Higher Education the Standard among Manufacturing Leaders [SLIDESHOW]

Sept. 8, 2014

The educational attainment of leaders at the biggest and best U.S. manufacturers.

Yeah, yeah. I know. Sometimes it seems as if the business world is being run by a bunch of college drop-outs. Degreeless business visionaries such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison, Michael Dell and the like are rightly celebrated for their contributions to business, but they are hardly the norm.

Now that the high cost of a college education causes many to question its value, the danger is that too many will cite such leaders to demonstrate that completing college is not necessary to succeed in business.

To get a quick sense of what it takes to lead a manufacturing company, IndustryWeek reviewed the educational attainment of the five top manufacturers in the IndustryWeek 50 Best Manufacturers list and five more from the top of the IW US 500 list.

Not a college drop-out among them.

Indeed, quite the opposite: Most of the leaders of the biggest and the best manufacturers didn't stop at a bachelor's degree; indeed only two of the ten in this gallery did.

About the Author

Patricia Panchak | Patricia Panchak, Former Editor-in-Chief

Focus: Competitiveness & Public Policy

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In her commentary and reporting for IndustryWeek, Editor-in-Chief Patricia Panchak covers world-class manufacturing industry strategies, best practices and public policy issues that affect manufacturers’ competitiveness. She delivers news and analysis—and reports the trends--in tax, trade and labor policy; federal, state and local government agencies and programs; and judicial, executive and legislative actions. As well, she shares case studies about how manufacturing executives can capitalize on the latest best practices to cut costs, boost productivity and increase profits.

As editor, she directs the strategic development of all IW editorial products, including the magazine, IndustryWeek.com, research and information products, and executive conferences.

An award-winning editor, Panchak received the 2004 Jesse H. Neal Business Journalism Award for Signed Commentary and helped her staff earn the 2004 Neal Award for Subject-Related Series. She also has earned the American Business Media’s Midwest Award for Editorial Courage and Integrity.

Patricia holds bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and English from Bowling Green State University and a master’s degree in Journalism from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. She lives in Cleveland Hts., Ohio, with her family.