WARREN — Ed Deeb, president of the Michigan Food and Beverage Association, celebrated his 45th anniversary in 2007 as an  association and business leader.

Recently, a group from Washington came to Detroit to see if there has been improvement in Detroit since the 1967 Detroit riots.  They were gathering information about whether there was anything positive that had developed as a result of the rioting.

They had announced that they were working with the University of Pennsylvania which was planning to document the riot in a forthcoming book.

The group was able to reach Deeb, who reported to them that there were many positive things that came about following the riots, especially between Arab and Chaldean store owners and the general community.

His compilation of such information at the time of the riots involving some 400 food stores was so valuable that the U.S. Senate investigations sub-committee in Washington petitioned Deeb to bring a copy of his inventory to the Capitol and testify before the committee.   He followed others who also testified including then-Michigan Gov. George Romney and Detroit Mayor Jerome Cavanaugh.

When the rioting began in 1967, Deeb took inventory of the damage done to each food store, supermarket and convenience store, whether slightly damaged like broken windows, or totally destroyed by fire.  He recalled it was a frustrating time for store owners, many who had stood atop their stores with shotguns to protect their property.

Deeb contacted New Detroit, Inc. (NDI) who agreed to form a coalition with the food industry and residents.  A series of important meetings took place.  NDI under the leadership then of CEO Walter Douglas agreed to hold meetings with residents urging them to be more sensitive to store owners, especially those with a language problem, and try to understand them better.

“We urged the merchants to support local charities, schools and churches; to hold an annual picnic for their customers in their store’s parking lot; to hire local people where possible; and to show that store owners truly wanted to be respected and part of the community,” Deeb added.

A regular communicator with the food industry was the late Dr. Frances Kornegay of the Detroit Urban League who would regularly contact Deeb if he heard any complaints or questions.  Deeb attended  meetings and wrote industry position papers where needed.  Also assisting was Chaldean attorney Salman Sesi of Sesi & Sesi, Inc.

As a result of the regular meetings with retailers along with New Detroit, the Detroit Urban League, and the NAACP’s Detroit chapter, much was accomplished to have all sides understand each other better.

Since tensions were running high at the time, communications with several community organizations were created to have instant information.  The most important was with New Detroit and Deeb’s association which formed an on-going task force to help resolve any problem which arose.

“At the time, Iraqi-Chaldean grocers were concerned about protecting their stores and for the safety of their employees,”  Deeb said.  “Today, during the current Iraq war, they are worried about family and relatives over there.”

“Each day we had different issues involving store owners,” according to Deeb.  “The key to bringing peace and tranquility between the parties was to have dialogue; to have the parties meet to discuss the various issues.”

Deeb added his role was to be the community facilitator and peacemaker between the merchants and those who had complaints.  “Fortunately, many of the complaints were unfounded which brought happiness to both the individual making the complaint and to the store owner.”

Another positive thing to come about from those tense days was the creation of Metro Detroit Youth Day.  The event was to show youngsters that they were respected by businesses and that the community at-large cared for them.  The first few annual Youth Days brought together some 1,100 youth from 25 youth organizations and business sponsors, and was coordinated by Deeb and the Michigan Food and Beverage Association.  The youngsters were treated to various games, contests, sports clinics, races plus a free lunch in the middle of the day.

In 1991, Metro Youth Day and Deeb were recipients of the 477th Point of Light Award from the first President Bush.  This is when the event began to award scholarships to graduating high school seniors.  The first year six scholarships were given out.  Last year 45 college scholarships were awarded along with honors to high school students for academic achievement and community service in 2007.  To date 550 scholarships have been awarded.

Last year more than 30,000 youth attended the event.  In addition to scholarships and other honors, today it encourages role models and mentors to work with youngsters, Deeb said.

The event is the largest youth event in Michigan.  There are more than 215 community organizations who participate in Metro Youth Day along with 210 corporate sponsors.

Today, 40 years following the rioting, many of the merchants have expanded their stores and acquired additional stores.  These merchants gladly volunteer to assist groups in their areas with various events.  And they reach out to be good neighbors as well as good business people.

Other Deeb accomplishments? In 1965 he  coordinated an effort to bring more police protection for the grocers who were being targeted for robberies and killings.

In 1971-73 Deeb was elected executive secretary of the National Association of Independent Food Retailers, and coordinated the wage-price freeze for Michigan’s food industry imposed by President Nixon.

In 1972, Deeb was instrumental in helping start the Michigan State Lottery. In the beginning, the lottery sold tickets for 50 cents and numbers were drawn once a week. Commissioner Gus Harrison asked Deeb to draw the very first lottery numbers, which were 991. Later of course the instant tickets were made available.  Today the Lottery has total ticket sales of $37 billion.

In 1976 Deeb co-chaired the industry’s effort to oppose the returnable container law with Peter Stroh of Stroh Brewery and Mort Feigenson of Faygo Beverages.  The law  was approved in 1977 and took effect in 1979.  In 1979 Deeb opposed the national grape boycott in the Detroit area. He met with Caesar Chavez and indicated it would be an illegal secondary boycott if area retailers complied with the effort.

Deeb has met with every president of the United States since he began his job in 1962  except Lyndon Johnson.

In 1984, Deeb was asked by businesses and farmers at Eastern Market to establish the Eastern Market Merchants Associations because they had no voice at city hall.  Deeb volunteered his time for 25 years as chairman of the association, and coordinated the various events at the market.  Deeb and EMMA were the driving force to keep Eastern  Market going since the city only provided funds for maintenance of the sheds and employee wages.

Since 1995 Deeb has strongly encouraged the City Council and the mayor’s office to permit historic Eastern Market to be managed by a non-profit 501-c-3 organization as is done with the Detroit Zoo and the Detroit Historical Museum.  Deeb, along with a coalition of others interested in the market, were thrilled when Mayor Kilpatrick and the City Council approved plans to have the market run by a non-profit management group.  It took effect Aug. 1, 2006.   Deeb was one of the founding board members.

Mr. Deeb is considered the “champion of small business.”  He began in the association management field in 1963 and in his 45 years he has assisted and coached thousands of small businesses and people interested in starting their own business.  The associations, Michigan Business and Professional Association and Michigan Food and Beverage Association, today have more than 20,000 members who employ 160,000 persons.  He has assisted and guided more than 10,000 small businesses who have requested help over the years.  Small businesses comprise more than 80% of all the brand new jobs that are created today.