HIGH POINT, N.C., Aug. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The CEOs of three major companies and globally known brands will deliver inspirational messages to High Point University graduates at three Commencement ceremonies being held during the 2025-26 academic year.
The speakers will be as follows:
- Kathryn McLay, president and CEO of Walmart International, will give HPU’s Commencement address to undergraduate students on Saturday, May 2, 2026. Named Walmart International’s CEO in 2023, she leads a team that includes more than 500,000 associates, who serve 80 million customers in 18 countries every week.
- Chuck Robbins, chair and CEO of Cisco Systems, one of the world’s leading networking and information technology companies, will serve as the Commencement speaker for graduate students on Thursday, April 30, 2026. He was appointed Cisco’s CEO in 2015 and elected as its chair two years later. He has held several leadership roles during his more than 25 years at the Fortune 500 company.
- Frank Harrison III, chair and CEO of Coca-Cola Consolidated, the nation’s largest Coca-Cola bottler, will share an inspirational message with students at HPU’s Fall Commencement ceremony on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. He became the fourth generation of his family to run the company when he was named its chair and CEO in 1996.
“Leaders from major corporations regularly visit our campus and impart wisdom to our students on how to lead successful careers and meaningful lives,” HPU President Nido Qubein said. “This is an extraordinary lineup of speakers that reflects HPU’s commitment to preparing students for the world as it is going to be. Our graduates will learn directly from the people responsible for some of the world’s largest companies that impact our daily lives.”
About Kathryn McLay:
Prior to taking over at Walmart International, McLay served as president and CEO of Sam’s Club, which is a division of Walmart. Sam’s Club experienced significant growth during her nearly four-year tenure as its CEO, with revenue increasing by 43% to $84 billion during the 2023 fiscal year. It also added millions of new members.
A native of Australia, McLay held leadership roles at Walmart after joining the retail giant as its vice president of U.S. finance and strategy in 2015. Three years later, she was named executive vice president of Walmart’s Neighborhood Markets and oversaw nearly 700 stores across the country. In addition to serving as Walmart International’s CEO, she is a member of the Global Board of Directors for the U.S.-India Business Council.
About Chuck Robbins:
Robbins started at Cisco as an account manager in 1997 and worked his way up the ranks. Prior to being named its CEO, he led the company’s global sales organization and held leadership roles in regional sales. He has focused on helping companies, cities and countries around the world look to Cisco to connect, secure and automate their organizations for a digital-first world.
As CEO, Robbins has championed initiatives at Cisco to enhance employee experience and culture. Under his leadership, the technology conglomerate earned the top spot on Fortune’s annual 100 Best Companies to Work For list for three consecutive years, from 2021-23. It was also named #1 on People’s annual Companies that Care list.
About Frank Harrison III:
Harrison started working in the family business in 1977 when he joined Coca-Cola Consolidated as a division sales manager and vice president. He was named to its board of directors in 1986 and appointed as the chair a decade later. He will serve as a Commencement speaker 15 years after former Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent spoke to graduates at HPU’s Commencement ceremony in 2010.
In 2008, Harrison and his late son, James Franklin Harrison IV, co-founded Open Eyes, a nonprofit ministry dedicated to equipping global leaders who those in need.
The three CEOs will join a long list of distinguished HPU Commencement speakers, including:
- Jane Seymour, Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress
- Raj Subramaniam, president and CEO of the FedEx Corporation
- Daniel Lubetzky, founder of KIND Snacks
- Cynt Marshall, former CEO of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks and HPU’s Sports Executive in Residence
- Michio Kaku, physicist and co-founder of String Field Theory
- Wolf Blitzer, lead political anchor at CNN
- Condoleezza Rice, the 66th Secretary of State of the United States
- Tom Brokaw, NBC broadcast legend
- Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and national security advisor
- Former First Lady Laura Bush
- Josh Groban, internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter and actor
- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas
- Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple and HPU’s Innovator in Residence
- Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan
- NASA Astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin
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