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Black Collegian News & Views For 30 HBCUs, "The Magic Man
is Here"
Sodhexo Inc., "Magic" Johnson team up to do business with,
give back to schools
By Anthony Anamelechi
Black College Wire
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Photo credit: Sodexho Corp.
Richard Macedonia, president and CEO of Sodexho, Inc.,
center, and Earvin "Magic" Johnson, right, discuss their
firms' new partnership after a news conference at
Sodexho headquarters. |
Earvin "Magic" Johnson's announcement of a joint venture with
Sodexho, Inc., one of the nation's largest food-service
providers, means new business opportunities for 30 HBCU
campuses.
"The Magic Man is here," Johnson said. "We're going to make a
difference in the marketplace, and we're going to win."
Thirty historically black colleges and universities are among
Sodexho, Inc.'s client base of more than 6,000 colleges,
healthcare centers, schools and military sites. Under
SodexhoMagic, LLC, the joint venture of Sodexho and Magic
Johnson Enterprises, HBCUs such as Morehouse College and Howard,
Fisk and Florida A&M universities will gain access to other
businesses in which the NBA all-star has an interest.
Charles Johnson, vice president of business marketing for
SodexhoMagic, appeared at a June 12 news conference with the
former NBA player at Sodexho's headquarters in Gaithersburg,
Md., outside Washington. He said the campuses will be able to
make additional money that can be passed on to students.
"Mr. Johnson has been a pioneer in the community in terms of
giving back," Charles Johnson said. This venture will be another
opportunity for him to show that, providing services that he
said would only be found with the new company.
One opportunity, Charles Johnson said, would be developing
joint-venture technology centers on campus "to help bridge the
relationship between the universities and the inner city." These
centers will "provide opportunities for at-risk and
underprivileged individuals to come and learn and have access to
the Internet," he said. "We plan to break the digital divide."
The HBCUs serviced by SodexhoMagic also might send students
to the annual Magic Johnson Leadership Conference. There,
students will be able to interact with business executives to
receive mentoring, and one-on-one time with Magic Johnson to
talk about career planning, said Charles Johnson.
Sodexho and its clients will be able to use Johnson's name
and likeness in promotional material, Richard Macedonia,
president and CEO of Sodexho, Inc., said, adding that Johnson
would make personal appearances at clients' places of business.
The NBA great-turned-entrepreneur said the new venture would
give universities and colleges opportunities for successful
fundraisers.
The arrangement also provides the universities access to such
partners as Starbucks, Burger King, Sony and Lincoln Mercury,
along with Johnson's
T.G.I. Friday's restaurant franchises. The partners might
create additional scholarships, the company said.
SodexhoMagic, Inc. plans to add to its list of 30 HBCUs, the
officials said.
Sodexho, Inc. provides food service, housekeeping,
groundskeeping, plant operations and maintenance, asset
management, and laundry services to more than 6,000
corporations, health care centers, schools, college campuses and
military sites in North America.
Anthony Anamelechi is a student at
Florida A&M University.
Posted June 16, 2006 |
