Inspired by his dedication to God and deep commitment to family, Gregory Perkins began African American Expressions in a small shop in Sacramento, California in 1991. Having no formal education beyond a high school diploma, Perkins lovingly refers to the B.A. he received when he became “Born Again”. African American Expressions, now the largest black-owned greeting card company in America, began as a single product company selling ethnically sensitive Christmas cards in three designs. Perkins’ persistence was fueled by his childhood experiences watching his father run the family restaurant and nightclub business in Niagara Falls, New York. Today, African American Expressions sells over 2,500,000 cards annually with over 500 original designs. This multimillion dollar operation has expanded to include many other inspirational gifts such as calendars, handcrafted figurines, journals, mugs, magnets, bookmarks, Christmas decorations and more. The company rapidly expands its market share through the distribution channels of thousands of retailers and wholesalers throughout the country and around the world. Perkins has been the keynote speaker at the Book Expo of America for the African American Booksellers using his inspirational style and sharing his experience and knowledge in “Increasing Your Bottom Line”. Wells Fargo Bank recently awarded him the New Vista Award, which honors Sacramento’s most successful small businesses. In his speech, he freely referred to “Jesus as the reason for the success of my business”. He proudly stated that, “It is my intention to be about my Father’s business.” Additional awards include Best Booth Design from the Christian Booksellers Association; also a finalist in the Louis Awards for Best Kwanzaa Design. In 2000, Perkins became the recipient of the IBBMEC Manufacturer of the Year Award. Awards We’ve Won 2011 MLK Difference Maker Award 2010 Outstanding Community Service Award from Hosea Feed the Hungry 2009 Book Expo Trailblazer Award 2007 Sacramento Community Service Award 2003 New Vista Award-Wells Fargo/The Observer Media Group 2002 Best Booth at IBBMEC 2001 Winners of Best Booth at CBA 2000 Winners of the Manufacturer of the Year Award at IBBMEC 1999 Louie Award Finalists
