Celebrating Kenyan Achievements in the Diaspora By David Karangu

A very prominent Kenyan who has, by virtue of hard work and ambition, blazed a trail that will have many Kenyans panting as they try to catch up. Karangu is President and Chief Operating Officer of Mercedes Benz of Augusta and Fairway Ford of Augusta. Previously, he held progressively responsible positions with a variety of automotive companies. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of Augusta Prep School, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Augusta. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Morgan State University. He was recently named to the Board of Directors for MCG Health Inc.

It is no small feat to be mentioned in the Black Enterprise Magazine’s top 100 black owned companies (in #41 in 2003 and #42 in 2004) but his car dealership has achieved that status. He has also been interviewed on CNN as one of the most prominent black businessmen in the US car market.

David Karangu, 38, owns Kenya Auto Enterprises, an Augusta-based company which holds the Mercedes Benz franchise. Augusta is the second-largest luxury car market in the state of Georgia after state capital Atlanta.

Karangu’s franchise operates under the name Kenya Auto Enterprises and employs over 100 people. Annual sales exceed $66 million (about Sh5 billion). His dealership is ranked 41 out of 100 in the US in a survey by Black Enterprise magazine. Kenya Auto Enterprises is also quoted in the Augusta Chronicle.

It can be traced back to his days at Morgan State University, Baltimore, in the 1980s when General Motors came scouting for talent and he Ford as a manager. In 1997, a Ford dealership was offered for sale and Karangu, then only 30, seized the opportunity.

The dealership was earning approximately $10 million (Sh740 million) in sales annually. By 2003, reports Black Enterprise magazine, earnings had shot up to around $72 million.

He has now acquired a new BMW/Subaru/Volkswagen dealership (March 2007) and divested his economy car businesses. His focus is now going to be on luxury cars.

Born in Atlanta in 1967, Karangu came to Kenya when he was about five, but went back to the US when he was 17. He enrolled for a marketing course at Morgan University where his father was teaching.

We salute you. Thank you for setting very high standards for us to aspire to.

Source-Alusainc.wordpress

07/05/08

The first Peachtree Road Race was on July 4, 1970. A grand total of 150 runners started at the old Sears building at the intersection of Peachtree and Paces Ferry roads in Bulkhead, Atlanta. 110 participants hit the finish line and they made the beginning of this world renowned race. Participants have been coming from all countries. Those that have participated are current and retired Olympians. They form what is called the ELITE runners and run for a compensation. There are, however, many amateurs who run for fun and also to get motivation from the elites.

 

 

Among the runners was Monica Njeri Muchene, an 18 year old student of Branau University (Click here to read her profile and testimony), she was among the top finishers in group one category. Monica has a running scholarship in Brenau University and it came about because of her mother, Monica Muchene who is a community activist in Atlanta Georgia.Christine knows that there are very many colleges and universities that are eager to give Kenyans students scholarship just because they are Kenyans.Acccording to Christene, Coaches in these universities are convinced that Kenyans are gifted to run and will be willing to give Kenyans, athletic scholarship any time. Knowing this secret, she helped her daughter to secure a running scholarship and now it has became her passion to encourage other parents to look for this opportunities and at the same time talk to our young boys and girls about this golden opportunity that exist in schools. Read Christine Muchene’s story (Running is in our blood here).

 

 

 

 

 

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