William Beverly Murphy (June 19, 1907 – May 29, 1994) was an American food businessman. He was the president and CEO of Campbell Soup Company between 1953 and 1972. From 1942 to 1945 he was on leave from Campbell's Soup to the War Production Board. Prior to joining Campbell's Soup he was at the A.C. Nielsen Company (1928–1938) where he is credited with conceiving the idea for the Nielsen Food Index and Nielsen Drug Index Services. Murphy was also a life member emeritus of the MIT Corporation (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
Murphy was born in Appleton, Wisconsin and received a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin in 1928. He subsequently joined the A.C. Nielsen Company of Chicago and rose to the position of executive vice president. He joined Campbell Soup in 1938 as Assistant to General Manager. Murphy was elected executive vice president of Campbell Soup in 1949 and was president and CEO from 1953 to 1972. Murphy died May 29, 1994 at the age of 86 of pneumonia in a convalescent home in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
While at Campbell's Soup Company he took the corporation public and increased its brand portfolio to include Pepperidge Farm breads, cookies, and crackers, Franco-American gravies and pastas, V8 juice (vegetable), Swanson broths, and Godiva (chocolatier).
Murphy was a special term member of the MIT Corporation from 1961–65 and a life member from 1965–82. He served on several MIT standing committees, including the Auditing Committee (1984–86), the Executive Committee (1966–72 and 1976–82), and the Membership Committee (1964–67). He was a member of the visiting committees for the Department of Applied Biological Sciences (1985–88), the Department of Nutrition and Food Science (1980–85 and 1974–80 as chairman), the MIT Sloan School of Management (1972–76 and 1965–66, and 1964–65 as chairman), and the School of Industrial Management (1961–63, 1963–64 as chairman and 1959–61 as a presidential nominee).
As head of Campbell Soup, Murphy's managerial style, which prioritized lean manufacturing, fostered conflict with his workers who contested his high production targets. The climax of this conflict occurred in 1968, when the AFL-CIO affiliated locals at the Campbell plants attempted to coordinate their contracts. Murphy firmly opposed the coordinated bargaining across his plants; divisions between the different locals limited their gains, and his managerial vision prevailed.
In 1980, former president and chairman of the MIT Corporation Paul Gray presented Murphy with the Henry Laurence Gantt Memorial Medal. It is awarded jointly by the American Management Associations and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for "distinguished achievement in management as a service to the community."
In addition to serving on several government advisory panels, Murphy was a director of companies including AT&T, Merck & Co., Inc., and International Paper. He also served as national chairman of Radio Free Europe in 1960–61 and as chairman of the board of trustees of the Nutrition Foundation in 1964–65.
A.C. Nielsen Company (ACNielsen), Chicago, Illinois, 1928–1938Executive Vice President, 1935–1938Campbell Soup Company, Camden, New Jersey, 1938–1980Assistant to General Manager, 1938–1941On leave to War Production Board, 1942–1945Executive Assistant to President, 1946–1948Executive Vice President, 1949–1953President and Chief Executive Officer, March 1953 – June 1972Director, 1950–1980War Production Board, 1942–1945Director, Facilities DivisionGrade School — First Ward School, Appleton, Wisconsin, 1913–1920High School — Appleton West High School, 1920–1924College — University of Wisconsin, 1924–1928B.S. in Chemical EngineeringTau Beta Pi (honorary scholastic engineering society)Iron Cross (honorary senior activities society)Delta Upsilon (social fraternity)"W" Club (Major letter winner in track)American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T), 1961–1978Merck & Co., Inc., 1959–1980International Paper, 1969–1980Charitable and civic activities
Wisconsin Alumni Research FoundationTrustee, 1958–?President, 1982–1986Bryn Mawr Presbyterian ChurchTrustee, 1959–1961Elder, 1964–1966Advance Gifts Chairman, Every member Canvass, 1963–1964Co-Chairman, Expanding Ministries and Building Fund Drive, 1964–1965Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyLife Member, 1961–1982Executive Committee, 1966–1972; 1976–1984Chairman, Visiting Committee for School of Nutrition and Food Science, 1975–1976Vice Chairman, Development Committee, 1976–1981Academy of Natural SciencesTrustee, 1968–1976Honorary Trustee, 1976–?Chairman, Executive Committee, 1974–1976Chairman, Search Committee, 1975–1976Philadelphia Museum of ArtTrustee, 1972–?Chairman, Capital Development Drive, 1971–1974First United Fund Campaign of CamdenChairman, 1958Greater Camden MovementCo-Chairman, 1968–1971Blue Hill Memorial Hospital, Blue Hill, MaineMember, Investment Committee, 1980–?Philadelphia Society for Promoting AgriculturePresident, 1985–1986Greater Philadelphia MovementChairman, Committee on Public School Education, 1973–1975Greater Philadelphia Partnership, 1976–?Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum, Board of Directors, 1977Honorary degrees and awards
U.S. Presidential Medal for Merit by President Harry S. Truman on recommendation of the Secretary of the Air Force, 1946Lawrence University, LLD, 1954Widener College (Widener University), LLD, 1960University of Wisconsin, LLD, 1963St. Joseph's College, LLD 1965Ursinus College, Sc.D., 1970Drexel University, Sc.D., 1970Rutgers University, LHD, 1973Fellow — American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1963Poor Richard Club Gold Medalist, 1966Herbert Hoover Award of National-American Wholesalers Grocers Association, 1966Pennsylvania Society Annual Award, 1967Supermarket Institute — William H. Albers Award, 1967Business Week Citizens Award, 1971Distinguished Service Citation College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin, 1957Business Council, 1960–?Chairman, 1965–1966Nutrition Foundation, 1953–1972Chairman, 1963–1964Chairman, Committee on Program and Staffing, 1970–1971Business Roundtable, 1971–1973Organized, 1971Chairman, 1971–1973United Nations University, American Council, 1975–1976Radio Free Europe Fund, Chairman, 1960–1961Mexican-American Panel on Rural Development — panelist, 1965, sponsored by the National University of Mexico and The Advertising Council (Ad Council)National Advisory Commission on Rural Areas Development, 1966Colloque Franco-American Delegate, 1966–1967President's Advisory Committee on Labor-Management Policy, 1966–1968National Advisory Commission on Food and Fiber, 1966–1968President's Commission on Postal Organization, 1967–1968White House Conference on Food, Nutrition and Health, Chairman, Panel on Traditional Food, 1969President's Public Advisory Committee on Trade Policy, 1968–1969Member United Nations Association (UNA) — USA National Policy Panel on World Population, 1969U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Hazardous Materials Advisory Committee, 1971–1972Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, 1973–1974National Science Foundation — Northeast Region, Member, Planning Committee, 1978Parents-Stephen Waite and Hilma Anderson MurphyWife-Helen Huston BrennanChildren-Robert Blair Murphy, Ann M. Zabel, John H. Murphy, Eric S. Murphy 