CEO of Agilent Technologies Speaks at MSJ

By: Anita Alem

On Wednesday, April 17, Bill Sullivan, CEO of Agilent Technologies, spoke to MSJ seniors in C-120. Sullivan, a graduate of UC Davis, previously worked at Hewlett-Packard and after the company split into two parts, became the Vice President of Agilent. The multi-billion dollar agency is involved in medication, measurements and testing, including drug and food testing. One of the most prominent devices that the company has created is the machine that tests the urine of Olympic athletes.

Sullivan stressed the importance of computers and technology in a progressive world, stating that “you must be the one telling the computer what to do, not the ones the computers are [instructing].” He discussed how the world had changed since he had been a senior more than forty years ago, and how he could not have planned out the course of his life at the age of 18. He also emphasized integrity in the workforce, even if money is at stake.

“Your integrity is your career,” Sullivan stated. “You don’t cut corners.” After 20 minutes of speaking, Sullivan opened the floor to questions from MSJ students, revealing our concerns with the environment, employment, and quality of education.