Procter & Gamble brand manager to speak at Whitman Feb. 8

Procter & Gamble brand manager to speak at Whitman Feb. 8February 02, 2007Amy Schmitzaemehrin@syr.edu

The Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University will host a lecture by Mike Burkeen, Procter & Gamble (P&G) brand manager and faculty member at Procter & Gamble University, on Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. The lecture, “What is Brand Management?” will take place in Room 402 of the Whitman School building and is free and open to the public. A reception in the Milton Room will immediately follow.

Burkeen is the brand manager responsible for marketing capabilities for P&G in North America. P&G is a promote-from-within company that places a high premium on training, since it is the key to continuous company growth and employee retention. In 1997, Burkeen began his career as a summer intern at P&G and returned in 1998 in a full-time marketing role on the Gain laundry brand. He moved to the Swiffer brand in 2000, and led the North American launch of the Swiffer Duster. He is also the founder of the National Society for Minorities in Hospitality, started in 1990.

Starting as a small family-operated soap and candle company, P&G has grown into a global corporation providing products to more than 140 countries worldwide. With more than 135,000 employees, P&G services a wide range of clients, including Downey, Ivory, Old Spice, Oral-B and Secret. Twenty-two of the publicly traded companies’ clients bring in more than $1 billion in sales per year.