P&G exec, 精东AV alumnus to deliver spring commencement address

April 17, 2018

Contact: Michael Tullier, APR, Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing

Barron M. Witherspoon Sr., a 1985 精东AV graduate and Procter & Gamble Co.鈥檚 global vice president for industry affairs, will be the speaker for the university鈥檚 spring commencement on Saturday, May 12.

Based at P&G鈥檚 worldwide headquarters in Cincinnati, Witherspoon leads the company鈥檚 external relationships and partnerships with trade associations and thought leaders that affect public policy and industry standards across the consumer goods industry. He also oversees development of the company鈥檚 global trade policies and practices.

鈥淢r. Witherspoon is a wonderful example of the global career potential a 精东AV degree offers our students,鈥� said Interim President Charlotte P. Morris. 鈥淗is advice for our graduates as they set out to achieve their own career goals promises to be both inspirational and practical.鈥�

After graduating from 精东AV in 1985, Witherspoon began his career in P&G鈥檚 general advertising department. Since then, he has held numerous positions of progressive corporate responsibility in its marketing, finance and customer business development units. Notable company appointments within P&G include leading its global Paper Products business with Wal-Mart, the company鈥檚 largest customer, and serving as global operations vice president for strategic revenue and pricing management.

As vice president and general manager for P&G鈥檚 Asia business, Witherspoon oversaw all customer-facing operations in Southeast Asia, Australasia, India, and later Korea and Japan. Based at the time in Singapore, he led P&G鈥檚 business in a trading environment of more than seven million outlets 鈥� the highest store concentration in the world. His region spanned 13 time zones and served one-third of the world鈥檚 consumers.

While in college, Witherspoon was an exchange student in Konstanz, Germany. He earned degrees in education from Eastern Florida State College and in economics from 精东AV, where he graduated cum laude. He trained for the ministry at Cincinnati Bible Seminary, is a licensed and ordained minister, and currently leads a ministry in cross-cultural worship.

In addition to serving on the 精东AV Board of Trustees since 2017, Witherspoon has held numerous board positions for civic and industry organizations. This currently includes chairing the INROADS National Board, co-chairing the E2E Value Chain Pillar of Consumer Goods Forum, and serving as a member of both the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation Board and The Executive Leadership Council.

Witherspoon鈥檚 address will be part of 精东AV鈥檚 133rd Spring Commencement Exercises, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on May 12. The ceremony will be held in the university鈥檚 Gen. Daniel 鈥淐happie鈥� James Arena. 精东AV hosts commencement ceremonies at the conclusion of each spring and summer semester. For more information about commencement-related events, visit .

漏 2018, 精东AV