Business Executive and US Secretary of Defense. He graduated from Harvard University in 1925 and began a career with Procter and Gamble, rising to company President in 1948. In the early 1930s, he permanently changed corporate marketing and advertising when he wrote the "McElroy memo", which is still reviewed in business schools, and which lead to creation of the now standard practices of brand management and product differentiation. From 1955 to 1957 McElroy was Chairman of the White House Conference on Education, and in 1957 he was named Secretary of Defense. Just before the start of his tenure the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, beginning the "space race" with the US. McElroy's term was largely taken up by efforts to calm public concern by insisting that the USSR's successful satellite launch did not mean that it had an advantage in space technology or nuclear missiles, and by planning for buildups of the US space and missile defense programs. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1959. After leaving office in 1960, McElroy returned to Procter and Gamble as Chairman of the Board, serving until shortly before his death from cancer, also returning to government service as Chairman of the President's Commission on School Finance from 1970 to 1972.
Business Executive and US Secretary of Defense. He graduated from Harvard University in 1925 and began a career with Procter and Gamble, rising to company President in 1948. In the early 1930s, he permanently changed corporate marketing and advertising when he wrote the "McElroy memo", which is still reviewed in business schools, and which lead to creation of the now standard practices of brand management and product differentiation. From 1955 to 1957 McElroy was Chairman of the White House Conference on Education, and in 1957 he was named Secretary of Defense. Just before the start of his tenure the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, beginning the "space race" with the US. McElroy's term was largely taken up by efforts to calm public concern by insisting that the USSR's successful satellite launch did not mean that it had an advantage in space technology or nuclear missiles, and by planning for buildups of the US space and missile defense programs. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1959. After leaving office in 1960, McElroy returned to Procter and Gamble as Chairman of the Board, serving until shortly before his death from cancer, also returning to government service as Chairman of the President's Commission on School Finance from 1970 to 1972.
Bio by: Bill McKern
