by Atiya Jordan
November 3, 2023
The founding father of one of many largest minority-owned chemical administration and distribution corporations in america is now a Corridor of Famer.
The founding father of one of many largest minority-owned chemical administration and distribution corporations in america is now a Corridor of Famer.
In October, The Chemico Group CEO Leon C. Richardson was celebrated for the transformational impression he’s made on Michigan’s minority enterprise development. He was named a 2023 Michigan Minority Corridor of Fame Legend by the Michigan Minority Provider Improvement Council (MMSDC), in line with a press launch supplied to BLACK ENTERPRISE. The respect additionally acknowledged trailblazers who’re “driving the state’s economic system whereas empowering communities which are typically left behind.”
A Chemico Group board member was additionally inducted into the Corridor of Fame. Carla Walker-Miller is founder and CEO of Walker-Miller Power Companies, a 22-year-old values-driven, B Corp licensed firm.
The Southfield, Michigan-based Chemico Group is standing tall after a powerful 34 years in enterprise.
BE named the veteran-owned firm to its listing of the highest 100 Black Companies a number of instances. Richardson’s indelible legacy additionally landed on the 2013 BE Industrial/Companies Corporations of the Yr listing with $85.8 million in revenues in addition to a slew of extra mentors answered.
Since then, the Chemico Group’s workforce of greater than 300 minority staff have been intentional in diversifying operations. For instance, the Chemico Group invested $2.5 million to supply chemical administration companies to Fiat Chrysler vegetation in Mexico and supplied related companies at Honeywell vegetation all through the U.S. and Mexico.
“To keep away from ebbs and flows that come from specializing in any particular business, we’ve got diversified our operations. We search for industries the place paint is utilized or the tip unit has wheels. Vehicles, vans, airplanes and jeeps all have wheels, making them a part of the automotive, trucking, aerospace and protection contractor industries,” Richardson instructed BE in 2016. “Compressors and fridges have paint and are a part of the heavy producer and equipment industries. By 2020, we wish to be within the $300 million to $400 million income vary.”
Moreover, Richardson is a proud financier, mentor, and champion for Minority Enterprise Enterprise (MBE) growth. He has served on the Board for the MMSDC for greater than 15 years. As proof of this, Chemico Group dedicated $26 million with different MBEs since 2014, which is a mean minority spend of 5% yearly, the corporate’s web site acknowledged. MMSDC awarded Chemico its Provider of the Yr Class IV Award in 2017.
On the 2016 BLACK ENTERPRISE Entrepreneur Summit, Richardson shared his expertise on his mentor-protege relationships. The founder and CEO of Ellis Island Tea Nahlah Ellis-Brown admitted that her model went from automotive trunk gross sales to Complete Meals after having access to financing and mentorship. Richardson funded her manufacturing facility by the use of his firm and supplied Ellis-Brown with strategic planning help and accounting companies wanted to restructure manufacturing prices, BE beforehand reported.
“The one technique to bridge that hole and enhance financial wealth within the African American group is by educating the subsequent technology in entrepreneur-ism,” Richardson stated.
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