Active Support in Marketing at STMicroelectronics University
Pasquale Pistorio of STMicro.electronics been an personal advocate for learning through much of his career. ST now has more than 350 experts, teachers, and certified trainers who spread the word as "ambassadors" of learning. However, Pistorio, who earlier in his career rose through Motorola's ranks from salesman to director ofworld marketing, is the individual who serves as the chief marketing agent for ST's learning culture.
Pistorio and his top executives offer active support by trumpeting and reinforcing the strategic role of ST University at press conferences. "As a missionary," says Pistorio, "I have been the most vocal supporter of the initiative." He preaches internally on the importance of knowledge sharing and education, pushing the organization to learn continuously and to spread ideas and best practices.
During interviews or speeches Pistorio systematically mentions the importance of ST's people. For instance, the most memorable line for employees from a recent Pistorio speech describing his vision of the company's organizational trends is, "The secret of our success is in our major resource: PEOPLE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE."
Most of the time, the CEO attends important events such as certification or recognition ceremonies for team members, good suggestion makers, and speakers organized by ST University. When ST University's new campus in Fuveau, France was completed, Pistorio was one of the first executives to visit the center. He has delivered speeches on both occasions when ST University inaugurated new buildings. In addition to speechmaking at these ceremonies, he stresses the importance of ST University and employee education during his interviews with the media.
Many of ST's competitors have their own corporate universities, the units charged with developing company culture and helping bind together organizations which are more cellular, multicultural, and global. As their own corporate university got off the ground in 1994, people from ST University extensively surveyed other existing corporate universities. They visited major competitors like Intel and Motorola and several others in t