A Summary

We chose Coca Cola as our company because of their long history and their entrenched impact on American culture. This is a company over 100 years old that has become so iconic that it will forever be a mainstay in society.

We learned about James Quincey, the current CEO, who worked his way from being Director of Learning Strategy in the Latin American market, all the way to CEO and Chairman of the biggest soda empire. Starting with working with the Latin American section of the company, he also worked with the European section, compiling a global experience that helped him rise to the top position he currently holds.

Quincey’s predecessor, Muhtar Kent, had an even greater tale of rising through the ranks. In 1978, he joined Coca Cola’s bottler sales training program. From there, he held numerous positions before becoming President and COO, then President and CEO, then Chairman. He wanted to establish a more mindful company, working towards conserving more water, looking out for consumers, and promoting women in the workplace, so much as to help 5 million women entrepreneurs.

We also discussed Mary Minnick, Executive Vice President of Marketing, Strategy, and Innovation. She was with the company for 23 years and worked her way up to this high position. She took over when Pepsi was becoming a major threat, and through innovations in advertising and diversifying their product, was able to take Coca Cola back to the top of the soft-drink industry. She was no nonsense, didn’t like beating around the bush, and was incredibly intelligent. She moved the company towards another advertising company, and pushed for creation of several new products, including teas and coffees. In 2006, she was named one of the Most Powerful Women in Business. In 2007, she resigned to pursue other goals in her life.

The Coca Cola company is one that has existed for over a century and remains a mainstay in households around the world. There are still parts of the country that refer to any soda as a “Coke”. This is the kind of titan this company has become. It’s leaders over the years have had different ideas and motivations, but have all been well trained and had the right mindset to carry on the overall goals of this industry giant.