THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 6, 1996 TAG: 9611060038
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DOUG BEIZER, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 71 lines
DOUGLAS BRYANT has it all. A devoted wife and three children. A successful Navy career. And a strong devotion to his church.
Thanks to all those accomplishments, plus his classic good looks, he now has something else.
A title.
Bryant, a Navy petty officer from Virginia Beach, was named winner of the 1996 What A Man! contest sponsored by Essence magazine and Preferred Stock cologne. Essence readers nominated thousands of candidates for the award, then voted for the ``ideal'' man among 10 finalists selected by the magazine. Three of the 10 - Bryant and Keith Cephus and Malcolm Staples of Norfolk - live in Hampton Roads.
The November issue of Essence features an ad announcing Bryant's victory. The ad shows Bryant, 36, looking over his right shoulder in a smooth model pose.
All this national attention would not have happened without his wife, Gwendolyn, Bryant said.
``She said from the beginning, `I know you can win this contest.' She had that belief automatically. From that day on, I was very enthusiastic about entering,'' he said.
For Gwendolyn Bryant, achievements outside her husband's work are what put him over the top.
``He has always been there for me and the children,'' she said. ``He's a very good father to our children, which I think had a lot to do with him winning.''
The contest officials noted Bryant's 18-year Navy career as a factor in his selection. Bryant's honors and commendations include: 1992 Sailor of the Year, Navy Achievement Medal, several Battle Efficiency Ribbons and the Humanitarian Award Medal.
Reactions to the award are still rolling in from friends and family.
``A friend of mine was home, and he just happened to go through the Essence magazine that his wife got,'' Bryant said.
``And when he ran across the article, he had to stop and then look at the picture and then start reading again, because he couldn't believe it was me.''
He said his overjoyed mother in his hometown, Jacksonville, Fla., had already dubbed herself ``What a Mom!'' and his wife has taken on the title ``What a Wife!''
Of course his coworkers didn't let him off too easy.
``Yes, Lord, I get comments from them every day,'' said Bryant, a maintenance control chief at Norfolk Naval Air Station.
``There were pictures up all around the squad room. They made photocopies of the article and had them posted all over. They call me `The Man!' or `Chief Wham!' ''
Bryant's son, Douglas Jr., 14, and his 10-year-old twin daughters, Tiffany and Tamara, have been more kind. They just want copies of the magazine to show off to their friends and teachers.
The kids probably took it easy on dad since he does most of the cooking for his family. Spaghetti prepared in a ``special way'' is his daughters' favorite, and barbecue ribs is his son's pick.
But playing down all the excitement is fine with Bryant.
``The best part about the contest is giving God the praise for my success,'' he said.
``What I do hope can be achieved by all of this is that . . . all men understand you have to be special to your wife for her to even consider you for anything like this.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by L. Todd Spencer/The Virginian-Pilot
[Douglas Bryant]
KEYWORDS: PROFILE IDEAL MAN by CNB