to succeed.
BMIA.com:
What makes the Corvette so special?
Wil Cooksey: There is no one thing that makes Corvettes
so special. I could talk about all the specific reasons for hours.
Corvettes have to be in your blood. When I lived in Atlanta I
decided that it would be for the best to sell my Corvettes since I
had so many different interests. It didn’t take long before a sense
of loneliness and emptiness set in deep inside me. Corvettes take a
place in your life whether you are driving, washing or showing
them. Very quickly I went to Tom Juniper Chevrolet because I was
having Corvette withdrawal. He let me take a two-toned white and
silver ’82 home right off the lot. I was happy once again. Since
that day I have never been without a Corvette.
Basically Corvettes end up being members of your family. It doesn’t
matter the year or body style, they are all special. You depend on
them and they take car of you.
BMIA.com:
Under
your leadership, Corvette has won a number of prestigious awards.
What did you do to re-establish the Vette and win these awards?
Wil Cooksey: Bowling Green Assembly has been very
successful due to entire team working together to achieve one common
goal. And, that is to be the best assembly plant in the world. Our
organization had to improve its productivity, performance and
quality in order to be more competitive. It took the partnership of
the local UAW to take some bold steps and training of the entire
workforce. We focused on safety and quality.
We also created enthusiasm by listening closely to our customers.
We started to use customer feedback from JD Power, Corvette shows
and other mechanisms to solve quality problems. It took teams of
engineers, management and UAW members working together to get our
quality where it is today. We have learned that if you develop
close relationships and listen to your customers you will be
successful.
BMIA.com:
How important is diversity in today’s workplace?
Wil Cooksey: Diversity is essential. In fact it’s
mandatory if you are going to be successful. Our customers are
diverse just as the people would build our products are diverse.
Companies today will not meet the needs of their customer base if
they don’t have the same diversity in the workplace.
There’s strength in diversity, which means there is more than one
way to always look at something. As a leader, if you have a diverse
organization there is a greater probability that you will make the
best decisions for the entire workforce.
BMIA.com:
As
you climbed the corporate ladder was it difficult to find a happy
balance between work and family?
Wil Cooksey: Unfortunately, you sacrifice a little bit
of your time. However, you have to take on the challenge to support
your career as well as your family. I didn’t get to go to all of my
son’s track meets or my daughter’s band activities as they were
growing up, but I did go to a majority of them.
It has helped that my wife is a professor and has a demanding
schedule as well. It is important that we both remain flexible and
know one another’s schedule.
BMIA.com:
You are a trailblazer. What advise would you give to someone who
wanted to make a career in corporate America?
Wil Cooksey: Here’s the advice that I would give any
young professional wanting to make a career in corporate America:
-
It is important to have an excellent education. Excel in your
studies and take educational opportunities such as internships and
work programs that will give you professional experience in your
field.
-
As a student, make sure that you attract company representatives
that can give you good advice and take on a mentorship role. As a
student or young professional, you are going to have to help
navigating your career.
-
If you are going to be successful it is imperative that you have
strong people skills. Essentially, all people want to do the right
thing. When entering a new organization you need to be part of the
team and not come in a threatening manner.
-
Always show initiative. Remember, it is deeds not words that get
the job done. You have to be known for getting the job done
successfully.
-
Finally, no matter what the job is remember to always do your best.
Never let anyone see your displeasure with a certain job or let them
see you sweat. Go into each job to make the most of it. If you
always do your best, no one including yourself, will ever be able to
question your integrity.
BMIA.com:
What’s next for Corvette?
Wil Cooksey: We’re very excited about the future of
Corvette both with the 2004 model and the upcoming C6. It has been
a great pleasure to be involved and contribute to three generations
of Corvettes.
BMIA.com:
What’s next for Wil Cooksey?
Wil Cooksey: It’s my goal to have a pleasant and
enjoyable end of my career. The most rewarding thing is to see the
people’s lives that I’ve touched as they go on ahead and achieve
great things. There’s never a dull moment in my life. I am always
ready for the next challenge.
BMIA.com:
Is there anything you’d like to share with our readers that I didn’t
ask?
Wil Cooksey: People are your greatest resource. It’s
amazing what you can achieve when everyone works together. You’re
greatest strength is those who surround and support you.
So what do you think? If
you would like to respond to this article
click here
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to leave a public or private statement, comment or
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Leonard Rowe
“The Man Behind The Tour”
Leonard Rowe
is a soldier in an industry that can be cut throat,
racially discriminatory and relentlessly unyielding. His work
provides jobs to communities across the country and many don't even
know to credit him or his kind for bringing money into black communities.
His work may seem like a fun and
glamorous career, but he is quick to pull the sheet back on the
scathing bed of corruption that holds the deep dark secrets of this
field.
Despite the many drawbacks and situations that occur as he pushes
forward he finds enjoyment in his work and feels he has not only a
right but a purpose in staying. His staying power is quickly
credited to God and those who have supported him. Leonard Rowe sees beyond
the concerns and problems and realizes that giving up will not make
the path any easier for his predecessors, nor will his fight for
justice be one that is fought with any more ease for those who
remain behind.
So
who is Leonard Rowe and what does he do? Is he a literal soldier in
the armed forces? Does he work in the corporate world and bang his
head on the glass ceiling we all have heard of? Is he out there
fighting the “good ol’ boy” system of politics? No…he's a top flight
concert promoter. And yet he manages to shed light on an
industry that still has deep roots in a racist thrust toward
monetary power shifts within the entertainment industry.
I
asked Mr. Rowe if he knew a lot about promoting and just how he got
started and he began to recant his genesis. “I started promoting in
1975. And it was on a whim that I started promoting. I was in love
with a group at the time called The Spinners. I wasn’t
thinking about entering into the industry at all. I just wanted to
see The Spinners perform. So a friend of mine and I flew out
of Atlanta to Newark, New Jersey to see the Spinners. We got up
there around noon and we decided to go downtown to Symphony Hall to
where they were playing. I went down to the building and the line
was two blocks long. At that particular time, the tickets were
seven dollars [in Newark] which was high because down South the
tickets are traditionally lower than they are up North. So that
seven dollars was extremely high and I thought it was a lot of
money. As I stood in that line about a block away from the
building, I mumbled out to myself, talking out loud “I wonder who’s
getting all these seven dollars.” And some guy who was standing in
line said, “The promoter gets these seven dollars.” I didn’t know
what a promoter was or what he did but I made up in my mind that
that was what I was gonna be and here I am some 32 years later.
So basically that is how I got interested and into the industry.”
Rowe continues with the story, telling of his first loss and how
important it was to have a strong support system. “I went from
there and started learning as much as I could learn on my own
because, no one helps you in this business. No one volunteers
advice. I went from there and met a good banker who was my friend,
and is my friend today. He went out on a limb and loaned me a few
thousand dollars, which I lost, but I was able to keep going doing
about two shows a year. So with him on my side, and by the grace of
God, I was always able to keep going. But, to get ahead, I always
tell people it’s like obtaining credit. You could be a person
coming out of college with no credit…never had bad credit and never
had good credit. You walk into a bank and ask for a Visa and that
banker will deny you nine times out of ten; not because you have bad
credit but because you have no credit at all. You can go across the
street to another bank and ask for a Master Charge and a banker
there might see something in you and take a chance with you and say,
‘Come on…I ain’t supposed to do this but I will issue you a Master
Charge.’” Once he gives you that Master Charge you can go
immediately back across the street and ask for a Visa and they will
give it to you, so it’s like that in promoting.”
I
couldn’t help but wonder who the first act was that gave him a
chance. Rowe affectionately talks about that break like it was
yesterday. “I was able [to get a big act] a few years after I
started, I was never able to get a real superstar artist, to talk to
one of the biggest groups in the country at the time. The O’Jays.
The O’Jays gave me about half of their tour. For some reason
they liked me. I don’t know why, but they did and I got half of
their tour and it was all successful. All of the shows sold out in
every major arena that we played and from that point on I began to
book every major artist n the country from Michael Jackson on
down. So I give a lot of credit to The O’Jays for going out
on a limb and taking a chance with me. I am thankful today to them
for that.”
I
read about the struggles and problems Rowe has had in the industry.
He was the man behind a major class action lawsuit against the
concert industry. The lawsuit was dismissed, a major setback for
Rowe, but he continues the fight and is not giving up on pursuing
equality. I needed to know more about the injustice he fights
because so far, things seem as though every day hard knocks we all
must deal with when starting a new business. Leonard Rowe then gave
me a history lesson full of insight that made me feel privileged to
be privy to such a wealth of knowledge.
“Being a concert promoter is a very highly stressful job. They are
responsible for all costs. If people decide not to come to your
show, you are still responsible for the costs. Its very stressful
not only to play one show, but to launch a national tour like an R.
Kelly tour when you are hitting every major city in the US it
becomes very highly stress. Especially in these days; Black
promoters are becoming extinct. They are basically gone. That’s
due to the racism and discrimination in this industry, they have
basically eliminated us. So, it’s very hard for Black Promoter to
maintain. Yes, I have been blessed. I know I have to stay around
as long as I have. It’s the way the industry treats us. A black
promoter is not given the opportunity to promote a White act like an
Elton John or a U2 or The Rolling Stones. The
White promoters, and I know all of ‘em that came into the industry
with me, are able to promote any and all acts be it Black or White.
If I call the booking agency and ask them what’s available for me,
they’ll only go down the Black roster. If a White promoter calls
that same booking agency and asks what’s available, they’ll go down
both the Black and White roster. So it’s very hard for a Black
promoter to maintain in this industry, no matter whether he has the
wherewithal or the knowledge…that doesn’t matter. They will not
sell me a date on U2 and they make no exceptions for that.
So, it’s difficult. But, I have to keep going and fighting for what
is right, which I intend to do.”
The
obvious injustice is apparent in that equality is not practiced, but
it runs deeper. He shifts gears and talks about the turn around
benefits of supporting African American promoted concerts.
“R. Kelly
should be commended for what he has done. He stepped
forward to fight against that type of racism and gave his whole tour
to a Black promoter. And see, many people don’t know what all that
entails and what is the significance of that. So, let me tell you
the significance of that. A promoter, be it Black or White, sits at
the helm of the distribution of that concert dollar. That promoter
is the person that hires the catering service, the limo service, the
production service, the security company and the list goes on and on
for a tour of this magnitude. So, when a Black promoter sits at the
helm, all of a sudden, Black security companies profit. Black
production companies profit. Black catering companies profit. And,
the list goes on and on. So instead of that concert dollar
fertilizing Beverly Hills and commercial districts like Rodeo drive,
that dollar is brought back to our community. That is something
that the ticket buyer is not aware of when they go to that glass
window and stick their money through that hole and think they are
just goin’ to see Janet Jackson or think they are just goin
to see Prince. That wealth is a lot of money being taken away from
them by the White promoter who is putting that money back into the
White companies and White business districts of this country. But,
when a Black promoter is aware of that and an artist is aware of
that, they and try to take that wealth and redistribute it into our
own communities like the White promoters do. We are just trying to
do what’s right with the concert dollar and make sure that Black
America sees their money again that they stick through that glass
hole.”
When asked if the artist has much control over the promoter they
choose for their concert, he quickly responds “All of it! All of
it! I stick it on them. All of it!” He takes a moment, however,
ad gives the artist some grace… “But, I will say this; the booking
agency is paid a lot of money to give them advice, but when they
[the booking agency] do not even recognize Black promoters, the
artist has no knowledge of the Black promoter. It’s like this:
before the fair housing bill was passed they didn’t know that real
estate agents did what is called “steering.” If you call a real
estate company and say “I’m looking for a house for two hundred
thousand dollars, I want x amount of bedrooms and one and a half
baths.” If they only show you what’s up for sale in the Black
neighborhoods then you don’t even know what’s for sale in the White
neighborhoods and that’s how they kept segregation going. The same
thing exists in the concert industry.”
Many have discussed the strength in numbers. Why is their not a
union of form of unity amongst the Black promoters in America?
Wouldn’t that increase the power and booking ability of the Black
promoter? “Black concert promoters are a limited breed. Those that
work on a national level are down to about five. Not the local ones
doing club concerts, but on a national level. It’s an industry that
is difficult to break into, no matter how much money you have. I
have you guys come up to me all of the time and ask me how to get
started. Every time they ask me that question, I cringe because it
is so hard for them to get started. It’s a hard question for me to
answer. It really is.”
Rowe takes a moment to reflect on those he has worked with and who
he really enjoyed. “Who have I enjoyed? Because of my relationship
with him; Michael Jackson. He was not difficult at all to
work with. I also enjoyed working with The Temptations. God
gave them a gift and they just had what it takes. There are so many
that I enjoyed working with…Patti Labelle, Stevie Wonder and
I am now enjoying working with R. Kelly. But relationship
wise, I am very close to the Jackson family and I really enjoyed
working with Michael. And, I’m looking to work with him again. I
have been talking to him and trying to get him ready to go.
Hopefully I will be able to get him ready for next year. I talked
to him earlier this year and he said he wanted to do it next year.
So, hopefully, we’ll tour the world real soon.” Although he has
proven he has staying power, there are still artists he would love
to work with. “I have worked with just about all of the African
American acts, but I would love to be able to work with a U2
or ‘The Rolling Stones’, but the industry would have a fit.
Maybe one day that’ll happen.”
One
day…maybe…if the concertgoer and artists begin to support and demand
tours promoted by Black promoters. And, just why should they
support the Black promoters? Rowe says it best when discussing the
current R. Kelly tour that features J. Holiday and Keyshia Cole. “This tour is a tour that is produced, organized
and controlled by African Americans and we ask that they come out to
support us ‘cause we are trying to support them as well.”
"DOUBLE UP" TOUR STARRING R. KELLY,
WITH KEYSHIA COLE & J. HOLIDAY
This interview was
conducted by Lawrence "el-Train" Evans for
Black Men In America.com.
Posted 12/3/2007 Leonard Rowe Photo credit: Renee Hannans Henry,
Access Atlanta
Special thanks to Juanita Stephens of J. S. Media Relations for
arranging this interview.
So what do you think? If
you would like to respond to this article
click here
and sign our
Guestbook
to leave a public or private statement, comment or
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