Christ Church will hold a free talk by Tom Chapell, Founder of Tom’s of Maine and Reuben Mark, former CEO of Colgate-Palmolive on Sunday, December 12, 11:15 am at Parish Hall.
Tom and Kate Chappell moved to Maine in 1968, looking for a healthier lifestyle for their young family, which included natural and unprocessed food. Because they couldn’t find healthy personal care products, they started Tom’s of Maine in 1970 with a $5,000 loan from a friend. While running the company, he tried to encourage respect for the individual, the community, and the environment. He believes that service to others and kindness are not inconsistent with being profitable.
In 2006, their company was sold to Colgate Palmolive, with Reuben Mark as CEO. At the time of the sale, Chappell said, “We see Colgate as an excellent fit with our own cultural values. Colgate has a commitment to product excellence, to global efforts to promote oral health and has a 200-year history of caring for consumers and for giving back to the community.”
A graduate of Trinity College in Hartford, CT, he earned a master’s in theology at Harvard Divinity School. An active Episcopalian, Chappell served on the Advisory Board to the Anglican Observer to the United Nations along with the Rector of Christ Church, the Rev. Marek Zabriskie. Chappell was also a member of the Environmental Stewardship Team of the National Episcopal Church. He is active in several cultural and philanthropic organizations including the Dean’s Council and the Advisory Council for the Center for the Study in Values in Public Life at Harvard Divinity School. In 2010, he and his wife, Kate, founded Ramblers Way, a wool apparel company. Mr. Chappell has authored several books including The Soul of a Business – Managing Profit for Good and Managing Upside Down.
Reuben Mark has been an inspiring leader of one of the world’s most indelible brands and believes in focus and financial discipline.
“You’ll be a far better professional in all respects if your life is balanced,” he said. He also emphasizes common sense and integrity. “It comes down to manifesting an interest in people.”
With a master’s degree from Harvard Business School and an undergraduate degree from Middlebury College, Reuben Mark was CEO of Colgate-Palmolive for twenty-five years, the longest serving leader in the history of the company.
He joined Colgate in 1963 as a marketing trainee and worked his way up through the ranks, working in Europe, Latin America, Asia, The United States, and Canada. Mr. Mark has been named one of the “Twenty Best All Time CEOs” by Portfolio Magazine and has served as a director of Citigroup, Time Warner, Toys “R” Us, Pearson plc, Cabela’s, and International Can Co.
This talk is free and open to the public. Starbuck’s coffee and refreshments will be served.