MR. GARLAND GUICE February 15, 1933 - June 9, 1985 LEADERSHIP, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Mr. Garland Guice was known as the Godfather of Economic Development in Chicago. As president of the Chicago Economic Development Corporation (CEDCO), he led the effort to bring the first federally funded program targeted to assist African American contractors in Chicago. In 1969, CEDCO obtained funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce to establish a technical assistance center for the West Side Builders Association. This program provided procure ment, management and estimating assistance to Black contractors.

The evolution from the West Side Builders Association to the United Builders Association to Black Contractors United occurred because of Mr. Guice's organizational leadership. CEDCO set up agency offices on the West, South and North sides of the city. Financial support from the organization allowed numerous minority businesses to prosper in the late 1960s and 1970s. CEDCO and its visionary leader, Mr. Guice, helped develop the strongest advocates for Black business in the history of Chicago. Among the organization's alumni are Ms. Brenetta Barrett, former City Commissioner of Consumer Affairs; Mr. Jesse Madison, President of the Abraham Lincoln Centre; Ms. Maye FosterThompson of the Chicago Minority Business Development Council; and Mr. Paul King, president of UBM Inc., the city's largest Black-owned construction firm.