Joe L.
Dudley, Sr.
Entrepreneur and Humanitarian
Joe Louis
Dudley, Sr., President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
Dudley Products, Inc., is one of the world's largest manufacturers
and distributors of haircare and beauty products and is a provider
of basic and advanced training for cosmetologists.
Born May
9, 1937, he is the fifth of 11 children born to Gilmer
L. and Clara Yeates Dudley. Joe grew up in a three-room
farm house in the rural community of Aurora, in eastern North
Carolina.
Labeled
Mentally Retarded Early
Joe was
retained in the first grade, labeled mentally retarded, and
suffered a speech impediment. Throughout it all one very influential
person, his mother, never stopped believing in him and is
responsible for his overcoming these obstacles and becoming
a role model for many.
Introduced
to Fuller Success Program at 20
This journey
to success began in 1957 when he invested $10.00 in a sales
kit and began selling Fuller Products door-to-door while still
a student at North Carolina A & T State University (Greensboro,
NC). He continued to sell Fuller Products in Brooklyn, NY
during summer vacations and soon adopted all of the principles
and teaching espoused by Mr. S. B. Fuller, Founder and Owner
of Fuller Products Company.
One of Mr.
Fuller's goals, and one that Joe Dudley actively pursues today,
is to help people to maximize their potential and achieve
success.
Mr. Dudley
began working full time for Fuller Products in Brooklyn, NY
in 1962 after receiving his Bachelor of Science Degree in
Business Administration from North Carolina A & T State
University in Greensboro.
Opened
Fuller Distributorship at 30
He moved
to Greensboro, NC in 1967 to open a Fuller Products Distributorship.
This Distributorship quickly became the top producing Fuller
Products Branch, beating even the Branches in the large metropolitan
areas such as New York. His branch was so successful that
Mr. Fuller made many trips to Greensboro to personally advise
and mentor Joe.
Learned
to Make Own Products
Later, when
Fuller Products Company experienced problems providing enough
products, Joe and his family began making their own products
in their kitchen to meet their increasing customer needs.
Mrs. Dudley and the children would make and package the products
at night, and Joe and his branch sales force would sell them
during the day. During this time the Dudleys not only learned
how to grow a business but also learned how to acquire, evaluate,
and make products.
Dudley
Products a Success
By 1975,
Dudley had launched Dudley Products Company with a sales force
of more than 400, owned a Beauty School, a chain of beauty
supply stores throughout the southeastern region of the United
States and was an entrepreneurial success.
Taught
to Run a Big Business by Mr. S. B. Fuller
In 1976,
Mr. S. B. Fuller, who was experiencing health problems, asked
Dudley to move to Chicago and become President of the Fuller
Products Company. From 1976 until 1984, Joe ran both Fuller
Products Company and Dudley Products Company. He worked very
closely with Mr. Fuller and learned how to run a large business
as well as how to inspire and lead others to personal success.
In 1984,
The Dudleys purchased the rights to Fuller Products Company
and moved back to Greensboro, NC to grow Dudley Products Company.
Achieved
National and International Success
Since 1984,
the leadership and selling skills of Joe L. Dudley, Sr. have
led Dudley Products Company to a significant level of sales.
The company has been listed in the top 50 in Black Enterprise
Magazine's Top 100 Black Owned Businesses. The company has
a global presence and is available in Canada, Brazil, Zimbabwe,
South Africa, The Bahamas and the Caribbean. The development
of Dudley Cosmetology University in Kernersville, NC and the
8 strategically located schools in the Dudley Beauty School
System (DBSS) help to round out its corporate structure.
Over the
past 30 years, through dedication, hard work and persistence,
Joe L. Dudley, Sr. has indeed become the role model his mother
always knew he could be.
Joe L. Dudley,
Sr. is much more than just a successful entrepreneur. He is
known nationally and internationally as an inspirational speaker
and humanitarian who spends much of his time identifying needs
and giving back to the community and mankind.
Community
and Professional Involvement
His community
and professional involvement includes being a Director or
Trustee on the following boards:
North
Carolina A & T University - Greensboro, NC - Alma
Mater of Joe Dudley. Elected to Board in 1991
Horatio
Alger Association of Distinguished Americans (founded by Dr.
Norman Vincent Peale). One of 10 elected in 1995. Others included
Don Shula, (former coach-Miami Dolphins) and Quincy Jones,
(Qwest Records).
Other distinguished
members of the Horatio Alger Association include:
- Dr. Robert Schuller (Crystal Cathedral)
- Dave Thomas (Wendy's)
- Ed McMahon (TV Host)
- Robert J. Brown (B & C Assoc.)
- Dr. Maya Angelou (Writer/Poet)
- Mr. Wayne Huizenga (Blockbuster Video, Fla. Marlins, MLB Team)
- Dwayne O. Andreas (Archer Daniel Midland Co.)
Southern
National Corporation / BB&T Bank
Member of Board 1992-1998. Other Board Members include Nido
Qubein, National Speaker and Sales Trainer.
Direct
Selling Association (DSA) - Member since 1975.
Member companies include Avon, AMWAY, Shaklee, Longaberger
Company, Franklin Quest, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Tupperware, Herbalife,
and Home Interiors and Gifts. Dudley Products Co. is the first
African American owned company to be a sustaining member of
the DSA Organization and Board.
Note: Served as Chairman of Association's Inner City Program
to help Jobless Youth.
American
Health and Beauty Aids Institute (AHBAI)
Dudley Products Company has been a member of this association
of Black owned health and beauty aids manufacturers since
the mid 1983. Other member companies include: Pro-Line, Kizure
Products, Soft-Sheen and Luster Products.
Recipient
of Numerous Awards
He has been
the recipient of numerous awards including the following:
1987
North Carolina A & T Alumni Excellence Award
Greensboro NAACP Economic Development Award
1991
President George Bush's 467th Point of Light Award for Dudley
Fellows and Ladies Program
The Direct Selling Association (DSA) Vision For Tomorrow Award
(Dudley Fellows & Ladies Program)
1992
Maya Angelou Tribute To Achievement Award
1993
Inc. Magazine's North Carolina Master Entrepreneur Award
National Beta Gamma Sigma Medallion Award
Minorities and Women In Business Magazine's Award For Excellence
1994
J C Penney's Non-Merchandise Supplier Grand Award
1995
Inducted into The National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame
(Business/Industry)
Elected to The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished
Americans
Honorary
Doctorate Degrees
Mr. Dudley
has Honorary Doctorate Degrees from the following institutions:
North Carolina A & T University (Greensboro, NC)
Edward
Waters College (Jacksonville, FL)
Creator
of Innovative Programs for Youth and Communities
Mr. Dudley
is very well known and respected for his creativity in developing
programs to assist youth and the disadvantaged. Some of his
efforts include:
1. Dudley
Fellows and Ladies - A Mentoring Program with students
at Dudley High School in Greensboro, NC.
2. Dudley's
Collegiate Program - Identifies and works with college
students, interested in developing selling, business and leadership
skills.
3.
International
Exchange and Development Program - Provides worldwide
training and materials to cosmetologists in underdeveloped
countries (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Brazil, The Caribbean,
etc.)
4. Dudley's
Scholarship Program
Awards college scholarships to outstanding high school seniors.
Dudley's employees voluntarily donate money weekly to benefit
this program. To qualify for the scholarship, students must
maintain at least a 3.0 GPA and graduate in the top 10% of
their class.
Family
Life
He is married to the former Eunice Mosley and is the father
of 3 children, all of whom are very active in the business.
Mrs. Eunice M. Dudley is Chief Financial Officer and Executive
Director of The Dudley Beauty School System. Son Joe Jr.,
holds undergraduate and MBA degrees from Northwestern University
and is Vice-President of Finance. Daughter Ursula, a graduate
of Harvard University is Director of Dudley Cosmetics, General
Counsel for Dudley Products, Inc. and Vice President of Marketing.
Youngest daughter, Genea, a recent graduate of Duke University's
MBA Program is Brand Manager in the Marketing division. Dr.
Dudley has one grandson, Mark Oglesby, Jr.
