CEO of Black Enterprise

Earl G, Graves, Jr, ("Butch") is President and Chief Operating Officer of the Earl G. Graves Publishing Company, publisher of Black Enterprise magazine.  In that role he has taken an already successful business and, since his appointment as President and COO in 1998, has steered his company through a decade of growth.  By 2005 Black Enterprise had a readership of over four million.  In addition, Graves created an equity investment fund where he serves as managing partner.

In 1984, Graves earned a B.A. in economics from Yale University and also completed a remarkable athletic career,  breaking all of Yale's basketball scoring records, serving as captain of the team, and, after being drafted in the third round by the Philadelphia 76ers, having a short NBA career with Cleveland and Milwaukee.   

Graves earned a Master's of Business Administration from Harvard University in 1988.  In the latter year he joined Black Enterprise magazine, serving as vice president of advertising and marketing.  Here he is a powerful advocate of the use of minority media and advertising agencies. He is also on Channel Thirteen's Board of Trustees.