Marquis Who's Who Millennium Magazine

398 MILLENNIUM D olph William von Arx is a food products executive with over 30 years of experience. Dr. von Arx originally intended to teach as a college professor, but he became frustrated with the educational requirements and took the advice of his mentor, who encouraged him to go into business instead. He subsequently went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Washington University in St. Louis in 1961 and a Doctor of Humane Letters from Saint Augustine’s University in 1988, becoming the first in his family to graduate college. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree, Dr. von Arx began working as an account executive for Compton Advertising in New York City from 1961 to 1964. He relocated for five years to assume the role of vice president of marketing for the Ralston Purina Company and moved again to Chicago, where he served as executive vice president of marketing for the Gillette Company’s personal care division from 1969 to 1972. He later served as executive vice president of the general management group at T.J. Lipton Inc. from 1973 to 1987, president and chief executive officer of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company from 1987 to 1988, and chairman and chief executive officer of the Planters LifeSavers Company from 1988 until 1991. Aside from his professional development, Dr. von Arx has served on the board of directors of the International Multifoods Corporation, Hospital Partners of America, Cree Research, Inc., Ruby Tuesday Inc., and BMC Fund, Inc., and was chairman of Morrison Restaurants Inc. and the Sanibel Captiva Trust Company. He attributes his success to having empathy for people and their feelings and making himself available to mentor. As a selfless duo, Dr. von Arx and his wife are very involved with the local humane society and are making sure that unadoptable dogs and cats have a home and great lives. Dolph William von Arx Food Products Executive Naples, FL