Norwood J. Clark, Jr

NORWOOD J. CLARK, JR.

“LIVING HIS DREAMS”

According to an old saying, “a man who lives his dreams is most fortunate."  According to the many people who know Norwood J. Clark, Jr., he is most fortunate.

Born in the “Big Easy” aka New Orleans grew up some 30 miles west of New Orleans in a small rural farm community sandwiched between a rice and sugar can fields and also a stone throws away from the “Muddy Mississippi River” and Lake Pontchartrian.   Mount Airy, Louisiana would prove to serve as a backdrop that would mold, shape, and transform a young black man-child who was trapped in an air-tight cage of racism, prejudice, and the sweltering heat of segregation.

Clark began his professional career in Hollywood, as an engineer for ABC Television, where he helped set-up various venues for the 1984 Summer Olympics Games.  Various sporting events with Wide-World-of-Sports. 

Clark is currently the CEO/President and co-founder of Uncle Darrow’s, Inc.  A first-generation family-owned food service company that market old family recipes that dates back to the late 1800’s from the Bayou’s of Louisiana, through its first of a kind in southern California, Darrow’s New Orleans Grill fast casual with a full bar. Clark was also successful in brokering business partnerships with Nordstrom’s, Neiman Marcus, Starbucks, Ralphs, Gelson’s, Bristol Farms, Magic Johnson Enterprises and Dufry. 

Along with being CEO and co-founder of ReUnite America USA a non-profit that spawned out of the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita down in the Gulf Coast Region.  Clark along with some other great humanitarians transported 90 tons of supplies to Houston a week after the hurricanes.  

During the worst pandemic this world has ever seen, COVID-19, Darrow’s New Orleans Grill and ReUnite America USA partnered with the Federal, State and local municipalities and prepared 78,840 hot meals for our most vulnerable citizens’, our seniors.

Clark, a former collegiate baseball player at Grambling State University, formerly served on the Board of Directors for the Marina del Rey, Westchester, and LAX Chamber of Commerce, was Co-Chairman of the African American Food Association.   A member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity; Big brothers of Greater Los Angeles; Black Men Reaching Back, a mentor group for young black males with no father in the household.  Brother II Brother another mentor group that mentor young men in the penal system.  He is currently a Board Member of the Carson Chamber of Commerce and works very closely with the Carson Work Source and Urban League career opportunity's work-shop programs. Work with the Boys and Girls Club of Venice, California.  One of the sponsors for THE LOS ANGELES AIDS WALK.

Clark also, through Darrow’s New Orleans Grill helps sponsor field trips for inner city youths to visit its manufacturing plant, to show a different side of life.  He has also worked with Lawry’s Foods with its “Chef on Tour” program for the inner-city kids.  Clark has been the guest speaker at UCLA, USC, PEPPERDINE, IRS, Chase Bank and BETHAAL AME Entrepreneur classes. Currently part of a national marketing campaign for Wells Fargo.

He was recently featured in two National Television Shows, CBS Mornings and Food Paradise, on the Travel Channel. New York Times best-selling books, a cookbook called “Our Family Table” by Thelma Williams and foreword by Camille O. Cosby, Ed.D.  Featured are the likes of the late Arthur Ashe, Ed Bradley, Dr. Benjamin Carson, Sr., Dr. Mae C. Jemison, and Barbara Jordan, just to name a few and Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s book, 32 Ways to be a Success in Business.

A side from Clark’s daily commitments, he is an ardent out-doors-man, he enjoys camping, horseback riding, water skiing, racket ball, live theater, and networking with all types of people.

Clark feels that true and total success is only achieved when “you can help empower others the way you, yourself have been empowered by others, until then, keep striving for perfection, but be willing to tolerate excellence!”