Marques Ogden played five seasons in the NFL, but was plagued with injuries to his knees.  Currently, Ogden is working out six days a week and, with advice from his physical therapist, plays on a flag football team to keep in game shape.  But whether an NFL team calls or not, Ogden is working his business.

    
    Ogden started Kayden Premier Enterprises, named after his brother’s (Jonathan) kids, located in Baltimore.  Ogden’s business interests consists of a profitable business in construction and a non-profit trade program for retired athletes and reformed prisoners.  “The goal is to build the communities through people,” Ogden said.  “The profit side will help with the training for the trade programs and the non-profit will help found jobs.”

  
       “Marques has a phenomenal mind and is an awesome talent,” stated Arthur Perlman.  Perlman is the executive vice president of operations for Kayden Premier Enterprises, Ogden’s partner.  Perlman, 69, has been in the construction business for over 30 years and has been teaching the business for over 15 years.  Perlman continues to teach classes twice a month.  Perlman has a good sense of humor, love what he does and love to help change people lives for the better.

      
    Ogden and Perlman have strong views about the system in Baltimore and want to help make a change.  “We work in the inner city of Baltimore and the first thing you notice is that there’s no place to shop,” said Perlman.  “On every corner there’s a fast food store or a liquor store.  800,000 people live in the concentrated area called Baltimore City.  With the exception of the Caton area and some of the high fashion areas, there are no grocery stores.  How will people live and eat?  There’s no transportation to get them to the grocery stores and back.”  Perlman continues, ”There is something wrong…there is something  definitely wrong with the system when the worst parts of the population has the highest prices for food, it’s craziness.  Now, if this would have happened in a white neighborhood, they would be on the city like fleas on a pup.”       

      
       The school system is another issue for Ogden and Perlman as well.  Both men believe the school system is more interested in teaching kids algebra and geometry, sticking to the “no child left behind” program issue by President Bush.  Ogden and Perlman both believe however that the school system should have more vocational training programs to give kids a trade to be able to perform in the working world.  “We don’t prepare our kids for the future,” Perlman said.  “It’s like they (the school system) think two percent of our students going away to college is okay.”

        
    Ogden can relate to reformed prisoners and former athletes because of the experiences of some of his acquaintances.  “I have friends that did petty crimes, petty drugs, petty larceny, DUI’s, or whatever.  And with that record, you are stuck,” said Ogden.  “When athletes transition from playing professional sports because of injury, age, or just can’t play on a high level anymore and aren't ready for the real world, they will be in shocked.  Our programs can be for anything from owning a restaurant to owning a mortgage company.  Take in an interest for two years to learn a business, meet the right people, use your name and notability for good and you will be good and help people.”

       
     Ogden is very appreciative of Perlman and the others who believed, helped and guided him along the way.  Ogden and Perlman came together in January and thru a sequence of events thereafter, Ogden's dream began to take shape.  In March, Senator Elijah Cummings had an event at Morgan State University where Ogden met the senior vice president for construction of Manekin, Craig Wess.  Wess gave Ogden his first job in the commercial field for Shoppers Warehouse doing concrete pads and a project on Monroe Avenue.  Ogden finished his two-year internship at Doracon and completed a 10-week course last year with SBRC – Small Business Resource Center, which is operated by Terry Trusty.  “The program is awesome,” Ogden said.  “I learned everything from construction, insurance, bedding, itemizing, organization, estimating, sketching, taxes, you name it.” 

       
    Ogden continued with his praises, “Craig Wess and Dan Sharp (of Manekin) are my mentors.  They took a chance on me and gave us our first job.  Ken Banks and Ronald Lipscomb (owner of Doracon) prepared me well for this business.  Paul Taylor, who works at the Mayor’s office, June Evans, Robin Blesset, Terry Trusty, and their staff helped us be organized with OHSA – Occupational Hazard Safety Awareness.  Without all those people, we would get there, but with their help, we will be strong and legitimate businessmen in the city of Baltimore.  We would not be this organized and where we are today without them.”

        
    Ogden has along way to go to be a major player in the business world, but he is optimistic.  Kayden Premier Enterprises was certified for the city, federal and the state this month and will branch out to Prince George’s County, Montgomery County and, yes, Washington D.C. in the near future.  Currently, Ogden and Perlman had not received one dime for what they had done and Ogden had not asked his millionaire big brother for a penny, either.  “We can’t change the world and probably won’t change one block by the time we are done,” said Perlman.  “But someone is going to hear that story… someone has to know.  We know how to get things done.  Give us a challenge.”

          
  As for Ogden’s football career, he said he will be completely healthy in January and will be willing to listen.  “If an offer comes and if Art (Perlman) can find some key players who can handle the business without me, then I will go play,” said Ogden.  “But right now, the company is the most important thing.”

Written By Barry Barnes