Mr. Smithburg, 74, received a B.S. degree from DePaul University, Chicago, in 1960, and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, in 1962.
He joined The Quaker Oats Company in 1966 as a Brand Manager, after five years with two advertising agencies. Mr. Smithburg became Vice President and General Manager of the Cereals division in 1970. In 1976, Mr. Smithburg became Executive Vice President – U.S. Grocery Products, the largest division of The Quaker Oats Company.
He was named to The Quaker Oats Board of Directors in 1978, and in 1979 was named President and Chief Operating Officer. Two years later, in 1981, he became Quaker’s Chief Executive Officer and assumed the position of Chairman of the Board in 1983. He held that position until retiring in December, 1997.
Mr. Smithburg served as Director of Abbott Laboratories, Northern Trust, Corning Incorporated and Smurfit Stone until 2011. He is currently a Director of the Barry-Wehmiller Company. He served on the Board of Directors of the Grocery Manufacturers of America from 1981 to 1997 and was Chairman of the Grocery Manufacturers of America’s Board of Directors from 1993 to 1995. He also serves as a Life Trustee of Northwestern University and has served as a member of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago and a director of Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he was Chairman of the Board from 1992 to 1993.
Mr Smithburg resides in Chicago, Ill. and Aspen, Colorado with his wife Maria. He has three grown children and 4 grandchildren. He is an avid mountain hiker, skier, golfer and biker.