Special to The American
Johnny Furr Jr., a longtime Anheuser-Busch executive who is well known nationally, as well as in the St. Louis community, retired from the company November 15 to launch a Public Affairs consulting firm, Furr Strategy Group LLC, (FSG).
In announcing his plans, Furr said the new firm will allow him to continue the work he loves: making a difference in the community.
The firm will provide a wide range of consulting services and support to nonprofit organizations and corporations, while helping each to understand the aspirations, goals and practices of the other.
In providing this strategic counsel, FSG will aid clients with, corporate and brand reputation management, public relations, cause-marketing, crisis management, relationship marketing and in developing and executing overall community outreach strategies and plans that deliver measurable business and organizational results.
Furr is a former Anheuser-Busch Cos., Inc. corporate officer and Anheuser-Busch Inc. board member, and has held a variety of senior positions with the company during his 31-year tenure.
Among these positions are Division Sales Manager; Senior Group Director, Corporate Social Responsibility; Vice President, Corporate Affairs; Vice President, Sales Development; Vice President, Urban Marketing; and, most recently, Vice President, Community Affairs & Consumer Outreach.
In this latter role, he led A-B’s U.S. Community Outreach efforts, including managing the Anheuser-Busch Foundation and supplier diversity program. He also served as Chairman of the Executive Diversity Council for Anheuser- Busch Cos., Inc.
“I have been blessed with a wonderful career at Anheuser-Busch. I have gone from the Ville neighborhood in North St. Louis to boardrooms and other tremendous experiences that I never dreamed I would have,” Furr said.
“I’ve spent a good part of my adult life learning how to create value for both businesses and the community. As I transition, I realize the best way to use my experiences is to pursue projects and engage with people in ways that allow me to continue to make a difference.”.
A-B will continue to tap into Furr’s business experience since the Anheuser-Busch Foundation will be one of the new firm’s first clients.
“Owning a business and becoming an entrepreneur has always been of interest to me. Now that my corporate career has ended I can now realize that dream,” Furr said.
Furr will continue to serve on several national nonprofit boards including the NAACP, Rx Outreach and National CARES Mentoring Movement, an initiative he strongly believes in because of its focus on mentoring.
In fact, he and his wife Minga are forming a foundation that will recruit and support adult mentors to help youth pursue educational excellence, develop self esteem and gain invaluable social and job skills through their interactions and engagement with mentors.
“This is something my wife and I have wanted to do for a while now,” Furr said.
“It’s the right time, and certainly the need exists. Mentors played a huge role in our lives and we owe it to them to give back. So I suppose it’s fair to say that if there is such a thing as a labor of love, this is it.”
Johnny and Minga will continue living and working in St. Louis.
“I am a son of the St. Louis community and St. Louis will always be our home,” he said.
“My family and I look forward to the next phase of our lives, not only as we pursue business interests, but also in service to the community.”
