Going Global—Bo Miller, B.B.A.'78

Beginning as a sales representative and working in marketing and business management roles before taking on his current position as Global Director for Corporate Citizenship for the Dow Chemical Company, Bo Miller explains how the business foundations he gained from the college of business prepared him for an exceedingly successful global career. With a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Marketing, Miller would go on to hold positions at multiple levels and departments within Dow Chemical Company, conduct business and see growth in foreign countries, and serve on multiple globally-based committees, foundations and advisory boards.

Miller’s experience at Western Michigan University provided him with invaluable insight into what would become his global career. “The practical, professional experiences of my professors that complimented the academic studies were a significant factor in my having a grounded, realistic view of how business operates on a day-to-day basis. My education was a very good balance of the academic and theoretical aspects of business and the seasoned insights and experience of my professors,” explains Miller.

Many lessons learned at WMU continue to be found routinely in his experience in the business world today. For example, “follow the money,” says Miller. “When you experience a situation or dilemma that is difficult to understand, or you’re trying to anticipate how different parties will respond and react, step back and objectively look at their respective financial interests—the upside and downside to each party—to get a sense for how they might think and react to the circumstance,” Miller explains.

It was retired professor of marketing Dr. Lowell Crow who saw Miller’s potential and encouraged him to apply for the scholarship that would eventually lead to his career. “Dr. Crow was very encouraging of me and challenging to me, in a way that stretched my thinking and opened up opportunities,” says Miller.  “It was at his suggestion that I wrote an essay, went through faculty interviews and applied for the Dow Chemical Jr. Scholarship Award that proved to be my introduction to Dow and resulted in my coming to work for the company for more than 36 years.”

During his career at Dow, Miller describes his trip to Cheng Du, China, as one of his most interesting experiences. “I traveled to Cheng Du, China, deep in the interior of the country. It is a large city by most standards but at the time it was still lacking key infrastructure and transportation,” says Miller. “My business travels took me back ten years later, and I was amazed at the physical transformation of the city. Large modern airport and highways, new office buildings and hotels, a far cry from the conditions I experienced previously.”

He details another trip to China where he aided in humanitarian efforts and was humbled by the experience. “I also went to Sichuan, site of the earthquake and the horrific loss of life. We had provided some water purification equipment as a part of the response effort. It was humbling to be in the place where so many perished,” Miller says.

Today, Miller still enjoys being involved on campus and working with business students through the annual Department of Marketing awards banquet. He also recently spoke with a group of students on sustainability. “I see this kind of engagement as an extension of the faculty’s use of their personal experience to give students firsthand perspectives on the way business operates in real-time today,” Miller explains. In his free time Miller enjoys the outdoors and spending time biking or skiing.