Roberto C. Goizueta
Roberto C. Goizueta
1931 – 1997
Roberto C. Goizueta was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1931, with a natural curiosity and a love of learning. He was educated at highly respected institutions in Cuba and the United States, including Belen Jesuit School, Cheshire Academy, and Yale University, where he majored in chemical engineering. In 1953, he married Olga Casteleiro, his high-school sweetheart.
On July 4, 1954, Mr. Goizueta began an entry-level job as a chemist for the Havana subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company, after answering a help-wanted ad. A year after Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba in 1959, Mr. Goizueta fled with his wife and their three young children to the United States, bringing with him only three things: his education, his integrity, and his job with The Coca-Cola Company.
At the Company’s headquarters in Atlanta, his leadership potential was quickly recognized by others, including Robert W. Woodruff, former President and CEO and then Board member of The Coca-Cola Company. Two years after moving to Atlanta, at the age of 35, Mr. Goizueta was elected a Vice-President, at the time, the youngest Vice-President ever elected at The Coca-Cola Company. In 1981, he was named Chairman and CEO, inheriting a successful Company with great potential. The Company experienced tremendous growth during his tenure, and Coca-Cola became the most recognized brand in the world. Under his leadership over the next 16 years, the Company consolidated its bottlers, introduced some of its most popular brands, and grew the value of its stock from $4.3 billion to more than $152 billion. Mr. Goizueta extended the Company’s global reach, thereby presciently placing The Coca-Cola Company at the forefront of globalized business.
On Mr. Goizueta’s desk sat a small plaque, positioned so that it could be easily seen by those with whom he met. It read; “God is in the details.” He had high expectations of others; he required his associates to be diligent, prepared, and yes, detail-oriented. Leading with integrity was paramount to him. As a result, he earned the trust of others and their endorsement of what he called “intelligent risk-taking.” Mr. Goizueta never stopped learning, encouraging others to embrace a life-long pursuit of knowledge.
Roberto Goizueta once noted in a speech, “We must give back. As individuals. As groups. As companies. As people.” He and his wife, Olga, modeled this belief, particularly in their service to Atlanta. As the city prepared to host the Olympic Games in 1996, Mr. Goizueta spoke to a gathering of the city’s civic and business leaders, exhorting them to create “a dignified quality of life” for all Atlanta’s citizens.
– Roberto C. Goizueta –
1931
Roberto C. Goizueta is born in Havana, Cuba.
1948
Roberto C. Goizueta graduates from the prestigious Belen Jesuit School in Cuba.
1949
Roberto C. Goizueta graduates as Valedictorian from Cheshire Academy in Connecticut.
1953
Roberto C. Goizueta graduates from Yale University with a degree in Chemical Engineering.
1953
Roberto C. Goizueta returns to Cuba and marries his high school sweetheart, Olga Casteleiro.
1954
Mr. Goizueta begins entry-level work as a chemist for the Havana subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company.
1961
Mr. Goizueta flees with his wife, Olga, and their three children to the U.S. and begins work with the Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Company.
1969
The Goizueta family becomes United States citizens.
1981
Mr. Goizueta is named Chairman & CEO of The Coca-Cola Company.
1992
The Goizueta Foundation is created.
1997
Mr. Goizueta passes away after a brief battle with cancer. The Company mourns the loss of its leader.
Roberto C. Goizueta
A Stronger Atlanta
Roberto Goizueta immigrated to the United States and settled in Atlanta with only his integrity, his education, and his job with The Coca-Cola Company. For this reason, it was important to him to give back to the city that became so special to him over the 33 years he spent there. This is why The Goizueta Foundation dedicates part of its funding to community organizations that benefit the city. Learn more about Mr. Goizueta’s passion for, and impact on, the city in this video.
Sincerely, Roberto
This tribute to Mr. Goizueta’s life was made following his death in 1997.
Monticello Independence Day Celebration & Naturalization Ceremony
On July 4, 1995, Roberto C. Goizueta delivered the keynote address at the annual Monticello Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony. On Monticello’s west lawn, 67 new Americans took the oath of citizenship that day. The event celebrates Thomas Jefferson, who saw naturalized citizenship as a way to continually renew the nation with new cultures and ideas.
Speeches by Roberto C. Goizueta
This video highlights several of Roberto Goizueta’s speeches during his tenure as Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company.
Neil H. Jacoby Award Presentation
Roberto C. Goizueta was honored with the Neil H. Jacoby International Award in 1993. Awarded by UCLA’s International Student Center, the honor recognizes those who have enhanced international and intercultural understanding.
Emory Business School Dedication
Emory’s business school was renamed for Roberto C. Goizueta in 1994 to recognize his impact on both Atlanta and the institution’s development. His son, Roberto, spoke at the dedication ceremony.
Roberto C. Goizueta Speaks at Yale University
In 1992, the year The Goizueta Foundation was founded, Roberto Goizueta announced the creation of the Coca-Cola World fund at his alma mater, Yale University. The fund provides summer travel grants for graduate and professional student projects involving applied research or internships overseas.
Roberto Goizueta’s legacy lives on in Atlanta
July 4, 2014
Coke chief to peers: Do more for your city
March 18, 1994
Atlanta is richer for the life of this man
October 19, 1997
Commencement Address for Cheshire Academy
June 5, 1982
Remarks by Roberto C. Goizueta
Global Quality Leadership Forum
October 3, 1995
Remarks by Roberto C. Goizueta
Goizueta Business School Graduation
May 13, 1996
Remarks by Roberto C. Goizueta
The Real Essence of Business
November 20, 1996
Remarks by Roberto C. Goizueta