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Shipping Clerk to CEO
CCD Partners • Apr 20, 2022
In the latest episode of the Chemical Transformations podcast, CCD Partners' Managing Partner Matt Dixon speaks with Ted Clark, former President and CEO of Royal Adhesives & Sealants, discussing his new book "Shipping Clerk to CEO: The Power of Curiosity, Will, and Self Directed Learning”.
The book tells the story of Clark’s remarkable career journey from entry-level worker to CEO of a $240m chemical company by the age of 42.
Beginning as a shipping clerk, Clark climbed the ranks to become President & CEO of Products Research & Chemical Corporation (PRC), a global leader in aircraft and construction sealants and coatings. Clark drove 20% profit growth across the firm prior to a sale to PPG Industries in 1999.
Four years later, Clark began the private equity-backed journey to grow platform company Royal Adhesives & Sealants into one of the top 10 adhesives and sealant companies in the world, a route which involved revenue growth from $35m to $700m, included 19 acquisitions, and led to the successful sale of the business to NYSE-listed H.B. Fuller.
In his book, Clark highlights a number of key principles which have guided both his personal career and his business success, sharing insights as valuable to ambitious professionals at the start of their careers as they are to seasoned leaders.
Critically, Clark stresses the importance of maximising performance and efficiency in every position on the career path towards senior management and approaching each role as “CEO” of the corresponding function within the business. With this mindset, Clark was able to optimise the processes, output, and impact of each job he held, creating a reputation and establishing contacts within the organization that saw him rapidly promoted to exert greater influence over a broader field of responsibility.
He also highlights the value of staying ‘ahead of your closest competitor’ as a performance strategy both in career development and in business, encouraging the adoption of an ongoing benchmarking process which targets performance perpetually beyond the level of the next-closest challenger, ensuring recognition as the top performer among peers and commercial competitors alike.
Clark also has many lessons for aspiring leaders, especially those striving to secure senior corporate management opportunities early in their careers, tackling subjects including:
- What makes underdogs succeed?
- How can you avoid the "experience trap"?
- What does it take to think on your feet?
- How do you mend broken work relationships?
- How do you manage workers twice one's age?
To watch the full podcast discussion between Ted Clark and CCD Partners’ Managing Partner Matt Dixon, click here.
“Shipping Clerk to CEO” is available on Amazon
in both paperback and Kindle edition.
CCD Partners is a consultancy specialised in corporate transformations in small and mid-market chemicals and life sciences businesses.
To organise a call with one of our partners please email contact@ccdpartners.com
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