CEO Club Events

Alexander J. Trotman
President, Ford Motor Company
Friday, November 20, 1992

Robert A. Pritzker
President & CEO, The Marmon Group; Chairman, NAM
Friday, December 10, 1993

Michael Bonsignore
Chairman & CEO, Honeywell, Inc.
Tuesday, November 9, 1993

John Stafford
Chairman & CEO, American Home Products
Wednesday, September 22, 1993

Paul Allaire
Chairman & CEO, Xerox
Tuesday, May 25, 1993

John L. Glowe, M.D.
President, American Medical Association
Friday, February 26, 1993

Lawrence A. Bossidy
Chairman & CEO, AlliedSignal, Inc.
Tuesday, November 1, 1994

Jeffrey Stiefler
President, American Express Company
Tuesday, September 13, 1994

Charles E. Lee
Chairman & CEO, GTE Corporation
Wednesday, June 8, 1994

Joel B. Alvord
Chairman & CEO, Shawmut National Corp.
Thursday, April 21, 1994

Norman Augustine
Chairman, Martin Marietta
Tuesday, Feburary 1, 1994

K. Rupert Murdoch
Chairman & CEO, The News Corporation Limited
Tuesday, November 28, 1995

Dana Mead
Chairman & CEO, Tenneco, Inc.
Tuesday, November 14, 1995

Alexander J. Trotman
Chairman, President & CEO, Ford Motor Company
Tuesday, September 19, 1995

Randall L. Tobias
Chairman & CEO, Eli Lilly & Company
Wednesday, May 10, 1995

Geoffrey C. Bible
Chairman & CEO, Philip Morris Companies, Inc.
March 16, 1995

Joseph L. Dionne
Chairman, McGraw-Hill
Tuesday, January 31, 1995

Raymond W. Smith
Chairman & CEO, Bell Atlantic Corporation
Thursday, October 31, 1996

Andrew S. Grove
President & CEO, Intel Corporation
Wednesday, September 25, 1996

Thomas H. O'Brien
Chairman & CEO, PNCBank Corporation
Thursday, June 20, 1996

Lewis E. Platt
Chairman, President & CEO, Hewlett-Packard Company
Thursday, May 9, 1996

Frank P. Popoff
Chairman, The Dow Chemical Company
Wedendsday, April 3, 1996

Robert J. Eaton
Chairman, President, & CEO, Chrysler Corporation
Tuesday, November 18, 1997

Christopher B. Galvin
Chief Executive Officer, Motorola, Inc.
Wednesday, September 10, 1997

Bert C. Roberts, Jr.
Chairman, MCI Communications Corp.

Sir Iain Vallance
Chairman & CEO, British Telecommunications
Wednesday, June 26, 1997

Robert E. Allen
Chairman, AT&T
Tuesday, June 10, 1997

Frank A. Bennack, Jr.
President & CEO, The Hearst Corporation
Wednesday, May 14, 1997

Takashi Kitaoka
President & CEO, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Wednesday, April 16, 1997

James A. Unruh
Chairman & CEO, UNISYS Corporation
Thursday, January 16, 1997

C. Michael Armstrong
Chairman & CEO, AT&T
Thursday, November 5, 1998

Gerald M. Levin
Chairman & CEO, Time Warner, Inc.
Wednesday, October 21, 1998

Robert D. Glynn, Jr.
Chairman, President, & CEO, PG&E Corporation
Tuesday, September 29, 1998

Elizabeth Dole
President & CEO, American Red Cross
Wednesday, June 10, 1998

Scott G. McNealy
Chairman & CEO, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Wednesday, May 27, 1998

Earnest W. Deavenport, Jr.
Chairman & CEO, Eastman Chemical Company & Chairman, National Association of Manufacturers
Thursday, April 14, 1998

James P. Kelly
Chairman & CEO, United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
Thursday, January 15, 1998

Edward Whitacre
Chairman & CEO, SBC Communications
Tuesday, November 30, 1999

Michael R. Bonsignore
Chief Executive Officer, Honeywell
Thursday, November 4, 1999

Gerard Schulmeyer
President & CEO, Siemens Corporation
Tuesday, October 12, 1999

Charles Holliday
Chairman & CEO, E.I. duPont
Wednesday, September 22, 1999

Ted Turner
Vice Chairman, Time Warner
Thursday, May 13, 1999

Ivan G. Seidenberg
Chairman & CEO, Bell Atlantic Corporation
Thursday, March 11, 1999

Gerald Greenwald
Chairman & CEO, United Airlines, Inc.
Tuesday, February 16, 1999

Richard Wagoner
President & CEO, General Motors Corporation
Thursday, December 7, 2000

Michael S. Dell
Chairman & CEO, Dell Computer Corporation
Friday, November 3, 2000

Carly S. Fiorina
Chairman, President & CEO, Hewlett-Packard Company
Wednesday, September 27, 2000

James H. Keyes
Chairman & CEO, Johnson Controls & Chairman, NAM
Wednesday, June 7, 2000

Douglas N. Daft
Chairman & CEO, The Coca-Cola Company
Wednesday, May 3, 2000

George J. Mitchell
Former Senate Majority Leader
Thursday, March 9, 2000

Raymond Gilmartin
Chairman & CEO, Merck & Co.
Wednesday, January 19, 2000

Jean Marie Messier
Chairman & CEO, Vivendi Universal
Thursday, December 4, 2001

Charles Lee
Chairman & Co-CEO, Verizon Communications
Wednesday, November 7, 2001

William Harrison
President & CEO, J.P. Morgan Chase & Company
Wednesday, June 13, 2001

Tom McKillop
CEO, AstraZenca Corporation
Wednesday, May 9, 2001

Ross Perot
Chairman, Perot Systems Corporation
Tuesday, January 23, 2001

Philip Condit
Chairman & CEO, The Boeing Company
Thursday, December 5, 2002

Frederick Smith
Chairman, President & CEO, FedEx Corporation 
Wednesday, November 6, 2002

Jeffrey Immelt
Chairman & CEO, General Electric Corporation 
Wednesday, September 25, 2002

Anne Mulcahy
Chairman & CEO, Xerox Corporation
Thursday, May 9, 2002

Richard Brown
Chairman & CEO, Electronic Data Systems
Thursday, March 14, 2002

Richard Branson
Chairman & CEO, Virgin Group
Friday, February 15, 2002

Lawrence A. Bossidy
Chairman & CEO, Honeywell International
Thursday, January 31, 2002

David Dorman
Chairman & CEO, AT&T Corporation
Wednesday, November 19, 2003

Deiter Zetsche
President & CEO, DaimlerChrysler Corporation
Wednesday, October 1, 2003

Harry M. Jansen Kraemer, Jr.
Chairman & CEO, Baxter International
Wednesday, June 11, 2003

Patrick Stokes
President & CEO, Anheuser Busch Companies
Tuesday, April 30, 2003

Marilyn Carlson Nelson
Chairman & CEO, Carlson Companies
Thursday, March 6, 2003

Richard Priory
Chairman & CEO, Duke Energy Corporation
Thursday, January 31, 2003

Daniel Vasella, M.D. 
Chairman & CEO, Novartis International AG
Wednesday, November 17, 2004

Kenneth D. Lewis
President & CEO, Bank of America
Wednesday, October 13, 2004

Michael D. Capellas
President & CEO, MCI
Thursday, September 23, 2004

Ronald D. Sugar
Chairman, President & CEO, Northrop Grumman
Thursday, June 10, 2004

Edward Whitacre, Jr.
Chairman & CEO, SBC Communications
Thursday, May 6, 2004

Brian Roberts 
President & CEO, Comcast Corporation
Wednesday, March 24, 2004

Maurice Greenberg 
Chairman & CEO, American International Group
Tuesday, February 24, 2004

James Parker
Chief Executive Officer, Southwest Airlines
Wednesday, January 14, 2004

Michael H. Jordan 
Chairman & CEO, Electronic Data Systems
Wednesday, November 30, 2005

George David 
Chairman & CEO, United Technologies Corporation
Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Richard F. Syron 
Chairman & CEO, Freddie Mac
Thursday, September 29, 2005

Ivan Seidenberg
Chairman & CEO, Verizon Communications, Inc.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Daniel A. Carp
Chairman, Eastman Kodak
Tuesday, June 16, 2005

Dominic D'Alessandro
President & CEO, Manulife Financial Corporation
Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Gary D. Forsee 
Chairman & CEO, Sprint Corporation
Tuesday, April 5, 2005

Peter Brabeck-Letmathe 
Chairman & CEO, Nestle S.A.
Tuesday, March 8, 2005

Gary W. Loveman 
Chairman, President & CEO, Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.
Tuesday, January 20th, 2005

Rex W. Tillerson 
Chairman & CEO, Exxon Mobil Corp.
Thusday, November 30, 2006

Richard C. Notebaert 
Chairman & CEO, Qwest Communications Intl.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Robert Greifeld 
President & CEO, The NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Robert A. Iger 
President & CEO, The Walt Disney Company
Thursday, May 18, 2006

Kevin W. Sharer 
Chairman, President & CEO, Amgen Inc.
Thursday, March 1, 2006

A.G. Lafley 
Chairman, President & CEO, The Procter & Gamble Company
Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Kevin B. Rollins 
Chairman, President & CEO, Amgen Inc.
Thursday, January 12, 2006

Glenn F. Tilton 
Chairman, President & CEO, UAL Corporation
Tuesday, November 27, 2007 

Andrew N. Liveris 
Chairman, President & CEO, The Dow Chemical Company
Thursday, October 18, 2007 

Leslie Moonves 
President & CEO, CBS Corporation
Thursday, September 20, 2007 

Charles O. Holliday, Jr. 
Chairman, President & CEO, E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007 

Robert P. Kelly 
Chairman, President & CEO, Mellon Financial Corporation 
Thursday, May 17, 2007

Randall Stephenson 
Chief Executive Officer, AT&T Inc. 
Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Sidney Taurel 
Chairman & CEO, Eli Lilly & Company 
Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Harry E. Sloan 
Chairman & CEO, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. 
Thursday, February 27, 2007

Janet L. Robinson 
President & CEO, The New York Times Company 
Thursday, January 18, 2007

James Goodnight
Chairman, President & CEO, SAS
Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo
President & CEO, Nokia Corporation
Thursday, October 30, 2008

Duncan L. Niederauer
President & CEO, NYSE Euronext 
Tuesday, October 7, 2008

W. James McNerney, Jr.
Chairman, President & CEO, The Boeing Company
Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Anne M. Mulcahy 
Chairman & CEO, Xerox
Thursday, June 12, 2008

David R. Brennan
Chief Executive Officer, AstraZeneca 
Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Ivan G. Seidenberg 
Chairman & CEO, Verizon Communications, Inc.
Thursday, March 31, 2008 

Herbert Hainer 
Chairman & CEO, adidas AG
Thursday, January 31, 2008 

Jeffrey B. Kindler
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Pfizer, Inc.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009

James Skinner
Chief Executive Officer, McDonald's Corporation
Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Steve Ballmer
Chief Executive Officer, Microsoft Corporation
Friday, October 16, 2009

Robert Greifeld
President and CEO NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009

David J. O'Reilly
Chairman and CEO, Chevron Corporation
Thursday, May 7, 2009 

Kenneth D. Lewis
Chairman & CEO, Bank of America
Thursday, March 12, 2009

Peter Löscher
President & CEO, Siemens AG
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Severin Schwan
Chief Executive Officer, Roche Group
Thursday, December 2, 2010

Brian Moynihan
President and Chief Executive Officer, Bank of America
Thursday, October 14, 2010

Philip I. Kent
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010

John T. Chambers
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Friday, June 11, 2010

Robert Dudley
Chief Executive Officer, BP plc
Thursday, May 6, 2010

Philippe P. Dauman
President and Chief Executive Officer, Viacom Inc.
Thursday, March 25, 2010

Steve Forbes
President and Chief Executive Officer, Forbes, Editor-in-Chief, Forbes magazine
Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Gerald L. Hassell
Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon
Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Ed Haldeman, Jr.
Chief Executive Officer, Freddie Mac
Wednesday, October 26, 2011

David Barger
President and Chief Executive Officer, JetBlue Airways
Thursday, September 22, 2011

Randall L. Stephenson
Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, AT&T
Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Indra K. Nooyi
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo
Friday, May 13, 2011

Les Hinton
Chief Executive Officer, Dow Jones & Company
Thursday, March 10, 2011

Ellen Kullman
Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, DuPont
Thursday, February 10, 2011

Daniel P. Amos
Chairman and Chief Executive, Aflac, Inc.
Thursday, November 29, 2012

John Stratton
President, Verizon Enterprise Solutions
Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Dr. Marijn Dekkers
Chairman, Bayer AG
Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Larry J. Merlo
President and Chief Executive Officer, CVS Caremark Corporation
Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Ed Clark
President and Chief Executive Officer, TD Bank Group
Thursday, April 26, 2012

Christopher A. Viehbacher
Chief Executive Officer, Sanofi, and Chairman, Genzyme Corporation
Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Gary W. Loveman
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President, Caesars Entertainment Corporation
Tuesday, February 14

AT&T Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Randall Stephenson sat down for a Q&A with Fidelity Investments Chief Executive Officer Abigail Johnson at the February 15 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. Stephenson, who was named to his current position in 2007, discussed the latest on AT&T’s proposed acquisition of Time Warner, the future of media and advertising, the real-world implications of 5G technology, and the need for Congress to pass a consumer Internet Bill of Rights. He commented that, “Congress needs to step up and they need to take this issue [net neutrality and with it, privacy] on comprehensively—thou shalt not block, thou shalt not throttle, according to the statutes written by Congress.” AT&T is a global leader in the rapidly converging technology, media and telecommunications space with reported revenues of $160 billion in 2017.

On March 24, 2023, the Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed John Stankey, chief executive officer of AT&T, who took part in a fireside chat with Marianne Harrison, president and chief executive officer of John Hancock. The
conversation focused on AT&T’s investment in infrastructure, the impact of
climate control on their business, their investment into secure networks for
first responders, and the company’s investment in connecting all areas of the
country to their network. Stankey also spoke about the growing importance of
establishing a strong corporate culture when so many people are working
remotely. Stankey joined AT&T in 1985 and has over 35 years of leadership
experience spanning nearly every area of AT&T’s business. In addition to
serving as chief executive officer of the company, he serves on the board of
directors.

Warren K. Zola, executive director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, speaks with Robert Ford, president & CEO of Abbott. Held on March 8, 2021, this "Conversation with a CEO" touches upon a variety of subjects including Abbott's role in developing rapid COVID in-home tests, how they are leading the way on connected health care to get closer to the patient and deliver results, what post-pandemic diagnostics will look like and their high school internship program geared towards engaging young women to explore STEM careers.

On November 9, 2022, the Boston College Chief
Executives Club welcomed Julie Sweet, chair and chief executive officer of
Accenture, who participated in a fireside chat with Denise Morrison '75,
former president and chief executive officer of Campbell Soup Company. The conversation focused on Sweet's leadership approach; what she hears from
other CEOs about the global economic outlook. and how she is advising them on business transformation; the "war for talent"; and how business
leaders are addressing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) priorities.

"A real brand represents a rational and emotional connection between a company, its products, and its customer," American Express Company Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Chenault told the March 31 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. “This is a lesson we learned the hard way at American Express in the late ’80s and ’90s,” Chenault acknowledged. “We assumed a brand name, particularly our brand name, mattered more than the product itself. But our customers’ expectations had changed. They wanted value, not just image. Because of their historical relationship with our brand, our customers gave us time. And instead of being damaged by all of this, our brand actually strengthened.” Roger Berkowitz, president and chief executive officer of Legal Sea Foods, introduced Chenault.

Brian T. Moynihan, chairman and chief executive officer of Bank of America, sat down with Thomas May, chairman emeritus of Eversource Energy, at the November 8 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. Moynihan, who has served as chief executive officer since 2010, discussed the economy, world markets, and Bank of America’s commitment to the environment. He also spoke about his bank’s approach to responsible growth, saying, “You have to be the best place for teammates to work. You have to share your success with your communities. And you have to drive what we [Bank of America] call operational excellence, which gives us the permission to save money and invest in the future of the franchise.” With more than 200,000 employees serving individual consumers, companies of all sizes, and institutional investors, Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions.

On October 12, 2022, the Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed Karen S. Lynch '84, president, and chief executive officer of CVS Health, who participated in a fireside chat with Michael F. Mahoney, chairman, and chief executive officer of Boston Scientific. The conversation focused on CVS’s role in transforming the health care industry, its commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) priorities, and the lessons on leadership learned during the turbulent times of the last few years.

Speaking at the April 12 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, Denise Morrison '75, president and chief executive officer of Campbell Soup Company, outlined her company's strategic response to "seismic shifts" in the food industry and the business landscape. "Transformative demographic shifts," dramatically changing consumer food preferences that reflect a new focus on health and well-being, and "the lightning fast pace of technology advancements" demand that companies develop "strategic foresight," Morrison said. That, she continued, "is a process of establishing future-oriented perspectives to help fuel long-term planning, decision-making, and innovation. Foresight is a mindset. It's a journey. But it’s also an outcome." Suffolk Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John Fish, chair of the Boston College Board of Trustees, introduced Morrison.

Warren K. Zola, executive director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, speaks with Dr Tony Coles, chair & CEO of Cerevel Therapeutics and chair of Yumanity Therapeutics. Held on April 23, 2020, this is the first "Conversation with a CEO" ever hosted by the Boston College Chief Executives Club.

On November 30, 2022, the Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed Michael Wirth, chairman and chief executive officer of Chevron Corporation, who participated in a fireside chat with John Fish, chairman and chief executive officer of Suffolk and chairman of the Boston College Board of Trustees. The conversation focused on the state of global energy markets, long-term energy transition, and the balance between economic prosperity, energy security, and environmental protection.

"Few businesses have had to endure a 60 percent drop in revenues over the course of six months," ConocoPhillips Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ryan Lance told the October 22 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. That’s what the oil and gas industries have experienced, as "a combination of supply growth and weak demand has driven down oil prices to half what they were a year ago," he said. Energy efficiency standards for cars and trucks have grown stricter and technological innovations have increased the availability and supply of energy sources, further slowing demand. Companies that expect to succeed in this "volatile cycling business" have little choice but to cut costs and improve efficiency, Lance said. Eric Slifka, president and chief executive officer of Global Partners LP, introduced the speaker.

Dell Technologies Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell sat down with Boston Globe Managing Director Linda Henry at the November 28 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. The discussion began with Dell's early years, when as a college freshman he founded the company that bears his name, and continued to the acquisition of EMC in 2016—the largest merger in technology industry history. Reflecting on the advantages of leading a private company, Dell said, "we can make decisions quickly, and we can also take on risks that you probably wouldn't take on as a public company." Dell also spoke about the role of computing power in what’s been described as the Fourth Industrial Revolution as well as the expansion of information technology into all business areas. "What we're seeing is information technology breaking out of information technology into every field. You can't do anything, can't buy a product, sell a product, or make a product—big or small company—without technology.

Edward Bastian, chief executive officer of Delta Air Lines, sat down with C Space Chairman Diane Hessan at the March 9 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. Bastian, who joined the airline as a vice president of finance in 1998 and became CEO last May, talked about bringing the six-billion-dollar company back from bankruptcy, Delta’s employee profit-sharing plan, the importance of airport infrastructure, and improving the air travel experience. "Fare is always going to be important, but quality of service is to us the most important attribute on which to compete," Bastian said. Millennials, he pointed out, now make up 35 percent of Delta’s customer base. "They're a generation that values experiences rather than owning things. So we think our industry is the perfect industry for that," he said. "They value transparency. They value quality. They want to be connected. We’re spending an awful lot of time trying to get people connected in the sky."

When Michael D. White '74 took over as chairman, president, and chief executive officer of DirecTV in 2010, he faced stunning growth in the importance of the Internet, mobility, and the Cloud as well as a sea change in availability of video content, White told the November 20 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives' Club. He also knew his industry’s dismal reputation for delivering customer service. So White and his team employed what he called a “triangle of advantage”: training attention on developing the best product and technology; providing the kind of service that builds customer loyalty; and offering “the most distinctive and compelling content.” Bob Maresca, president and chief executive officer, Bose Corporation, introduced White.

Warren K. Zola, executive director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, speaks with Jim Fitterling chairman & CEO of Dow. Held on June 25, 2020, this "Conversation with a CEO" touches upon a variety of subjects but focuses on Jim's leadership during COVID-19 and his commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Edward Breen, chairman and chief executive officer of DuPont, sat down with Delphi Automotive Chairman Raj Gupta at the December 8 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club at the Boston Harbor Hotel. Breen, who served on DuPont's board before assuming the helm of the chemical-manufacturing conglomerate last year, engineered a proposed $130 billion merger agreement between DuPont and the Dow Chemical Company. (The deal is subject to regulators' approval, which Breen said he expects is forthcoming.) Breen and Gupta talked about the DuPoint chief executive's success in turning around Tyco, a company that was very close to bankruptcy when he took over as CEO in 2002. Breen said the experience taught him the importance of "living with your customer," and the critical role of teamwork in any company. "A lot of people like politics and talking behind people’s backs, and I don’t want any of that," he said. David Torchiana, M.D., president and chief executive officer of Partners HealthCare, introduced Breen and Gupta.    

Warren K. Zola, executive director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, speaks with Bob Rivers, chair & CEO of Eastern Bank. Held on May 1, 2020, this "Conversation with a CEO" touches upon a variety of subjects including how COVID is impacting small businesses and the racial equity gap.

On November 1, 2023, the Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed Darren W. Woods, chairman and chief executive officer of ExxonMobil, who participated in a fireside chat with Joseph L. Hooley, ’79, former chairman of State Street Corporation. The conversation focused on leadership and business strategy, including ExxonMobil’s recent acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources and the role of oil and gas companies in the transition to clean energy. Woods joined Exxon Company International in 1992. Before being named CEO, he progressed through several domestic and international assignments, including being elected president of the company in 2016. Additionally, Woods serves on several boards, including the National Petroleum Council, the American Petroleum Institute, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Phebe N. Novakovic, chairman and chief executive officer of General Dynamics, sat down with Thomas A. Kennedy, chairman and chief executive officer of Raytheon Company, at the June 11 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. Novakovic discussed her role leading General Dynamics, a global aerospace and defense company that designs and builds a variety of products, including nuclear-powered submarines and guided-missile destroyers, for government customers. She stressed the importance of a strong corporate ethos or culture. “The reason it’s important is because culture undergirds everything you do. It’s the personality of the organization. So part of that culture is alignment, transparency, honesty, and trust.” She also spoke about the defense industry as an early adopter of diversity and how mentoring should be gender and color blind. Novakovic has served as General Dynamics chief executive officer since 2013. Prior to joining the company, she worked for the Department of Defense, the White House Office of Management and Budget, and the Central Intelligence Agency. In 2018, General Dynamics reported earnings of $3.4 billion on revenue of $36.2 billion.

Warren K. Zola, executive director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, speaks with Larry Culp, chairman & CEO of General Electric. Held on November 10, 2020, this "Conversation with a CEO" touches upon a variety of subjects including GE's response to COVID-19, their on-going transformation, lean management, and the importance of culture.

General Electric Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Immelt H'10 sat down with John Harthorne, founder and chief executive officer of MassChallenge, to talk about GE’s move to Boston at the March 24 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. GE announced earlier in the day it had chosen a 2.5-acre site in the Fort Point Channel section of the Seaport District for its new corporate headquarters. "We plan to have about 200 people from corporate and about 800 people in labs around there," Immelt told a capacity crowd that included Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. "And we think, by the time it’s all said and done, there should be, let’s say, 4,000 jobs around the ecosystem in Boston." Immelt, who said GE would bring both jobs and a "competitive spirit" to the city, said there is no reason Boston in the next 20 years can’t be the leading center of technology and change that Silicon Valley and Seattle have been for the last 20 years. "That’s our job—to do that together," Immelt said. R. Robert Popeo '61, chairman, Mintz Levin, introduced Immelt.

Daniel Akerson, General Motors Company (GM) chairman and chief executive officer, discussed some of the automotive giant’s initiatives to attract younger, tech-savvy buyers at the Chief Executives’ Club of Boston on June 13. He also spoke about getting GM back on track since its 2008 government bailout. Joseph Hooley, chairman, president, and chief executive officer, State Street Corporation, introduced Akerson.

On May 22, 2024, the Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed David Solomon, chairman and chief executive officer of Goldman Sachs, who spoke with Alfred F. Kelly, Jr., the former CEO of Visa Inc. Their conversation focused on the global economy, Goldman Sachs’ strategy moving forward, and lessons on leadership.

Solomon has served as CEO of the global financial institution since 2018 and chairman since 2019. During his nearly quarter-century with the company, Solomon has held several leadership positions. He served as President and Co-COO in 2017 and 2018. He was the co-head of the company’s Investment Banking Division for a decade until 2016, and prior to that held a range of positions, including global head of the Financing Group.

Founded in 1869, Goldman Sachs delivers a broad range of financial services to a diverse client group that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals. The company employs over 40,000 people and reported net revenues of $46.25 billion in 2023.

“We really need about a $4 trillion deficit reduction or debt reduction package over the next 10 years,” David M. Cote, chairman and chief executive officer of Honeywell International, warned at the February 6 meeting of the Chief Executives’ Club of Boston. Cote used data from the Congressional Budget Office to illustrate the problem and consequences of the country’s $16.7 trillion debt if it is left unchecked. Thomas J. May, president and chief executive officer, Northeast Utilities, introduced Cote.

The Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed Jamie Dimon, chair & CEO of JPMorgan Chase. Jamie Dimon engaged in a fireside chat with Warren K. Zola, Executive Director of The Boston College Chief Executives Club. The conversation focused on America’s role in a globally competitive landscape, JPMorgan Chase’s commitment to racial equity and their investment in New England, and lessons on leadership.

Warren K. Zola, executive director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, speaks with Robin Hayes, CEO of JetBlue. Held on September 24 2020, this "Conversation with a CEO" touches upon a variety of subjects including JetBlue's response to COVID-19, the future of air travel and new routes, sustainability, and their dedication to diversity & inclusion.

On May 3, 2023, the Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed Robin Hayes, chief executive officer of JetBlue, who participated in a fireside chat with Wyc Grousbeck, managing partner and governor of the Boston Celtics. The conversation focused on JetBlue’s transatlantic growth and the pending acquisition of Spirit Airlines. Hayes also spoke about the company’s move to more environmentally sustainable fuel options, the need for air traffic control reform, and on the company’s success in building up its workforce after years of industry-wide labor shortages. Hayes joined JetBlue in 2008 and served as president before becoming chief executive officer in 2015.

Alex Gorsky, chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson & Johnson, spoke at the September 11 meeting of Boston College’s Chief Executives Club about innovations and challenges in today’s health care industry. The industry’s strength, he told attendees, lies in its ability to “take science and translate's that into clinical outcomes that ultimately can be put in the physicians’ hands, the patients’ hands” to achieve tangible improvements. Although Gorsky expressed his excitement about breakthroughs in the industry, he cautioned that “innovation doesn’t cure everything.” To meet the rising global demand for health care, he prescribed “more coordination of care” and “care approaches that consider the total cost of health care.” Jeffrey Leiden, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, introduced Gorsky.

Sustainable businesses need consistent growth, Thomas Falk, chairman and chief executive officer of Kimberly-Clark Corporation, told the April 3 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives’ Club of Boston. Taking care of customers, finding ways to grow both locally and globally, and developing talent are essential for a company to flourish. “The mark of a sustainable enterprise,” Falk said, “is being flexible and agile, taking a look at your portfolio, continuing to make sure you’re in the right businesses.” Fay Donohue, president and chief executive officer of Delta Dental of Massachusetts, introduced Falk.

On April 19, 2023, the Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed Beth Ford, president and chief executive officer of Land O’Lakes, who participated in a fireside chat with Linda Henry, chief executive officer of Boston Globe Media. The conversation focused on Land O’Lakes’ unique business model as a century-old farmer-owned cooperative, the impact of climate change, and how geopolitical instability has affected the global food supply chain. Ford also spoke about the company’s goal of connecting people, particularly in urban areas, to the farmers and rural communities who grow their food. Ford joined Land O’Lakes in 2011 and held various roles before becoming president and chief executive officer in 2018. Fortune has recognized her as one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders, and Most Powerful Women. Fast Company has also named Ford on its list of Best Leaders.

On September 11, 2024, the Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed Jim Taiclet, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin, who participated in a fireside chat with Dr. Anne Klibanski, president and chief executive officer of Mass General Brigham. Lockheed Martin specializes in defense technology, solving complex challenges, advancing scientific discovery, and delivering innovative defense and security solutions. Taiclet spoke of his vision for 21st-century security that brings together leaders in the aerospace and defense industry, new entrants, and the technology and telecommunications industries using an open systems, standards-based architecture to help deliver integrated deterrence for the U.S. and its allies. The objective is to accelerate the most advanced digital and physical technologies into critical national defense missions to continually improve capability and deter armed conflict. With nearly 350 facilities worldwide, the company employs 122,000 people, of which 20 percent are veterans. Reported net earnings for Lockheed Martin were $6.9 billion at the close of 2023.

Taiclet joined Lockheed Martin in 2020 as president and chief executive officer, and became chairman in 2021. Prior to joining the company, he held leadership roles at American Tower Corporation, a leader in wireless and broadcast communications real estate, and AlliedSignal, now Honeywell Aerospace Services. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Taiclet served as an Air Force officer and pilot, logging more than 5,000 flying hours.

Businesses can do well while doing good, MGM Resorts International Chairman and Chief Executive Officer James J. Murren told the Chief Executives’ Club of Boston on December 5. He talked about overhauling the company’s corporate culture after the recession, investing in his employees, and the gambling and entertainment giant’s bid, now under state gambling commission review, to build an $800 million resort casino in Springfield, Mass. Laura Sen ’78, president and chief executive officer of BJ’s Wholesale Club, introduced Murren.

Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr., sat down with Samuel H. Kennedy, president and chief executive officer of the Boston Red Sox, at the March 6 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. Manfred, baseball’s commissioner since 2015, discussed his goals for the industry, including expanded youth participation, international growth, increased marketing of the game's young stars, and furtherance of the game's diversity goals. In discussing player negotiations, Manfred said, “It’s not just what you do when you’re a year away from expiration, it’s how you conduct yourself during the term of the agreement. It’s a give and take.” Under Manfred’s leadership, Major League Baseball has produced a new five-year collective bargaining agreement, and sold a 75 percent stake in BAMTech, a leading technology services and video streaming company created by the league, to The Walt Disney Company. The oldest of the top four professional sports leagues in North America, MLB routinely draws approximately 70 million fans per season, earning revenues reportedly near $10 billion per year.

On March 21, 2024, the Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed Kevin Mandia, chief executive officer of Mandiant, who participated in a fireside chat with Corey Thomas, chairman and chief executive officer of Rapid7. This wide-ranging conversation covered facets of cybersecurity including: candid advice on protecting your company, action steps for when your organization has been compromised, questions to ask a prospective Chief Security Officer candidate, and information on where attacks originate. 

Mandia began his cyber security career in the U.S. Air Force, as a computer security officer, and later as a special agent in the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. In the private sector, Kevin held senior positions in leading security businesses before founding Mandiant in 2004. In 2022, Google acquired Mandiant for $5.4 billion and integrated the company into Google Cloud, which delivers enterprise-grade solutions that leverage Google’s cutting-edge technology, and tools that help developers build more sustainably.

At the January 17 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, Marriott International President and Chief Executive Officer Arne Sorenson, who in 2012 became the third CEO in the company's 90-year history, discussed the latest innovation efforts in the travel industry, the integration of Starwood Hotels and Resorts, and the future of travel during a conversation with Hill Holliday Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Karen Kaplan. Sorenson also spoke of industry disruptors like Google search and Airbnb and how these along with global geopolitical issues and technology are the biggest challenges facing the hospitality industry. When asked what he hopes his legacy will be, Sorenson commented, "I think CEOs get more credit than they deserve and more blame than they deserve. The truth is that we accomplish nothing by ourselves; success is purely through our people and through our teams—it's a collective effort."

Martha Stewart, founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, sat down with Carol Meyrowitz, executive chairman of The TJX Companies, at the February 6 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. An Emmy Award-winning television show host, entrepreneur, bestselling author, and America’s most trusted lifestyle expert, Stewart’s brand reaches approximately 100 million consumers across all media and merchandising platforms each month. Stewart discussed brand strategy, product excellence, mentors, and some of her future projects. “We wake up: ‘Alexa, what’s the weather?’ I’d rather ask Martha,” she said. “I’m working on a piece of software now that I hope will be useful to the homemaker. We need more organization and ease of information retrieval as homemakers.” Stewart, the chief creative officer and a board member of parent company Sequential Brands Group, also touched on the philanthropic causes she supports, including geriatric medical care and the environment.

Warren K. Zola, executive director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, speaks with Lisa Wieland, CEO of the Massachusetts Port Authority. Held on February 9, 2021, this "Conversation with a CEO" touches upon a variety of subjects including the impact the current pandemic has had on travel, the organization's commitment to their unique public/private partnerships to develop green space, and ongoing investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Warren K. Zola, executive director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, continues our series "Conversations with CEOs." This time, he speaks with the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Kimberly Budd for a conversation on leading the judicial branch in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

In our conversation, we discuss how the pandemic and racial tensions of the past year have highlighted the importance of the judiciary and what changes to the system were made to ensure that justice did not stop. We discussed the importance of SJC on the national stage, being the first woman of color to lead the court, and ways the business community could support the legal system.

John Noseworthy, M.D., president and chief executive officer of the Mayo Clinic, sat down with Boston Scientific Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael Mahoney at the April 26 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. In this question-and-answer session, Dr. Noseworthy described the Mayo Clinic as the first integrated group practice of medicine, where all decisions go back to the patient. "Any question that comes up at the Mayo Clinic, either on the administrative side or in the practice, we find if we put the patient at the center of the room and say 'what's best for this patient?', we always get the answer more quickly." Dr. Noseworthy also discussed the cost of health care, innovations in care delivery, cancer treatments, the mandate to cure Alzheimer’s, and how the industry alone can't solve all our nation's health problems. The Mayo Clinic is one of the largest not-for-profit academic health systems in the U.S., with $11.9 billion in annual revenues and 63,000 employees.

"McDonald’s wouldn’t come to the top of people's lists as being one of the most innovative companies in the world," particularly during this time of technology-driven disruption, Stephen Easterbrook, president and chief executive officer of the McDonald’s Corporation, told the February 2 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. While McDonald's has made its mark in the past with major innovations such as the development and introduction of its drive-through restaurants, it has more recently been "showing some dangerous signs of aging." To address that, "we have tried to squeeze about four or five years' worth of change into two years," Easterbrook said. He pointed to successes such as McDonald's All Day Breakfast (which now accounts for some 20 percent of the corporation’s US business), and the introduction of Apple Pay at its American franchises. "Another nice recent example," Easterbrook noted, "was our commitment last year to shift the two billion eggs that we buy every year in the US to cage-free eggs." Boston Scientific Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael Mahoney introduced Easterbrook.

On October 10, 2024, the Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed Chris Kempczinski, chairman and chief executive officer of McDonald's Corporation, to speak with Lila Snyder, chief executive officer of Bose Corporation. Their conversation focused on the company's use of technology, its dedication to innovation and the customer experience, and its corporate culture, while offering lessons on leadership. Kempczinski was named chief executive officer of McDonald's in 2019 and is responsible for driving the company's growth strategy, Accelerating the Arches, ensuring that its values are embedded throughout the organization and business decisions are in alignment with its mission to feed its customers and foster community. Kempczinski joined the company in 2015 and was previously president of McDonald’s USA, leading the business operations of approximately 14,000 restaurants throughout the United States. Prior to McDonald’s, he worked at Procter & Gamble and held senior positions at PepsiCo and Kraft Foods.
 
McDonald's is the world’s leading food service retailer, with more than 40,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries, of which 95 percent are operated by independent businesses. Massachusetts is home to more than 230 restaurants. At the close of 2023, McDonald's reported revenues of $25.5 billion.

The healthcare system alone can’t be blamed for the crisis in health costs, John Hammergren, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of McKesson Corporation, told the October 2 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives' Club. “The health of our population bears a great deal of the responsibility,” said Hammergren. He encouraged employers to help their employees become informed healthcare consumers. Wayne Budd, senior counsel at Goodwin Procter, introduced Hammergren. 

Kenneth C. Frazier, chairman and chief executive officer of Merck, sat down with Tony Coles, M.D., chairman and chief executive officer of Yumanity Therapeutics and chairman of Cerevel Therapeutics, at the April 12 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. Frazier spoke about the pharmaceutical industry’s duty to get people medicines and the balance of cost and innovation, saying, "If you’re going to solve the problem of how people are charged for medicines, you’ve got to look at the entire health care system. We have to create the incentives to bring those costs down without killing the ability of companies to innovate." As chairman and chief executive officer since 2011, Frazier has directed Merck to increase its investment in research and development while focusing efforts to develop lifesaving treatments and vaccines that provide broad benefits to society. With nearly 70,000 global employees and a reported revenue of $42.3 billion, and $7.9 billion spent on research and development in 2018, the company’s research targets significant health challenges—such as cancer, HPV, HIV, antibiotic-resistant infection, and many others.

The Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna. Stéphane Bancel engaged in a fireside chat with Warren K. Zola, Executive Director of The Boston College Chief Executives Club. The conversation focused on Moderna’s role in developing an mRNA vaccine to combat COVID-19, the manufacturing challenges of the vaccine’s rapid deployment, and the impact this new platform will have on the future of medicine and healthcare.

Innovation and inspiration are important to every athlete, whether “you’re LeBron James or you’re James from down the street,” Mark Parker, president and chief executive officer of NIKE, Inc., told the May 1 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives’ Club of Boston. In its four decades of making products for top performers, Nike has developed a work environment in which employee curiosity—and innovation—are encouraged, Parker said. Robert Kraft, chairman of The Kraft Group, introduced the speaker.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has trained its attention on “global, mobile, and social” ways to interact with its international fan base, newly appointed NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told the March 12 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives’ Club of Boston. Silver touched on topics from player eligibility to preparing for life post-basketball to the creation of a development league during his lunchtime talk. Wyc Grousbeck, managing partner and governor of the Boston Celtics, introduced Silver.

Speaking to the October 24 Chief Executives’ Club of Boston, National Grid Chief Executive Officer Steve Holliday described how the utility is confronting major forces in the global energy challenge: aging infrastructure, dramatic changes in the availability and sources of energy supplies, extreme weather, and an aging workforce and skills gap. John F. Fish, chairman and chief executive officer of Suffolk Construction, introduced Holliday.

The Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed John Pettigrew, CEO of National Grid. John Pettigrew engaged in a fireside chat with Pratt Wiley, the president & CEO of The Partnership. The conversation focused on National Grid's efforts to invest in green energy, offshore wind farms, the importance of diversity, and lessons on leadership.

Cloud computing is spurring "a shift in complexity from companies to the R&D of the industry, and an acceleration of features and innovation," Oracle Corporation Chief Executive Officer Mark V. Hurd told a packed Boston College Chief Executives Club luncheon April 22 at the Boston Harbor Hotel. With the IT industry poised to spend some $100 billion on R&D, Hurd said, Oracle’s mission is to help companies manage the transition. State Street Corporation Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Joseph L. Hooley introduced Hurd.

On December 4, 2023, the Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed Niren Chaudhary, chairman of Panera Brands, who participated in a fireside chat with Diane Hessan, chief executive officer of Salient Ventures. The conversation focused on the challenges of succeeding an iconic founder, running restaurants during the pandemic, talent retention, his global experiences, and his leadership philosophy. Chaudhary became chairman after a four-year tenure as CEO, during which Panera Brands strengthened its leadership in the fast-casual segment by expanding its digital capabilities. As of 2023, these account for 53 percent of total sales at Panera Bread. At the same time, the company increased its loyalty base to more than 53 million members. Before joining Panera, Chaudhary served as chief operating officer and president of Krispy Kreme and in other global leadership positions.

On September 27, 2023, the Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed Dr. Albert Bourla, chairman and chief executive officer of Pfizer, who participated in a fireside chat with Karen S. Lynch, ’84, president and chief executive officer of CVS Health. The conversation focused on Pfizer’s role in the scientific renaissance coming over the next decade as a result of rapid advances in technology combined with the growing health needs of an aging population. Bourla’s tenure as CEO has been defined by Pfizer’s transformation to a more innovative and science-driven company and the establishment of Pfizer’s Purpose Blueprint, to foster a new work culture structured around the core values of courage, excellence, equity, and joy. Bourla also wrote about the company’s experience developing the COVID-19 vaccine in his book Moonshot: Inside Pfizer’s Nine-Month Race to Make the Impossible Possible, which appeared on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list.

André Calantzopoulos, chief executive officer of Philip Morris International (PMI), addressed the May 3 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. Calantzopoulos spoke about the company’s vision to create a smoke-free future backed by science, technology, and innovation to offer less harmful choices to those who would otherwise continue smoking. In discussing the current state of the company’s work to bring new products to market, Calantzopoulos said, “It’s only through working with regulators that you can find solutions. And our industry, in particular, has to be much more collaborative.” To date, PMI has invested more than $6 billion in the research and development, manufacturing, and commercialization of smoke-free products, with approximately 400 dedicated scientists and engineers. Calantzopoulos and other company officials have said that at least 38 percent of their net revenues will come from smoke-free products like the IQOS heated tobacco line by 2025. Currently, PMI employs approximately 77,000 people worldwide, and at the close of 2018, it reported net revenues of $29.6 billion.

Warren K. Zola, executive director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, speaks with David Taylor, chairman, president & CEO of Procter & Gamble. Held on September 1 2020, this "Conversation with a CEO" touches upon a variety of subjects including P&G's response to COVID-19, supply chain, diversity & inclusion, and their dedication to R&D.

Warren K. Zola, executive director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, continues our series "Conversations with CEOs." This time, we host three CEOS, who in addition to promoting diversity and inclusion within their organizations, are members of PwC's "CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion Initiative."

Our panelists include: Jenny Johnson, president & CEO of
Franklin Templeton, Wright Lassiter III, president & CEO of the Henry Ford Health System, and Tim Ryan, US chairman & senior partner of PwC.

Warren K. Zola, executive director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, discusses racial injustice with Carol Fulp, CEO of Fulp Diversity, and Linda Henry, Managing Director of The Boston Globe.

Warren K. Zola, executive director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, speaks with Corey Thomas, chair & CEO of Rapid7. Held on May 28, 2020, this "Conversation with a CEO" touches upon a variety of subjects but focuses on Corey's involvement on Mass. Governor Charlie Baker's "Reopening Advisory Board" relative to COVID-19.

Physician/scientist Dr. Leonard S. Schleifer, M.D., Ph.D., the founder, president, and chief executive officer of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, told the May 18 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club he is the only CEO of a public company who can't quote its most recent quarterly earnings. "The ethos of the company is research," explained  Schleifer. "If we do well by patients and we succeed at a business plan, of course we’re going to have great earnings." One of the leading biopharma companies in the country, Regeneron is known for its in-house R&D, "its innovation and now for bringing five approved drugs to the marketplace," said Brigham Health President Elizabeth Nabel, M.D., who introduced Schleifer and sat down with him for a discussion. Schleifer talked about some of Regeneron's breakthrough successes in human genome sequencing, the drug Eylea for macular degeneration, and a new drug for atopic dermatitis. He and Nabel then segued to the subject of drug pricing—a dilemma, Schleifer said, that "has the potential to be the undoing of our industry."

Peter Voser, chief executive officer of Royal Dutch Shell, discussed the resurgence of natural gas as a United States energy source at the March 21 Chief Executives’ Club of Boston. He touted the clean-burning properties of natural gas, while acknowledging environmentalists’ concerns about hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” the drilling technique used to remove natural gas from shale rock. Eric Slifka, president and chief executive officer of Global Partners LP, introduced Voser.

Bill McDermott, co-chief executive officer of software giant SAP, told the February 6 meeting of the Chief Executives’ Club of Boston that large organizations should simplify the delivery of technology in order to move forward. Like SAP, companies should look to Millennials—the “next great generation”—as a key to growth, he said. McDermott also spoke about opportunities for real-time computing in industries ranging from health care to professional sports and about information security. Joseph Tucci, chairman and chief executive officer of EMC Corporation, introduced McDermott.

Warren K. Zola, executive director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, speaks with John Fish, Chairman & CEO of Suffolk. Held on May 7, 2020, this "Conversation with a CEO" touches upon a variety of subjects including how COVID is impacting businesses in Boston and what it will take to come back.

"Pick an industry. Whether you’re in financial services, manufacturing, health care, or retail, the kind of disruption we’re seeing today is nothing short of amazing," Target Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian Cornell told the February 3 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. During the last holiday season, more retail consumers shopped online than visited physical stores, Cornell said. Despite that disruption, "our store traffic grew in 2015. Our guests still love the ease and the convenience that comes in that digital channel, but they also love to touch and feel and interact with product. We have to embrace this new digital connection, but we can’t lose sight of the importance of running great stores." Laura Sen ’78, non-executive chairman of BJ’s Wholesale Club, introduced Cornell at the luncheon meeting.

On April 19, 2024, the Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed David Cordani, chairman and chief executive officer of The Cigna Group, who spoke with John Fish, chairman and chief executive officer of Suffolk. Their conversation focused on the significance of health to an individual, a company, and a community. They also discussed the concept of vitality, importance of mental health, and need to control health care costs.

In addition to his role as CEO, Cordani has served as president since 2008 and was appointed chairman in 2022. The Cigna Group is a global health company with a workforce of more than 70,000 through Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth Health Services. The company has more than 180 million customer relationships globally. The Cigna Group reported total revenues of $195.3 billion in 2023. In Massachusetts, the company employs 800 and serves approximately 750,000 customers.

The Boston College Chief Executives Club met at the Mansion House in Dublin, Ireland, on September 2 for its inaugural Global Forum. Keynote speaker Muhtar Kent, chairman and chief executive officer of The Coca-Cola Company, spoke about the connections between Ireland and America through history, culture, and commerce. “America is Ireland’s number one destination for exports,” Kent noted, praising the country for its successful business partnerships. He also touted five characteristics of contemporary Ireland he considers worth emulating: dynamism, cultural pride, innovation, resilience, and collaboration. Joseph L. Hooley III ’79, chairman and chief executive officer of State Street Corporation and Boston College Trustee, introduced Kent at the luncheon. (The event was one in a series leading up to the September 3 Aer Lingus College Football Classic, in which the Boston College Eagles, unfortunately lost to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 14–17.)

Lloyd Blankfein, chairman and chief executive officer of Goldman Sachs, sat down with State Street Corporation Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Joseph L. Hooley III ’79 at the March 22 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. In this question-and-answer session, Blankfein discussed the economy and markets, touching on a number of topics including the past mortgage crisis, his company’s move to consumer lending, and Europe’s current leading statesman. When asked about his much-discussed retirement, Blankfein said, “When things are going badly, you can’t leave. When things are going well, you don’t want to leave. So, you almost by definition—have to leave when you don’t want to leave.” In his nearly 25 years at Goldman Sachs, Blankfein has held a number of positions before becoming chairman and CEO in 2006.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft interviewed his long-time friend and business associate Robert Iger, chairman and chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company, at the October 5 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. Disney's market cap has grown from less than $50 billion to more than $150 billion in the 11 years Iger has led the company, noted Kraft. He praised Iger’s "vision and leadership during the economic downturn," when Disney outmaneuvered its competitors to acquire Lucasfilm, the Marvel/Captain America franchise, and Pixar. Iger spoke about the opening of the Shanghai Disney Resort, and the multiple challenges of changing technology. While he declined to discuss rumors that Disney was considering acquiring Netflix or Twitter, he said it was imperative that business leaders aggressively embrace new technology "not only because of its inevitability and the fact that it’s changing us so much, but because it’s where the consumer is today." 

The Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed Bob Chapek, CEO of The Walt Disney Company. Bob Chapek engaged in a fireside chat with Robert Kraft, chairman & CEO of The Kraft Group. The conversation focused on Disney’s response to the global pandemic, the company’s role in the ‘metaverse,’ what makes Disney’s culture unique, and the rise in popularity of streaming TV offerings.

Alessandro Bogliolo, chief executive officer of Tiffany & Co., sat down with Lawrence K. Fish, chairman of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, at the October 3 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. Bogliolo discussed the global presence of the luxury brand with more than 300 retail stores worldwide and the iconic design of the Tiffany setting, still a bestseller 130 years since its debut. He also spoke of the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility. Under Bogliolo’s leadership, Tiffany & Co. launched the Diamond Source Initiative, which identifies for customers the provenance of all newly sourced, individually registered diamonds. The initiative is a significant step in diamond transparency and continues Tiffany’s long-standing commitment to responsible sourcing. “For consumers, that means you come to Tiffany to buy a diamond to celebrate a beautiful moment in your life with a guarantee that diamonds are mined in countries in respect of human rights.” Tiffany & Co. has more than 14,000 employees, including more than 5,000 skilled artisans who cut diamonds and craft jewelry in the company’s workshops.

UPS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David Abney talked about business challenges and the future of trade at the May 19 gathering of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. Emerging markets, e-commerce, and technology are key concerns for today’s business leaders, Abney pointed out. But trade, he noted, is of paramount importance. "We’ve got to align trade agreements with the realities we face," said Abney. "I really believe the last time we’ve seen so much disalignment between trading rules and reality was the Boston Tea Party." Niraj Shah, co-founder, co-chairman, and chief executive officer of Wayfair, introduced Abney.

Uber Technologies Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick disrupted tradition at the December 1 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. Rather than delivering prepared remarks for about 20 minutes from behind a podium, the serial entrepreneur sat down for an open-ended question and answer session with Alex von Tobel, founder and chief executive officer of LearnVest. The two talked about the red-hot success of the ride-hailing service, which is currently valued at $6 billion and has a presence in more than 300 cities, as well as Uber’s future. “We believe in making cities better,” said Kalanick. He predicts that Uber and its new shared-ride option, uberPOOL, will have a “huge impact on congestion,” and further the company’s aim to provide “transportation as reliable as running water everywhere for everyone…a reliable way to get around your city without ever having to own a car.” John Harthorne, founder and chief executive officer of MassChallenge, introduced Kalanick.

Kevin Plank, founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Under Armour, spoke to the June 10 meeting of Boston College’s Chief Executives Club about his company’s growth from a specialty T-shirt line headquartered in his grandmother’s basement into a multibillion dollar sports apparel giant poised to disrupt an industry. Plank is excited about the company’s development of “Connected Fitness,” a network of platforms and tools that measure sleep, activity, fitness, and nutrition, he said. “Brands are meant to have a point of view,” Plank told the gathering. “If we can inspire people to measure [their personal health and fitness], if we can get them to make better-informed decisions, that [will] allow them to take action, that will effect change.” Hill Holliday Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Karen Kaplan introduced the speaker.

Alfred F. Kelly, Jr., chief executive officer of Visa, Inc., sat down with John Fish, chairman and chief executive officer of Suffolk, at the September 27 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. The two Boston College Board of Trustees members discussed businesses and economies around the world, the rapid growth of the payments "ecosystem," and a range of innovations, including cryptocurrencies—evolving digital monetary options that Visa tracks, but doesn't see as quite the right fit now as a payment vehicle. When asked about the future of cash, Kelly commented, "last year was the first time that electronic or digital payments were more than cash, yet the absolute amount of money spent on cash around the world was actually higher last year than five years ago." He went on to speculate that a cashless world won't take place during his tenure as CEO of Visa. With nearly 17,000 employees worldwide and reported revenues of $18.4 billion in 2017, Visa is the world’s leader in digital payments and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transactions a second.

On December 10, 2024, the Boston College Chief Executives Club welcomed Ryan McInerney, chief executive officer of Visa, Inc., to speak with Joe Preston, chairman and chief executive officer of New Balance Athletics. Their conversation focused on the changes in global payment networks, the company’s use of technology, financial technologies, and global regulatory issues as well as offered lessons on leadership. Prior to assuming the role of chief executive officer, McInerney served as the company's president and was responsible for global businesses. Before joining Visa in 2013, McInerney served as chief executive officer of consumer banking for JPMorgan Chase. Visa is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Last fiscal year, the company processed 303 billion transactions in approximately 160 currencies. Visa employs nearly 31,000 people and reported net revenues of $35.9 billion for fiscal year 2024. 

Warren K. Zola, executive director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, speaks with Niraj Shah, co-founder, co-chair & CEO of Wayfair. Held on May 21, 2020, this "Conversation with a CEO" touches upon a variety of subjects including how the Boston business community is coming together in the current pandemic.

At a September 20 meeting that launched the Boston College Chief Executives Club's 25th year, German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab, the founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF), discussed his foundation’s origins in 1971, major economic shifts over the last 46 years, and ongoing challenges that the "global village" of WEF is dedicated to addressing. In a conversation with Steve Pagliuca, co-chairman of Bain Capital and co-owner of the Boston Celtics, Schwab described how WEF has evolved into the preeminent international, non-partisan organization for public-private collaboration by fostering corporate citizenship, social entrepreneurship, and the idea that "in a global world, business is itself a stakeholder in our global future." Schwab also previewed his foundation’s 2018 annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, at which 2,500 global business leaders, heads of state, and academics will address "shaping a shared narrative in a fractured world."

Casino magnate Stephen Wynn, chairman and chief executive officer of Wynn Resorts, told the June 8 Boston College Chief Executives Club he expects to open the Wynn Boston Harbor Resort in May 2019—despite legal challenges from the city of Somerville. "As I understand it, the mayor is morally opposed to it," Wynn said of his controversial $2.1 billion casino development. "We’re talking about a place that’s fun to go." A "healthy majority of citizens," Wynn said, recognize that casino development helps spur "tourism, taxes, and jobs." The Las Vegas mogul emphasized the difference between a casino—a "passive thing," and the "experiential" elements of a casino resort—a place "where rooms are beautiful, where the amenities are terrific…where you can live life a little larger than you can every day." Wynn also touched on his ideas of leadership, the importance of customer service, and politics. Former Massachusetts Governor William Weld, who is now running for vice president on the Libertarian ticket, introduced Wynn.