Joe Hudson

Joseph Hudson is the Founder and CEO of the Hudson Strategic Group of Companies, LLC (HSG). HSG is a business architectural firm that begun in 1991. He is a Business and Organizational Design architect. His focus is Black business and community development, non-profit board governance, church planning, and Black community self-sufficiency planning. He has over 45 years of direct involvement as a leader with organizations and individuals who lead businesses and communities to measurable success. He has been acknowledged as the "Ole Pro” of Black business. His history of Black business and community development is enviable. 

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Joe has worked extensively across various industries and sectors such as non-profit organizations and associations, small business development, churches, educational, medical, daycare, energy, local, community groups, and national government. He has testified before the Rep. Parren Mitchell US Small Business Sub-committee US House of Representatives. He is a nationally recognized expert in small business development and supplier diversity. 

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His “Business Case Financial Packaging Design,” which defined a business's community and financial value, helped developed over $5M in Loans for small Black businesses. His skill resulted in loans for a major foodservice company, purchasing a radio station, a large furniture store, a plastics manufacturing company, and many others. His negotiating skills and relationships helped countless Black businesses receive contracts from corporate, local government, and federal government sources. 

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Noteworthy Verifiable Achievements: 

• January 27, 1977, Declared Joseph R. Hudson Day by the Mayor and entire City Council of Atlanta, GA 

• January 27, 1977, Declared Joseph R. Hudson Day by the entire Fulton County Commission 

• He is a two-time recipient of the Jefferson Cup from the Darden Graduate School of the University of Virginia for business excellence. He has been the subject of various articles in newspapers and other periodicals, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Black Enterprise Magazine.

• Fellow-International Business Fellows Program, Appointed by Governor of Georgia

• Alumnus-Leadership Atlanta

• Fellow--American Institute for Managing Diversity | Diversity Leadership Academy of Atlanta

• Fellow-President's Commission on Executive Exchange  |  He was appointed by the President of the United States to this 1-year effort for corporate and governmental exchange. He served as Special Assistant to Director U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Washington D.C. 

• Participant in the prestigious Department of Defense “Joint Civilian Orientation Conference." 

• Alumnus---Regional Leadership Institute, Atlanta Regional Commission

• Twice-elected delegate White House Conference on Small Business

• Served on State of Georgia Small Business Development Committee 

• Former member of the Region VI U.S. Small Business Administration Advisory Committee 

• First Black Officer of a major white bank in Washington DC, American Security and Trust Company. 

• Envoy to U.S. Virgin Islands during 1996 Olympics 

• Is credited with creating the nation's first Nationally recognized Minority Business Celebration in Washington, DC

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Listed in: 

• Who's Who in Black America

• Who's Who in Atlanta

• Atlanta Success Guide

• Who's Who in Finance

• Who's Who in the South 

• Outstanding Young Men of America 

• is cited in the best selling book "Success Runs in Our Race" by George Frazier 

 

Joe has been a columnist for the Atlanta Tribune, Atlanta Business Chronicle, and Minority Business USA. He continues to be a regularly published columnist both locally and nationally, primarily on 

"Black Economic Development."

Served as the primary facilitator for Try U.S. Resources Courses (5 years): 

• Supplier Diversity Program Development for corporations and governments 

• Advance Supplier Diversity Development for corporations and governments

Community and Civic Involvements

He has developed for six Georgia cities strategic plans for "Black doing business with Blacks.” Joe has served on more than 30 Boards of Directors of community and business organizations, including involvements as: 

• Current Chair Economic Development Committee, Atlanta Branch NAACP 

• Former President of the Atlanta Business League (ABL) 

• Former, Chairman, Atlanta Downtown Development Authority

• Former, Chairman, Atlanta Black United Fund

• Former, Executive Director/President Atlanta Office Interracial Council for Business Opportunity (ICBO) 

• Co-founder Atlanta Regional Purchasing Council (ARMPC)

• Former President, Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council (GMSDC)

• Former Board Member, Atlanta Private Industry Council

• Former, Chairman, Fulton County Department of Family and Children's Services

• Former Board Member, Butler Street YMCA

• Former Board Member, Georgia Women's Political Caucus

• Former Board Member, Georgia Association of Minority Entrepreneurs

• Former, Member Permanent Nominating Committee, Northwest Georgia Girls Scouts

• Former Board Member, Southwest Atlanta Youth Business Organization

• Former President, Young People-on-the-Go Former President, Mean Machine Organization

• Former, Chair- Freedom Fund Dinner Atlanta Branch NAACP (twice)

• Former, Political Fund Raiser, Mayoral Campaigns-Maynard Jackson, Andrew Young

• Former, Chairman, Central United Methodist Church Administrative Board

• Former, Member, Executive Committee National Minority Supplier Development Council

• Former Board Member, Gourmet Services Inc. 

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The three non-profit organizations Joe headed were named the best in America during his administrations: ICBO, ABL & GMSDC 

Legacy Programs created: 

• Interracial Council for Business Opportunity (ICBO) 

  • Created first Atlanta Black Business Directory Introduced Supplier Purchasing concept to Atlanta corporations 

  • Created the First Women's Business Enterprise Program 

• Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council 

  • Individual Procurement Conferences 

• • Atlanta Business League 

  • Women in Business Luncheon

  • DC Fly-in 

  • Congress on the State of Black Business

Founder or co-founding member: 

• Atlanta Regional Minority Purchasing Council  (Former title Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council)

• Atlanta Black United Fund 

• Atlanta Office Interracial Council for Business Opportunity

His Educational Pursuits: 

• Studied Finance at Howard University & American University Washington DC

• Studied Banking at American Institute fo Banking

• Stanford University Small Business Executive Program

• (3) Dartmouth College Minority Business Executive Programs

• University of Virginia Minority Business Executive Program

• Regional Leadership Institute of Atlanta Regional Commission

• A Certified Administrative Manager by the Administrative Management Society

Other Notable Accomplishments: 

• He has trained over 3,000 buyers in Supplier Diversity 

• He performed the first National Purchasing Management Association Training Program 

• Wrote the first three Case Studies for the American Institute of Banking on Minority Busines Lending

• Led group of Black Atlanta Business 15 persons and elected officials on a "Fly-In" to observe and interview persons involved in a major Baltimore MBE program to determine if program was productive and gave report to Mayor of Atlanta

• Led the HSG teams in the development of: 

  • The Henry County GA Board of Commissioners Strategic Plan

  • Dekalb County, GA School System Strategic Plan

  • Strategic Plan for Hartsfield Jackson International Airport

  • Has been invited and spoke on Black Business Development in London England

  • Created a Fastfood restaurant in Lagos, Nigeria 

  • More

He is the former Chairman of the Administrative Board. He is immediate past chair of the Staff/Parish Relations Committee and current chair of the Finance Committee of the Central United Methodist Church, where he also sings in the gospel choir and has taught Disciple I & II Bible study. Additionally, Joe has served on the Long Range Planning Committee of the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. 

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He has written a book, "CITlworks and the 5% Solution Strategy----An Economic Plan to use the "Black Dollar" and Black business to Revitalize American Cities." 

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Joe likes to say, “I was sent by God to clear the Land (Help define the Idea), Cultivate and prepare the Soil (Articulate the idea), Plant seeds (Activate the Idea), then Move on to the next plot and not linger. If done right, the idea will blossom and grow and you will never know Joe was there!"

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