Deere and Co. CEO, Krannert alum Sam Allen receives honorary doctorate during Purdue commencement

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Purdue University awarded an honorary doctoral degree to Deere and Co. CEO and alumnus Samuel R. “Sam” Allen during spring commencement ceremonies in May at the West Lafayette campus.

Allen, a 1975 Krannert graduate, received his honorary Doctor of Management degree during the Saturday, May 13 ceremony held in the Elliott Hall of Music.

Allen, a native of Sumter, South Carolina, graduated from Purdue in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial management. He has been chairman and CEO at Deere and Co. since February 2010.

He joined John Deere in 1975 and has worked in the consumer products division, worldwide construction and forestry division, John Deere power systems, and the worldwide agricultural division, including managing operations in Latin America, China and East Asia, and Australia.

Allen also has served as chairman of the Council on Competitiveness since 2010 and has been on Whirlpool Corp.’s board of directors since 2010. He currently resides in Bettendorf, Iowa.