WS Chronicle

BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY 

FOR THE CHRONICLE

A black tie gala was held in honor of the legendary founder of Dudley products, Joe L. Dudley Sr., and late Chicago-based business tycoon and civic leader, S.B. Fuller, on Sunday May, 22.  The gala was an effort to raise funds for the construction of the Fuller-Dudley Entrepreneurship Museum and to celebrate Dudley’s 79th birthday.

Dudley started his company with “$10 and a dream” and is the best-selling author of “Walking by Faith.”  His company is the only third-generation black-owned business in the country.

“It’s all about entrepreneurship, helping our people become job makers and not job takers,” said John Raye, publicist for Dudley.  “The whole idea is to empower black people to go into business for themselves. So the point of the Fuller-Dudley Institute of Entrepreneurship is designed to encourage people to become business-minded individuals.”

Raye stated that they plan to not use loans or grants from the government, but to raise the funds themselves to build the museum.  He also stated that there are plans to have the museums all across the country in an effort to teach entrepreneurship.

“I am very honored to be in the presence of Mr. Dudley,” said Dr. Jackie Mayfield, owner of Comprotax and long-time friend of Dudley.  “It’s all about what we do for the community and not for ourselves. It’s gonna take us being self determined as a people to get out of the quagmire that we are in.  And it’s gonna take people who have done it before to show the younger professionals how it is done.  With the enthusiasm of the younger individuals, mixed with the wisdom of the older folk, I think we can do quite well.”

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan was also in attendance as a keynote speaker in an effort to raise funds and close out the historic event.

According to Raye, this is just step one in the plans to be able to reach people from coast to coast.