The Suffield Bell 2017 Commencement Edition Volume LXXXIII, NO. 5
Established 1835
May 26, 2017
2017 Commencement Speaker: William A. Burke III P’13, ’15, ’17, ’19 The Suffield Academy community is very pleased that Bill Burke will speak at the 2017 Commencement. Bill is the Chief Operating Officer of Newell Brands, one of the leading consumer goods companies in the world. The company has a large portfolio of well-known brands including Sharpie, Paper Mate, Parker, Elmer’s, Yankee Candle, Coleman, Marmot, Rawlings, Oster, Sunbeam, Mr. Coffee, Graco, Baby Jogger, Calphalon, Contigo, First Alert, Jostens, and Rubbermaid. Prior to taking on this Newell Brands role, Bill served as President for the newly acquired Jarden company. Bill has a sustained record of outstanding leadership in companies delivering consistent growth. He is known for scaling businesses globally, leading complex organizations, building brands, improving operational excellence, and developing talent. He is recognized as a coach and mentor, and as a transformational leader of large scale change initiatives. Prior to Newell Rubbermaid Bill spent 20 years at Black and Decker in various roles, including Vice President and General Manager of the Product Service Division and Global Vice President of Marketing. Bill holds Bachelor of Arts and Master of Business Administration degrees from Loyola University. He and his wife, Cindy Burke, have had four children attend Suffield: Hailey ’13, Kelsey ’15, William ’17, and Christopher ’19. Cindy is on Suffield’s Board of Trustees and Bill is a trustee at Springfield College and Loyola University New Orleans. Bill has completed six marathons (the last with Hailey) and three sprint triathlons. He is also an inventor with three United States patents. Headmaster Charlie Cahn said, “Bill is an excellent leader with a deep connection to Suffield. We are fortunate to have him as a key part of our 2017 Commencement activities. I know this is especially meaningful for Bill, as his father spoke at his graduation from St. Sebastian’s School in 1978.”
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