"I've agreed to be the interim president, with the emphasis on 'interim,'" Webb tells GlobeSt.com. "I'm not going to be like Hank Brown," he jokes, alluding to former US Senator Brown, who took the job as president of CU, but then recently agreed to take the job permanently.

"Odell Barry is a close personal friend," Webb explains to GlobeSt.com. "He asked me to take the position and I told him no. I don't have time; I have the redevelopment of Dahlia Square and a series of other projects around the country." Among other things, Webb is doing some consulting on developments for Forest City Enterprises. Barry kept asking Webb to take the position, until he finally agreed. Barry is working Bayrock and the Trump Organization to do a high-rise hotel and condo project Downtown.

Having agreed, Webb now says he thinks even in a few months in the job he can help the African American community with small businesses, wealth building and entrepreneurship. Webb says he will also continue to work his other development deals while president. "Webb stepped up to the plate with a little arm twisting from me," Barry tells GlobeSt.com. "The search committee is doing a good job, but Webb wasn't on their radar screen. He was on my radar screen."