Carnival's Arnold DoanldCarnival’s Arnold Donald is not a typical cruise line executive. He’s not white; he wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth; and he’s not arrogant.   

He was born in New Orleans. His parents didn’t finish high school. They raised him and his three siblings in the Ninth Ward (which is now largely destroyed due to Hurricane Katrina).  He achieved great success in the segregated south due to his commitment to education, hard work and the confidence instilled in him by his parents and teachers at St. Augustine High School. 

Mr. Donald has given back to New Orleans and has awarded over two dozen scholarships to his college and business school alma maters. He also donated funding to build a new wing at St. Augustine, named after his mother and father Warren and Hilda Donald.

He’s now the top executive of the largest cruise line in the world.  Read the article.  

March 20, 2018 Update: From poverty to CEO of a $47 billion company: How Arnold Donald did it.

Photo credit: Quartz