Women`s HealtH: HeaRt DIsease: sIlent KIlleR amongst Hala

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A mAgAzine for ordinAry women with extrAordinAry tAlents
A C E L E B R AT ION OF W OM E n
Georgia’s Award Winning
Publication Since 1993
Spring Issue 2014
Volume 21 / NO. 2
Commemorative Issue
Women’s HealtH:
HeaRt DIsease:
sIlent KIlleR amongst
Hala moDDelmog
FIRst Female PResIDent
metRo atlanta
CHambeR oF CommeRCe
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COVERstory
A Celebration
of Women
Yvonne Thomas
“sTandard Bearer”
2014WomanoftheYear
GeorGia’smostPoWerfuland
influentialWomen
Beholding her beauty, her smile, her grace, you understand that
greatness is among us. Before she utters one word, you know that she
represents leadership. While the man who would later become her
husband was blazing the trails of racial equality as one of the first CORE
Freedom Riders, Yvonne omas was also making her mark. In 1961,
at 13 years of age, she and her girlfriends were taking a short cut across
the campus of the University of South Carolina, when they were chased
from the site by angry students screaming racial slurs and throwing
rocks. What would deter any other young child to ever step foot on
that campus again, challenged young Yvonne. For it was at that
moment, that she had resolved, not only would she be back, but she
would return as a student. It was a vow she would make only to herself,
for fear that others would be opposed to her decision and steer her in
another direction.
Four years later, Yvonne held true to her promise. ough
admissions required you to identify your race, as well as accompany a
picture with your application, Yvonne omas admits that she omitted
both and received her letter of acceptance a mere two weeks before
Christmas. It was a gift she believed she was giving to her parents, as
she reasoned and rationalized the benefits of attending the University
of South Carolina. However her parents, Coleman and Beatrice
Johnson weren’t pleased; in fact they feared for the life and safety of
their eldest daughter, attending an all-White university in the deeply
segregated south. Determined to see her goal to fruition, Yvonne
omas attended classes in the fall amongst 11 other Black students.
e reaction of the students didn’t surprise her as they would take
every measure to assure they kept as far away from her as possible. Many
would walk in the streets to avoid passing her on the sidewalk, or get
up from their chairs if she sat near them in class, some opting to stand
in the back of the class for the 55 minute duration rather than sit next
to her. ough there were four Black students in the School of Business,
Yvonne omas never shared a class with any other Black student and
many times, she was the only female student in attendance. With all of
the opposition she faced, Yvonne omas graduated from the
University of South Carolina in 1968 as the first African American with
a four-year degree in business.
14 WOMEN LOOKING AHEAD
text by norlita brown, Color line Production
Interviewed by Rebecca Franklin
art Direction by Cordele Rolle for a.J.-miles media group, Inc.
Photography by Corey Reese, Corey Reese Photography
makeup: Jael Roberson
stylist: Kim Reasonover
shot on location at the private estate of Hank and Yvonne thomas,
with family dog scappy and great granddaughter lilly.
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COVERstory
WOMEN LOOKING AHEAD 15
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“As the oldest of four girls,
she was reminded that she
was the ‘standard bearer.’”
16 WOMEN LOOKING AHEAD
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“e evening my husband asked me to join him
in business. He simply said, “Can you imagine
what we could accomplish if we pooled our
talents?” Without hesitation I left a burgeoning
career in commercial banking to “flip
hamburgers”, and I have never looked back. It
was not about the product, it was the opportunity
to be the “mastermind” of my own destiny.”
In the early 70’s,
determined to break out
of the traditional jobs
given
to
African
Americans at that time,
she became part of the
first class of African
Americans management trainees in commercial banking. is is where
she would meet her best friend, husband and business partner of 35
years, civil rights pioneer, Hank omas.
She shares that the single most significant moment in her career
was, “e evening my husband asked me to join him in business. He
simply said, “Can you imagine what we could accomplish if we pooled
our talents?” Without hesitation I left a burgeoning career in
commercial banking to “flip hamburgers”, and I have never looked
back. It was not about the product, it was the opportunity to be the
“mastermind” of my own destiny.”
“Your opportunities are limited
only by your imagination.”
Hank and Yvonne omas’ “pooling of talents,” would lead to
them owning a Dairy Queen for a year, before venturing to Burger
King. ey later transitioned to Burger King’s biggest competitor,
McDonalds, where they remained franchise owners for 31 years. She
acknowledges that McDonalds has produced more African American
millionaires than all of the Fortune 500 companies combined. Having
recently sold their McDonalds stores, Hank and Yvonne omas are
also franchise owners of Marriott Fairfield Inns and Suites.
With the same passion they have for success with themselves, they
have for others. Both having been born and raised in small towns that
embraced and took care of them, Hank and Yvonne omas became
extremely dedicated to service in the community and historically Black
colleges. “Everybody nurtured you and everybody wanted to see you
do well. You were used to sharing.”
As the oldest of four girls, she was reminded that she was the
“standard bearer.” She laughs as she ponders all the things that she
wanted to do and could not, because she knew that she had others
looking at her and coming behind her. It is a responsibility that she
takes to heart which is why nothing makes her angrier than to see or
hear about the possible closing of an HBCU. ough she did not
attend one, she knows the importance of them, and many times wishes
she had, if for nothing more than the camaraderie and friendship. She
knows HBCUs need to be here for the future generation and what
they contribute.
Hank and Yvonne omas have set up scholarships at HBCUs
including his alma mater, Howard University. ey are also involved
with the Piney Woods Country Life School in Jackson, MS, which is
one of two boarding schools for children in trouble. With a 98%
graduation rate, this school has also garnered more students who
attend college. Hank and Yvonne omas are also huge supporters of
Talladega where the Black men, who are normally the minority, are in
the majority. It is programs like these that they search out and support,
in an effort to save our children.
In all that she has accomplished in life, one of the things she wants
to be remembered for is her passion for women and young people.
She has been an advocate for women in leadership, women in
business, especially business ownership for women of color. With
the strides that she and women like her have made, it still saddens
her that we’re still fighting the same battle of equal pay for women,
a battle that she has been
fighting since 1968.
“ere has been progress,
but yet for the masses,
there has been little,” she
says. So, though these
issues are, “still on the
plate,” she remains hopeful
that gender or race will
cease to become a
consideration.
In parting, Yvonne
omas leaves these
powerful words of
wisdom, “Your
opportunities are limited
only by your
imagination.”
WOMEN LOOKING AHEAD 17