Close. The current CEO is Smith Holland. Holland Smith, H.M. Smith, Howlin' Mad Smith is a legendary Marine general.Isn’t the Crayola CEO a Marine?
Well, if he were, he would know a fellow Marine that could help him ship tons of crayons and just about everything else. Frederick Wallace Smith is the founder, chairman and CEO of FedEx based out of Memphis.Isn’t the Crayola CEO a Marine?
I remember that ad.This is a diversion into another branch — Marines, bear with me — but many years ago the Army ran a cool print ad. It showed two photos of four men, side by side. One was of them in some kind of Army uniform. The other was of them in a business suit. The headline read: Before they were captains of industry, they were second lieutenants.
Each of the men depicted was the head of a major company. Sure caught my attention. Later, in business school and corporate life, I knew quite a few former second lieutenants and ensigns.
Before she was a captain in industry, she was a captain in command of a Navy warship at sea, 3000 miles from shore (and oh yeah, going in harm’s way).Postscript: My secret dream is that DD has paired photos like that someday. “Before she was a captain of industry, she was a second lieutenant.” (Ensign works too, though it lacks the poetic parallel. )
Said the line engineer, unfailingly polite and sincere: “Sir, I really don’t know. I just recently joined the company from the Navy, so I just do what I’m told.” Turns out he had been a sub officer. I’m sure working at a plant that produced breakfast cereal was a bit of an adjustment for him.