5 questions with a Michigan entrepreneur who took King's words to heart

William “Doc” Pickard has blazed unique trails in business since meeting Martin Luther King Jr. as a young college student decades ago.

The year was 1963. Pickard, who grew up in Flint, was working on a degree in social work at Western Michigan University. He heard King was to speak at nearby Albion College, so he and some pals, all members of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity chapter on campus, piled into his rusty 1948 Chevy to drive there to hear the civil rights leader.

They were stopped by a guard at Albion’s front entrance who asked what they were doing on campus, saying, “We don’t want any trouble.”

Once the guard learned their intentions, he told them King was having dinner at the president’s house on campus. They drove there, held up a big APA sign they had in the trunk in hopes it would gain attention. It worked, as King (a member of the national fraternity) came to the front door and talked with the excited students.

“He asked us what we wanted to do with our lives,” Pickard, 81, told me as we talked Wednesday about his life, his new book and business as we take note of Black History Month. “I told him I wanted to become a social worker and also help the civil rights movement.”

King talked with the students about the importance of working hard, being ready as more opportunities for people of color would hopefully come in the years ahead. Pickard heeded those words and has been carrying them forward for six decades.

He’s one of the most successful black entrepreneurs in the nation and made his presence felt in the automotive, casino and fast food industries.

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He's also a philanthropist who has made academia a sweet spot, donating millions to colleges like Western Michigan University, University of Michigan, Spelman College and Morehouse College. He obtained degrees from WMU,  Ohio State and University of Michigan and taught business classes at WMU, U-M, Wayne State and others. Hence, his well-deserved nickname "Doc."

At a ceremony Friday in Detroit, Pickard will be honored by the General Motors African American Network (GMAAN), which is a group of employees who work there, for his lifetime achievement. His auto supplier startups include Regal Plastics, Vitec and Global Automotive Alliance (GAA).

The only auto supplier company he is still involved with is GAA, based in Detroit. It makes auto parts and has eight plants in the U.S. and Canada and services GM, Ford and Mercedes-Benz. He serves as executive chairman.

“Dr. Pickard is a visionary and trailblazer like no other,” said Tamberlin Golden, director of Workforce Strategy at GM and GMAAN president. “His bold leadership, dedication to service and entrepreneurial pursuits have paved the way for economic empowerment and advancement for many. From business to philanthropy, Dr. Pickard continues to have a profound impact on the automotive industry and beyond.”

Pickard, who splits his time between Detroit and Atlanta, is co-managing partner of MGM Grand Detroit Casino, CEO of Bearwood Management Co. and co-owner of five African American multimedia companies, including The Michigan Chronicle.

He has written a new book, “Surviving the Shift: Seven Proven Millionaire Moves for Embracing Change and Building Wealth” distributed by Simon & Schuster.

In it, Pickard talks about the importance of keeping a positive attitude, the ability to adapt to change and willingness to learn from failure. I posed a few questions to him. Here are his answers, edited for space:

QUESTION: When did you first become an entrepreneur? 

ANSWER: I started as a McDonald’s franchisee in 1971 along with some partners. We purchased a store in Detroit. I would go on to have eight more McDonald’s franchises through the years. I just sold my last McDonald’s in Detroit to Maurene Smith, who worked with me there for 43 years. I learned much about managing a business then. I did everything from cleaning bathrooms to flipping burgers. To be successful, you have to roll you up your sleeves and work twice as hard as you thought you would.

Q: How are minority-owned auto suppliers faring today compared with when you started? 

A: Frankly, there were many more opportunities 20 or 30 years ago, which is interesting considering Black and brown communities are buying more cars and trucks than ever.

It has to do with the shifting of technology — electrification — which is turning the industry upside down. CEOs have much more to worry about than their counterparts did back then. The competition among OEMS (original equipment manufacturers) is more severe than ever.

And it has to do with making sure minority suppliers are keeping ahead of these changes and offering products and services needed. This makes having people inside these big companies there to foster diversity more vital.

Back in my day, there were people like Harold Kutner at GM and John Barth at Johnson Controls, as well as Mark Fisher, Kevin Williams and Roy Roberts (all of GM), and Tony Brown (of Ford), who were critical to my success and other suppliers.

When I started Vitec, we were the only company of a large-scale size to make a plastic fuel delivery system. We put up a new factory, hired new people and would never have been as successful without the support of GM and Chrysler (now Stellantis). (Pickard sold Vitec several years ago.)

Q: What has improved for minority suppliers during that same time? 

A: Financing for startups and suppliers. When I started it was absolutely a challenge. But today, new funds are being dedicated to communities in this post-George Floyd environment, with DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) efforts, it has improved greatly.

Q: You mentioned failure and challenges leading to your success. Explain.

A: As one example, I started Regal Plastics and then overexpanded. It was a tough time and there were sleepless nights. By the grace of God we got through it.  My creditors worked with me, as did GM and Ford. We made it through. This town is very cooperative if they think they’ve got the right jockey on the right horse.

Q: How do you see the future for minority suppliers in this electrified world order? 

A: We will see opportunities like we have never seen before. On the powering side, it will take companies like Consumers Energy and DTE to help these innovative minority firms by providing  opportunities. That’s what happened decades ago when Ford, GM and (former Detroit Mayor) Coleman Young worked to make things happen in the auto industry.

Contact Carol Cain: 248-355-7126 or clcain@cbs.com. She is senior producer/host of “Michigan Matters,” which airs 8 a.m. Sundays on CBS Detroit. See former Gov. Jim Blanchard, Joseph Comartin and Oakland University Professor Peter Trumbore on this Sunday’s show. 

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Black entrepreneur Doc Pickard took King's word to heart and succeeded