Charles H. James

Charles H. "Chuck" James III is the Chairman and CEO of C.H. James & Co. Recognized as one of the oldest and largest African-American owned companies in the United States, the firm was established as a wholesale produce house by his great-grandfather in 1883 in Charleston, WV.

Under his grandfather and father's tenure the business evolved into a multimillion dollar wholesale food distributor.

In 1985, Chuck joined the business and focused on the government contracting sector for growth. From 1985-1992, C.H. James & Co. grew at a 31% annualized growth rate from a $4 million local wholesaler into an international food distributor with revenues in excess of $18 million. In 1992, C.H. James & Co. was named Company of the Year by Black Enterprise magazine. The company's operations have included international food distribution and food processing for high profile and demanding customers including the U.S. Departments of Defense and Agriculture, the Veterans Administration, McDonald's, Yum! Brands, Wendy's and Darden Restaurants.

Today, the C.H. James Companies generate annual revenues in excess of $50 million and include its historical interests in produce distribution as well as investments in quick service restaurants. C.H. James Restaurant Holdings, the latest affiliate of C.H. James & Co. was formed in 2004 and owns 43 quick service restaurants in Chicago in partnership with Goldman Sachs. The company is the largest African American Franchisee of Burger King Corporation.

Mr. James and his family have been recognized many times. His companies have been profiled in numerous publications including the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, Black Enterprise, the Charleston Gazette, the Charleston Daily Mail, Entrepreneur magazine and other media. Other honors include the Morehouse College Candle in the Dark Award, the Dow Jones Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence and the Office of the Governor's Distinguished West Virginian Award. Mr. James and the company have also been formally honored by the Small Business Administration, the Veterans Administration, the Department of Defense and the Minority Business Development Agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce. In 1991, he was appointed to the National Nutrition Monitoring Advisory Council by President George H. W. Bush. Mr. James has lectured at a number of leading business schools including the Wharton School, Stanford University, the University of Southern California, West Virginia University and Morehouse College.

Mr. James is a graduate of Charleston High School and attended West Virginia University before graduating from Morehouse College in 1981 with a BA degree. After a short banking stint in Chicago, he earned his MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1985. He currently serves on the boards of Morehouse College, the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, The Children's Hospital and the Steppenwolf Theater.