Tag: African American business

Historically Black Colleges and Universities have always been about more than getting a degree. They're places where Black students find community, build confidence, and sometimes meet future business partners. During Black Business Month, we're looking at graduates who took that foundation far beyond campus. Whether in biotech or beauty, entertainment or finance, these entrepreneurs saw problems, had ideas, and decided to build something of their own. Some became household names. Others are still growing their empires. But they all show what can happen when HBCU excellence meets entrepreneurship.

Two notable southern banks, Optus and M&F Bank, just combined forces to build America's largest Black-owned bank with $1.3 billion in assets. The historic merger represents a significant shift for Black wealth and community banking. Walter Davis, former CEO of CertusBank, explained that consolidation is necessary for profitability and economies of scale in modern banking while maintaining focus on serving Black customers and communities through lending and investments.