The History Behind
Ezra and Associates, LLC
A Tribute to Rev. Dr. Henry Clay Tutt, Sr.,
Our Visionary
Ezra and Associates, LLC was not born in a boardroom. It was born in the life of a man shaped by family, faith, discipline, and service.
Henry Clay Tutt, Sr.
Henry Clay Tutt, Sr. was born in Greenville, Kentucky, into a lineage of preachers. His father, Rev. Raymond Tutt, and his mother, Rev. Odie Bell Dusom-Tutt, moved their family to New Albany, Indiana, where they built a small church in Jefferson Gardens a legally segregated Black community established to give African Americans opportunity and land ownership during a difficult era in American history. His father farmed the land and preached the Gospel. Faith and work were never separated in the Tutt household they were one and the same.
Henry Clay Tutt, Sr. at a young age in his military uniform.
The Army: Discipline, Leadership, and Vision
As a young man, Henry Clay Tutt volunteered to serve in the United States Army during the Korean War. He trained at Fort Knox, Kentucky, became a tank specialist, and served at the 38th parallel in Korea. The Army did more than train him for warfare it shaped his discipline, sharpened his leadership, and strengthened his resolve.
His military service left such an enduring impact that all three of his sons would later serve in the military (two in the Army, one in the Navy), along with one of his daughters in the Navy. He was laid to rest in a military cemetery near Fort Knox, KY, a final testament to a life of honorable service.
The structure, order, and strategic thinking learned in the Army would later become foundational to his ministry and business philosophy.
The Businessman with a Pastor’s Heart
Upon returning home, he became a certified journeyman machinist working on train engines for L&N Railroad and later CSX until retirement. But while working full-time, he answered a higher call, ministry.
Within the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AMEZ), he rose through the ranks, ultimately serving 16 years as Presiding Elder of the Indianapolis District of the Indiana Conference. Leadership recognized something distinctive in him an “eye for business.”
He often said: “While the church is spiritual, it is also a business.”
He pursued formal education in business and later earned a Doctor of Ministry degree. He mastered finance, accounting, and organizational structure, with a particular passion for financial stewardship. Over time, he helped rescue struggling congregations throughout the South and Midwest by applying sound business principles to ministry operations.
He loved the church. He loved seeing people prosper. And he quietly helped countless individuals build stability spiritually and financially.
Investor, Visionary, Community Builder
Rev. Dr. Tutt did not simply preach prosperity, he practiced stewardship.
He purchased his first home on a Contract for Deed. He bought and sold land. He invested in raw property and waited patiently for growth and development. He understood long-term value, disciplined acquisition, and the power of land ownership.
He eventually formalized his vision through Tutt Ministries, LLC, focusing on redevelopment and community uplift through housing and property stewardship.
He believed communities could change when housing stock improved. He believed commercial property ownership could anchor neighborhoods. He believed faith and finance were not enemies, they were partners.
The Continuation: Ezra & Associates, LLC
Ezra and Associates, LLC is the living continuation of the vision of Rev. Dr. Henry Clay Tutt, Sr.
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Now led by his son, Rev. Dr. Dwayne L. Tutt, the firm carries forward the values instilled by a father who blended military precision, pastoral compassion, and business acumen.
The name “Ezra” itself reflects biblical wisdom rebuilding, restoring, and reestablishing strong foundations. Just as Ezra rebuilt what had been broken, this firm is committed to strengthening communities through strategic development, real estate stewardship, and disciplined business practices.
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Ezra and Associates stands on four pillars inherited from Rev. Dr. Henry Clay Tutt, Sr.:
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Faith-driven integrity
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Military discipline
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Financial intelligence
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Community transformation
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This is more than a company history.
It is a legacy of service.
It is a testimony of stewardship.
It is the extension of a father’s life work.
Ezra and Associates, LLC exists because one man believed that churches, communities, and families could prosper when leadership combined faith with sound business principles.
And that vision lives on.
Who We Are
Our Visionary,
Rev. Dr. Henry Clay Tutt Sr.
Rev. Dr. Henry Clay Tutt was a man of vision, not only preaching prosperity but also practicing stewardship. He loved seeing people prosper and appreciated structure, order, and strategic thinking, traits attributed to his upbringing, military service, profession, and ministry. This is Rev. Dr. Henry Clay Tutt, a pastor born into a lineage of pastors, an Army veteran, a businessman, an investor, and a community builder...our visionary.
Our Steward-Leader,
Rev. Dr. Dwayne L. Tutt
Dwayne is our steward-leader, guided by a vision to be a trusted resource—creating pathways to transformation through economics, education, and faith. Truly a man with an avid love for education, Dr. Tutt holds multiple degrees in Government, Economics, and Theology from institutions Morehead State University, the University of Kentucky, Hood Theological Seminary, and Newburgh Seminary. Dr. Tutt brings decades of experience serving his local community as an economist, pastor, educator, and mentor.
Our Creative,
Ezra Tutt
Ezra is our creative, with the musical gift of David. Ezra Tutt's studies are complimentary of his musical gift, and have even taken him internationally, while he attained a Bachelor's Degree in Music Industry at Western Carolina University. Ezra's love for music and nature of curiosity has advanced his musical proficiency. He can play an array of instruments including alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, electric guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, and piano.