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Andrew HeiskellAndrew Heiskell
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Session:         Page of 824

Q:

What was that for?

Heiskell:

I started in 1976 talking to the board about succession. And we started with a large group of people--oh, I don't know, maybe twenty people--who might have different jobs five years hence. And we did our best to give them as much--as broad experience as possible, moving them around from one thing to another. Then, year by year, we winnowed this group down to a smaller number of potential candidates with the top jobs. By the time--by 1979--I had a pretty clear picture in my mind as to what it should be, namely that my job should be divided into sort of two parts: one part more operational and the other part more on the outside, more outside-oriented.

Q:

In other words, that the C.E.O.'s job should be divided into two parts, or that the--

Heiskell:

Yes. And I had in mind what actually did happen, and I think I had it pretty well sold to the board by then. I said, “I would like to, in effect, get these people to have the experience while I'm still here during the last year, and I want to create this committee, which consists of successors. But I want them to work with the guys who know it all for this last year,” McKeough knowing it all from the money point of view, Bear knowing it all from the administrative point of view. Ralph and Munro were my two candidates.





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