Pierre Evereart, chairman of InBev, the world’s largest beverage company, spoke at Baldwin-Wallace College to an audience of students, faculty and local business leaders on how to grow the northeast Ohio region through globalization, innovation, science and integrity. The former U.S. CEO of Phillips appeared in October as part of the Kamm Lecture Series.
Everaert explained marketplace changes resulting from globalization and how these are demanding greater investments in education at a personal, regional and national level.
“Globalization is happening at an unprecedented rate; it’s a relentless tide that cannot be reversed,” he reminded the audience. “China graduates 300,000 men and women in engineering and business each year. The same numbers are true for India. The United States may no longer be the biggest, but we can still strive at being the best. Being the best at science, innovation and growth demands integrity. It is essential to every and any transaction.”
Everaert reminded the audience that science and innovation are the fundamental building blocks to participating in a global marketplace, as evident throughout much of Asia.
“We ‘re getting our wake up call,” said Everaert. “We need to change and adapt. We can’t continue protecting the businesses we have today. The only way our big businesses like automotive can continue is through global partnerships. These relationships depend on integrity. Without it, both parties are vulnerable to failure.”
The mention of integrity naturally opened a door for Everaert to discuss the role of “servant-” or “character-based leadership.” He said B-W professors Alan Kolp and Peter Rea defined it best in their recently published book Integrity is a Growth Market: Character-based leadership is developed by our intentions, by our conduct, by people who influence us and by our experiences – in other words, the best leaders are those who make life better for others.
This message clearly sounded a bell for NorTech’s Chris Varley, an executive strategist for Northeast Ohio’s technology-based economic development organization. The next day he had posted in his Tech Futures blog (a web-based report and discussion board), “Over and over again he (Evereart) came back to this key point: There are those who must work from the top down and those who must work from the bottom up. It is the obligation of those at the top to invest their expertise, their knowledge, their skills in those working from the bottom up in order that all can be working together toward the same goals.”
Everaert’s lessons that night resonated with students as well.
“I liked how he shared his career path. He helped me understand that comfort isn’t always my friend and that I should always embrace change. He knew what he wanted to achieve and was open to the possibility that numerous paths could lead him there.”
– Kim Mohney ’06 3/2 accounting major, MBA
“I learned I better do my homework. He clearly arrived in Cleveland knowing our community’s challenges and opportunities.
– Christine Zangardi ’06 business major
“He seemed to have a laid-back attitude toward his business, yet at the same time he was clearly driven to succeed. I think this is the type of attitude all business people, students and those already in the field should take on.”
– Kelley Timothy ’07 marketing major
“When Pierre told us that by the time of graduation Asian students have completed thousands of hours more in coursework than their American counterparts, I realized that the U.S. educational system is no longer a comparative advantage. I spent this summer in India. While I was visiting with students at the Indian Institute of Technology, I asked them if they planned to pursue careers in the U.S. They quickly responded, ‘That isn’t necessary anymore, there are plenty of great companies for us to work for here in India now’, proving Pierre’s point that there’s no stopping globalization.”
– Michael Lagoni ‘06,finance major/economics minor
Everaert started his career in the early 1960s as an engineer at Goodyear, a global manufacturer. It was there where he meet his bride, Diane, and now wife of nearly 42 years. It was also where he first began wrapping his mind around the needed links between globalization, innovation and integrity. This might explain why at the close of his career and the start of a new chapter in life he is drawn to Baldwin-Wallace and his self-proclaimed northeast Ohio roots.
“When I listen to Pierre talking to B-W students,” said Alan Kolp, B-W Moll Chair Holder and Professor of Religion, “I see someone who embodies the essential B-W education, namely, he is a contributing, compassionate citizen of our global society. For Pierre this is reality; his challenging presence in our midst makes it seem a realistic goal for our students and he inspires them to go for it!”
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