Lifetime Achievement Award
General Director of its Body Hardware Business Unit. In 1992, he became an entrepreneur, eventually becoming the Chairman and CEO of TAG Holdings, LLC, which for several years was among the top five largest black- owned business in the United States according to Black Enterprise magazine. As a volunteer, Anderson has served WPAOG in various capacities since 1974, and is now a Diversity Strategic Advisory to the Superintendent at USMA, helping to establish the West Point Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunity. According to USMA Admissions, his efforts have contributed to a 23 percent increase in applications from African-American students over the past five years. “I was overwhelmed with the magnitude of the recognition and have always valued the training and development I received from attendance at the United States Military Academy,” Anderson said. “I attribute much of my success in life to my family upbringing and the leadership training and development that I received from West Point,” he said. Anderson went on to highlight
his achievement as a White House Fellow and described how he made the transition from the military to corporate America. He reflected that his leadership skills and talent for managing people played a part in his smooth transition from Army officer to corporate executive.
Risk and Opportunity In 1979, two years after graduating
from the Army’s leader development program at the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Anderson began his business career with General Motors at Pontiac Motor Division. After only 18 months in
manufacturing, he was named as the plant manager of the division’s Pressed Metal and Plating Operations in 1981, overseeing 3,000 employees. He held several assignments
until 1989, when he was appointed as the director of the Exterior Systems Business Unit, Inland Fisher Guide Division of General Motors. In 1990
www.blackengineer.com
he was appointed general director, Body Hardware Business Unit, Inland Fisher Guide Division, General Motors Corporation, a business unit with 7,000 employees and revenue of $1 billion. In late 1992, after thirteen years with the corporation, Anderson resigned from General Motors Corporation to become president and CEO of a privately held company, Composite Energy Management Systems, Incorporated (CEMSI). In October 1994, he acquired a
controlling interest in another privately held entity, Chivas Products Limited, which manufactured interior lighting trim products and lighting assemblies principally for the automotive industry. Mr. Anderson held the position of chairman of the board and CEO before divesting his interest in 2002. He went on to establish TAG Holdings, LLC., where he is currently majority owner, chairman, and CEO. As with access and career opportunities at West Point, General Motors, and Chivas, “Life doesn’t offer you the chance to get prepared,” Anderson said. “When West Point offered me that
opportunity, I couldn’t go back and take trigonometry or advanced engineering courses. I had taken those advanced programs in high school and passed them with good grades. “When the Secretary of Commerce
asked me to identify minority business owners in Chicago, I didn’t know minority owners in Chicago because I was in the Army. But I had enough of a network to make that happen,” he said. Beyond the networking and
relationships, Anderson cites his voracious appetite for risk. “Am I going to give up this fast-
track military career?” he asked rhetorically.
“I did and it worked out,” he
remarked. “You’ve always got to be prepared. Opportunity doesn’t allow you to take the time to get ready,” he emphasized again.
“I’m working on two business deals
right now, which will be my fifteenth and sixteenth acquisitions. I have no reservation about rolling the dice. Some of my deals worked out and I ended
CONFERENCE ISSUE 2018 I USBE&IT 57
Change Makers:
WORLD I M PA C T
up in the Top 5 Largest Companies list in Black Enterprise. Some of them didn’t and I’ve had to shut them down,” Anderson added. “I like people, I like leading people and this has played out all my life,” he said.
Over his 13-year career in the Army,
Anderson led an infantry platoon during his first tour in Vietnam. His service was documented in The Anderson Platoon, which won an Oscar and an Emmy for the “Best Documentary Film of 1967.” On his second tour in Vietnam,
Anderson led an infantry company and served as an aide de camp to the commanding general of the 1st Calvary Division. He earned accolades for his valorous service in both tours with military awards that include two silver stars, five bronze stars, three Army Commendation Medals, and eleven Air Medals. Anderson was selected as a White House Fellow before moving on to further success as a corporate executive and as an entrepreneur with ownership of several companies. A past chairman of the
U.S. Department of Commerce Manufacturing Council, Anderson is currently the chairman of the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Detroit Branch. He also serves on the company board of directors of Rite Aid Corporation, the board of directors of Business Leaders for Michigan, and the board of trustees for Central Michigan University. His community involvement
includes the National Recreation Foundation, Horizons Upward Bound Advisory Board, and the University of Michigan-Dearborn Executive Leaders Advocacy Group. In June 2007 he received an honorary doctorate of management degree from Kettering University and in December 2013 he received an honorary doctorate of commercial science degree from Central Michigan University. S
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