Stephen W. Sanger

Stephen W. Sanger

Program
MBA '70
Founder and Director,
Company
Optimus Holdings
Career Background

Stephen W. Sanger is retired chairman and CEO of General Mills, one of the world’s largest food companies with a roster of popular consumer brands that includes Cheerios, Yoplait, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Nature Valley and many others.

Sanger joined General Mills in 1974 and progressed through a variety of positions in marketing management across the company’s consumer food businesses. He served as Chairman and CEO from 1995 to 2007 and continued as Chairman of the Board through May 2008.

Sanger is a former Chairman of the Board of Wells Fargo & Company, a position to which he was elected in 2016. He is a past director of Pfizer, Inc. a member of the Business Council and past board member of Target Corporation, Catalyst, the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, the Business Roundtable and past board chairman of the Guthrie Theater. In 2007, he was appointed by the President of the United States to serve on the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.

Sanger received a bachelor's degree in history from DePauw University in 1968 and an MBA from the University of Michigan in 1970. From 1970 to 1973, he held marketing and sales positions with Procter & Gamble.