William Drake

William Drake recently retired From Cornell, where he was Senior Extension Associate, faculty member, and Director of Executive Education of the Food Industry Management Program (FIMP) in the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management.

Bill developed and continues to direct the National Association of Convenience Stores Executive Leadership Program and the National Grocers Association Executive Leadership Program. In addition, he teaches in the Food Executive Program, United Fresh Produce Executive Development Program, and FIMP’s various international food executive programs. Bill has conducted programs for food industry executives from over 30 countries.

Before joining Cornell, Bill was an executive at SuperValu, one of the nation’s largest food retailers and wholesalers. His positions included Vice President of Marketing and Real Estate (Cub Foods); Vice President of Strategic Planning, Key Wholesale Customers (SuperValu corporate); and Vice President of Strategic Planning, Marketing, and Real Estate (Save-A-Lot).

Bill is a founding member of the National Grocers Association University Coalition and also serves on the Boards of Directors of LEADNY; Coborn’s, a large regional multi-format food retailer in the Upper Midwest; and Vantage Foods, a Canadian supplier of case-ready meat to North American retailers.

Education

Cornell University BS, Agricultural Economics 1979

University of Wisconsin-Madison MS Marketing