Randal D. Pinkett (born 1971) is an American business consultant who in 2005 was the winner of season four of the reality television show The Apprentice.

As winner of The Apprentice Season 4 in December 2005, Pinkett undertook a yearlong apprenticeship with Trump Entertainment Resorts in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

[2] He began attending Rutgers University in 1989 and graduated summa cum laude in 1994,[3] with a BS in electrical engineering.

[4][5] He then attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1996 to 1998, where he graduated with a second MS, this time in electrical engineering, and an M.B.A. from the MIT Sloan School of Management through the Leaders for Global Operations program.

[7] This stance attracted much comment after the show, and Pinkett later defended his rationale, but made it clear he had no objection to Jarvis' being hired by the Trump organization at a later date.

[6] Speaking years later about the incident, Pinkett told a reporter for The New Yorker: "The only conclusion I can draw is that he [Trump] didn’t want to see a black man be the sole winner of his show.

[6] In July 2006, Pinkett served as a co-chairman of the transition team of newly elected Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker.

[11][12][13] However, no announcement took place, and criticism appeared in the media and from some political leaders regarding Corzine's potential selection of a running mate with no experience in public office.

[10] Later in the week, news reports indicated Pinkett's selection was less likely and that other front runners had emerged,[14] due at least in part to public criticism of the idea of a political newcomer as the Governor's running mate.