GSB Distinguished Alumni, ‘72, Dumas Simeus was one of 33 presidential candidates in Haiti’s first election since Jean-Bertrand Aristide was deposed two years ago. Simeus who built the largest black-owned business in Texas, left his parents and 11 siblings in Haiti at 21 to go to college, according to an Associated Press article about his candidacy.

He and his supporters believe the skills he acquired as he climbed the ladder at such major U.S. corporations as Atari, Bendix, Hartz and Beatrice and grew Simeus Foods International, his own $155 million business, would help his homeland. In an interview in the Dallas Morning News, Simeus likened Haiti to “a company or organization in bankruptcy. With the right leadership, those organizations have been successful in moving forward.”

Simeus has worked to help Haitians through a non-profit he established in 1999 to provide medical care, education and clothing. He received the 2003 Alumni Award for Distinguished Public Service in recognition. Last year, He also served on a Haitian advisory group at the invitation of Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

Simeus identifies closely with Haiti saying “his soul is in the country.” His passion for Haiti and his desire to help the country were evident in the concession letter he sent to his supporters.

February 24, 2006

Dear Friends and Compatriots,

The February 7, 2006 Haitian election is a day of pride for all Haitians. The Haitian people showed unprecedented discipline and courage to vote, many standing in line for up to six hours to cast their ballots. Sixty-two percent of registered voters participated in this election. I commend all who voted with such grace, dignity, patience and determination.

I congratulate Mr. René Préval, the newly elected President of Haiti. Préval has the wherewithal to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich, between businesspeople and politicians, between the educated and uneducated. Préval has publicly and privately asked for my assistance in helping him in his new administration. I am committed to working with President Préval’s government as an independent businessman and will focus my efforts on attracting investments to Haiti to create jobs.

I also thank my supporters in Haiti and the Diaspora for their encouragement, perseverance, diligence and hard work in what proved to be a challenging campaign. A special thank you to our American friends who have also encouraged us and supported our campaign.

My campaign was a fight for Haitians everywhere, both in Haiti and in the Diaspora. It was a fight for inclusion and participation to change the future of our beloved country. But even with two Supreme Court decisions giving me the nod to run for the Presidency of the Republic of Haiti, the electoral council and interim government chose to keep me off the ballot.

But this chapter is now closed, and we must now all look ahead to the future. We must be proud that our candidacy and our campaign will forever change the course of discussion of the Diaspora and the Constitution for the betterment of the country. And this fight is not over. I continue to be committed to a new Constitution. The current Constitution is outdated and many of its articles discourage foreign investments, and therefore the creation of jobs. The new constitution must restore the rights of all the Haitians in the Diaspora to participate in the socio-economic development and political affairs of this emerging democracy.

Now, let us not dwell in the past or waste time analyzing Haiti’s issues which all of us can easily recite. Let us instead put our energies into creating positive change in the present so that all Haitians have the right and means to live productive and dignified lives, and can give their children and grandchildren the means to rise above the poverty of today and reach their potential in the future.

Accolades fraternelles et patriotiques,

Dumarsais Siméus