Anthony Thompson, CEO and chairman of Kwame Building Group, just delivered commencement speeches at both Maryville University and Harris-Stowe State University.
The audience at Maryville was predominately white, and at Harris-Stowe it was largely African American. Yet he gave the same speech to both set of graduates, and at both he received a standing ovation.
His message spoke to how history can help us understand our ability to achieve – and survive.
“My ancestry and history assures me that I can be anything I want to be,” Thompson told the new graduates. “They were the strong, wise and innovative, with survival instincts unseen.”
Millions of Africans died chained together in slave ships in transit to this country. Millions more died from disease and violence once they landed, he said.
“We are descendants of the strongest and brightest that Africa had to offer,” he said. “That serves as a reminder to me that it is in my DNA to do what I’m doing.”
In 1991, Thompson founded Kwame, a construction management firm that now oversees $250 million in projects annually. Thompson has earned two undergraduate degrees and two graduate degrees. He also received honorary doctorates from both universities at the commencement ceremonies. Thompson said his degrees were necessary to give him credibility in an industry dominated by white males.
“I needed to be prepared when opportunity arose,” he said. “Sometimes you have to create your own opportunity.”
Before he ventured out as an entrepreneur, Thompson had been working for Anheuser-Busch for almost 10 years and was responsible for human resource projects at 11 of the 13 breweries.
Through night classes for graduate school, he worked on his business plan and honed his entrepreneurial skills. Then he decided to make the leap of faith.
“I presented my business plan to a wealthy, local African-American businessman from whom I was seeking funds to pursue my dream,” he said. “When I finished presenting my plan to him in his luxurious office in downtown Clayton, he asked why I needed the money. After being stunned with silence for a moment, I stated, ‘For office space.’”
He slid keys to the building across the desk and gave Thompson the security code. The businessman asked him again, “Why do you need this money?”
“I replied, stuttering, still in shock from the previous response, ‘To add a phone line,” Thompson said.
The man told him he would have a new line installed the next day. He then asked again why Thompson needed the money.
“I ran out of reasons and moved into the space, where I spent an entire year developing business without the worries of rent and utilities,” Thompson said.
Now, 70-plus employees later – with offices in Dallas, Seattle and Accra, Ghana – his company has completed projects all over the country.
He told the students that they must first define success for themselves because it means different things to different people.
“For some, it means having lots of money, cars, luxury homes, taking exotic vacations,” he said. “For some, it means living comfortably modest while giving back to the world that has given you so much. I believe you can do both, if it is important to you.”
In 2000, Thompson and his wife Kim founded the Kwame Foundation, which has endowed more than $600,000 in academic scholarships at 15 institutions of higher learning, including Maryville and Harris-Stowe. He is also highly involved in mentoring students in public schools.
Thompson told the graduates that there’s nothing special about him.
“I’m not a genius. I’m not an exceptionally gifted athlete. I don’t possess Denzel Washington good looks,” he said.
“What I do have is passion and a desire to be the best that I possibly can. Build your road to success around your passion because this is something you will enjoy doing if you are never paid a dime.”
He told them that they are about to embark on their adult lives, which will define the future of our society.
“This is the time for you to take chances, take risks, explore your options and live for yourself while exploring the world,” he said. “Be bold and selfish while you find your passion.”
