UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Smeal College of Business Tarriff Center for Business Ethics and Social Responsibility has announced the addition of Jeff Montgomery to its advisory board.
Montgomery is a director of global revenue strategy and operations at Apple. He previously served in a series of ascending leadership positions at Google. Montgomery graduated from Penn State Smeal in 1987 with degrees in marketing and economics.
“My primary motivation is to make a contribution to Smeal and the Tarriff Center. I'm very grateful for my experience at Penn State and how Smeal set me up for success,” Montgomery said.
“Having been fortunate to be a part of leadership teams bringing new technology innovations to market from early-stage companies to some of the biggest names in the industry, I'm eager to share my experience and knowledge with the board. With Dean (Corey) Phelps rolling out his strategic plan during the next phase of innovation, it feels like the timing couldn't be better.”
Michelle Darnell, the director of the Tarriff Center, said Montgomery’s unique set of experiences and skills will broaden and deepen the board’s body of knowledge and influence.
“Because ethics must always be effectively applied into situations that arise in every dimension of business, it is critically important that members of the Tarriff Center Advisory Board bring deep expertise in diverse industries and functional areas of business. Underlying those technical skills, however, must be an authentic leader who is passionate about leveraging business as a force for good,” Darnell said.
“Jeff brings an ideal mix of personal commitment to responsible business and professional experience that grounds his understanding of how ethics and social responsibility must be strategically approached. Jeff’s leadership experience in two of the largest technology companies in the world is a particular asset to the Tarriff Center Advisory Board in this moment, given the many ways that artificial intelligence is disrupting business and higher education, presenting both ethical opportunities and challenges for current and future business leaders.”
Montgomery said that he can help impart to Smeal’s students his experience with the evolution of technology and its impact on business.
“When I started, the internet was something that society and business were assessing and leveraging to fill specific needs and meet distinct goals. Today, it's interwoven into our work and personal lives. It enables work and influences how society functions,” he said.
“The decisions that business leaders make have proven to have a much larger impact on our lives today than we could have imagined. The potential for Smeal students to maintain a strong ethical compass in how they inform and guide decisions across business functions is a unique opportunity, clear differentiator and truly aligned with what Penn State and Smeal stand for.”
The Tarriff Center was established in 2019 to engage Penn State Smeal community members, business leaders, alumni and other partners to advance ethical business practices and promote social responsibility.
Montgomery’s addition to the Tarriff Center Advisory Board brings the total number of members to 10.