Who Is Your Favorite CEO?
The second you go to the business section of a newspaper you will see some negative press on a CEO leading some company. Whether it is Robert Nardelli from Home Depot getting a huge severance package or reading about the boys from Enron and their fines and sentencing.
Today let’s forget all the bad stuff about CEOs; please toss it out of your brain. I don’t want you to think about it and frankly I don’t want to write about it.
I remember growing up reading about CEO icons like Jack Welch and Lee Iacocca. They have retired and moved on to another phase of their lives.
- My question is who are the great CEOs of fortune 500 companies today?
- Who gets it?
- Who would you be proud to work for?
- Whose integrity is never compromised?
Is it Bill Marriott who has been CEO since 1972?
Is it Douglas R Conant who has been CEO of Campbell Soup for 4 years?
Is it newcomer Jim Donald who took the top spot at Starbucks less than two years ago?
The real question is who is it and why?
I look forward to reading all of your comments.
March 21st, 2007 at 9:52 am
I have one in the Fortune 1000. Tom Belk, Jr. CEO of Belk Department Stores (rank 649, up 20 spots from 2005). He is a great family man that recognizes the importance of happy employees, gives back to the community, and keeps his family business moving forward. Belk is a staple in North Carolina and can compete with Nordstrom and Bloomingdales in the NC market. However, the rest of the country hasn’t quite caught on and because of that (in my opinion) quality of the chain has suffered outside of NC.
Of course, my FAVORITE CEO is Steve Schlesinger… He’s a lot like Mr. Belk.
March 22nd, 2007 at 4:26 pm
I think at this point Delta airlines CEO Gerald Grinstein would have to be one that I would put up on my top 10 list. He has just turned down a hefty $10 million compensation package for when he retires this summer. He has instead stated he wants Delta to invest that into scholarships and to assist Delta employees that have suffered financial hardships. You can read the story here:
Departing Delta CEO refusing bonuses
March 26th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Larry Bossidy - Protege of Jack Welch. I worked for Allied Signal while Larry was CEO in the 1990’s. Our company stock quadrupled in 6 years.
He was a no nonsense guy and also made himself very available when he was in town for his annual meetings.
March 30th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Of course, you are Merrill!