William C. Steere Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1936-06-17)June 17, 1936 (age 89) |
| Education | Stanford University (1959) |
| Known for | FormerPfizer CEO |
| Spouse | Lynda Gay Powers (m. January 29, 1957) |
| Children | 3 sons |
| Father | William C. Steere |
William C. Steere Jr. (born June 17, 1936) is a formerchief executive officer ofPfizer. He is also a member of theboard of directors of theNew York Botanical Garden.[1] While Steere was CEO of Pfizer, the company acquiredWarner-Lambert and brought to marketblockbuster drugs includingViagra,Zoloft, andZithromax.[2] His decision to triple research expenditures in 8 years, to $2.2 billion, was cited as a reason for the prosperity of Pfizer during his tenure,[3] a period in which sales of the company doubled.[4]
Steere was born in 1936 inAnn Arbor, Michigan.[5] Steere's father,William C. Steere, was an Americanbotanist known as an expert onbryophytes. In 1959, Steere graduated fromStanford University with aB.S. inBiology.[1]
Upon graduation in 1959, Steere began a career atPfizer as a medical service representative.[5] He became Director of Marketing for PfizerLatin America in 1969.[5] In 1972, he became Vice President-General Manager of Roerig, a division of PfizerPharmaceuticals.[5] He became vice president of Pfizer Laboratories in 1980, Corporate Vice President of Pfizer in 1983, President of Pfizer Pharmaceuticals in 1986,[5] President of Pfizer in 1990 andchief executive officer from 1991 to 2000. In 2011, he retired from the board of directors of the company.[2]
Between 1997 and 2007, Steere was a member of the board of directors ofDow Jones & Company.[6] From 1999 to 2010, he was a member of the board of directors ofMetLife.[7]
Steere was a member of the executive committee of thePharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America; a member of the board of overseers of theMemorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and ofThe Business Roundtable; and a director of theCouncil on Competitiveness, theNew York University Medical Center,WNET,The Business Council,Texaco, and theNew York Botanical Garden. He served as a class B director of theFederal Reserve Bank of New York, having been elected for a three-year term ending December 31, 1995.[5]
Steere married Lynda Gay Powers on January 29, 1957. They have 3 sons.
While working at Pfizer, Steere resided inDarien, Connecticut.[8]
Steere enjoysscuba diving andspearfishing and lives inBonita Springs, Florida, where he owns a boat and a marina.[4]
Steere has made campaign contributions, most of which were to members of theRepublican Party.[9]