If technology is the engine that drives the American economy, Black entrepreneurs in technology are increasingly providing the horse power for that engine. This year’s roster of the 2006 Top Black Technology Entrepreneurs illustrates not only the growing numbers of African-American business owners in technology, but it also reflects the expanding scope of those businesses.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2002 Survey of Business Owners found that minority-owned firms continue to grow at over three times the national average. It counted four million minority-owned businesses, which represents 18 percent of all U.S. companies. Leading the growth in the number of businesses launched were Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders, who increased ownership rates by 67 percent. The number of African-American firms grew 45 percent, while Hispanic firms grew 31 percent, and Asian-owned businesses increased by 24 percent.

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation recently reports, “While the overall rate of adult entrepreneurial activity declined slightly between 2004 and 2005, the rate of African Americans starting businesses increased.” In 2004, the foundation reports, 40,200 African Americans started a new business every month. Each month during 2005, by comparison, a total of 46,700 Blacks launched a business. “African Americans were the only ethnic or racial group to experience a gain,” they concluded.

Minorities still lag in business startups, however, which makes the achievements of the 2006 Top Black Technology Entrepreneurs even more noteworthy. While minorities represented 32 percent of the U.S. population in 2002, they accounted for only 18 percent of all U.S. businesses, generating just three percent of gross receipts and employing only four percent of all workers. Indeed, the average gross receipts for minority-owned firms were $169,000, as compared to $985,103 for all U.S. firms. The average gross receipts ranged from a low for African-American firms at $77,000, to a high for Asian firms of $311,000. A detailed report on minority entrepreneurship is available from the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (www.mbda.gov) in the State of Minority Business Enterprises report.

Despite all of the difficulties and the risks, the spirit of entrepreneurship continues to thrive in America. Career Communications Group’s 2006 Top Black Technology Entrepreneurs exemplify this spirit, and we are pleased to recognize them here.

2006 Top Black Technology Entrepreneurs:

Jeanette M. Abraham 
President and CEO  
Detroit Heading, LLC

Pedro Alfonso 
President and CEO 
Dynamic Concepts Inc.

Joseph B. Anderson Jr. 
Chairman and CEO  
TAG Holdings, LLC

Knowlton R. Atterbeary Jr.
President and CEO
KRA CORP

Lt. Gen. Joe N. Ballard, U.S. Army (Ret.) 
President and CEO  
The Ravens Group, LLC

Pamela Blackwell 
President and COO  
Blackwell Consulting Services

Robert D. Blackwell Sr. 
CEO  
Blackwell Consulting Services

Gen. Roger R. Blunt, P.E. (Ret.) 
Chairman and CEO  
Essex Construction, LLC

Bernard Bronner 
President and CEO  
Bronner Bros.

Eddie C. Brown 
President and Portfolio Manager/Analyst  
Brown Capital Management Inc.

Gale E. Burkett 
President and CEO 
GB Tech Inc. 

Steven D. Burnett 
President and CEO 
Coleman & Associates Enterprise Inc.

Dr. Marvin Carroll 
President  
Tec-Masters Inc.

Anthony R. Chase 
Chairman and CEO  
ChaseCom LP

Kenton Clarke 
Founder and CEO
Computer Consulting Associates International

Dr. Lawrence Crawford 
President and CEO  
DBM Technologies LLC

Armentha  “Mike" Cruise 
President and CEO  
The Aspen Group Inc.

Don Cunningham 
Owner  
OEM/Erie Inc.

David Dalton, Ph.D. 
President and CEO  
Univec Corporation

Robert C. Davidson Jr. 
CEO and Chairman  
Surface Protection Industries Inc.

Kirkland Dudley
Founder and Chairman
GVC Networks

 
Joe Louis Dudley Sr. 
President and CEO 
Dudley Products Inc. 

Nancy R. Dunson   
CEO
Metrica Inc.
 
Charles Duval 
Founder and President  
Data Industries Ltd.

Gerald D. Edwards 
President and CEO  
Engineered Plastic Products Inc.

Dr. Joseph E. Fergus 
Founder, President and CEO  
Communication Technologies Inc.

Kenneth Gamble 
President  
Universal Companies

André Gist 
President and CEO  
Manufacturers Industrial Group, LLC

Carlton L. Guthrie 
Co-Chairman  
Spectra LMP LLC

Michael J. Guthrie
Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors,
President, and CEO
Spectra LMP LLC and Detroit Chassis LLC

Col. Verle Hammond (Ret.)
President and CEO
Innovative Logistics Techniques Inc. (INNOLOG)

Delon Hampton, Ph.D., P.E. 
Founder and Chairman  
Delon Hampton & Associates, Chartered

 
Carlton L. Highsmith 
President and CEO  
The Specialized Packaging Group Inc.

Raymond A. Huger 
Chairman and CEO  
Paradigm Solutions

John L. Huggins Jr. 
President and CEO 
Quality Telecommunications Services Inc.  

Rodney P. Hunt 
President and CEO
RS Information Systems Inc.

Maria Jackson 
President and CEO  
Maricom Systems Inc.

Renard U. Johnson 
President and CEO  
Management & Engineering Technologies International Inc.

Willie F. Johnson 
Principal and Chairman  
PRWT Services Inc.

Horace F. Jones, Ed.D. 
CEO  
Advanced Resource Technologies Inc.

Daryl Z. Laisure 
President and CEO
ZIN Technologies Inc.

Dr. Kase L. Lawal 
Chairman and CEO  
CAMAC International Corp.

Rodney K. Martin 
President and CEO 
HCI Technologies Inc.
 
 
William G. Mays 
President  
Mays Chemical Co.

Curtis McCrary 
President and CEO  
The All-Star Group

Dr. Samuel Metters
Chairman and CEO
Metters Industries Inc.

Harold Mills
CEO
Zero Chaos

Tracy E. Mitchell 
President  
The Arbeit Group
 
Earl A. Pace Jr. 
President  
Pace Data Systems Inc.

Mamon Powers Jr., P.E. 
President and CEO  
Powers & Sons Construction Co. Inc.

Francis L. Price 
CEO  
Q3 Industries

Gloria D. Redman 
President and CEO  
Triumph Technologies Inc.

Kenneth W. Robinson 
President
KENROB Information Technology Solutions  

Herman Russell 
Chairman  
H.J. Russell & Company

 
Rory Sanderson 
President and CEO  
Sanderson Industries Inc.

Larry L. Smith 
President  
QCOnics Ventures, LP

Earl W. Stafford 
Chairman and CEO  
UNITECH

John Stallworth 
President and CEO  
Madison Research Corp.

David Steward 
Founder and Chairman  
World Wide Technology Inc.

Steven E. Sullivan 
CEO  
Sullivan International Group

Sid E. Taylor 
Chairman and CEO  
SET Enterprises Inc.

Maurice B. Tosé 
President and CEO 
Telecommunication Systems Inc.

Kathryn C. Turner 
Chairman and CEO  
Standard Technology Inc.

Frank White Jr. 
Chairman and CEO  
Advanced Concepts Inc. (ACI)

Houston L. Williams 
Chairman and CEO 
Pacific Network Supply Inc.

 
Patricia Williams 
President and CEO  
Omega Technologies Inc.

Evelyn Wilson
Founder, EVP, and COO
Ryla Teleservices Inc. 

Mark Wilson 
Founder, President, and CEO  
Ryla Teleservices Inc.

Albert Woodard 
CEO 
Business Computer Applications Inc.

Russell T. Wright 
Chairman and CEO  
Dimensions International Inc.

Charles Young  
President and CEO  
SDE Business Partnering  

To read more about The 2006 Top Black Technology Entrepreneurs: Helping America Lead the Way see The 2006 Top Black Technology Entrepreneurs: Helping America Lead the Way in the USBE News archive.