072: How Lou Nieto achieved his goal of running a $3+ billion dollar Fortune 500 company

Lou P. Nieto Jr  is president of Nieto Advisory, LLC, an advisory firm that works with small and mid cap consumer foods companies. He retired in June 2009 as president of ConAgra Foods’ $8.0 B Consumer Foods business. In this role, he was responsible for the overall management and profitability of a diverse portfolio of brands and products. He joined ConAgra as President of ConAgra Meats in 2005. He was previously President/CEO of the Federated Group, a retail and foodservice focused private label business from 2002 to 2005. He was also a Group President and a Corporate Officer of Dean Foods Company from 2000 to 2002. He joined Dean Foods in 1998 after 2 years with Mission Foods, a subsidiary of the Mexican corporation, GRUMA. Prior to Mission Foods, he spent 10 years with Kraft Foods in various brand management and strategic planning roles. Lou started his career with the Quaker Oats Company in brand management where he worked for 5 years before Kraft Foods. Lou has served on the Ryder Systems, Inc and Auto Zone boards of directors since January 2007 and September 2008, respectively. He is chair of Ryder’s Finance Committee and a member of the Audit committee at both Ryder and Auto Zone. Lou also serves on the boards of Eddy Packing, a Texas based meat products company, and Food Evolution, a prepared foods business. He served on the Board of Directors of White Wave, Inc., a Boulder, Colorado corporation, and of the Dairy Marketing Alliance, a joint venture of Dean Foods and Land O’Lakes, from 2000 to 2002. He is currently Treasurer of the Latino Corporate Directors’ Association, an advocacy organization for greater Latino corporate board representation.

Lou is a 1981 MBA graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration where he was elected President of the Latino Association and Vice President of the Marketing Club. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Chicago in 1977 where he served in numerous student leadership roles and was elected to the Maroon Key Honorary Society. Lou has been involved locally and nationally in the effort to increase educational opportunities for disadvantaged youth. He served as the founding Chairman of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School’s Board of Trustees from 1994 to 1996 and as a board member until 2000. He was also a two-term president of the Chicago Chapter of the National Society of Hispanic MBAs. He served as vice president of the board for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) National Education Service Centers from 1990 to 1993. He was a national board member of Inroads, Inc. from 1995 to 1997. Lou has also been very involved with his various alma maters, church and community. He was a six year member of the University of Chicago’s College Visiting Committee and has co-chaired multiple reunions. He served in various roles during 2 terms on the board of the Harvard Business School Club of Chicago. He was the 1998 recipient of the President’s Award from his high school alma mater, St. Ignatius College Preparatory School where he served as co-president with his wife of the Parent Organization for the 2011/2012 year. He is currently a trustee of St. Ignatius. Lou has been involved with his parish in religious education, benevolence efforts and other leadership activities. He served in a leadership role with youth soccer in his community for over 7 years including 5 years as president of a 19 team travel club. He was an elected village park district commissioner where he served as treasurer. He and his family reside in suburban Chicago.

 

What you'll learn

• How Lou's parents inspired him to achieve at the highest level
• Lou's journey from humble beginnings  to managing an $8 billion dollar company
• His Harvard Business School experience
• How he managed to turn around a failed business through leadership and the inspiring message he delivered to the employees
• Why this is the time for all Latinos to speak up against the forces of intolerance and say "Basta"!

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