Undergraduate Speaker

John Mackey, Chairman and CEO of Whole Foods Market®, to Speak at 89th Annual Bentley Commencement 

John Mackey is one of the most successful CEOs in the fast-growing natural foods industry and has built Whole Foods Market into a $5.6 billion Fortune 500 company that is now one of the top 12 super-market companies in America. 

In 1978, at the age of 25, Mackey was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug. Borrowing $10,000 from his father and raising the first few thousand of what would eventually become hundreds of millions of dollars in equity investments, he co-founded Safer Way Natural Foods with his girlfriend Renee Lawson. Two years later, in 1980, they teamed up with two other young entrepreneurs to create Whole Foods Market, a 10,000-square foot store on Lamar Boulevard in Austin, Texas. 

By the end of 2006, the global organic foods industry was more than $40 billion in size, a development Mackey sees as good for all concerned, especially Planet Earth. Whole Foods Market now has over 270 stores in the U.S. Canada, and the UK. The company’s goal is to become a $12 billion company by 2010.

 

 

Greetings from the Senior Class Cabinet

Saturday, May 17, marks a special day of achievement and celebration for your graduate. Commencement represents the culmination of all the hard work and dedication put forth throughout our undergraduate careers. We would be grateful if you would join us in celebrating this achievement. We cordially invite you to our commencement ceremony at Bentley.

We recognize the importance of our family and friends in our lives. The love, motivation, and support you have generously provided have aided us in reaching this significant achievement. Your commitment, sacrifices, and concern have helped us throughout our journeys and are reflected in the array of accomplishments of our class. Four years ago, we arrived on campus, a collection of individuals from many different areas of the country, and the world. Since our arrival we’ve forged a bond, and we'd like you to join us as we celebrate our commun-ity. We appreciate your devotion to our goals. Without you in our lives, we would not be the people we have matured into today.

As this phase of our lives comes to an end, we eagerly await the challenges ahead. Bentley has equipped us with a strong, well-rounded education, encouraging ethical conduct and social responsibility that will enable us to accomplish any future endeavor. Applying the lessons we have learned both academically and socially at Bentley, we are prepared to overcome obstacles and make intelligent and ethical decisions throughout our lives.

We hope this web site will provide you with the information you need to organize your plans to attend our commencement ceremony. Thank you again, and congratulations to you and your son or daughter for this extraordinary accomplishment!

Ashley Brooks, president; Derek DuBois; Jason Feldman; Cole Gardner; Kelly Jackson; Adrian Wong