10 military veterans who became Fortune 500 CEOs
In 1980, 59% of CEOs in U.S. public corporations had some form of military background, according to Vista College. In 2009, that percentage had fallen to 8%.
Despite the dramatic drop over the last 40 years, there are still a number of CEOs who have taken the leadership lessons they learned in the military into Fortune 500 boardrooms.
Here are 10 current and former CEOs who have served in the U.S. military.
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Alex Gorsky
Alex Gorsky, chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson, served in the U.S. Army for six years. Before his service, Gorsky attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, according to his Johnson & Johnson bio.
Frederick W. Smith
According to his corporate bio page, FedEx Chairman and CEO Frederick W. Smith was an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years, from 1966 to 1970.
Ken Hicks
Ken Hicks is the chairman, president and CEO of sporting goods and apparel company Academy Sports. He previously served as the CEO of Foot Locker from 2009 to 2014.
Hicks attended West Point for his undergraduate degree and served in the U.S. Army, according to Veterans Advantage.
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Scott Wine
Scott Wine, chairman and CEO of Polaris Industries Inc., served as a United States naval officer, according to his Polaris bio. Following his service, he held roles at defense companies including United Technologies Corporation, Danaher Corp. and Allied Signal Corp., which became Honeywell International, Inc.
Alan B. Miller
Universal Health Services was founded in 1979 by Alan B. Miller, who is still the chairman and CEO of the hospital management company. Miller also served in the U.S. Army in the 77th Infantry Division, according to his UHS bio page.
Sumner Redstone
Billionaire Sumner Redstone, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 97, was the former chairman and CEO of National Amusements which eventually took control of Viacom in1996, and CBS in 2000. The companies now operate as VicaomCBS. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, cracking Japanese military codes, according to reports.
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Lowell C. McAdam
Verizon's former CEO Lowell C. McAdam served in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineering Corps for six years, according to his bio page.
Robert A. McDonald
After he served as the chairman, president and CEO of Procter & Gamble, Robert A. McDonald became the secretary of Veterans Affairs under President Obama in 2014.
McDonald graduated from West Point and served in the U.S. Army with the 82nd Airborne Division, according to his website.
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James A. Skinner
James A. Skinner, executive chairman of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. and former CEO of McDonald's Corporation, served in the U.S. Navy for almost 10 years, including during the Vietnam War, according to Veterans Advantage.
Robert J. Stevens
Retired Chairman, President and CEO of Lockheed Martin Robert J. Stevens served in the U.S. Marine Corps for six years, according to his Lockheed Martin bio.
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