John Sheppard's 30-year career has prepared him well for the calamities of 2020. So, when the Sykes College of Business at the University of Tampa wanted a seasoned executive to talk about managing through a crisis, Sheppard got the call.

In the 1990s, Sheppard was about a week into his new job as president of Coca-Cola’s European Division when the company was forced to recall over 15 million bottles of Coke after it was suspected of making over 100 school children sick. The largest product recall in history began to unfold, and he was at the center of it.

Every company experiences crises. And whether it’s a worldwide pandemic or a temporary manufacturing glitch, the fundamentals of crisis management are the same.

John weathered that early crisis and went on to have a successful career at Cola-Cola spanning nearly two decades. Today, he is the CEO and president of OttLite Technologies, a company that makes LED lights calibrated reduce eyestrain and improve wellness. They’re also preparing to launch a product that uses light to sanitize surfaces.
 
OttLight has faced multiple crises on several fronts starting in 2018 when it fell victim to a fraud scheme involving its China-based manufacturer. Then its biggest customer cut its inventory by 70%. Then it got hit by Trump’s tariffs on Chinese imports. And then came coronavirus.
 
One might call this a perfect storm of crises. But John’s early experiences prepared him well. Join host Evelyn Ashley for "Managing Through Crisis: 2020"