Former Fortune 50 CEOs Join Georgia Tech

The former CEOs of Fortune 50 companies The Home Depot and Walmart are now affiliated with the Georgia Institute of Technology Scheller College of Business. Former chairman and CEO of The Home Depot, Frank Blake, and former president and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Mike Duke, will serve as distinguished executives in residence. They will work with College Dean Maryam Alavi on strategic initiatives and strengthening partnerships with the local and national business communities.

Blake served as chairman and CEO of The Home Depot from January 2007 through November 2014, and then as chairman through January 2015. Blake joined The Home Depot in 2002 as executive vice president, business development and corporate operations. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a JD from Columbia University School of Law. 

Becoming affiliated with Scheller College was a very easy decision, according to Blake. “I was honored to be asked by Dean Alavi. Georgia Tech and Scheller College are tremendous assets for Atlanta and Georgia. Dean Alavi has an engaging vision for the role Scheller College can play locally, nationally and internationally. She brings a focus on the future role of technology in business that fits well with Georgia Tech's strengths and the community's needs,” Blake says.

Duke, a Georgia Tech alumnus, joined Walmart in 1995 and over his 19 years with the company led the logistics, distribution and administration divisions as well as Walmart U.S. In 2005, he was appointed vice chairman with responsibility for Walmart International. Duke served as president and CEO from 2009 to 2014. He continues to serve on the Board of Directors for Walmart.

“It is a great honor to be affiliated with the Scheller College, and I accepted this offer because of my love of Georgia Tech and the opportunity for the College of Business to make such a difference in the lives of the students, “says Duke. “I want to impact the lives of students so they can have an outstanding future in whatever they pursue.” In doing so, he wants to help Georgia Tech “to be recognized as producing the best business leaders in the world.”

Alavi is looking forward to working with both Blake and Duke to advance Scheller College’s mission. “It is truly an honor to have Frank Blake and Mike Duke as distinguished executives in residence at the Scheller College. I am confident that these appointments will strengthen our position as a leading business college.”

Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business is located in a state-of-the-art building in Technology Square, the core of the Atlanta’s high-tech business community. The College offers an internationally recognized business education, including full-time, evening and Executive MBA options as well as undergraduate and PhD programs, to approximately 2,000 degree-seeking students each year. Scheller College collaborates across Georgia Tech to offer joint MS degrees in Quantitative and Computational Finance and Business Analytics. Custom and open enrollment programs for executives and professionals are offered through the Huang Executive Education Center, located within the College. Four interdisciplinary Centers of Excellence encourage collaboration in research, teaching and experiential learning within Georgia Tech and the business community in sustainability, business analytics, leadership, and international business and related topics.