Janice Bryant Howroyd holds the distinction of being the first African–American woman to found, own and build a billion dollar company. She launched the ActOne Group in 1978, and it now provides employment, workforce management, and procurement solutions to both Fortune 500 organizations and local and mid-market companies. The ActOne Group now operates in more than 30 countries, and it is the largest privately-held, woman- and minority-owned workforce management company in the U.S.
Janice leverages her success to contribute to numerous organizations focused on advancing diversity and inclusion. This includes roles as ambassador of the Department of Energy’s Minorities in Energy Initiative, and board member to advocacy organizations like WBENC and WEConnect. She received a key presidential appointment in 2016 as a member of the President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs, and serves on the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Board of Directors. Janice is recognized for her generosity through activities that include scholarship funding, mentoring, and personal service. She is an author and sought-after speaker. Her advice to all women-owned businesses is to learn to adapt.