E-mail a friendEarl Stafford
airdate January 12, 2009
Earl W. Stafford believes in giving back—in a big way. He's purchased the JW Marriott's million-dollar package for the presidential inauguration and plans to host wounded veterans, terminally ill patients and the disadvantaged. After completing a 20-year U.S. Air Force career, Stafford founded the Virginia-based telecommunications firm, UNITECH. His success has also allowed him to give his alma mater, UMass Amherst, $1 million to establish an entrepreneurial studies professorship.
The UNITECH CEO describes the People's Inauguration that will bring disadvantaged Americans to DC. (3:18)
Full interview. (8:53)
Earl Stafford
Tavis: Earl Stafford is the chairman and CEO of Unitech, a weapons simulation company he founded in 1988 following a 20-year career in the U.S. Air Force. With $1 million of his own money he has created The People's Inaugural Project, which will allow hundreds of underserved people to attend next week's historic events. He joins us tonight from Arlington, Virginia. Earl Stafford, nice to have you on the program, sir. Happy New Year to you.
Earl Stafford: Happy New Year to you too, sir. Thank you.
Tavis: Let me start by asking where this idea came from and what got you inspired to want to do something so kind and generous as this?
Stafford: Well, again, I explain to people, my family and I, we're a Christian family, and we were inspired as of last March to do something. We didn't quite know what it was, but we were inspired to do something for those who are underserved. And it has evolved into this inaugural event that we're having at the J.W. Marriott in Washington.
Tavis: What was it about the campaign that made you decide that whatever you were going to do, it would take this particular form?
Stafford: Well, in effect it wasn't about either candidate, but I was inspired to do something. And we made commitments as far back as June and July and August to hold some type of event for those who are underserved. And so we've done that and we've rented the J.W. Marriott, and we just want to do something to help the people.
Tavis: If John McCain had won this race as opposed to Barack Obama, how might this have been different? Because you didn't know who was going to win in November.
Stafford: We had no idea when we made the commitment to do this who was going to win. How would it have been different? I wouldn't have been as happy, (laughter) but we would have - but we would have proceeded ahead with the event to serve the people.
Tavis: So tell me - it's really not just an event. There are a number of things that you're doing, and I don't expect you to remember all the stuff that your $1 million is paying for, but give me a sense of what some of the activities are. What are you doing for these underserved persons when they arrive in Washington?
Stafford: Well, what we're doing, we're bringing the people in. We're going to have accommodations from Sunday evening. Monday morning we're going to have a 1,000-person prayer breakfast. Monday at noontime we're having a 1,000-person Martin Luther King luncheon, where Martin Luther King III is going to speak.
The next day we're going to watch the parade from the 12th floor balcony of the J.W. Marriott, and that evening we're going to have a 1,000-person inaugural ball. And in addition to that, we're going to have a 400 or 500-person youth ball for those who are not of adult age.
Tavis: I know you have a company that has 400 and some-odd employees, but tell me, staffing-wise, once you got this brilliant idea, how are you implementing - I want to know one, how you're implementing all of this, and I want to know more about the people who get a chance to come to these events.
Stafford: Well, one of the things that we've done, we've formed a coalition with other socially conscious organizations, such as the National Urban League and the Institute for Responsible Citizenship, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and others, and we've gone up and we've asked them to help us to identify these individuals to verify that they are in the condition that they say they are, and to help bring those individuals to Washington and be responsible for them while they're here.
They are also part of formulating the different events - the prayer breakfast, the luncheon, and the other venues - and they're participation with the Stafford Foundation to do that.
Tavis: Tell me what you hope these persons who attend these events are going to take away from this experience beyond having had a good time.
Stafford: Well, I say to people it would be a sin if we brought these people into Washington and sent them home in the same condition. So what we're doing, we're trying to have empowerment type of seminars where we can help them with financial conditions, we can teach them about health issues and things of this nature.
We've also decided that once these people return to their communities, we want to track these people and stay in contact with them for up to one year to help them with their conditions, to get them with the right resources. And then we're hoping through this that this will spread, and that they will take it back to their communities. And even in their distressed state, that they'll reach out to do good and to help others.
Tavis: When your foundation is not organizing inaugural activities, what does the Stafford Foundation typically do?
Stafford: Well, the Stafford Foundation is really a family foundation that was formed - we didn't have much activity before this event, so this is really an inaugural event for the foundation.
Tavis: And what do you expect the foundation would do beyond these events?
Stafford: Well, the response to our efforts has been like a tsunami, if you will. We're going to take the foundation and we're going to make it a public foundation. And we've received responses from individuals who are sending in $100, $200, to help sponsor and to be a part of this event. So we're going to continue to serve the underserved and to reach out to help people.
Tavis: Wow. So as the story about what you're doing has spread, as this national media spotlight has been shined on your courageous and kind and generous efforts, you have other people now sending you checks to support the work to sponsor these persons?
Stafford: Tavis, we've received over 7,000 responses from around the world, and people are sending in gowns, tuxedoes. Many are sending in $100, $200 donations to the Stafford Foundation website. And what we're hoping is that this type of participation spreads. That people will go out and do good in their communities to be their brother's keeper, if you will.
Tavis: Are the majority of these persons, given the organizations you've partnered with, are the majority of them African Americans, or people of color?
Stafford: They're from diverse backgrounds - African American, Asian, Latino, non-minorities. It's a diverse effort.
Tavis: How far do you think this is going to spread? Are you going to have persons from various states across the country, all 50 - how wide is the reach going to be for this?
Stafford: Well, we've received requests from as far away as Australia, but I think we have about 20 states, from the Southeast, from the West, from the Midwest, that we're bringing in people of various backgrounds and diversities.
Tavis: You started this conversation by telling me about your faith. You said, "We are a Christian family."
Stafford: Yes, we are.
Tavis: Tell me more about your faith, and obviously you are ashamed and unabashed about it, which is a beautiful thing. But tell me about your faith and the role that it's played not just in your life but in serving as the kind of impetus, ultimately, for the good that you're doing here.
Stafford: Well, my faith is at the basis of all that I try to do, and we just ask God and Christ for guidance in doing this, and even as this project is unfolding it's not about me, it's not about the notables that we're bringing in, but we just want to do God's will.
And as a matter of fact, in this coalition that we've formed, every meeting is led off with prayer and ended with prayer, but we have two slogans, if you will: FOTM - focus on the mission. That's on serving the people that we are to serve and minister to. And GGG - God gets the glory. So it's not about us, it's about doing God's will.
Tavis: I like that. Your family - you have a wife and kids?
Stafford: I have a wife of 38 years and I have three children that are grown and four grandchildren.
Tavis: Wow. So I assume they're all going to share in this family effort in a few days from now?
Stafford: Well, they have really been the impetus behind this, and they're working 16, 18 hours a day with others who are outside of the family to make this happen. And we're just excited about being in service for the Lord.
Tavis: Here's the exit question, for me, at least: What's the reward in this for you? It's a wonderful and generous and charitable offer on your part. What's the reward for Earl Stafford and family?
Stafford: To be faithful. Truly, people ask me, "Well, what are you getting out of this?" Well, it's not about me, it's not about what I'm getting in return - it's about me being in service and being faithful and obedient.
Tavis: I expected that, and I wanted to give you a chance to say it, and so you did. (Laughter) His name is Earl Stafford and you may have seen stories about him. If you haven't, you have now. He is one of the most generous persons - perhaps the most generous individual around these inaugural festivities taking place in, of course, the nation's capital next week. Mr. Stafford, congratulations, thank you for doing this on behalf of all the persons who are going to be benefitted by your effort. I'm glad to have you on the program.
Stafford: Thank you very much, sir. God bless.
Tavis: Thank you. You too. Thank you, sir.
Back to January 12, 2009