VIRGIS COLBERT | Senior Advisor to MillerCoors

Virgis W. Colbert was executive vice president for the Miller Brewing Company. He was appointed to that position in July 1997. Colbert, in this position, was responsible for plant operations; international operations; brewing, research, and quality assurance; engineering; procurement; order/production planning and logistics. Colbert began his Miller career in May 1979 as assistant to the plant manager at Miller’s Reidsville, N.C., container plant. In May 1980, he was named production manager at the Fort Worth, Texas, container plant and in May 1981, he was appointed production manager at Milwaukee Container. In October 1981, he was named Milwaukee Container plant manager. In January 1987, Colbert moved to the corporate offices as assistant director of can manufacturing. He was appointed director of can manufacturing in January 1988 and director of container and support manufacturing in April 1988. In May 1989, he was named vice president – materials manufacturing. In October 1990, he was named vice president – plant operations. In November 1993, Colbert was named senior vice president operations. In August 1995, Colbert was named senior vice president – worldwide operations.

Before joining Miller, Colbert was general superintendent of manufacturing for Chrysler Corporation in Toledo, Ohio. He earned a bachelor of science degree in industrial management from Central Michigan University.

Virgis is on the board of directors of Bank of America Corporation.; Lorillard, Inc.; Sara Lee Corporation; The Stanley Works; and The Manitowoc Company, Inc.

He is chairman emeritus of the board for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and former chairman of the board of trustees for Fisk University, Nashville, Tenn. Colbert is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the Boule’. He is a life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

In June 1997 he was named a national honorary member of the 100 Black Men of America, joining Colin Powell and Dallas Mayor Ronald Kirk. In 1996, he received the Trumpet Award from Turner Broadcasting Systems recognizing outstanding achievements by African Americans. His other awards include Harlem YMCA Black Achiever, Milwaukee YMCA Black Achiever, and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Black Achiever.