Tom Verdery - Leading By Example

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PROCTER & GAMBLE RETIREE TACKLES NEW ROLES IN EDUCATION

By Debbie Miller

Retirement didn’t last long for Tom Verdery.

The Fayetteville man ended a successful 34-year career with Procter & Gamble on Aug. 31 and earned the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Approximately six weeks later, he plunged into a dual role at John Brown University: Executive in Residence for The Soderquist Center for Leadership and Ethics and instructor in the graduate business program.

The two functions weren’t exactly uncharted waters for Verdery.

As he had pondered his post- P&G path, teaching seemed a good fit. He had been a guest lecturer at several schools, including the University of Arkansas and John Brown University. His many roles at Procter & Gamble included training and mentoring others; a passion for sharing expertise and knowledge motivated him then and now.

“That’s kind of what makes me want to get up in the morning,” he said.

He also possessed a strong affinity for the culture, mission and values at P&G.

Upon approaching retirement, he liked the idea of leading others to know and embrace their organization’s values in decision-making and strategic planning and to apply business ethics consistently throughout those processes.

A string of individuals, most of whom didn’t know each other, started encouraging him to explore possibilities at JBU.

Verdery gave the institution a call, and the discussion began. During a period of three to four weeks, a significant number of occurrences convinced Verdery that he should join the Soderquist Center and the JBU family.

The Right Fit

Meanwhile, Chuck Hyde, chief operating officer for the Soderquist Center, said that others were telling center leaders that they should talk to Verdery.

“It turned out that the combination of the center’s work and the opportunity to teach in the graduate program at JBU were a perfect combination for Tom’s vision of what he wanted to be a part of in his life after P&G,” Hyde said.

The Soderquist Center, founded by retired Wal- Mart Senior Vice Chairman Don Soderquist, works with individuals, teams and organizations to transform the way they lead and operate from a strong foundation of values. The values-based approach distinguishes the Center from other firms and is one reason Verdery felt strongly about joining the team. The Center serves customers ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to small businesses, as well as large and small nonprofit organizations.

As executive in residence, Verdery is on the leadership team and works closely with the rest of the staff on customer projects, Hyde said.

“Tom’s role at the Center will be to lead projects requiring senior facilitation, such as strategic execution and executive coaching,” Hyde said.

Teaching in the graduate business program taps into Verdery’s expertise and his passions. He said his first class in January will be about mission, vision and values. He also will lead students in a graduate program to China next summer; he worked in China and various other locations around the globe during his career with P&G.

Verdery’s wealth of international experience is one of the characteristics that makes him a good fit for the teaching role, said Joe Walenciak, director of graduate business programs.  

The director has known Verdery for several years and described Verdery as positive, optimistic and energetic. Whether dealing with easy situations or tough circumstances, Verdery always brings the same open, engaging and professional approach, Walenciak said.  

Career Hallmarks  

Former colleagues at Procter & Gamble mentioned similar attributes.  

“He’s always up ... he’s  very resilient ... he’s just a joy to be around,” said Tom Muccio, who retired from P&G in 2003 as president of global customer teams.  

Both were working for P&G when the decision was made to start a multifunctional team in Northwest Arkansas. Muccio, who was leading the initiative, asked Verdery to be part of the new team that would pioneer a supplier-retailer relationship focused on moving away from traditional buying, selling and negotiation to multifunctional collaboration and long-term business planning to improve both companies’ sales, profits and cash flow.  

Selection for that team was a key event in Verdery’s career with P&G, as the change in relationship between Wal-Mart and P&G became a model that  both companies have used with other customers and suppliers.  

It was an exciting opportunity, Verdery recalled. The new role later opened other doors for Verdery as he and  his family moved to Mexico City and he helped build the Customer Business Development capability there and throughout South America.  He later returned to Fayetteville and helped lead varied international endeavors.  

Jeff Schomburger, now president of P&G’s global Wal-Mart team, nominated Verdery for the company’s Lifetime Achievement Award.  

Schomburger said the award goes to one retiree each year at a Senior Leaders Meeting in Cincinnati (P&G’s corporate headquarters).  The honor is based on distinguished performance over a career in building the business and building organizational skills.

That’s one of Verdery’s strong qualities, Schomburger noted.  

“It’s not about Tom,” he said in characterizing his former colleague. “He’s incredibly giving and will go way out of his way to help others be successful. He plays to win, without regard as to who gets the credit.  He’s a true servant leader.”  

Verdery’s passion for winning, developing people,  and building trust and win/win relationships with customers also are among the qualities Schomburger listed.  

In the Lifetime Achievement Award nomination form, the P&G leader also  cited Verdery’s community service activities, including serving as a board member for Habitat for Humanity and supporting a Boy Scout  troop.  

Verdery and his wife, Barbara, are active members in First United Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville. He serves as moderator for the committee on administration of the Presbytery of  Arkansas.  

Carl Russell, co-scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop  142, said the Verderys’ sons, Christopher (now 23) and Scott (now 20), achieved the rank of Eagle Scout with the troop.  

Seven years ago, the organization that had sponsored the troop was no longer able to continue as the troop’s chartered organization.  

“Tom and Christopher immediately proposed that we move our charter to their church, First United Presbyterian,” Russell said. “They presented the idea to the church; it was accepted and we were quickly able to have a new chartered organization to sponsor us (and) a great place to meet.  ... Our program was able to continue without missing a beat.”  

Verdery has continued to serve as charter representative to troop 142, Russell noted, even though his own sons have moved on to college and beyond.  

“Our troop has prospered and doubled in size in these past several years,” he said,  “thanks in large part to having great and caring support from First United Presbyterian Church and also from Tom and the Verdery family.”