Michael Smith on public perception
From Attracting Top Talent Through Purpose and Meaning | From Michael Smith · · The Institute for Automotive Business Excellence
“When you take that purpose to market, you're going to start to draw a different kind of attention to yourself. You're not just fixing cars or selling products; you're saying, 'I'm going to change your life, keep you safe, and do something important for the community and society.'”
On , Michael Smith, Former Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer at McCormick & Company Inc, spoke about public perception during Attracting Top Talent Through Purpose and Meaning | From Michael Smith on The Institute for Automotive Business Excellence.
About Michael Smith
Michael Smith, former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at McCormick, has been speaking about talent acquisition and organizational culture. In a November 2025 appearance, Smith stated that attracting top talent requires a "meaning-based conversation" with the marketplace, arguing that organizations should make purpose and character statements part of their culture, branding, and customer conversations. He said that when companies communicate that they are "going to change your life" or "keep you safe," they draw a different kind of attention and end up with "a better customer class" and "a more profitable company." In a March 2025 appearance, Smith described culture as "nothing more than the accumulated behaviors and decisions of the organization in time up until today" and said that when people begin to behave differently, the culture begins to change. Smith also appears to have been married in December 2024. A transcript of a wedding ceremony identifies him and Grace Smith as the couple, with a priest officiating and remarks about their work with the Franciscan Mission in Chicago's West Side.