Wendell Weeks Explained

Wendell Weeks
Birth Name:Wendell P. Weeks
Nationality:American
Education:Lehigh University (BS)
Harvard University (MBA)
Occupation:Businessman
Chairman, CEO, and president, Corning Inc.
Term:April 2007-
Spouse:Kim Frock
Children:2

Wendell P. Weeks (born 1959/60) is an American businessman, the chairman, CEO, and president of Corning Inc.

Education

Weeks received a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1981, and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1987.[1] [2]

Business career

Corning

Weeks joined Corning in 1983. He held a variety of financial, business development, commercial, and general management roles, including strategic positions in the company’s television, specialty glass, and optical communications businesses.

In 1996, Weeks was named vice president and general manager of Corning’s optical fiber business, a tenure which included managing through a major sales downturn.[3]

Weeks has been a director of Corning since December 2000.

He was promoted to chief executive officer in April 2005. A notable action was rapid movement into production of Gorilla Glass, for the new iPhone.[4] [5]

He became chairman in April 2007.[6] [1]

Non-executive roles

Weeks has been a member of the board of directors of Amazon.com since February 2016.[1]

Business philosophy

Weeks has said that "If you’re going to sustain as an institution, you have to focus on problems that matter. For Corning, some of those things are cleaner air; safer, more effective medicines; and fast, reliable communication. A company’s value is ultimately measured by whether or not it does good in society." He believes that creative destruction is an important part of capitalism, but so is collaboration.[7] He regards failures as opportunities to learn.[8]

Personal life

Weeks met his wife, Kim Frock, at Harvard Business School.[7] She worked at Corning and helped initiate and volunteered with a local school project. They have two children.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wendell P. Weeks: Executive Profile & Biography - Bloomberg. www.bloomberg.com. 15 August 2017.
  2. Web site: Wendell P. Weeks, MBA 1987 - Alumni - Harvard Business School. 25 August 2014. hbs.edu. 15 August 2017.
  3. Web site: Q&A: Corning's Comeback Ceo. Newsweek. 28 January 2007.
  4. Web site: 12 Years Ago, Steve Jobs Taught an Astonishingly Effective Leadership Lesson in 5 Short Parts. 14 July 2019.
  5. https://www2.willworkinc.com/dont-be-afraid-one-of-historys-greatest-innovators-and-inventors-issues-a-challenge/
  6. Web site: Wendell P. Weeks - Our Leadership - Corning. www.corning.com. 15 August 2017.
  7. Web site: Wendell Weeks: Making Corning Even More Durable.
  8. Web site: Failure as opportunity to learn: Q&A with Corning CEO Wendell P Weeks.
  9. Web site: One School at a Time - Alumni - Harvard Business School. 27 March 2012 .