Alex Molinoroli: Johnson Controls Chairman & CEO

Alex Molinoroli was born on October 7, 1957, in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Alex holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Southern Carolina, graduating in 1983. He later earned a Master of Science in business from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. 

Alex joined Johnson Controls in 1983. He held increasing level of responsibilities for controls systems and services sales and operations, and was Vice President and General Manager for North America Systems and Middle East for building efficiency business. 

He championed the development of consistent and effective sales management disciplines within Johnson Controls and has worked to expand that consistent approach on a global basis, involving more than 300 sales offices in close to 50 countries and was promoted to vice president and general manager for the  North American Systems business. 

Eventually in July 2013, the company announced he would become CEO on October 1, and Chairman of the Board of the company on January 1, 2014. 

Johnson Controls, Inc. is a global diversified technology and industrial business company. It has around 168,000 employees with annual sales in excess of $42.93 billion and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

Thomas Wilson: Allstate Chairman & CEO

Thomas Wilson was born in 1958 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Michigan. He also holds a Masters degree in management from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellog Graduate School of Management. 

Thomas has worked for a number of companies before joining Allstate. He held various financial positions at Amoco Corporation where he worked form 1980 to 1986.  Thomas from 1986 to 1993 was managing director of mergers and acquisitions at Dean Witter Reynolds. He worked for Sears, Roebuck, and Company, where he was vice president of strategy and analysis. Thomas was responsible for strategic planning, financial planning and analysis, and special projects for the corporation.

He joined Allstate in 1995. Among his positions in his climb up the corporate ladder include servings as Allstate’s chief financial offer. Thomas was formerly chairman and president of Allstate Financial, where he led expansion of financial retirement services. 

He became CEO  of The Allstate Corporation on January 1, 2007, and the Chairman on April 30, 2008.

R. Andrew Clyde: Leading A Giant Spin-Off

R. Andrew Clyde was born in Chicago, Illinois. His grandfather, Robert Aycock worked in the fuel industry selling fuel for PanAm Southern throughout south Arkansas and northern Louisiana. His grandfather later retired and established his own commercial fuel business serving small customers in the region.

Clyde worked for and traveled with his grandfather during summers and winter breaks in college. He was able to experience real world education observing how his grandfather dealt with customers on a personal level. This experience exposed Clyde to the fuel industry where he would have a very successful career.

He earned a BBA in Accounting with a minor in Geology from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Clyde went to work for Arthur Anderson CPAs. He entered into the energy sector while working with a turnaround entrepreneur and consulting giant Booz and Co. The latter he worked for 20 years. While working at Booz he found time to obtain an MBA degree from the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University in Chicago graduating with Distinction.

Clyde later led Booz’s North America energy, chemicals and utilities practice, which provide services to major oil and gas companies, large independent firms and small box retail companies. His job led to travels in 30 countries all over the world and introduced him to Murphy Oil.

Clyde has provide recommendation and assisted with implementation of operational improvements to the business of Murphy Oil and capital allocation for development projects to grow the network. He led the development of the business strategy for the US retail company to move forward as a separate entity.  Murphy Oil announced in December of 2012 that it would spin-off it downstream operations, mainly its retail centers and become a pure play oil and gas and production company.

Having been deeply involved with the separation process it wasn’t a surprise when Clyde was appointed to head the new entity, Murphy USA. This new company is huge by any measure. It has around 1,179 retail outlets in 23 states (as of June 30, 2013) with revenues of $19.655 billion in 2012. Murphy USA performs 1.6 million transactions daily and has around 7,662 employees. 

The Bold Moves of Ginni Rometty

There are many intelligent people out there, what separate leaders and shakers is they are willing to take the risks and execute plans which they believe will make their company better.  This has been the trait that defines Ginni Rometty.  It helped her become the CEO of IBM in January 2012. What cannot escape notice is that she is also the first female head of this venerable institution. As the former CEO and current chairman Samuel J. Palmasino noted it had nothing to with her being a woman.

Ms. Rometty pushed for the purchase of behemoth consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2002 which cost $3.5 billion. There were widespread concerns that the two companies did not culturally fit. The more independent style of PricewaterhouseCoopers was so different from the more regimented approach of IBM. The fear was that the consultants would eventually go away in droves and just leave the shell of a company.

Ms. Rometty proved these fears wrong by working closely with the consultants and having them come on board. This was a defining moment in her career. Yet this was not her only achievement.  For over a decade she has been at the helm of the giant services business of IBM and has been an influence in its development.  This business has played an integral role in IBM’s offering services and solutions and not only products in terms of hardware and software.

Prior to her position as CEO, Ms. Rometty headed IBM Sales, Marketing and Strategy.  As the overall sales leader she was responsible for the more than 170 international markets that IBM operates in. In 2010 performance was in excess of $99 billion.  She created IBM’s Growth Markets organization that is expected to provide around 30% of the company’s revenue by 2015.

Ms. Rometty graduated with a B.S. degree in computer science and electrical engineering from Northwestern University with high honors.  She has been in Fortune magazine’s “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” list for the past 7 years.

Those who have great ideas and are willing to take the risk often wind up on top.