Dave Wooley,
MBA

Dave Wooley, MBA, is a veteran entrepreneur, manager, producer, author, and director in the entertainment industry with over forty years of experience. Born and raised in Harlem, New York, he began his professional career as a teenager, hired as the drummer/percussionist for Grammy-nominated artist Norman Connors, and quickly became a prominent New York City studio musician.

Dave went on to produce and direct many world-class entertainment events, including television shows, sporting events, concerts, and tours. He has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, including Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Snoop Dogg, Loretta Lynn, James Brown, Queen Latifah, Patti LaBelle, Smokey Robinson, Sting, Run-DMC, Alicia Keys, Glenn Jones, Quincy Jones, Dionne Warwick, and Elton John.

Wooley’s career has also extended into the sports sector. He rose to prominence as the only Black man in the country to be awarded exclusive pay-per-view and closed-circuit television broadcasting rights for several entire states for the Mike Tyson versus Michael Spinks “Once and For All” match — the largest fight in history at the time. The fight grossed over seventy million dollars. He was subsequently featured in the 2021 documentary series Mike Tyson: The Knockout. Wooley was also awarded exclusive pay-per-view and closed-circuit television broadcast rights for several other championship fights, including the mega match-up George Foreman vs. Evander Holyfield, and many others.

Wooley was the sole producer and conceptualizer of “The Clash of the Legends,” a major pay-per-view TV event that pitted retired NBA basketball greats Julius “Dr. J” Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar against one another in a spectacular one-on-one half-court basketball event. The event was available in over 14 million homes on the Showtime pay-per-view network.

As an educator, Dave has been an adjunct business professor at Wilmington University, where he has taught and mentored young entrepreneurs for over 30 years. In addition, he has written three books, one of which received a nomination for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work. Wooley is the co-author of music legend Dionne Warwick’s best-selling autobiography, My Life, as I See It.

Wilmington, DE, Mayor Dennis Williams formally honored Wooley with a key to the city for his body of work, particularly the creation of the Wilmington, DE, “Clifford Brown Jazz Festival”. In 2021, Wooley was named “Talent/Content Advisor” for the Biden/Harris Presidential Inaugural Committee. Additionally, in 2022, officials from the City of Wilmington, DE, held a street-naming ceremony in Wooley’s honor, designating the corner of 16th and Claymont Street as “David F. Wooley Way.”

Expanding into the film industry, Wooley is the writer, producer, and co-director of the critically acclaimed, award-winning Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over documentary film featured on CNN and HBO MAX. The film had its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it won first runner-up. In 2024, Wooley was nominated by the NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Directing in a documentary film.

Wooley serves as the manager of Grammy-nominated artist Glenn Jones. Both Dave Wooley and Glenn Jones share a remarkable connection that traces back to the very beginning of their entertainment careers. Both of their professional careers began separately under the guidance of acclaimed music producer Norman Connors, creating a distinctive, long-lasting friendship and professional bond.

Dave received an Honorary Doctoral degree from Huron University in recognition of his body of work. However, Wooley’s greatest pride and achievement have been raising his two daughters as a single custodial father. Veda Wooley is a practicing Attorney who received a Juris Doctorate Degree from Drexel University, and Davina Wooley is a Computer Engineer who received an MS in Computer Science from Georgia Tech. Wooley is a lifelong learner who humbly prides himself on being a full-time entrepreneur, his entire life. Dave’s a dedicated community leader who believes “to whom much is given, much will be required.”