black wealth

Janice Bryant Howroyd

Janice Bryant Howroyd built ActOne into a $890M global staffing empire and a $675M net worth, making her a pioneer in Black women’s business.

Janice Bryant Howroyd - Workforce Architect and Tenacious Legacy Builder

Janice Bryant Howroyd isn’t merely a business founder - she is a force in Black entrepreneurship. Underscored by the mantra, “the applicant is the center of our universe,” she built ActOne Group from a one-woman operation into the largest minority-, woman-owned staffing empire in the U.S. Her story isn’t about fleeting fame - it’s about anchored legacy and quiet, expansive impact. That is Tall Cotton.

Rooted in Resilience

Born in 1952 in Tarboro, North Carolina, Janice was the fourth of eleven children. As one of the first Black students integrating her high school, she learned early how to navigate complex systems. After earning a business education degree from North Carolina A&T, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1976 with just $1,000 and determination. (turn0search2)

Planting Workforce Roots: Founding ActOne

In 1978, equipped with a fax machine and a phone, she launched ActOne Group from a small Beverly Hills office. Her first client was her brother-in-law, and a focus on humanized hiring (“keeping the humanity in HR”) became her strategic differentiator. (turn0search4)

Over time, she expanded into workforce solutions, consulting, background checks (A-Check Global), technical staffing (AppleOne), global HR tech (AgileOne), and more. Her “WOMB” strategy - “Word-of-Mouth, Baby” - became legendary for client acquisition. (turn0search1)

Empire-Building: Scope & Scale

Today, ActOne Group serves over 17,000 clients in 33 countries, spanning staffing, procurement, and human capital consulting. The workforce empire - and its parent ActOne Group - generates nearly $890 million in annual revenue, with infrastructure across the globe. (turn0search0, turn0search5)

Recognition, Boardrooms & Civic Architecture

Howroyd’s leadership stretches far beyond business lines:

In 1999, she became the first Black woman to chair a publicly held company. (turn0search2)
She sits on pivotal boards: Harvard Women’s Leadership, FCC Diversity Committee, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, NNCA, Department of Energy’s Minorities in Energy, and more. (turn0search2)
She earned honors like the BET Honors Entrepreneur Award, AG Gaston Award, and most recently, the Business Pioneer Award at Women’s Entrepreneurship Day at the UN. (turn0search2)

Net Worth & Wealth Architecture

As of 2024, estimates place her net worth between $675 million and $700 million, derived from ActOne’s global success, real estate holdings, and multiple service vertical investments. Many sources cite figures from $600M to $675M. (turn0search1, turn0search5, turn0search13)

The Blueprint: Opportunity, Integrity & Persistence

What sets Howroyd apart is her commitment to continuity over brilliance:

Opportunity architecture: building hiring pipelines where they didn’t exist.
Integrity rhythm: refusing to compromise principle, even if it slowed growth.
Persistence posture: remodeling businesses as needs evolved, from staffing to tech to consulting.

Her leadership isn’t announced - it’s assembled with intentionality.