Students meet with alumni CEOs at McGlothlin Leadership Forum
Mark T. Smucker ’92 and Kendrick F. Ashton Jr. ’98 share career insights with W&M MBA and J.D. students
October 3, 2024
By
Jacob A. Miller ’18
Highly effective leaders guide their teams with confidence, compassion and candor. That was among the messages shared by two distinguished alumni, Mark T. Smucker ’92, president and CEO of the J.M. Smucker Co., and Kendrick F. Ashton Jr. ’98, co-founder and co-CEO of The St. James, the 2024 fellows for the 13th annual McGlothlin Leadership Forum. The event, held Sept. 9-10, provided MBA students from the Raymond A. Mason School of Business and J.D. students from W&M Law School the opportunity to directly engage with two inspirational leaders from different industries, discussing key topics that shape today's business and legal environments.
The annual forum is made possible thanks to the leading generosity of the forum’s co-founders, James “Jim” W. McGlothlin ’62, J.D. ’64, LL.D. ’00 and Frances “Fran” Gibson McGlothlin ’66, L.H.D. ’18.
The forum kicked off with introductory remarks by President Katherine A. Rowe and a keynote address by Smucker, who shared his journey at the helm of one of America’s most iconic companies. He touched on the importance of innovation and marketing in consumer goods, the challenges of maintaining corporate responsibility in an evolving market and valuable skills that all leaders should strive to develop.
“You should lead with a sense of optimism, hope and compassion, as well as emotional intelligence,” Smucker said. “As we lead each other, especially through change, we should focus on strengths and how we motivate people.”
Quoting his uncle and former company CEO, Richard K. Smucker, he called out three key qualities that typify great leaders: They understand the business, they are good with people and they are willing to make very hard decisions, but do so with compassion.
During his presentation, Smucker compared retro commercials with more modern ad campaigns from the various brands owned by the J.M. Smucker Co. to demonstrate real-world applications of marketing concepts. Attendees were presented with a gift of Smucker’s jelly as they departed.
On the second day of the forum, Smucker and Ashton sat down for a more personal conversation with a standing-room-only crowd of students and faculty. Laura Heymann, the James G. Cutler Professor of Law, and Ronald Hess, the Larry Ring Executive MBA Professor of Business, moderated their discussion covering topics such as leadership philosophy and building successful, connected teams in today’s competitive landscape. Heymann and Hess are also the 2024 recipients of the McGlothlin Award for Exceptional Teaching, recognizing their unwavering dedication to teaching. The Forum fellows then answered questions directly from students; Smucker emphasized the critical role of authenticity as a leader, while Ashton highlighted the importance of having determination and a clear vision in both career trajectory and in entrepreneurship.
During the closing luncheon, Ashton delivered a powerful keynote speech in which he reflected on his path to co-founding The St. James, an innovative sports, wellness and entertainment enterprise. Ashton encouraged students to embrace calculated risks and chase intentional connections in their networks, sharing the valuable lessons he’s learned about leadership and purpose throughout his career.
“Everyone, no matter where they are, regardless of role or title, should be a leader,” Ashton said. “You have to commit yourselves to acting like a leader. And as leaders, when you do anything, you have to acknowledge your position as a privilege that has the power to impact so many people.”
As William & Mary continues to educate and inspire the next generation, the McGlothlin Leadership Forum remains a pivotal and incomparable experience, connecting classroom knowledge to real-world challenges and fostering radical connections across our university community.