Title: Owner, President
Company: Memory of Tom Powell Post Golden Knights
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems, Tokyo College (1985)
Career History: Owner/President, Memory of Tom Powell Post Golden Knights (2008-Present); Engineer Analyst; System Administrator; With AT&T
Michael H. White, Owner and President at Memory of Tom Powell Post Golden Knights, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the fields of education, music, and philanthropy.
For more than a decade, Mr. White has dedicated himself to helping the youth through his organization of the Memory of Tom Powell Post Golden Knights, a nonprofit foundation based in St. Louis, Missouri whose mission is to assist young people and adults in counseling, music education, learning new skills, and preventing substance abuse, among other goals. Having played in drum and bugle corps through high school, he takes great pride in visiting public schools and teaching students how to read and play music, assisting band directors, and helping people of all ages to participate and march in parades, concerts, shows, and other events within the local community.
The group, which now has between 25 and 30 members, has roots that trace back to 1919 when Tom Powell Post #77 became the first Black American Legion Post and was ultimately chartered by Congress as well. Its namesake was an Army messenger during World War I, who enlisted in an all-Black regiment after he was initially rejected by Army recruiters; he was ultimately killed in France while carrying messages. The first Drum Crop was established in 1935, which branched off into several other groups, including American Woodmen Cadets, Page Park Cadets, and Golden Knights Drum Line. Donations to the group primarily go toward helping underprivileged children.
A gifted musician and educator within music programs, Mr. White has also deeply valued hard work and learning as many things as he could—among his many areas of expertise are bookkeeping, accounting, income taxes, management, and leadership. He served for many years as a system administrator and an engineer analyst; in fact, he wrote the very first income tax software that hit the market in 1978 and wrote codes for airplanes in Egypt. In 1985, he earned a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from Tokyo College. However, since shifting gears and focusing on music education full-time, he considers his most rewarding accomplishment to be teaching children and marching with them.
Looking toward the future, Mr. White hopes to eventually retire, travel, and spend time with his family, including his wife, five children, and grandchildren.