IS THIS BUD FOR YOU, AUGUST Ⅳ?

摘要

"The King of Beers" may be the slogan of Anheuser-Busch Cos.' flagship brand, Budweiser, but it could just as easily describe any of the company's chief executives of the past century-and-a-half. Until this past July, all in that illustrious group had been named Busch, and if the family has its way, the current aberration will be extremely temporary. At a time when the image of the regal boss is more than just troubling, the Busch family seems somehow exempt from many of the rigors currently being imposed on the rest of Corporate America―even though the two most prominent family members own only about 1% of Anheuser-Busch. August A. Busch Ⅲ, perhaps the shrewdest, sternest Busch to emerge since Adolphus Busch took control of the St. Louis brewery in the mid-1880s, has begun a succession process as tightly orchestrated as any in the House of Windsor. After 27 years as chief executive, Busch Ⅲ has relinquished his operating titles, although he remains chairman. And here, one supposes, is his concession to today's pressures: He deemed his eldest son, 38-year-old August A. Busch Ⅳ, not yet prepared to take over the $15 billion company. Hence the July 1 appointment of longtime A-B executive Patrick T. Stokes as CEO.