Transcript Slide 1

The Plaque in the Gore Foyer reads
“Of all things precious to mankind,
Freedom to Dream
is the Ultimate Value.”
By Bill and Vieve Gore
Presentation by Gaylen K. Bunker
“A man is known by the company he organizes .”
Ambrose Bierce, Forbes Magazine,
Jan 9th Issue 2006
Let’s look at Bill & Vieve Gore
Timeline
1912 – Wilbert L. Gore was born in Meridian,
Idaho, near Boise. He grew up in Salt Lake City
on 10th East and Emerson Avenue, a few
blocks from Westminster College.
1914 - Genevieve "Vieve" W. Gore was born in
Salt Lake City, she spent her childhood on a
cattle ranch in Wyoming.
Timeline
Vintage Car
Timeline
1935 - Vieve married Bill Gore beginning one of
the great love affairs and partnerships of all
time. They eventually had five children.
1937 – DuPont obtained a patent for
polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE.
1940 – Bill began working for DuPont.
Timeline
1945 – 1957 Bill worked on a problem solving task
force at DuPont to find applications for PTFE.
“The task force was exciting, challenging, and
loads of fun. Besides, we worked like Trojans. I
began to wonder why entire companies
couldn’t be run the same way.” Bill Gore
Timeline
1957 - Bob Gore, a sophomore at the University
of Delaware, suggests the use of PTFE tape to
insulate wire. Tests by Bill Gore show that the
tape offers significant advantages over earlier
insulation methods, but DuPont fabricated
PTFE into “Teflon,” shuts down the task-force.
Timeline
1958 - On Jan. 1, Bill (45) left DuPont and with his
wife Vieve began their enterprise in the
basement of their home.
“If we mortgaged our house and took $4,000
from savings, we could make a go of it for two
years. From the very beginning we were using
the principles of the lattice. After all, there
was just Vieve and me, and we had been using
them for years.”
Timeline
1960 - “We came very close to calling it quits, but
help was on the way.”
The company received its first major order: 7½
miles of insulated ribbon cable worth $100,000.
“That order put us over the hump and we took
off from there.” Bill said.
Mission Statement
“Money is essential,” Bill Gore said. “Without it, you
don’t have an enterprise.”
Someone said this seemed incompatible with Gore’s
rarified ideas about human relationships.
Bill replied: “That’s because there’s something wrong
with your education, sir. Actually, making money is a
creative activity. It means people are applauding you for
making a good contribution. In fact, it gives us the
freedom to be what we are.”
The Gore mission “Have fun, make money.”
Timeline
1963 – Bob completed a PhD in chemical
engineering and it was clear the wire and cable
business had taken hold.
1960s – Ginger Gore was a student at Westminster
College where she met her husband John
Giovali
Timeline
1965 – One summer day Bill was strolling through
his plant when suddenly he realized he didn’t
know everyone’s name.
The company had grown from an interactive
group to almost 200 employees.
The rules had changed---big organizations
required hierarchies and management. So Bill
changed the rules:
No location over 200 people.
Timeline
1969 – Astronauts Edwin Aldrin, Jr. and Neil
Armstrong installed seismographic equipment
connected to the moon lander with small, lightweight, high-temperature cable manufactured by
Gore.
The Gore-NASA relationship began with the use
of Gore cables in NASA's ground control
equipment.
Timeline
1969 - Bob Gore wanted to stretch PTFE and
introduce air into the molecular structure, but
everything he did failed.
Finally, in frustration he grabbed a PTFE rod from
the oven, in his asbestos gloves, and yanked it
apart. It stretched nicely.
Word spread rapidly the Bob had discovered a
Miracle Product, GORE-TEX®
Timeline
1975 - Gore makes its first sale of vascular grafts
to a surgeon in Virginia.
1976 - Gore Microwave Coaxial Assemblies
(GMCAs) are introduced for the space, military
and test markets.
Timeline
1976 - Gore receives the first commercial order of
GORE-TEX® fabric, the first waterproof,
breathable fabric. Early Winters is the first
customer. The 1977 Early Winters catalog
advertises its GORE-TEX® rainwear as
"possibly the most versatile piece of clothing
you'll every wear."
Products
GORE-TEX®
GORE-TEX® membrane filter bags
GORE-TEX® Vascular Grafts
INTERING Vascular Grafts
PROPATEN Vascular Grafts
WINDSTOPPER®
GLIDE® floss
EYE-OPENER®
CLEANSTREAM®
ONE-UP® pump diaphragm
ELIXIR® guitar strings
GORE-TEX® PACLITE
GORE-TEX® Coastal fabric
WINDSTOPPER®
SUPPRESCENT® fabric
GORE-TEX® XCR fabric
WINDSTOPPER® N2S
AIRVANTAGE® Adjustable
Insulation fabric
REMEDIA® catalytic filter system
STA-PURE® peristaltic pump tube
GORE-TEX® antistatic workwear
VIABAHN® Endoprosthesis
EXCLUDER® Bifurcated
Endoprosthesis
Timeline
2000 - Chuck Carroll becomes president and CEO
of Gore. Bob Gore remains chairman of the
board of directors
“Our associates are what differentiates Gore as
an enterprise and fuels our growth. Their
knowledge, expertise, talents, creativity and hard
work are what lead to unique, valuable and
profitable products. It is for this reason that
attracting, growing, energizing and retaining the
best talent is critical to our success.” Chuck
Carroll
W.L.Gore and Associates Inc.
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Forbes top 200 best private companies
Worldwide sales of $1.84 Billion.
Bill and Vieve in Business Hall of Fame
2004 Gore is “America’s Most Innovative
Company” (Fast Company Magazine)
2nd in “100 best companies to work for in
America”
W.L.Gore and Associates Inc.
7,000 associates in over 40 locations worldwide:
Argentina,
Australia,
Austria,
Brazil,
China,
Finland,
France,
Germany,
Greece,
Hong Kong,
India,
Italy,
Japan,
Korea,
Malaysia,
Netherlands,
New Zealand,
Poland,
Russia,
Scotland,
Singapore,
Spain,
Sweden,
Taiwan,
East Coast (17)
United States.
Arizona
California
W.L.Gore and Associates Inc.
Proprietary technologies with the versatile polymer
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or “Teflon” have
resulted in numerous products
electronic signal transmission; fabric laminates;
medical implants; as well as membrane, filtration,
sealant, and fibers technologies for diverse
industries.
Imagine a Place…
No bosses
No job titles
No “employees”
No organizational chart
Communication is direct
Arguments are heated
“Making Mistakes” is encouraged
Everyone thrives on chaos!
Four Guiding Principles:
Fairness
to each other and everyone with whom we come in contact
Freedom
to encourage, help, and allow other associates to grow in knowledge,
skills, and scope of responsibility
Commitment
– make and keep
Consultation
with other associates before undertaking actions that could impact the
reputation of the company. (Waterline)
“Words are Important”
Sponsors not Bosses
Leaders not Managers
Personal Commitments not Job Titles
Guidelines not Rules
Investments not Expenses
Associates not Employees
“Leadership Defined by
Followership”
Teams organize around opportunities and leaders
emerge
Leadership is not a “position” but an activity
Leadership is reciprocal and fluid
Associates manage themselves
“Good judgment comes from experience…
Experience comes from bad judgment”
Risk taking is encouraged
At Gore associates are safe to make mistakes
The only bad thing is doing nothing at all!!
“The things we learn to do we learn by doing” (Aristotle)
Bill Gore’s “Yes Yes” Principle
1.
2.
If we succeed, will we celebrate?
If we fail, can we stand it?
“Seize the Moment”
Planning is important BUT some
things are better left to chance…
“Small is beautiful”
No more than 200 associates per plant
First name basis with everyone in plant
Individual effectiveness over corporate
efficiency
Team in action vs. crowd in motion
“Ordinary people doing
extraordinary things”
Unleash full human potential
Greatness exists in everyone, not just a few
Sponsors help chart course for “sponsees”
Trust associates more than outside experts
“If
all we do is agree, the corporation
will make more money by firing one of
us”
Argue passionately because you care
Only be offended if someone does not speak up
Learn to deliver direct messages constructively
“How lucky we are!”
Good fortune comes with a responsibility to
give back
Bill and Vieve Gore spread freedom around
the world through the creation of new and
meaningful work
Philanthropy brings much greater rewards
than materialism
Greed is toxic… always stay humble!!
Westminster MBA Way
Fairness
to each other and everyone with whom we come in contact
Commitment
– make and keep
Leadership
is not a “position” but an activity. Dream and make it happen.
Collaborate
Get to know everyone’s name and work together. Encourage
and help other students.
…and remember 2…
Maik lotts uf misteaks!!!
Have fun and Learn a ton
“Of all things precious to
mankind, Freedom to Dream
is the Ultimate Value.”
Bill and Vieve Gore
Plaque on the Gore Building
Bibliography and References available upon request