John Stropki Honored with International Executive of the Year Award

John Stropki, chairman, CEO and president of Lincoln Electric, was named the 2011 International Executive of the Year for his outstanding leadership and ethical standards.PROVO, Utah – Nov 28, 2011 – The Marriott School of Management and Brigham Young University named John Stropki, chairman, CEO and president of Lincoln Electric, as the 2011 International Executive of the Year. The award is given annually to honor outstanding executives who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and high ethical standards.

"At Lincoln Electric Mr. Stropki has shown that a U.S. company can more than compete in the world market while doing the right things in the right way," says Gary Cornia, dean of the Marriott School. "We are honored to recognize him with the International Executive of the Year award."

Brent Webb, BYU academic vice president, joined in presenting the award to Stropki at a banquet held on Nov. 4 during the school's National Advisory Council Conference.

Stropki says the current negative attitude toward business executives, as demonstrated by the Occupy movement, can be overcome if business leaders will uphold ethical standards.

"We need to work — through our own example and through institutions like BYU and the Marriott School of Management — to tip the scale more in the favor of business as a calling to be proud of," Stropki says. "It's time for all of us to stand and do our part.  Most of us know what the right choice is. Let's hold everyone accountable for that."

Stropki began working as an intern for Lincoln Electric while studying engineering at Purdue University. From this summer job in Cleveland, Ohio, Stropki worked his way up within the company, starting as a sales representative after graduation in 1972 and making his way to senior vice president of sales in the U.S. and Canada. In 1996 he was named executive vice president and president of the company's North America division and in 2004 was elected chairman and CEO of the global company.

"As CEO, Stropki has driven change throughout Lincoln's organization," Cornia says. "He has taken the 116-year-old arc-welding company into a new century."

The IEY award was established in 1974 and past recipients include John E. Pepper, Jr., former CEO and chairman of Procter and Gamble; Nolan D. Archibald, former CEO and president of Black & Decker Corporation; and Steve Reinemund, former CEO of PepsiCo and dean of business at Wake Forest University.

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, public management, information systems and entrepreneurship. The school's mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School's graduate and undergraduate programs.