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Being Prepared Is His Guide
Former business exec notches successful accomplishments
jByTEZRAO. ELUS
Chronicle Staff Writer
When Marshall Bass was just
ten years old, he was already dis
playing the attributes of a budding
entrepreneur. In order to expand
his business of selling newspa
pers, Bass initiated a shrewd busi
ness deal with a bike shop owner.
MI wanted a Schwinn balloon
tire hike that cost $35," he
recalled. 'The shop owner agreed
to a one-dollar down payment
with installments of one dollar per
week." Then, with a mode of
transportation, Bass took three
other jobs, including a before -
school paper route and delivering
groceries, to help pay for the bicy
cle and to save the money he
knew he would eventually need
for his education.
This early indicator of Mr.
Bass' potential to become a great
businessman was realized in 1968
whan he accepted a position with
R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
as manager of personnel develop
ment.
'1 was just coming out of the
Army and I had compiled my
resume and sent it out to several
companies. Among the offers I
received back was one from RJR.
I felt that if I had something to
give, I should give it back to the
area where I got started."
After twenty two years at
RJR, serving in various capacities
with increasing levels of responsi
bility, Bass retired from the posi
tion of senior vice-president. He is
The only Afro-American ever to
have held that position within the
? company.
Bass' early plans included a
degree fmm^Morgan StateJJniver
sity. That dream was in the pro
cess of becoming a reality when'it
was interrupted in the second
year by a draft notice. Bass admits
that he thought "life was coming
to an end" but, never one to dwell
on the negative, he turned the situ
ation to his advantage.
Even as a private, Bass' lead
ership potential was obvious. He
attended Officer Candidacy
School, and embarked upon a
career as an infantry officer. He is
a veteran of World War 2, the
Korean War and the Vietnam War.
He once commanded a battal
ion combat team in the Demilita
rized Zone in Korea where he was
responsible for the welfare and
lives of over 1200 men. He man
aged an annual budget of $126
million dollars as Logistics Offi
cer for the 2nd Army, which cov
ers eight states.
^ B ass served as Military
Attache to the African west coast
country of Liberia, and was In
charge of the" Army's worldwide
promotion system. He holds more
than 30 military decorations
including the Legion of Merit, the
Purple Heart, and the Combat
-Infantryman's Badge. ?
After two decades of service, .
he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel
on the recommendation of then
Vice-President Hubert Humphrey.
"I was a military aide to the
Vice-President," he recalled."At
the time, I was on the promotion
list for the rank of Colonel. Vice
President Humphrey felt that I
could do more good for more peo
ple in the civilian sector than in
the military, so I turned the pro
motion down and came to Win
ston-Salem with R. J. Reynolds."
Bass completed his education
at the University of Maryland at
Staff Photo
"None of my accomplishments came easily. I've known
many people who could have outstripped my accomplish
ments but didn't because they were never given an oppor
tunity. I was always prepared because I knew that suc
cess is only possible when opportunity meets prepara
tion." . '? '
? Marshall Bass
College Park. There he earned a tary science and international
bachelor of sclence degree in mill- aitairs. Bass is also a graduate of
the. Basic Infantry Officer's
Course, Advanced Officers
Infantry Course, the United States
Army Airborne School, a feat
which he says is "really a small
thing, M the Command and General
Staff College, and the Armed
Forces Staff College. He holds a
Doctor of Humane Letters from
six colleges and universities,
including Winston-Salem State
-University, Saint Augustine's CoU -
lege and Johnson C. Smith Uni
versity.
Bass' military career is paral
leled by an exemplary history in
community affairs. He currently
serves as chairman for several
organizations including the
WSSU Foundation board of direc
tors, the board of trustees at Saint
Augustine's College, and ihe
North Carolina Central University
board of visitors.
He holds a seat on the board
of directors for R. J. Reynolds
Tobacco Company, Piedmont Fed
eral Savings and Loan Associa
tion, and the Winston-Salem
Urban League. He is a member of
several organizations including
the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, the
Gamma Kappa Bouie Sigma Pi -
Phi, and the Executive Leadership
Council.
He is a licensed lay reader
and a licensed chalice bearer in
the Episcopal Diocese of North
Carolina. He is also a distin
guished visiting professor at
WSSU.
"I teach a seminar on organi
zational behavior. It is an indepen
dent study program that meets
once a week with the purpose of
developing senior students' abili
^ ties to examine a set of circum
stances and decide which course
of action would-be-most benefit
cial," he said.
Bass explained that there are
no right or wrong answers in his
class. "Any number of responses
are possible because it is a case
study. The course really teaches
students how to think."
The newest 'hat' this jack of
all trades wears is Marshall B.
Bass and Associates. The compa
ny was founded by -Bass as an
<??<?rntiw fnrnc/?/i rnngiihirtg firm
specializing in human resources
development, organizational man
agement, public and minority
affairs, and management training.
"My clients are other busi
nesses with specific needs in the
and organizational management.
The company's objective is to pro
vide a unique level of external
support to executive management
in selective management disci
plines," he said.
"When I was a boy, I thought
that my choices of a professional
career were! i mi fed to doctor,
lawyer, teacher, preacher or
undertaker," admitted Bass.
Although these were his
expectations, he did not allow
them to limit him. After a dual
career as a senior officer in the
United States Army and a senior
executive with RJR Nabisco, Bass
proved that the boundaries set by
race and other barriers can be
overcome with perseverance.
"None of my accomplish
ments came easily. I've known
many people who could have out
stripped my accomplishments but
didn't because they were never
given an opportunity. I was
always prepared because I knew
that success is only possible when
- opportunity meets preparation^
COMMUNITY
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SUNDAY, JUNE 17
? The South Cleveland Avenue Flower Club will ceMaate to 33rd
anniversary at 3 p.ra. at GospeT Ifcbeiiecle Holiness Church. 206 N.
"h i | "j?5-- ***""''? -IP ? -t--~ - rjv. R?. Grant will be tK?:i
SATURDAY, JUNE 23
?'?. '?: Z ?"?? ' '?'? ?X 'S i':' \-'.;V
? RJR Tobacco Processing/United Way "Adopt an Agency" will hold
an "Extravaganza" to benefit the Winston-Salem Enrichment Centeti
front 8 am. "until." The event will take place in the *D" Lot on the cor
ner of Fifth and Linden streets. Aaractipris win include a yard sale, a
bake sale, a bang gliding equipment demo, pro golfers with tips,
refreshments, entertainment, a car show aad prize drawings every 30
?rr? ?- ? : ? a >,; ? ? ? i i'- . ? ;? ?,,. > ,?? ,iV-; ? ??;,?? ,y . ' - ]
minutes
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PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS
; ? ?? " ' .
? The 1965 Class of Atkins High School will hold fas 25th-year class
ftonion July 6, 7 and 8. Interested persons Aoold comact SMriey Bish
op Peoples at 785-9853 or Jadde Wsst Butler ? 723?3749.
?w- . *&&& vijfij-ss
. The Afro-American members of the 1970 graduating class of RJ.
Reynolds High School will have their 20-year reunion July 20 to 22. If
yon taw not bett contacted yet, please call 722-5229 for mm Mii
mation *
?*m mmm
? rt** a
? Sothatour employeesmay spend some time with their fianilies on the
Fourth of Ji^r, the community news and calender ifcmBIwi have been
moved up to 3 p.m. on Friday, June 29. The Chnmkk offices will be
closed on Wednesday, July 4. yoer cooperation will beapprecimed..Tlie ?
Chronicle wishes everyone in the community a happy and safe Fourth!
? The YWCA, 1201 Olade St. wiH sponsor a women s protection series
ia Jane from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tbpics me *tK| Overview of Criaiee
Against women, June o; Kenaena ai no personal un&es ? sccunty
TtecJmiques," June 13; "Self-Defense Sesteeka," June 20; and "Under
aadhi Yoor LeatfKigto," Jane 27. Adminkxi isfMi^:;
man Oaiy tod names from the Public Health Department held at Ffcw
Bsptist Church on the first ftesdsy of each month. Private physicians
alao openae a frea ciinte held at TVinity Moravian am** qn the fcst
ffl?d third Thursday of each month. Both locations are open from 6 to 8
pjn. For more information call 724-7875.
wmim
New service club lends a helping hand
By TATtA M. DAVIS
Chronicle Staff Writer
"With all of the bad things we
are hearing about recently in our
town, its good to know that we are
doing something positive to com
bat the negative, "said Mrs. Stella
Ilena Bell, president of the Afro
American Eagle Club.
The club, founded bv Mrs.
Bell in March, has completed its
first service project by donating
$700 to the Battered Women's
Shelter.
"We raised this money
through stay-at-home bake sales
and the sale of chicken dinners,"
she said. "I feel that with only
seven members, we have accom
: plished a lot in a short time.
Mrs. Bell said that the club
started when she asked several
friends if they were interested in
forming a service organization
that would help Winston-Salem
communities, especially the black
communities.
"I wanted this club to do
things that our local communities
would directly benefit from," she
said "We want to help people that
we can touch personally. We hear
of a lot of national organizations
that are suppose to help the needy
or homeless btlt how much of that
money actually reaches the people
in our community?"
She said that she had been in
clubs in the past that were formed
u> uu setvivc ptojevts tmt
got around to doing anything
worthwhile. She wants to make
sure that this club and its mem
bers strive to help worthy causes.
The members initially met
twice a month to organize their
goals and design a constitution.
Now, they meet on the second
Sunday in every month at differ
ent members' homes . She said
that they hope to find a regular
meeting place soon.
One of the biggest projects
that the club is working on is set
wsn
Photo ?
Afro-American Eagle Club members make a donation to the Battered Women's SheHer.^oeitta 81
herd, second from left, receives the donation from llene Bell, left, Mary Clark and Icesola Powev^
\ nPjfff, ii
AU
I
ting up a scholarship fund of
$2000 for an Afro- American stu
dent to attend Winston-Salem
State University next fall.
"We plan to work closely with
the school system to determine
those students who show potential
P" If we are ever going
| to stop the drug prob
lem, it wilt take ali of
us working together
and getting involved
in activities with our
youth."
- Stella I. Bell
and desire to go to WSSU but can
not afford to go," she said.
Mrs. Bell said that many stu
dents who can afford to go to col
lege are oftep the ones that end up
getting the scholarships. The club
members want to make sure that
the student actually needs finan
cial aid.
Mrs. Bell said that the club is
presently seeking new members,
but it is interested only in new
members that really want to help
change things in Winston-Salem.
"We are very interested in
working with other organizations,
such as tiit hiuscmar Lrystropby
Association Inc., since we feel
that organizations such as this one
are trying to accomplish some of
the same goals," she said.
The ideas and philosophies of
the club are a reflection of those
of its founder.
Tve always been a person
that reached out as far as I could
to help someone else,n said Mrs.
Bell. Though she feels that organi
zations like the Afro-American
Eagle Club are important, she
feels that the thing most needed in
the Afro- American
unity.
If we are ever goii
the drug problem," she
will take all of us working
er and getting involved in
ties with our youth.
As adults, we need to think
about what kind of support we're
giving our children," she said.
Mrs. bett is tnc mother or nvc
children. If they are involved in
crime, it's because they have noth
ing to do or no place to go, she
said. The fact that they don't have
anything to do is our fault.
She said that adults will have
to help direct our youth more
because many of them do not
know what they want or who they
are.
"I pray that more people will
try to get involved, if not with our
Club, "With some organization,"
Mrs. Bell said.