Why not promote from the ranks?

[Bob Of Burleson]

New UPS chief is an increasingly rare breed:
An executive who worked up from the bottom

By Danielle Paquette
The Washington Post

David Abney started working for UPS 40 years ago, part time. He loaded trucks at night and studied business during the day at Delta State University in Cleveland, Miss. He needed the job: A scholarship covered his tuition but not dates with his high school sweetheart.

Abney, the first in his family to attend college, couldn’t afford to live on campus. He often skipped the 45-minute commute home and slept on couches in the school’s union — the portrait of a scrappy dreamer, his friends say.

Fewer U.S. companies promote leaders from the rank and file, but experts say they’re missing out.

“I told him, ‘One day, we’re going to bronze one of those couches and present it to you,” said Keith Fulcher, executive director of Delta’s alumni association. “This is where it all started. On the couches. Right here.”

On Friday, Abney was named the next chief executive of UPS, the world’s largest package delivery company, succeeding D. Scott Davis on Sept. 1. “The company has provided me tremendous opportunity, amazing career experiences and rewarding professional development,” Abney, 58, said in a statement.

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[BillB]

I worked for Southwestern Bell for over 30 years.
It promoted exclusively from the ranks- usually from the lowest ranks.
That isn't the case in recent years, since it became AT&T.

[John in Plano]

WalMarts ceo started in a warehouse when he was 17. hes now 47.

[bodine]

This used to happen in the banking industry. Start as a teller, work your way up from there.

Consolidation, competition and regulation have killed banking as I knew it...

[GFB]

How about we let the company decide?

[BigTex]

Seems like in this day and age you are not always valued as a long-time employee. Some companies believe open or newly created positions need to be filled by outsiders who will bring in fresh ideas (or will bring over a useful point of view from the business they are leaving).

[GFB]

Seems like in this day and age you are not always valued as a long-time employee. Some companies believe open or newly created positions need to be filled by outsiders who will bring in fresh ideas (or will bring over a useful point of view from the business they are leaving).

..and I'm sure sometimes that is proved to be a good approach..and sometimes not.

[Stanwood]

CEO of a company I represent started off in the tool room as an 18 year old apprentice. He worked every production and manufacturing job in the company. He's worked his way all the way to the top and built a $5 billion company. If you want to see respect, you should see the reaction of employees when this man walks through the plant.