Balance is the key to Steve Lovejoy’s success. At Purdue, he loved the balance of engineering, technical and leadership curriculum within the Department of Industrial Technology. In his professional life, too, he balances his leadership abilities with the support and guidance of other leaders to develop and grow in his positions. Lovejoy credits professor Dennis Depew with providing real-world insights that helped as he interviewed for jobs and decided on a career path. Ultimately, he chose a manufacturing-related job because the industry delivers tangible results.
At Starbucks, Lovejoy is responsible for the global commercialization of new products. He also oversees the end-to-end supply chain organizations in China, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. The company makes 80,000 deliveries around the world each week. He has held similar positions with Method Home Products and The Clorox Company. During his tenure at Clorox, he held several positions, including director of strategic projects, director of manufacturing and area manufacturing manger. He has also completed the Executive Development Program at Wharton School of Management.
Lovejoy enjoys activities that include the entire family, as well as travel, exercise and outdoor activities. He and his wife, Karin, live in Mercer Island, Wash., with their two children, Connor and Mary Elise.
This was originally written for the Distinguished Technology Alumni Awards in 2012.