www.PerdueSenate.com |
David Perdue is a successful business leader with 40 years
of real world business experience who helped grow some of America's most
recognizable companies including Sara Lee, Haggar, and Reebok. As a Fortune 500
CEO, David led the impressive expansion of Dollar General, creating thousands
of quality jobs and adding billions to the value of the company.
While working his way to the top of the business world, he
gained a firsthand understanding of the global economy and the impact
government policies have on businesses. David has lived and worked in Europe,
Asia and throughout the United States, but he always relied on the values he
learned from his Middle Georgia upbringing.
Perdue was born in Macon, Georgia and raised in Warner
Robins, the son of two educators. His parents were both the first in their
families to go to college. From an early age, David was taught the importance
of a good education. His father eventually became the well-respected
superintendent of Houston County Schools.
David was expected to lead by example, which meant hard work
in the classroom during the school year and hard work in the fields of family
farms during the summer months. One of his first jobs was in a Head Start
program where he saw firsthand how important early learning is to ultimate
success in school.
At Georgia Tech, David earned a degree in Industrial
Engineering while working warehouse and construction jobs. After graduating, he
married Bonnie, whom he had met in the first grade and they have been married
for 41 years. Perdue worked fulltime with Kurt Salmon Associates while enrolled
in graduate school and Bonnie taught school in Gwinnett County.
David earned his second degree from Tech, a master's in
Operations Research. After completing his academic work at Tech, Perdue began a
professional career that took him around the globe and to the helm of major
corporations.
As a Principal of Kurt Salmon Associates, a management
consulting firm, David helped dozens of companies improve their products and
expand operations. He quickly learned that his best ideas came from working on
the factory floor and talking with employees.
This personal, hands-on approach was more effective than
anything Perdue learned from a textbook. He developed a deep understanding of
manufacturing, a genuine connection with co-workers, and the ability to utilize
those strengths anywhere in the world.
Ultimately, Perdue served as an executive for leading
international companies. He accepted tough business challenges from Singapore,
Hong Kong, and Paris to Dallas, Boston, and Nashville. As Senior Vice President
of Asia Operations for Sara Lee, Perdue established the company's first Asia
headquarters.
As President and CEO of the Reebok brand, he was credited
with revitalizing the athletic brand. And as Chairman and CEO of Dollar
General, he oversaw the company's expansion from 5,900 to 8,500 stores
nationwide creating thousands of quality jobs. While at Dollar General, he
became heavily involved in literacy and served as Chairman of the National
Commission on Literacy and Workforce Development.
David has proven himself in international business and has
happily settled back in his home state of Georgia. He currently sits on the
Board of Directors of five major corporations and is active in Perdue Partners,
a Georgia-based global trading company that he co-founded.
Perdue recently served as an appointee to the Georgia Ports
Authority and is a Trustee and Treasurer of the Georgia Tech Foundation. David
and Bonnie have two sons and two grandsons. The couple attends Wesley United
Methodist Church in St. Simons.
David Perdue will join Congressional Candidate Donna Sheldon as our guest speakers at the October 14th meeting.