Also under the RLJ Development umbrella, No. 46 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 list with $73.3 million in sales, is Carolinas Sports Entertainment Television (C-SET) and the new Charlotte arena. Highlight Reel: To get the big prize, Johnson had to outbid NBA legend Larry Bird and his partner, Boston businessman Steve Belkin. While Bird and Belkin worked on wooing the Charlotte community to get the franchise, Johnson called the league’s top brass and politicked successfully for the win.”
Floyd Keith, Executive Director, Black Coaches Association, 56: “He’s the unstoppable force behind the BCA’s drive to make the world of professional sports reflect the diversity of its fans. Keith gives voice to hundreds of minority coaches who contribute to all levels of sports both nationally and internationally. Since taking office, he’s spearheaded the Equity in Hiring initiative, developed a women’s basketball coaching program, poured $1 million into organization coffers, and grown the number of BCA corporate sponsors from one to 16. A graduate of Ohio Northern University, Keith’s coaching career includes stints at the University of Rhode Island, Indiana University, the University of Arizona, the University of Colorado, and Miami University. Highlight Reel: Keith was named Executive Director of the Year for 2004 by the All-American Football Foundation.”
Billy Hunter, Executive Director, National Basketball Players Association, 61: “The liaison between the NBA and its players, Hunter is responsible for maintaining union stability between the players and the league. He is also responsible for increasing salary averages for mid-range players. A man known for his power to negotiate, Hunter quieted Latrell Sprewell’s legal debacles with his former coaching staff. Hunter, a Howard University Law graduate, led labor negotiations that culminated in the 1999 Collective Bargaining Agreement for the NBA. He also oversaw the formation of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association. In the late 1960s, he was a wide receiver for the Washington Redskins and the Miami Dolphins. Highlight Reel: Hunter has been widely credited for helping smooth over the infamous NBA lockout during the 1998-1999 NBA season.”
Gene Upshaw, Executive Director, National Football League Players Association, 59: “Upshaw brings the same fervor to the negotiation table as he did to the field. The former Oakland Raiders lineman now ensures labor rights for NFL players. Through his leadership, he has led players through the first era of free agency in professional football and helped increase average salaries. Upshaw also improved medical benefits and developed a 50% increase in pension for retired players. He created a for-profit corporation for player group licensing. Upshaw serves as vice president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations. Highlight Reel: Upshaw is the only player in NFL history to play in three Super Bowls over th
ree decades-the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s.”
Pamela M. Wheeler, Director of Operations, Women’s National Basketball Players Association, 37: “Wheeler coordinates negotiations between the WNBA and the players. As director of operations, she manages day-to-day operations and coordinates all business affairs for the WNBPA, which serves as a labor union for the