05
View from the Valley
Ed McPherson attended Wabash Valley College from 1973 to 1974. Ed first decided to attend WVC because it was local for him while still providing affordable quality education. The small-town atmosphere ended up being his favorite thing about Wabash Valley: the encouraging and experienced faculty, smaller class sizes, and simply having family and friends (new and old) close by. During his time at WVC, Ed worked on an Associate in Science with a focus on engineering. After his year at Wabash Valley College, Ed continued his education in Norfolk, Virginia to study at Old Dominion University in the School of Engineering. In 1977, he graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. A few short years later, in 1981, he received his Master's in Business Administration with a Marketing focus. Ed has accumulated an impressive resume since his college graduation. In 1981, (the same year as his Master's level graduation) he worked for The Pillsbury Company as the Director of Marketing for Burger King. After 9 years, Ed spent another 9 years with PepsiCo as the Vice President of Brand Marketing for Kentucky Fried Chicken. In 1998, he worked at Gateway Computers before becoming the Chief Marketing Officer for Einstein's Bagels in 2003. In 2006, Ed became the Vice President of Marketing Planning for Sears Holdings Corporation. Ed's education and work allowed him, his wife, and two daughters to travel and live in many places across the United States. Now, Ed is back home in Mount Carmel and owns his own business, McPherson Properties, where he owns and manages real estate investments. ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Q: Where have you and your family lived? A: "Norfolk, Virginia. San Francisco, California. Miami, Florida. Atlanta, Georgia. Denver, Colorado. Chicago, Illinois. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Louisville, Kentucky."
Q: Which were your favorite city/cities to live in? A: "Sioux Falls and Lousiville."
Q: What do you most enjoy about your current job? A: "[The] autonomy, people, and geographic location."
Q: What do you do in your free time? A: "Work and collect a lot of items, from antiques to cars."
Q; What advice do you have in the workplace? A: "[Have] integrity. Work hard. Be fair. Work hard."
Q; What advice do you have for students in high school or college? A: "Work hard and have fun."
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