Chuck Marble, Executive Vice President, Weetabix North America/Barbara’s Bakery, Lake Forest MBA Class of 2004
Chuck Marble (Class of ’04) has the perfect recipe for success in business. Combining three key ingredients – innovation, competitiveness, and passion – has led him to a top position at Weetabix North America/Barbara’s Bakery, a market leader in organic, all-natural cereals, bars and snacks.
The first ingredient for Chuck’s success recipe is innovation. “I enjoy being in the food industry because it’s always changing with new technologies and techniques,” says Chuck, “Creating growth using innovative ideas and products can be challenging but it always give you something exciting to focus on.”
Chuck began his impressive career, including serving as CEO of Triad Foods Group, LLC prior to joining Weetabix/ Barbara’s Bakery, after earning a food science degree from CornellUniversity. Working at a variety of top American food companies like Frito-Lay, McCain and Triad, he learned key management philosophies and came to appreciate the need for a deeper understanding of business.
He heard about the MBA program at Lake Forest Graduate School of Management (LFGSM) from a neighbor and jumped right in, fast-tracking his MBA education and becoming a Hotchkiss Scholar (top 5% of his graduating class). “I was drawn to Lake Forest because it focused on building a depth of understanding, learning from peers – experienced professionals across many industries, and best practices. We all leveraged our unique experiences and learned from one another,” says Chuck.
At LFGSM, another of Chuck’s success ingredients came into play. “I can be very competitive,” says Chuck, “so I loved how the MBA program built up to the final business simulation course. It brought together everything we had learned and gave us a real world experience. I enjoyed competing against other teams, even though my team came in second place!” A member of the first place team, Brad Simmons, has worked as a consultant for Chuck at Barbara’s Bakery. “I made lifelong friends, comrades, at LFGSM. I know Brad as a person and trust him as a business partner. He’s not just a vendor but someone who has been a tremendous resource for me,” shares Chuck.
Chuck’s final ingredient for success: A true passion for the food industry. Chuck enjoys infusing this passion in others and loves his work at Barbara’s Bakery. “Barbara’s Bakery is a pioneer. We create products we can be really be proud of, products that promote and contribute to the wellness of individuals, families, and the environment. We really ‘walk the talk’ at Barbara Bakery’s,” says Chuck.
Chuck’s LFGSM MBA has been invaluable to his career and his work as Executive Vice President at Barbara’s Bakery. Under his direction, the company has restructured their go-to-market strategies and brand architecture, streamlined operations, and launched several new products. “The overall business understanding I’ve gained from an MBA at LFGSM is used in the Board Room regularly. In varying situations, I can grasp all the technical aspects of business, which helps me make better, quicker decisions and instill confidence,” shares Chuck.
With Chuck’s passion, innovation, competitiveness and LFGSM education, there is no doubt that he will continue to cook up great things for Weetabix North America/Barbara’s Bakery and his future. “My goal is to take Barbara’s Bakery to the next level of growth and success by providing natural and organic products to more channels of distribution. And, of course, I want to make others as excited about our products as I am,” says Chuck with a smile, “’Taste without compromise’ – it doesn’t get any better than that.”
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