Most of us have one reaction when we hear the name Joe Profit; we think, can that really be his name? It seems all too fitting that one of the most prominent businessmen in America could have a surname that literally defines financial success. But Joe Profit's story is about much more than success in the business field, it is about success in all fields of life. Raised in one of the poorest areas of the country during the days of segregation in the American south, Joe Profit grew strong through the lessons of determination and perseverance he learned in the cotton fields of Louisiana. After enduring the hardships of segregation as a child, he was a walk-on at the University of Louisiana, Monroe (formerly NLU) an all-White football team, where he became the first Black to play football and graduate college in four years in the entire Southeastern part of the US!

After blazing a trail for African-American athletes in the American Deep South, he was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft. From there he started many of his businesses. He was the first African-American franchisee for the International House of Pancakes (IHOP) in the state of Georgia and quickly started a string of Burger King Franchises. In addition to his chain of restaurants he is the founder of a $100 million international telecommunications firm, Multimedia Digital Broadcast Corporation the predecessor to (CII), which INC. 500 Magazine ranked as one of America fastest growing privately held companies, for three years in a row. Through Dr. Profit's business endeavors and philanthropist, he has given back to the community while developing programs for our Youth and has made jobs available to over 800 people. Profit himself has received numerous awards, including the Granville T. Woods Award for Outstanding CEO, named Entrepreneur of the Year from Ernest & Young among others. He was also inducted into the Business and Sports Hall of Fame.