Herman Cain
A charismatic pizza executive who rose to CEO from humble beginnings and later channeled his business persona into a surprising presidential run.
1945–2020 (age 75)·American businessman·Birthday: December 13·The Silent Generation
Biography
Herman Cain's story was a classic American narrative of self-made success. Born in Memphis to a chauffeur and a domestic worker, he earned a mathematics degree and worked as a ballistics analyst for the Navy before entering the corporate world. At Pillsbury, he impressed his bosses so much that they handed him the reins to a struggling region of Burger King restaurants, which he turned around. His defining corporate chapter came at Godfather's Pizza, where as CEO he led a buyout from Pillsbury and returned the chain to profitability. This earned him a national profile and a seat on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Cain later translated his business credibility into political activism, becoming a vocal figure in the Tea Party movement. His 2012 presidential campaign, though short-lived, was notable for its '9-9-9' tax plan and his folksy, direct speaking style. His journey from the boardroom to the political stage made him a unique and influential figure in conservative politics.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Herman was born in 1945, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Herman Was Born
The biggest hits of 1945
#1 Movie
The Bells of St. Mary's
Best Picture
The Lost Weekend
Herman's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1945Born
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1950Started school
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1958Became a teenager
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Could drive
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1963Could vote
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Turned 21
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1975Turned 30
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 40
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 50
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 60
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 70
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2020Died at 75
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
Key Achievements
- Served as President and CEO of Godfather's Pizza, leading a successful leveraged buyout of the chain in 1988.
- Chaired the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City from 1995 to 1996.
- Rose to national political prominence as a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.
- Authored several business and motivational books, including 'This is Herman Cain! My Journey to the White House.'
Did You Know?
He hosted a syndicated radio talk show, 'The Herman Cain Show,' from the early 2000s.
Cain was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in 2006 and was declared cancer-free after treatment.
He held a master's degree in computer science from Purdue University.
Before his business career, he worked as a mathematician for the U.S. Department of the Navy.
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”
