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 William E. “Bill”
Carey, President and CEO of
Universal Marketing Company, Inc., has had over 40 years
of experience in marketing and sales promotion of various
types of food and non-food products. He maintains a
nationwide acquaintanceship among chain store executives,
food distributors and food brokers.
Starting in 1948 as a salesman with Snow Crop Frozen
Foods, a division of Clinton Industries, he was promoted
through the ranks to Sales Supervisor, District Sales
Manager, Regional Sales Manager of Midwest, West Coast
and Eastern Regions, and at the age of 26 was appointed
Vice-President and Director of National Sales, the
position he held until 1954. During this period, sales
increased from $6 million to $72 million. Snow Crop
brand, the first frozen orange juice, and its spokesman,
Teddy Snow Crop, were featured on early nationwide
television shows such as “The Show of Shows” starring
Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca, plus other popular network TV shows.
For two years thereafter, he continued as Vice-President
and Director of Sales of the Snow Crop Frozen Foods
division then acquired by the Minute Maid Corporation.
The sales volume exceeded $100 million annually.
In 1956 Mr. Carey became the Vice-President and Director
of Sales for Ocomo Foods Company, a division of Sara Lee
Corporation. Mr. Carey was responsible for the
reorganization of the firm which transformed the firm's 3
year operating loss to a viable and profitable entity.
With a 41% sales volume increase, the liquidation of
unprofitable subsidiaries, the restructuring and
implementation of marketing and merchandising programs,
and personnel reorganization, the company realized
excellent profits during the years of 1958 and 1959.
Universal Marketing & Consultants, Inc., 30
Rockefeller Plaza, New York, was formed by Mr. Carey as a
unique service company operating with a national network
of 110 food and non-food brokerage companies. The firm
worked with food manufacturers to introduce, promote and
merchandise products through grocery and similar retail
establishments. At the 7th Annual New Product Seminar
held at the Savoy Hilton, New York City, Bill Carey
introduced his now popular speech, “ABC's
(Ability, Breaks, Courage) of a Successful Business Executive.”
By 1968 Universal Marketing
& Consultants had developed an excellent record of
performance and had a substantial roster of clients. Mr.
Carey sold his stock in the firm, which represented 82%
equity to the management group of employees in order to
assume a position with Ogden Foods, Inc.
From 1968 to 1971, Mr. Carey held the position of Senior
Vice-President of Ogden Foods, Inc., and its affiliated
companies. Heading the food products groups of this
national food service and processing firm with over
26,000 employees, Mr. Carey was responsible for the
operation and sales of Tillie Lewis Foods, the largest
U.S. independent canner of fruits and vegetables, Western
California Canners, Inc., Flavor Pict Corp. of Del-Ray
Beach, Florida, and International Products Corporation of
Paraguay, South America, a cattle ranching and meat
processing operation. He coordinated the companies under
his control with other divisions of the Ogden Foods
Corporation and served on the board of directors.
In 1971 Mr. Carey once again formed a new corporation,
namely Mac the Knife Company, which offered chainstore
customers the unique opportunity to have their knives and
scissors sharpened while grocery shopping. Three of the
largest supermarket chains featured this greatly needed
service to their customers. Three years later Mr. Carey
sold the company to the Coronet Investment Group of
California, and he still serves on the board of
directors.
In 1974, rather than relocate, Mr. Carey decided to
reactivate the Universal Marketing Company concept with
headquarters in Chicago. The “New” Universal
has been successful in introducing many new retail
products including Evian bottled water, Neuman products
and presently several “new-age” beverages including
iced coffee and iced tea.
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