Biography of Dr. Farrah Gray

Dr. Farrah Gray Biography Celebrity Entrepreneur,Philanthropist, Bestselling Author and Syndicated Columnist

Dr. Farrah Gray was named as one of the most influential Black men in America by the National Urban League’s Urban Influence Magazine. Ebony Magazine recognized him as an entrepreneurial icon, business mogul and best-selling author. Raised in the impoverished South side of Chicago, Dr. Gray defied the odds and became a self-made millionaire by the age of 14. At the age of 21, he received an Honorary Doctorate degree of Humane Letters from Allen University. This was in recognition of his ingenious economic mind and distinguished commitment to the development of values such as leadership, integrity and scholarship. In his rise from poverty to national and international prominence as an entrepreneurial icon and pre-eminent power speaker, Dr. Gray has inspired millions around the world. At the age of 27, he has achieved more than many achieve in a lifetime.

Since his first interview at 11 years old on KVBC Channel 3, Gray has become a celebrity, featured in thousands of print, magazine, radio and television media including The NBC reality show Starting Over, 20/20,Good Morning America, ABC World News Tonight, The Montel Williams Show, Oprah & Friends, Tom Joyner Show, The Michael Baisden Show, Russ Parr, Radio One, TV One, The Tavis Smiley Show, CNBC, BET, NBC, FOX, CBS, BRAVO, PBS, NPR, Bloomberg, Ebony, Jet, Essence, Upscale, Black Enterprise, Black MBA, “O” The Oprah Magazine, Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post. AOL Black Voices named Farrah Gray one of the Top Ten Sexiest Black CEO’s along with Kenneth Chenault, Tiger Woods and Sean “Diddy” Combs. What makes him extra attractive is the stack of accomplishments he has achieved at such a young age. He is also a syndicated columnist with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) federation of 200 weekly newspapers reaching more than 15 million readers. As an AOL Money Coach, Dr. Gray gives advice to millions of AOL subscribers daily on leadership, personal development, diversity, strategic planning, creativity, business development and financial management.

Dr. Gray is the CEO of Farrah Gray Publishing (FGP) which is distributed by HCI Books, which published the world famous #1 New York Times, USA Today and Guinness Book of World Records; best-selling Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Chicken Soup for the Soul has sold more than 112 million copies, with titles translated into more than 40 languages and total retail sales of Chicken Soup for the Soul branded merchandise have topped $1.3 billion

Continuing Gray’s love for the culinary field in 2012, he became a restaurateur and investor with three restaurants in Las Vegas, including one on the Las Vegas Strip.

Dr. Gray began his entrepreneurial, personal and civic development as a stellar young citizen at six years old selling home-made body lotion and his own hand-painted rocks as book-ends door-to-door. At age seven, he was carrying business cards reading “21st Century CEO.” At eight, Gray became co-founder of Urban Neighborhood Enterprise Economic Club (U.N.E.E.C.) on Chicago’s South side. U.N.E.E.C. was the forerunner of New Early Entrepreneur Wonders (NE2W), the flagship organization he opened on Wall Street. NE2W enlisted, educated and engaged “at-risk” youth by creating and developing legal ways for them to acquire additional income. Gray is the youngest person to have an office on Wall Street.

Between the ages of 12 and 16 years old, Dr. Gray founded and operated business ventures that included KIDZTEL pre-paid phone cards, the One Stop Mail Boxes & More franchise and The Teenscope “Youth AM/FM” interactive teen talk show, Gray was also Executive Producer of a comedy show on the Las Vegas Strip and owner of Farr-Out Foods, “Way-Out Food with a Twist,” aimed at young people with the company’s first Strawberry-Vanilla syrup product. Farr-Out Foods generated orders exceeding $1.5 million.

As a pre-teen, Gray reached 12 million listeners and viewers every Saturday night as co-host of “Backstage Live,” a syndicated television and radio simulcast in Las Vegas. Gray’s inspirational spirit and grounded personality sparked speaking requests from organizations around the country. Dr. Gray’s sense of social responsibility motivated him to create the non-profit organization, The Farrah Gray Foundation. Among other programs and initiatives, his foundation focuses on inner city community-based entrepreneurship education and provides scholarship & grant assistance for students from at-risk backgrounds to attend HBCU’s (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). Dr. Gray donates his honorariums from speaking engagements (which can be upwards of $15,000) and the proceeds of his book to his foundation in what he refers to as his “self-imposed” youth tax. The Farrah Gray Foundation is also in partnership with the Kauffman Foundation, launching entrepreneurship programs in inner-city schools across the country.

Dr. Gray’s work did not remain under the radar-screen for long. He soon then became the youngest member of the Board of Advisors for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. He was also given a three-year term on the Board of Directors of United Way of Southern Nevada at the age of 15. Dr. Gray’s continued his philanthropic work signing on as the spokesman for the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Marrow Donor Program. As a private consultant he was gone in to work with the likes of JP Morgan Chase and the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Development Agency.

Dr. Gray’s latest books “Get Real, Get Rich” and “The Truth Shall Make You Rich” a no-holds-barred rejection of the fallacies we’ve all heard–and believed–about success and how to achieve it. Dr. Gray’s first book “Reallionaire” was nominated by NBC & Publishers Weekly Quill Awards in the category of “Health/Self-Improvement.” His book appeared on the Amazon and Barnes & Noble’s Best-sellers lists two weeks before its international release. “Reallionaire” was also named as the #1 Best-selling Nonfiction Paperback book in the August 2005 Issue of Essence Magazine.

“Reallionaire” was endorsed by Former President Bill Clinton, Pierre Sutton, Stedman Graham, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. Gray’s book and his journey to succeed against the odds have become required reading and part of classroom study from elementary school to entrepreneurship departments on college and university campuses such as Harvard University and Princeton. Gray’s books, “Reallionaire,” “Get Real Get Rich” and “The Truth Shall Make You Rich,” have been translated into Russian, German, Polish, French, Korean, Indonesian, and Vietnamese languages with book sales in Africa, Australia and Europe and in Central and South American countries.

Gray is also a contributing author to “Chicken Soup for the African-American Soul”. Dr. Gray’s honors include Keys to the Cities of Dallas, Shreveport, and Cincinnati. He has also received Proclamations from the Governors of Illinois and Nevada, the Mayors of Louisville, Kentucky, Chicago, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Wilmington, Delaware, and Clark County Nevada Commissioners. Dr. Gray’s Awards include The National Urban League Whitney M. Young Jr. Entrepreneurship Award, The Indiana Black Expo (IBE) Hoosier Lottery Entrepreneur Award, The Alabama A&M Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) Award, The Davidson College Love of Learning Lifetime Educational Achievement Award, Central State Award of Appreciation for contributions made in the area of entrepreneurship, NV Magazine Vision Award, and the American Red Cross Award of Appreciation.”

CURRENT ACCOLADES

Dr. Farrah Gray Trumpet Award Young Entrepreneur Recipient

“Farrah Gray named as one of Black Entertainment Television’s (BET) 12 Famous Entrepreneurs”

MSN.com placed Farrah Gray on its Young Tycoons List along with Mark Zuckerberg

Farrah Gray named to the Inaugural List of Chicago’s The Urban Business Roundtable’s “Top 40 Game-Changers” as entrepreneurial prodigy

Dr. Farrah Gray received the 24th Annual 100 Black Men of America, Inc. Conference Award

Dr. Farrah Gray CNN: Up from the Past: African-American First – American Trailblazer

Farrah Gray Makes Upscale Magazine’s List of “20 Modern History Makers, with President Barack Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder and CNN Anchor Soledad O’Brien

Farrah Gray featured as AOL Black Voices 2008, 2009, 2010 Making Black History Past, Present, Future –Business

 Dr. Farrah Gray Recognized as a “Living Legend” Who’s Who In Black Las Vegas

Dr. Farrah Gray Named By The Las Vegas Review Journal’s Las Vegas Black Image Magazine Lists Of The Top 20 ‘Bald, Black And Beautiful Men’

Farrah Gray recognized as The Network Journal “40 Under-Forty” Achievement Award recipient

Farrah Gray as one of the most influential Black men in America “Men of Influence” by The National Urban League’s Urban Influence Magazine

PRAISE QUOTES

“I know Farrah Gray and we have discussed his future. His motivation determines what he will do. His attitude determines how well he will succeed at making a difference.”
-Bill Clinton, Former President of the United States of America

Farrah Gray Dubbed by Oprah Winfrey as an “all-star” with “priceless advice.”
-O, The Oprah Magazine

“Farrah Gray is the ultimate American success story. “
-Good Morning America

“America’s Reallionaire.”
-ABC 20/20

“We are impressed by your list of accomplishments, your enthusiasm and your optimism.”
-Bishop T.D. Jakes and First Lady Serita Jakes

“(Farrah) I can’t imagine where you’ll be 20 years from now I hope your running for office and making this world a better place.”
-Donny Deutsch, Host of CNBC’s THE BIG IDEA and Chairman, Deutsch, Inc.

“Gray brings this clear cut frontal perspective to everything he does. His list of accomplishments is truly incredible.”
-Marc H. Morial President/CEO National Urban League

“His name is synonymous with success and triumph…and is already considered to be an entrepreneurial icon, business mogul and best selling author.”
-Ebony Magazine

“You are just the best & the real thing.”
-Suze Orman, New York Times Best Selling Author

“Indeed, you are making it happen.”
-Stedman Graham

“Farrah Gray: acclaimed entrepreneur shows how to chart your own path to financial freedom.”
- Jet Magazine

US Secret Service probes El Salvador sex allegations

The US Secret Service says it is investigating allegations that some of its agents paid for strippers and prostitutes in El Salvador.

An advance presidential security team is reported to have paid for sexual favours in a strip club in 2011.
Democratic Congressman Elijah Cummings said the Secret Service director had not yet found anything "credible".
The allegations come in the wake of a sex scandal involving Secret Service and military personnel in Colombia.
Eight US agents have left the service over the Colombia allegations, in which Americans were found with as many as 20 women, thought to be prostitutes, at a Cartagena hotel.
The agents were part of a team preparing for a visit by Mr Obama to the Summit of the Americas earlier this month.
Another 12 military personnel are also under investigation and have had their security clearance revoked.

Samsung overtakes Nokia in mobile phone shipments

 Samsung Electronics has overtaken Nokia to become the world's largest maker of mobile phones, according to research firm Strategy Analytics.
Nokia took the top spot in 1998 from Motorola, but in the first quarter of 2012 Samsung shipped 93m phones compared to almost 83m by Nokia.
Samsung also reported its highest quarterly profit since 2008.
Net profit was 5.05tn won ($4.5bn; £2.8bn) in the quarter ending 31 March, up 81% from 2.78tn won last year.
Samsung is also the world's biggest TV and flat screen maker.
"We cautiously expect our earnings momentum to continue going forward, as competitiveness in our major businesses is enhanced," said Robert Yi, head of investor relations at Samsung.
Bright future The firm said its IT and mobile communications division, which manufactures the smartphones, made an operating profit of 4.27tn won during the period, as revenues in the division surged 86% from a year earlier.
Samsung will unveil the latest version of its Galaxy range of phones on 3 May.
The Galaxy range has been very popular and helped Samsung overtake Apple to become the world's biggest seller of smartphones.
"The smartphone market has almost only two players, Samsung and Apple," said Lee Sei-Cheol of Meritz Securities.
"Since its Galaxy3 phone is being unveiled in May, Samsung will keep enjoying sales growth in its mobile phone division."

Elise of American Idol Bites the Dust

Are you ready? Are you ready for this? Are you hanging on the edge of your seat? Okay you can scooch back now. No surprises here: Your wacky aunt Elise was eliminated on last night's Elise Testone and the Tiny Teens. They can finally change the name of the show. (Tiny Queens.)
Last night the judges knocked Elise's obscure Jimi Hendrix song choice, and tonight Jimmy Iovine ragged on her Queen choice as well. He called it a "monotone stadium anthem" that had "come off clubby -- like I was in a nightclub somewhere in the back of beyond." Funny, "a nightclub somewhere in the back of beyond" seems like exactly where Elise has been wanting to perform this whole time. She was sick of performing in bed and bath, is all. It may be time to start living in a tent.
Elise and this show had fallen out of love long ago. Why else would she be spending her afternoons making origami animals at lonely outdoor cafes instead of shopping at the American Idol Outlet Mall (just a giant oval of Tommy Hilfigers) and driving a Ford? Skylar's gotta have it, Ryan!. lol

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

I'm not a Chelsea fan nor that of Barca;
I'm a die hard Man U fan, but yday nite I gave my salute to Chelsea-
They made my day- They proved book makers wrong.

A lot of people never gave them a chance to succeed, but they believed in themselves, they voiced it out, they shouted upon the roof- so that whoever has ears will hear it saying-
Barcelona is not invincible, Barca is conquerable. 
We all thought they were making noise but NO they were building one of the most important virtue on earth- COURAGE. 

It was very obvious- Chelsea approached the Game with full of confidence and it paid them, they came out defeating the Almighty Barca, not because they were the better side but because they were the more courageous. 
Friend Your Courage will always prevail in any difficult situation you found yourself in. 
Courage is the willingness to go forward in the face of uncertainty and fear, the willingness to launch with no guarantee of success. 

Mark Twain once wrote that courage is not the lack or absence of fear, it is the control of fear. 
Friend, I learn so early in life that most of the things we worry or fear about in life doesn't exist. It is time to conquer your fears. 

Live a life of faith. Let Faith answer whenever fear knocks at the door. 
When faced with fear, remember the 'Nike' slogan that says, "Just do it". 
Stop being afraid of the unknown, make a friend of the unknown cos that's where you will actually discover your true self, you will discover limitless possibilities and discover who you really are. 
A New You Is Possible.

Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog: TV host Toke Makinwa doesn't think I'm a role model. Urm, OK...:-)

Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog: TV host Toke Makinwa doesn't think I'm a role model. Urm, OK...:-)

YVONNE NELSON: ‘My relationships with Jim Iyke, Majid and John Dumelo’

says ‘I’m not expensive’
Top Ghanaian actress, Yvonne Nelson has again restated her claims that she is neither dating  Nollywood bad boy, Jim Iyke nor her Ghanaian counterparts including Majid Michel and John Dumelo as widely speculated by her critics.
Though the leggy actress admitted having a close relationship particularly with Jim Iyke, claiming that  “we have a great chemistry together.”
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Ekerete Udoh of  The Diasporan Star, an American based African tabloid newspaper, the beautiful actress maintained that  there is nothing between her and the three  actors.
Just last year, it was rumoured that Yvonne was having a hot romance with Jim Iyke. Given the fact that Jim Iyke is involved in a highly publicised romance with the Jamaican model, Ketura Hamilton, industry watchers expressed the fear that Yvonne was treading on dangerous path.
But dispelling the rumour, Yvonne said “I am not dating Jim Iyke and that’s the truth, but I want to confess that we have a very close relationship. We have a great chemistry together- call it some form of magic between us, especially when we act together. He is a hot guy and I like him a lot. We are always together when he comes to Ghana to act in movies and I drive him around.”
Adding, she said  “when I am in Nigeria, he does the same for me. But does that mean that we are dating? The answer is no. We are great friends – the manner I am with Majid Michel, John Dumelo- these are great and hot friends of mine as well. Does it mean that I must date ever person that I have an on-screen chemistry with? People should learn to be less judgmental. There is nothing wrong about having a friendship with a co-star and not talking it to the physical level.”

JIM IYKE AND YVONNE NELSON

Also, dismissing one of the rumours that negatively impacted on personality last year, which centered on her sexual orientation, Yvonne Nelson denied being a lesbian. “I am not a lesbian,”she said, adding “ lesbianism is against my religious beliefs, it’s against my cultural norms and I think it was very mischievous for people to insinuate such about someone they hardly knew.”
“ The rumor, she continued, “started by a notorious website in Ghana last year when they reported that they had never seen me with a man. In their warped and twisted calculation, I was a lesbian. Can you imagine such crass reasoning? That they had not seen me with a man, and may have seen me with my girlfriends going out to have fun, and then automatically I was a lesbian.
It was a hatchet job – an attempt to discredit me, but they all failed. I am heterosexual and would remain one till the end. When you are in the public light as I have been blessed and privileged to be in, your life becomes a public property and some mischievous people will say all manner of things about you. It comes with the territory, so I forgive them.”

John Dumelo and Majid Michel

Asked if she is currently dating anybody, given the fact that she was called a lesbian simply because she had not been regularly seen in the company of her boyfriend, Yvonne replied  “I am not dating now-conventionally speaking, but I wouldn’t say that I am desperate for a relationship at the same time. People have asked me if I don’t think I should be considering settling down, and I tell them that I appreciate their concerns but that I am still very young. I don’t have to rush to get married because everyone is doing so. When the time comes, I will get married.
This may surprise you: I am a simple girl – very easy to date. If I go out with a date, it doesn’t cost the man money. I don’t order expensive champagne, I don’t order exotic meals. My drink of choice is orange juice. Most women would say they are looking for a chiseled man – those with perfect six-packed abs – well good luck to them.
I am not interested in macho men. I am more interested in the substance-the values and the humanity the man brings to the table than with  his physical or material possessions. I work hard, so I don’t expect my man to have to slave to satisfy me. I am sure this may surprise you, because any one who looks at me – analyses the roles I play may incorrectly define me according to those roles. That is the exact opposite of what and who I am.
The screen diva claimed that she has been misunderstood in the industry, adding that “I am nothing close to the roles I play in movies.”
On the role she played in that soft-porn movie ‘Heart of Men”, featuring herself and Majid Michel where they were enmeshed in a hot romance scene, the leggy actress debunked exposing vital parts of her body. “That is why I am willing to address some of those misconceptions now. Even though it pains me to have to talk about them, but I will. People should understand that. I am an actress and I get scripts where I’m expected to interprete my role.
“As a consummate professional, I am not going to turn down those scripts because I’m expected to act in a certain manner. I am aware that some people took exception to the role I played in the movie, “Heart of Men” where there appeared to be some form of frontal nudity, but the truth of the matter is that there was no such overt display of nudity.”

culled from Vanguard Newspapers