Motown Tops List of State’s Black-Owned Firms

Led by Los Angeles-based Motown Industries, 11 California companies are among the 100 largest black-owned businesses in the nation, according to a new survey published in the June issue of Black Enterprise magazine.

In the magazine’s 13th-annual survey of black-owned businesses, the 11 California companies--nine of which are in the southern part of the state--rolled up total revenues of $367.5 million in calendar year 1984. Motown--the second largest black-owned business in the magazine survey behind Chicago-based Johnson Publishing Co.--contributed more than a third of that total, with the record company reporting revenue of $137 million in 1984.

Overall, the magazine said, the 100 largest black-owned businesses saw modest growth during the year as gross sales rose 10% to $2.6 billion from $2.3 billion in 1983.

Black-owned construction, technical manufacturing and computer and information services companies registered the strongest growth--mirroring patterns in mainstream U.S. industries--while petroleum companies on the list reported large losses.

Besides Motown, other California businesses that were ranked in Black Enterprise’s survey included: eighth-ranked Dick Griffey Productions, a Hollywood-based music production firm; Santa Clara-based Technology Development of California (No. 21); San Francisco-based Teleport Oil Co. (28); Willie Davis Distributing Co. of Los Angeles (29); Bay City Marine Inc. (32); Westside Distributors of South Gate (43); Peninsula Pontiac Inc. of Torrance (54); Bill Nelson Chevrolet Inc. of Richmond (86); Miramar Lincoln-Mercury Inc. in San Diego (97), and Yucca Valley Ford/Banning Ford in Yucca Valley, ranked 100th.

The June issue also included rankings of black-owned financial institutions and found that California companies paced that category as well, with two Oakland banks--First Enterprise Bank and the Bank of Oakland--ranked among the 47 largest black-owned banks, and three California institutions among the 35 largest black-owned savings and loan associations.

Los Angeles-based Founders Savings & Loan Assn. topped the latter ranking, with $159.5 million in assets.

TOP BLACK OWNED CALIFORNIA BUSINESSES

Sales Rank Company City In millions 2 Motown Industries Los Angeles $137.0 8 Dick Griffey Productions Hollywood 53.7 21 Technology Development of Calif. Santa Clara 27.9 28 Teleport Oil San Francisco 25.5 29 Willie Davis Distributing Los Angeles 25.0 32 Bay City Marine San Diego 24.8 43 Westside Distributors South Gate 21.1 54 Peninsula Pontiac Torrance 17.7 86 Bill Nelson Chevrolet Richmond 12.0 97 Miramar Lincoln-Mercury San Diego 11.5 100 Yucca Valley Ford/Banning Ford Yucca Valley 11.3

Source: Black Enterprises magazines’s 100 Black Businesses