Richmond McCoy (Finding Aid)

Richmond McCoy

1954 -

Favorite Color: Blue

Favorite Food: Corn

Favorite Time of Year: Spring

Favorite Vacation Spot: The Caribbean

Interview Length: 101 minutes

Interview Date(s): March 8, 2001

Interview Location(s): New York, New York

Abstract

Real estate developer Richmond McCoy talks about his parents and their backgrounds. He shares memories of his childhood on a dairy farm in upstate New York, and of the racism and harassment he encountered as one of a small number of African American children in his school in the 1960s. Real estate developer Richmond McCoy recalls his teenage years, including the death of his father when he was thirteen. He tells about working in sales for Collier's Encyclopedias where he met with great success, and he shares the lessons he learned about selling, communications and self-confidence. He goes on to talk about his decision to get into commercial real estate and describes his experiences at his first real estate jobs, the successful firm he started with partners in 1984, Richard Sykes & Partners, and his decision to found his own firm, R.M.C. Group, in 1991. Real estate developer Richmond McCoy describes the development of his business, R.M.C. Group, his move into handling real estate investment for pension funds and investing in urban communities. He recounts how he began doing work for religious institutions and formed a company, McCoy Development Corporation, to handle this aspect of his business. He then discusses the founding of UrbanAmerica, L.P., with the support of a group of high-powered African American executives, and the success the company has had with real estate investment in urban minority neighborhoods. Real estate developer Richmond McCoy discusses his ideas about the need for African Americans to work together to further business interests, his belief in the potential of development in the urban core and his concerns about the black community's problems with drugs and lack of education. He shares his personal philosophy of success and reflects on his legacy. He also narrates a series of photos of himself and family members.

38 Stories (See Ordered Story Set)