From Average Joe to CEO of Nestle USA
Joe Weller readily admits that as a young salesman, he never expected to be running the U.S. unit of Swiss food giant Nestle, which has nearly $50 billion in global sales.
The Tennessee native began his career 30 years ago with Carnation Co., peddling cat food and canned milk to Memphis-area stores. Later he transferred to the Los Angeles headquarters of Carnation, which was bought by Nestle in 1985.
The lanky, 6-foot-5 Weller, 53, kept climbing through Nestle’s sales and executive ranks until being named chief executive of Nestle USA in 1994. The company is now based in Glendale.
When he talks about Nestle’s products, Weller’s voice gains pitch--evidence of his years in sales. But his excitement also carries over to talk of Nestle’s efforts in education, for which Weller was recently recognized.
The United Negro College Fund, which supports 39 predominantly African American colleges and universities, gave Weller its highest honor, the Patterson Award, for leading Nestle’s campaign to help disadvantaged schools and their students nationwide.
Among Nestle’s efforts: an adopt-a-school program, in which Nestle provides not only financial aid but also employee volunteers--including Weller--who tutor and mentor kids at selected schools. The company also has given schools more than a million books that profile adults and youngsters who represent role models for kids.
