Joe Sanders, Jr. graduated from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1969 from the College of Business, becoming the first member of his family to attend and graduate from college. Joe was a very committed student while at Southern, which led to his first professional opportunity in the Auditing department at Detroit Edison (the largest energy provider in Southeast Michigan). Shortly after relocating to Detroit, Joe completed a one year tour with the US Army as a member of the Military Police in Vietnam. He was awarded an Army Commendation Medal for his service. Upon returning to Detroit Edison, Joe would spend the next three decades rising through the ranks from an associate internal auditor to become the company’s Acting General Auditor.
Joe was considered a highly accomplished and greatly respected leader in his field, and one of the highlights of his Detroit Edison career was his time serving as Director of the Auditing Fuel & Disbursement Division. His team was often involved in many underground coal mine & nuclear plant performance audits (which included regular trips to coal mines throughout the Midwest), as well as traditional auditing responsibilities.
Recognized for his exceptional leadership abilities early in his career, senior leadership often asked Joe to teach General Auditing & Business courses to the company’s next generation of finance professionals. Business Ethics was one of his favorite courses to teach, and he relished the opportunity to build out the curriculum and teach it to aspiring managers within the company via the Detroit Edison Educational Development Center.
Joe’s humble beginnings drove his desire to remain connected to the community, both professionally and within the Southern University community. Professionally, this included spending weekends helping minority-owned Detroit businesses optimize their business procedures and working with the Detroit Junior Achievement Program to help young people develop an interest in business careers. Joe stayed connected to the SU community by joining the Detroit Chapter of National SU Alumni Federation. He passionately served as President during the 1989-90 program year. As a master of his craft, Joe proudly accepted the appointment as president for the Detroit chapter of The Institute of Internal Auditors. He became the first African American to hold the position.
Joe was a very proud Jaguar and often commented on the major role the College of Business played in helping him obtain the executive leader positions he achieved throughout his career. He especially remembered what it was like to be a student in need of financial support in his undergraduate years. This scholarship is being offered to honor his memory and to help others striving to achieve academic excellence.