Herman Cain’s father worked as a janitor, barber and chauffeur. His son would become a candidate for the United States Senate and later President of the United States after a stunningly successful business career. Today he is best known as a nationally syndicated conservative radio talk show host, author, frequent contributor on several broadcast networks and constant activist for conservative policy issues.
Cain spoke about “Leadership is Common Sense” after he received the Conservative Policy Leadership Institute’s Principles Award for his lifetime devotion to conservative philosophies at the fifth annual Georgia Legislative Policy Forum.
Cain is a 1967 Morehouse College graduate. He earned a masters’ degree in computer science from Purdue University while working for the U.S. Department of the Navy. He rose through corporate ranks at Coca-Cola and the Pillsbury Co. before being named President and CEO at Godfather’s Pizza which he took from teetering on bankruptcy to profitability within 14 months. Then his management team bought the company. Later he was named president of the National Restaurant Association.
Cain’s political emergence is sometimes traced to a 1994 television appearance in which he challenged President Bill Clinton about the impact of the administration’s proposed health care reforms on small businesses. Cain’s media career launched in a big way when he moved from a weekend small station show to WSB, the Atlanta-based radio Goliath in 2004 after his 2004 unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate. Cain was a 2012 Republican candidate for President of the United States. He was named to replace Neal Boortz in WSB’s morning slot when Boortz retired from full-time radio.
CPLI Chairman Hunter Hill and President Melanie Stockwell presented Cain with the Principles Award at the Legislative Policy Forum on Friday, September 19, in Atlanta. The Forum is a partnership project of CPLI and the Georgia Public Policy Foundation.
Award Presentation:
“Leadership is Common Sense” Keynote Address:
Audience Questions Segment:
(Article and video production by Mike Klein)
