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July 29, 2026
True skill development extends far beyond classroom instruction, and Gerod embodies this philosophy as an active leader in workforce innovation. As the owner, director and lead instructor of Legacy Barber College, Gerod has positioned his institution at the forefront of career technical education by serving as a recognized Registered Apprenticeship Program sponsor and partner in Michigan.
After overcoming early-life adversity, Gerod earned his Master Barber Stylist License from Michigan Barber College in 2015 and began breaking new ground in the industry. He established Basilio Barbershop & Supply, the first Black-owned barbershop in Adrian before making history again in March 2020 by opening Legacy Barber College, the city’s first barber training facility. His entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to the community also led him and his wife, Stephani, to open Head to Toe beauty supply store in 2021, continuously expanding opportunities for underrepresented populations.
At Legacy Barber College, Gerod connects classroom learning directly to earn-and-learn models that set students up for long-term independence. Through structured pre-apprenticeship pathways, such as the Cutting Up Pre-Apprenticeship, participants receive high-caliber foundational instruction that is officially MARC endorsed through the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Workforce Development. This endorsement guarantees pre-apprentices an interview for the Barber Registered Apprenticeship opportunity at Legacy Barber Shop, along with advanced On-the-Job Learning and Related Instruction credit for prior learning if hired.
What truly sets Gerod apart as an exceptional Registered Apprenticeship champion is his holistic approach to workforce development and mentorship. He actively reaches out to individuals who might otherwise be overlooked, visiting schools, youth programs and juvenile detention facilities to offer new pathways to stability and self-sufficiency. Through his non-profit outreach, including the Legacy Foundation, he works to provide scholarship assistance to students facing financial hardship or recovering from prior incarceration.
As Legacy Barber College enters its next chapter, the institution is making history again in Washtenaw County. By expanding into Ann Arbor's Briarwood Mall, Legacy officially becomes the first-ever dedicated barber college in the county's history, bringing localized, master-level barber training to the community for the very first time.
Through this expansion, Gerod continues to demonstrate how the structured rigor of Registered Apprenticeship standards creates clear, lifelong career pathways.
Graduates of the program are not only earning national recognition and winning barber competitions across the region; they are stepping into the workforce as licensed professionals, business owners and community leaders equipped to build lasting legacies.