Don Coleman (linebacker) facts for kids

Donald Alvin Coleman (born January 11, 1952) is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan. Later, he played professionally for the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets. After his football career, he founded GlobalHue, a successful advertising agency.

Early Life and School

Don Coleman was born in Toledo, Ohio in 1952. He grew up in the Old West End neighborhood of that city. His mother, Dorothy Coleman, worked for the government. His father, Augustus Coleman, worked for United Airlines and as a library janitor.

Teachers at his public school suggested he needed more challenges. So, he transferred to St. John's Jesuit High School and Academy. He attended St. John's from 1966 to 1970. There, he did very well in both school and sports.

High School Football Star

Coleman was an All-City and All-State running back at St. John's. Many colleges wanted him to play football for them. He remembered having about 20 coaches visit his home. They all talked about their football programs. He chose the University of Michigan and received a full scholarship.

College Football Career

Coleman started at the University of Michigan in 1970. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines. His coach was Bo Schembechler. Coleman played from 1971 to 1973.

He began the 1971 season as a backup fullback. But Coach Schembechler moved him to defensive end later that year. Coleman played defensive end in 1972 and 1973. He helped the Wolverines tie for first place in the Big Ten Conference both years.

His coach described his role in 1973. He said Coleman was like a professional linebacker. He had to cover passes as part of his job. Coleman made 51 tackles and 52 assists for the Wolverines.

Professional Football Career

The New Orleans Saints drafted Don Coleman in 1974. He was picked in the 16th round. He played two seasons for the Saints, in 1974 and 1975. He played in 27 NFL games.

The Saints released Coleman in August 1976. He then signed with the New York Jets. But he missed the entire 1976 NFL season due to a left knee injury. In August 1977, he had surgery on his right knee. The Jets placed him on injured reserve. The Jets released Coleman in June 1978.

Advertising Career

While recovering from his football injuries, Coleman went back to school. He earned an M.B.A. degree in marketing. He got it from Hofstra University in New York in 1976.

In 1978, he started working at an advertising agency. It was called Campbell-Ewald in Detroit. He was an assistant account executive. He was the only Black person in account management there. He worked hard and became a full account executive. By 1983, he was a senior vice president. He worked on the Chevrolet account.

Focus on Minority Communities

Coleman then started working in advertising for minority communities. In 1983, he joined Burrell Advertising in Chicago. This company specialized in advertising to minority groups.

In 1988, he started his own company, Don Coleman Associates. It became Don Coleman Advertising in 1991. He later bought parts of two other agencies. One focused on the Asian-American market. The other focused on the Hispanic market.

He combined these companies to form GlobalHue. This company uses a culture-based approach to marketing. Don Coleman is the chairman and chief executive of GlobalHue.

GlobalHue's Success

In 2009, GlobalHue was a very successful company. It had about 300 employees. They worked in Southfield, Michigan and New York City. Their clients included Subway, the United States Navy, and Walmart.

In 2009, Advertising Week magazine named GlobalHue "Multicultural Advertising Agency of the Decade." In 2010, Black Enterprise magazine named GlobalHue the BE 100 Advertising Agency of the Year. They also received this honor in 1998 and 2003. Don Coleman's daughter, Kelli Coleman, also works for GlobalHue. She is the vice president for business development.

Scholarship and Board Memberships

In 2009, Coleman started The Coleman Entrepreneurial Scholarship (CES). This scholarship helps college students from diverse backgrounds. It encourages them to consider starting their own businesses. CES gives out $50,000 in scholarships each year.

Coleman is also a member of several important boards. He is on the board for the A.C. Nielsen Center Marketing Research Business School. He is also on the Board of Visitors at Howard University's School of Communications. He serves on the Board of Trustees for the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Since 1999, he has been vice chairman of the National Action Network (NAN). He helps with their fundraising efforts.