Advisory Committee

Bob McDonald, MBA

Former Chairman, Board of WPAOG; 8th U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs; Former Chairman / President / CEO, Procter & Gamble
U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of 1975 (Top 2% of Class)
Experience

Bob McDonald is the retired Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Procter & Gamble Company. Under Bob’s leadership as CEO, P&G significantly expanded its developing market footprint and added nearly a billion more consumers to the number it serves. During his tenure, P&G grew organic sales by an average of about three percent per year with core earnings per share up an average of about four percent. P&G’s stock price rose from $51.10 the day he became CEO to $78.80 per share the day he announced his retirement – over a fifty percent increase. The Company’s market capitalization puts it among the top fifteen most valuable companies in the world. Most recently, Bob was the 8th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs from July 2014 – January 2017.

Following his career at P&G, Bob was selected by President Obama in 2014 to head the Department of Veterans Affairs  (VA).  While at the helm of the VA, Bob was able to help transform the agency into one that truly delivered better care for our Military veterans.

In July 2020, Bob became the April and Jay Graham Fellow of the George W. Bush Institute. In this endowed role he serves as a key member of the Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative team, advocating for post-9/11 Veterans and building awareness for the issues that affect their successful transitions to civilian life including employment, education, and health and wellbeing. In September 2020, Bob was appointed to the Biden Transition Advisory Board, to ensure a smooth administration transition if Vice President Biden is elected.

Bob is personally and professionally committed to values-based leadership and to improving the lives of others. He is Chairman of the Board of RallyPoint Networks, Inc.—an online community of active duty military members and Veterans—and serves on the Board of Directors of the Partnership for Public Service, Audia International, Inc., the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy, the Boulder Crest Retreat Foundation, and the McCormick Research Institute.

Education
  • Honorary Doctorate, Drexel University
  • Honorary Doctorate, Robert Morris University
  • Honorary Doctorate, Xavier University
  • Honorary Doctorate, University of Cincinnati
  • Honorary Doctorate, Hampden Sydney College
  • MBA, University of Utah
  • BS, Engineering, U.S. Military Academy at West Point
Publications/Awards
  • Distinguished Graduate Award, West Point Association of Graduates 2017
  • Public Service Star from the President of the Republic of Singapore 2014
  • Distinguished Graduate, University of Utah Alumni Association 2010
Organizations
  • George W. Bush Institute
  • Veterans Affairs
  • West Point Association of Graduates
Personal

Bob is a passionate reader and never misses his early morning workouts. He resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, with his wife. They are the parents of two grown children and proud grandparents.

Bob and his wife are the founders of The McDonald Conference for Leaders of Character at West Point—an annual gathering that brings together the brightest young minds from the best universities around the world and partners them with senior business, nongovernmental organization, and government leaders in a multi-day interactive learning experience.

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