Harry L. Crisp II is Chief Executive Officer of Pepsi MidAmerica. He took the helm of the company in 1975 after spending many years learning the business. Harry L. Crisp, Sr. believed there was no substitute for hard work and knowledge, and that was the basis of the training program he set up for Marion Pepsi's current President.

Mr. Crisp received his formal schooling in the Marion School System, Culver Military Academy, University of Illinois and Southern Illinois University. He entered the U.S. Marine Corps in 1956 and received the high honor of being named the outstanding Marine in boot training from among 5,000 other Marines. He was honorably discharged in 1958.

Following his discharge, Harry L., as employees often refer to the C.E.O., began his official career with Pepsi in earnest. He had been around the business all his life learning every aspect of the business. He sorted bottles, drove trucks and delivered product as a route salesman. He operated bottle washers, case packers and fillers in the production department and the knowledge he gained was acquired over several years, not a week or month.

He learned advertising and the importance of presenting quality products to the public as well as sales, which to this day he says was the best job he ever had. As a salesman he became familiar with what store managers expected; good service and knowledge of the products he sold.

The changes in the industry and in Marion Pepsi have been tremendous. The company has grown into the largest individually owned Pepsi Bottler in the United States. The plant, which was the newest in the world in 1969, has upgraded all bottling lines in the last six years. The number of jobs have increased three times over what there were in 1975.

Soft drinks are Mr. Crisp's primary business, however, he finds time to serve on the E.I.U. Foundation Board and the Murray State Foundation Board of Trustees.

He has received an Honorary Doctorate of Human Letters from Milikin University and a Doctorate of Law, Honoris Causa from Murray State University.

> Back