Janice Bryant Howroyd

{{Infobox person

| name = Janice Bryant Howroyd

| image =

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| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|9|1}}

| birth_place = Tarboro, North Carolina, U.S.

| alma_mater = North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

| occupation = Founder and CEO, The ActOne Group

| partner =

| website = {{URL|http://askjbh.com/}}

| signature =

| spouse = {{marriage|Bernard Howroyd|1983|2020|end=died}}}}

Janice Bryant Howroyd (born September 1, 1952) is an entrepreneur, businesswoman, and author. She is founder and chief executive officer of The ActOne Group,{{cite web|url=http://www.act-1.com/aboutjan.asp|title=About ACT•1 |publisher=ACT•1}} the largest privately held, minority-woman-owned personnel company founded in the U.S.{{cite web|author=La-Keya Stinchcomb |url=http://www.wtoc.com/story/34539714/janice-bryant-howroyd-first-black-woman-to-own-billion-dollar-company |title=Janice Bryant Howroyd: First black woman to own billion dollar c - WTOC-TV: Savannah, Beaufort, SC, News, Weather & Sports |website=Wtoc.com |date= |access-date=2017-02-28}}{{cite web|url=http://www.act-1.com/employer/enterprise/diversity.asp |title=ACT•1 The Largest Certified Woman-Minority-Owned Staffing Agency in the U.S |website=Act-1.com |date= |access-date=2017-02-28}} Howroyd is the first African-American woman to build and own a billion dollar company.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-himi-howroyd-20180211-htmlstory.html|title=Meet Janice Bryant Howroyd, the first African American woman to run a $1-billion business|date=February 11, 2018|website=Los Angeles Times}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local/janice-bryant-howroyd-becomes-first-african-american-woman-run-billion-dollar-business/vxum8n7iXiQjsDf3axdDGM/|title=Janice Bryant Howroyd becomes first African American woman to run a billion-dollar business|website=ajc}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/janice-bryant-howroyd-its-not-what-they-call-you-its-what-you-answer-to-1537475222|title=Janice Bryant Howroyd: It's Not What They Call You, It's What You Answer To|date=September 20, 2018|via=www.wsj.com}}

Early life

Janice Bryant was born on September 1, 1952, in Tarboro, North Carolina, the fourth of 11 children in her family.{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.workingmother.com/2008/10/work/janice-bryant-howroyd |title=Entrepreneur Mom: Janice Bryant Howroyd |publisher=Working Mother |date=2008-10-28 |access-date=2017-02-28}} As a teen, she was one of the first African American students to participate in desegregation of her town's high school.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/14/from-beyonce-to-janice-bryant-howroyd-14-black-women-who-changed-business-and-finance.html |title=From Beyonce to Janice Bryant Howroyd, 14 black women who changed business and finance |website=Cnbc.com |date=2017-02-14 |access-date=2017-02-28}}{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Janice_Bryant_Howroyd.aspx |title=Janice Bryant Howroyd facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about Janice Bryant Howroyd |website=Encyclopedia.com |date= |access-date=2017-02-28}}

Career

In 1976, Howroyd moved to Los Angeles, California, and worked as a temporary secretary for her brother-in-law, Tom Noonan, at Billboard magazine.{{cite web|url=http://herdaily.com/empowerment/herstory/21276/janice-bryant-howroyd-the-boss/ |title=Janice Bryant Howroyd: The Boss |publisher=Her Daily |date=2016-07-03 |access-date=2017-02-28}}{{cite web|last=Uwumarogie |first=Victoria |url=http://madamenoire.com/786184/women-black-history-janice-bryant-howroyd/ |title=Women Of Black History: 5 Things To Know About Janice Bryant Howroyd |website=Madamenoire.com |date= 17 February 2017|access-date=2017-02-28}}{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.sbnonline.com/article/how-janice-bryant-howroyd-puts-humanity-in-human-resources-at-act-1-group/ |title=How Janice Bryant Howroyd puts humanity in human resources at Act 1 Group - Smart Business Magazine |website=Sbnonline.com |date=2013-07-01 |access-date=2017-02-28}}{{cite news|author=James Flanigan |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/business/smallbusiness/15edge.html |title=Being the Entrepreneur of Your Own Career |newspaper=The New York Times |date=2009-10-14 |access-date=2017-02-28}} While at Billboard, Noonan introduced Howroyd to business executives, celebrities, travel, and workplace diversity.

With an approximate budget of $1,000{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.essence.com/galleries/25-black-women-entrepreneurs#115646 |title=25 Black Women Entrepreneurs |website=Essence.com |date= |access-date=2017-02-28}}{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/people/social-sciences-and-law/business-leaders/janice-bryant-howroyd |title=Janice Bryant Howroyd facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about Janice Bryant Howroyd |website=Encyclopedia.com |date= |access-date=2017-02-28}} Howroyd continued to focus on employment services and launched her own company, The ACT 1 Group, in a small Beverly Hills, California, office in 1978, with Tom Noonan as her first client.{{cite web|url=http://www.makingittv.com/janicebryanthowroydinterview.htm |title=janice bryant howroyd interview |website=Makingittv.com |date= |access-date=2017-02-28}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=8039131 |title=ACT.1 Group, Inc.: Private Company Information |publisher=Bloomberg |date= |access-date=2017-02-28}} ActOne Group companies include AppleOne, All's Well, AT-Tech, ACT-1 Personnel Services, Agile-1, ACT-1Govt, A-Check Global, which provide personnel and recruiting services to different industries, and DSSI, which provides document management services.{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/11/30/672189297/actone-group-janice-bryant-howroyd|title=ActOne Group: Janice Bryant Howroyd : How I Built This with Guy Raz|website=NPR.org}}

Howroyd is an ambassador of the Department of Energy's Minorities in Energy Initiative,{{cite web|url=http://energy.gov/diversity/contributors/janice-bryant-howroyd|title=Janice Bryant Howroyd |publisher= United States Department of Energy}} a board member to numerous organizations including the United States Department of Labor's Workforce Initiative Board,{{cite web|url=https://www.hks.harvard.edu/ocpa/pdf/HKSBulletin_winter2009.pdf |title=Layout 1 |website=Hks.harvard.edu |date= |access-date=2017-02-28}} Women's Business Enterprise National Council, WeConnect, National Utilities Diversity Council, Harvard Women's Leadership Board, California Science Center, Los Angeles Urban League and a member of the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Services and Finance Industries of the U.S. Trade Representative and the United States Department of Commerce. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.{{cite web|url=https://www.act1group.com/about.aspx |title=ACT•1 Group |website=Act1group.com |date= |access-date=2017-02-28}}

In May 2016 Howroyd received a key presidential appointment by President Barack Obama as a member of the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.{{cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/05/05/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts |title=President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts |date=2016-05-05 |via=National Archives |work=whitehouse.gov |access-date=2017-02-28}}{{cite web|url=http://www.blackenterprise.com/news/obama-appoints-g-gaston-award-recipient/ |title=Obama Appoints Our A.G. Gaston Award Recipient |website=Blackenterprise.com |date=2016-05-06 |access-date=2017-02-28}}{{cite web|url=https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/files/2016/10/2016-HBCU-Week-Conference-Full-Program-Not-for-Distribution.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2017-02-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223124012/http://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/files/2016/10/2016-HBCU-Week-Conference-Full-Program-Not-for-Distribution.pdf |archive-date=2016-12-23 }} In 2017 she joined the Diversity Committee of the FCC.{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/fcc-names-diversity-committee-members-168463|title=FCC Names Diversity Committee Members|first=John|last=Eggerton|website=Broadcasting & Cable|date=8 September 2017 }}

Since 2016, Howroyd has served on the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Board of Directors as an officer as Treasurer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbcfinc.org/new-board-2016/|title=CBCF Announces New Officers and Directors for its Board|date=February 17, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbcfinc.org/about/board-of-directors/|title=Meet the Board » Congressional Black Caucus Foundation » Advancing the Global Black Community by Developing Leaders Informing Policy and Educating the Public}}

Bibliography

The Art of Work – How to Make Work, Work for You! (2009){{Cite book|isbn = 978-0615292984|title = The Art of Work: How to Make Work, Work for You!|last=Howroyd|first=Janice Bryant|date = 23 April 2009| publisher=Act1 }}
Acting Up – Winning in Business and Life Using Down-Home Wisdom (2019){{Cite book|isbn = 978-1544504568|title = Acting up: Winning in Business and Life Using Down-Home Wisdom|last1 = Howroyd|first1 = Janice Bryant|date = 13 August 2019| publisher=Lioncrest }}

Awards and honors

2008 The BET Honors Entrepreneur Award - 2008
2011 National Association of Women Business Owners Hall of Fame Honoree - 2011{{cn|date=October 2023}}
2015 "National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame" Inductee - 2015{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcahof.com/nbca-hall-of-fameweekend/2015-class-of-inductees-past-inductees-2 |title=2015 Class of Inductees/Past Inductees - National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame |website=Nbcahof.com |date=2015-10-30 |access-date=2017-02-28}}
2016 Black Enterprise A.G. Gaston Award - 2016{{cite web|url=http://www.blackenterprise.com/event/billion-dollar-businesswoman-receives-top-award/ |title=Billion Dollar Businesswoman Receives Top Award |website=Blackenterprise.com |date=2016-04-22 |access-date=2017-02-28}}
2022 Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organization Business Pioneer Award - 2022.Grace Meng (NY). "WOMEN’S ENTREPRENEURSHIP DAY 2022". Congressional Record 117: 178 (November 17, 2022). p. E1163. [https://www.congress.gov/117/crec/2022/11/17/168/178/CREC-2022-11-17-pt1-PgE1163-4 https://www.congress.gov/117/crec/2022/11/17/168/178/CREC-2022-11-17-pt1-PgE1163-4.pdf] Howroyd received the Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organization’s Business Pioneer Award at the United Nations in 2022, celebrating her as a trailblazer and innovator in her field. The prestigious award, also recognized by the US Congress, highlights women entrepreneurs and the meaningful impact they are having on the world.

Personal Life

Howroyd has been married to her husband, Bernard.{{Cite web |last=X |date=2018-02-11 |title=How I Made It: Meet Janice Bryant Howroyd, the first African American woman to run a $1-billion business |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-himi-howroyd-20180211-htmlstory.html |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

References

External links

[http://www.askjbh.com/ Ask JBH – Personal Website]
[https://www.actonegroup.com/solutions.aspx#fndtn-staffing ActOne Group official website]
[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07zxvwd "How I built a billion dollar business" BBC World News]

Category:1952 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century American businesspeople

Category:African-American business executives

Category:American women business executives

Category:21st-century African-American women writers

Category:21st-century American women writers

Category:21st-century African-American writers

Category:American business writers

Category:Women business writers

Category:American motivational speakers

Category:American women motivational speakers