CEO, The New Voice, Inc.
“Don’t second guess yourself, or you will start doubting your ability to succeed.”
Herman Cain was born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1945, but spent most of his youth in Atlanta. His father worked three jobs as a porter, custodian, and barber to keepthe family out of housing projects.
The rules of the Cain household were simple and direct: Don’t get into trouble, don’t talk back to your mother, go to church, study hard and finish school. Herman was a good student and was salutatorian of his senior class. Encouraged by his teachers, he applied to and was accepted at Morehouse College in Atlanta. He worked after school and during the summer to pay his tuition. After earning a degree in math, he went to work for the Department of the Navy as a mathematician. Shortly thereafter, he returned to school and earned a master’s degree in computer science from Purdue University. He then joined Coca-Cola as a business analyst.
In 1977 Herman joined the Pillsbury Company and quickly climbed the corporate ladder, eventually serving as regional vice president of Burger King, a Pillsbury subsidiary. Energized by overcoming the many obstacles of his job at Burger King, Herman took on his biggest challenge by accepting the call to become the President and CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, a company that was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. In just 14 months, Herman returned Godfather’s to profitability and he led his management team to a buyout of the company.
His professional successes garnered the respect and admiration of industry peers who subsequently named him the President of the National Restaurant Association where in 1994, he had the opportunity to speak with President Clinton during a nationally televised town hall meeting. Here, Herman challenged the President regarding the impact on businesses if his health care overhaul proposal were passed.
Following this and other appearances, Herman began working with business leaders across all sectors of the American economy which led to his eventual Chairmanship of the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Then, in 2004 he ran for the United States Senate in Georgia where he came in an impressive second. Today, as a former (2012) Republican candidate for the U.S. Presidency and seasoned business leader, Herman remains an active and outspoken voice for conservative issues.
In January 2013, Herman began the next phase of his life’s journey with the start of The Herman Cain Show. He also established www.hermancain.com which offers a constant flow of commentary, news, audio, video, humor, and reader/listener interaction. Then, with the help and success of The Herman Cain Show, WSB Radio was honored with the distinction of being the 2015 National Association of Broadcasters’ (NAB) Marconi Award Winner for News/Talk Station of the Year.
Despite the many professional commitments of his life, Herman continues to enjoy the time spent with family and friends. As his children got married and had their own children, he knew that he had an extraordinary obligation to do what he could to make this a safe and prosperous nation for them. The paramount joys in his life are his wife, Gloria, his children and his grandchildren.