- Great American Business Leaders of the Twentieth Century
William P. Stiritz
Ralston Purina Company
1981 - 1997
Food & Tobacco
| Military Service | Navy |
|---|
b. 1934
| Education |  |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | Northwestern University |
| Graduate | MA, St. Louis University |
| Personal | |
|---|---|
| Born-Died | 1934 |
| Birthplace | Arkansas (AR) |
| Race | White |
| Father | Deceased / Absent |
Stiritz was instrumental in streamlining Purina’s business operations – divesting of non-core, mature business lines and investing in brand name growth products. Through his leadership, Purina’s stock price increased 15-fold, outpacing the tenfold increase in the S&P.