Chairman, President and and Chief Executive Officer Whirlpool Corporation (Deceased) – Benton Harbor, Michigan
Jack D. Sparks joined Whirlpool in 1940. His career was interrupted by World War II. His first assignment in sales and marketing came in 1948 when he was named Assistant to the General Sales Manager. He was named group Vice President, Marketing and elected to the Board of Directors in 1970. Mr. Sparks serves on the Board of Directors of Meredith Corporation; the Peoples State Bank of St. Joseph, Michigan; and Inglis Limited of Canada. He is a member of many business, educational and cultural groups and is active in the affairs of several trade associations. He is the author of numerous marketing management articles and is a well known speaker and lecturer at colleges and at marketing conferences. He was named by THE WALL STREET TRANSCRIPT as recipient of the publication’s gold award as “Best Chief Executive Officer” in the appliance industry in 1982 and again in 1984. In 1985 he was given the Horatio Alger Award. “Today’s business market needs people who recognize the difference between acceptable and first-rate, and who know that extra push is worth the trouble!”
