Leo Burnett Chairman & CEO To Speak About Building Icon Brands At Smeal Lecture

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA -- Linda Wolf, Chairman and CEO of Leo Burnett Worldwide and one of the most influential executives in the world of advertising, will present a lecture entitled “How to Build Icon Brands” at 3 p.m. on April 8 in Heritage Hall at the HUB/Robeson Cultural Center. Sponsored by the Smeal College of Business Marketing Department, the event is free and open to the public.

Wolf is responsible for the Burnett’s global operations, which span more than 80 countries and more than 200 units. Since taking the helm at the agency in January 2001, she has grown the company through numerous regional new business wins including China Telecom, Holiday Inn, and Sprint, along with expanded assignments with existing clients such as Kellogg’s, Hallmark, Nintendo, Disney, and P&G.

Before becoming Chairman and CEO of Burnett Worldwide, Wolf was CEO of the company’s operations in the United States, where she was part of the most aggressive growth and diversification drive in the agency’s history—a campaign that included strategic moves into healthcare, technology, urban marketing, and Hispanic marketing.

While building Burnett’s business as Executive Vice President and Director of Business Development Worldwide, the agency earned such key accounts as Disney and Coca-Cola. Nestle, Kimberly Clark, McDonald’s, and Noxema have all benefited from her strategic influence.

Wolf, who began her Burnett career in 1978 as an Assistant Account Executive, was elected to the agency’s Board of Directors in 1996 and continues to serve in that capacity. During her career, she has also worked at Time, Inc., H.J Heinz Co., and Ketchum, MacLeod & Grove.

A graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, she sits on the boards of Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History, The Off The Street Club, and the Economic Club of Chicago, among others. The Women’s Advertising Club of Chicago named Wolf “Advertising Woman of the Year” in 2000.

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