Johnson & Johnson Chairman and CEO Alex Gorskey Visits VSB for Fireside Chat with Dean Joyce E. A. Russell, PhD

VILLANOVA, Pa., September 27, 2017 – The Villanova School of Business (VSB) was honored to host Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Chairman and CEO Alex Gorsky for a special visit as part of VSB’s and J&J’s continued commitment to inspiring students and embracing business innovation. VSB has a long-standing relationship with Johnson & Johnson; J&J is a top employer of Villanova students, and frequently participates in the Competitive Effectiveness course for sophomores.

“Villanova is fortunate to have an active recruiting program with Johnson & Johnson,” said Joyce E. A. Russell, PhD, The Helen and William O’Toole Dean of VSB. “People like Mr. Gorsky, who give their time and talents to speak with our students are part of the reason why we have a nearly 99 percent placement rate after graduation. His message of business success through ethical leadership and innovation aligns with our values for creating business leaders for a better world.”

Gorsky spent his day meeting with Dean Russell, along with students and other guests, as a part of VSB’s CEO Fireside Chat Series. During this event, Gorsky offered career advice, lessons he’s learned about leadership and how to continually innovate in healthcare.  

Gorsky encouraged students to seek out diversity of thought and experience, as well as think critically about the needs of the future and the ways that individuals and businesses can improve the global community. “The world today requires the very best that Johnson & Johnson has to offer, and we are constantly striving to come up with ways we can innovate and lead.”

A longtime advocate of diversity and inclusion, Gorsky was named one of the “100 Most Inspiring Leaders” by Pharma Voice. He is the Executive Sponsor of two Johnson & Johnson employee resource groups, the Women’s Leadership Initiative and the Veteran’s Leadership Council.

Gorsky is a member of the Board of Directors of IBM, the Congressional Medal of Honor Board of Directors, and the Board of Directors of the National Academy Foundation. He was recently given the Joseph Wharton Leadership Award and the CADCA Humanitarian of the Year Award, as well as an Honorary Doctorate from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.

The Villanova School of Business (VSB) undergraduate program is ranked #1 in the nation by Bloomberg Businessweek and has been at the forefront of business education since it was founded in 1922. The VSB part-time MBA program is ranked #12 in the nation by Bloomberg Businessweek. VSB also offers Executive and Online MBA programs, as well as a Master of Finance and Master of Accounting with Data Analytics, and our #1 ranked online grad programs by U.S. News & World Report, the Master of Science in Analytics and Master of Science in Church Management. Serving over 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students, VSB is known for academic rigor; creativity and innovation; hands-on and service learning opportunities; a firm grounding in ethics; and an applied education that prepares students to become outstanding leaders and global citizens within the global, complex, and fast-paced world of business. For more, visit business.villanova.edu