In the spring of 1999 I received the disappointing news that I was not selected for an internship in Coca-Cola’s Houston office — then known as The Minute Maid Company. My MBA classmate Peter Thornfield got the internship offer, and the recruiting team of Bobby Patton and Monica Quintero Bond told me I was an alternate.
Instead -- I received an offer to intern for PepsiCo in their Frito-Lay office in Plano, where — yep! - Pete had also applied. Through my incredibly good fortune or perhaps coercion, Pete turned down Minute Maid and went with Frito, opening the opportunity for me… and I am FOREVER grateful!!
From that internship at Minute Maid, I have been blessed with just shy of 25 years at Coke. The secret to this longevity has been amazing colleagues who quickly became friends, bosses who trusted me with opportunities I wasn’t ready for, direct reports who demonstrated amazing patience as I was learning to be a boss, and a heavy dose of incredible luck — as perfectly demonstrated above with my internship.
My children and husband have never known an Allison without Coca-Cola. And frankly, it’s an incredibly foreign idea to me as well. But that time has come and I am officially a Coca-Cola alum now.
During my internship in the summer of 1999 I was allowed to sit in the chair of the heralded former Coke President Robert Woodruff during a visit to Atlanta. On my December 2024 visit to the Atlanta HQ, this was no longer allowed, and I had to settle for a picture outside the glass -- looking in. Maybe it's symbolic of this new phase outside of Coca-Cola, but I promise to keep smiling and making silly jokes… and Coca-Cola red will always be my favorite color. I’m walking away proud of the business results, but more proud of the friendships built around the globe.
Happy New Year!
Project Analyst
7 个月Mr softee and no invite?? ??