Program Directory

 
City Club of Cleveland - George C. Fraser, CEO, FraserNet, Inc. December 2, 2011
 
 
 
George C. Fraser is Chairman and CEO of FraserNet, Inc. A company he founded some 21 years ago with the vision to lead a global networking movement that brings together diverse human resources to increase opportunities for people of African descent. He is considered by many to be a new voice for African Americans and one of the foremost authorities on networking, economic development, and building effective relationships.

While George's accomplishments are significant, his beginnings were very humble. He was born in Brooklyn, NY into a family of 11 children (8 boys and 3 girls). When George's mom became mentally ill, George's dad, a cab driver, couldn't care for 11 children so George was orphaned at 3 and spent 14 years in foster homes. Growing up on the streets of New York he had little hope and no expectations.

Although his guidance counselor suggested he drop out of high school, George graduated from high school with a vocational diploma in woodworking because the school system did not consider him college material. Thank God George felt differently...for several years, he mopped floors on the midnight shift at LaGuardia Airport, while he paid his way through college, and the rest is history.

Dr. Fraser went on to leadership positions with Procter & Gamble, the United Way, and Ford Motor Company. He has authored three critically acclaimed books: Success Runs In Our Race; The Complete Guide to Effective Networking in the African American Community (HarperCollins 1994, 2004), Race For Success; The Ten Best Business Opportunities for Blacks In America (HarperCollins 1998) and Click: Ten Truths for Building Extraordinary Relationships (McGraw-Hill 2008).

Mr. Fraser is also the publisher of the 20th annual award-winning SuccessGuide Worldwide: The Networking Guide to Black Resources. He is the founder of the 8th annual PowerNetworking Conference, where thousands of Black professionals, business owners, and community leaders gather to discuss and do business with each other. Dr. Fraser is the Chairman of Phoenix Village Academy; which consist of three afrocentric charter schools that serve Cleveland and Akron inner city children.

His views have been solicited by media as diverse as CNN and the Wall Street Journal. Over the past decade, the prestigious publication, Vital Speeches of the Day, has selected, reprinted and distributed worldwide, five of Mr. Fraser's speeches-a first for any professional speaker in America, regardless of color.

UPSCALE magazine named him one of the "Top 50 Power Brokers in Black America" Black Enterprise Magazine called him "Black America's #1 Networker" and featured him on a cover issue. Personal growth "guru" Stephen Covey called Mr. Fraser a "masterful teacher"

TV host and journalist, Tavis Smiley called him a "visionary with the rare combination of leadership and management skills." Mr. Fraser was featured in the New York Times-bestseller, Masters of Networking, along with Secretary, Colin Powell. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Human Letters from Jarvis Christian College. Mr. Fraser has been married to Nora Jean for over 36 years. They have two sons, Kyle and Scott.
December 2, 2011