Janice Bryant Howroyd Built ActOne Group Into a National Business Powerhouse
By Staff Writer
May 11, 2026
LOS ANGELES — Janice Bryant Howroyd, founder and chief executive officer of ActOne Group, has built one of the most successful Black woman-owned businesses in the United States by turning a small employment-services idea into a global workforce solutions company.
Howroyd, a North Carolina native, founded ActOne Group in 1978 after moving to California with limited resources and a clear vision for helping people connect with meaningful work. Today, ActOne Group provides staffing, workforce management and procurement services to Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, mid-market businesses and local organizations. The company says it operates in 47 countries, serves more than 28,000 clients and employs thousands of people worldwide.
Her company is now recognized as the largest privately held woman- and minority-owned workforce management company in the United States. Forbes lists Howroyd as the founder and CEO of ActOne Group and estimates the company’s revenue at $890 million.
Howroyd’s success is especially significant because she built her company in an industry centered on people, opportunity and access. Instead of simply creating a staffing agency, she expanded ActOne into a broader business platform focused on workforce solutions, business services and strategic employment support.
ActOne Group’s own news archive highlights Howroyd’s milestone as the first African American woman to own a billion-dollar business, noting that the company previously reached $1.1 billion in net sales.
Beyond business, Howroyd has used her platform to support education, mentorship and professional development. ActOne says she has advocated for STEM education, especially for women and minorities, and has served on several business, education and civic boards.
Her journey offers a powerful example of American entrepreneurship. From a modest start to building a global company, Howroyd’s career shows how discipline, service and long-term vision can create lasting success.
For young entrepreneurs, her story carries a clear message: a business can grow far beyond its beginning when it solves real problems, treats people with value and stays focused on building opportunities for others.
