Speech-Language Pathology/Stuttering/Famous People Who Stutter/Political and Business Leaders

Annie Glenn (1920- ), wife of astronaut and Senator John Glenn, once refused to talk to President Lyndon Johnson because of her stuttering.

Representative Dennis Kucinich (1946- ; D-Ohio) overcame stuttering as a child. Rep. Kucinich was elected mayor of Cleveland at the age of 31. As a state senator, he won the 1996 National Association for Social Workers Outstanding Senator of the Year Award. He also won an Emmy for his political analysis on WJW-TV.

Other political leaders who stutter include Berkeley Free Speech leader Mario Savio (1942-1996) and congressman Frank Wolf (1939- ; R-Virginia).

Business Leaders
In the business world, John Sculley's (1939- ) stuttering &quot;has taken him many years to overcome. He was also painfully shy.&quot;

Sculley wrote in his autobiography, &quot;I was determined to build a strength out of what was originally a weakness. I went to the theater to watch how performers positioned themselves on stage. I'd practice for hours. I became obsessed with the idea that I was going to become better than anyone else as a business communicator.&quot;

Sculley rose to president of Pepsi-Cola. He succeeded in overtaking Coca-Cola as the #1 soft drink. He then changed coasts and cultures to become president of Apple Computer for ten years. Sculley became a great public speaker, gaining &quot;renown for his ability to deliver rousing speeches in front of thousands, sometimes without notes.&quot;

Stutterer and CEO Jack Welch (1935- ) led General Electric to become one of the largest and most profitable American corporations.


 * 1) Wolfe, Tom. The Right Stuff.
 * 2) ASHA Leader
 * 3) Richard Benyo, personal correspondance.
 * 4) Stuttering Foundation of America.
 * 5) Sculley, John. Odyssey (1987). p.111.
 * 6) Carlton, Jim. Apple: The Inside Story of Intrigue, Egomania, and Business Blunders. (New York: Random House, 1997).


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