Multi-Generational Families at P&G: The Legacy Continues

With five of six family members working at P&G, the Starks family has found that their collective experiences, competitive spirit and thirst for growth are key to making an impact.

The Starks family’s legacy with P&G was almost a false start. In the late 1980s, Kevin Starks turned down his first P&G job offer to play professional football in the NFL. A year later, Kevin’s wife, Lee, accepted her first job at P&G. Newly married, the couple navigated life apart while Kevin was traded around the league and Lee worked in Minnesota. The couple made an agreement — if Kevin landed a more permanent position on a team, Lee would leave her job and join him. If not, he would leave football and join Lee at P&G. Kevin got cut from his team, and that was the beginning of the Starks building their team at P&G.

Setting a Foundation of Shared Values

Kevin and Lee have four children, three of whom — Jennifer, Alex and Jordan — work for P&G. Their parents’ experiences at the Company influenced their upbringing.

Kevin retired from P&G in 2024 after 35 years in a variety of sales roles. Lee is also in sales and has 24 years with P&G. She left the Company for a short period but returned because P&G was the right place for their family.

“It's just always been a good fit because you can trust that the company is going to do the right thing, and I feel like that's the way we have operated our family,” said Lee. Kevin agreed, “P&Gers, we talk a lot about our core values. They align with mine. It felt like home, so I was able to stay for 35 years.”

Transitioning from pro football to P&G, Kevin didn’t know what to expect of a sales job. But he thrived in an environment where his competitive nature was an advantage. In one pivotal role, Kevin moved the family to Nashville while he was working with the Dollar General team to better understand P&G consumers. The whole family participated in his research, and the project led to insights that created new solutions for Pampers and Tide. “I gained so much respect for what we do as a Company and why it's so important,” said Lee.

Fueling Passion with Legacy and Stability

While the Starks siblings benefit from the experience of their parents, each one brings their own unique strengths to P&G.

Alex Starks is the third born but was the first to join P&G. When it came time for his first job, he was looking for a company that provided the stability that echoed in his parents’ stories. “Normally people come home from work, and you hear all the negative stuff. All I've ever heard from both my parents was how great a company P&G was,” he said.

In fact, Alex learned a lot from those stories, but his parents learned a little from him, too. Before his first interview, Alex’s parents told him he needed to cut his hair to better fit in. But Alex refused, saying at P&G he could be who he was. “He was right. It didn’t faze anybody at all, and we got a good lesson,” said Lee. Alex has been with P&G for eight years and currently works in sales in Dish Care.

Enabling a Competitive Spirit and Entrepreneurial Mindset

Jordan, the youngest, has been with P&G for almost three years and is the only family member not in sales. Her interest in better understanding the consumer led her to Analytics & Insights for Fabric Care. She thrives on two core values she learned from her parents and sees at P&G — that competitive drive and an entrepreneurial mindset. P&G has allowed her to express those aspects of her personality. “When I came to P&G, the joy that I found was in that no two days are the same,” said Jordan.

This year, Jordan was recognized with a P&G CEO Award for her work on Downy Ultimate Fusions scent beads. The CEO Award is an annual recognition given to top performers who make a significant impact on the business.

Paving Your Own Way with Resilience

Not wanting to simply follow the family’s footsteps, Jennifer Starks initially resisted joining P&G. Jennifer is the oldest of the four children and was the last of the siblings to join P&G. But seeing her siblings’ experiences and the Company’s focus on continuous learning and growth changed her mind.

“I've never worked in a company where you truly have the space to navigate through different functions so seamlessly,” she said. Jennifer joined P&G two years ago in Oral Care.

Jennifer credits the resilience she learned growing up as one of the assets she brings to her work. The summer she was 16, Jennifer famously told her mom, “I don’t do retail.” Lee promptly dropped her off at the neighborhood shopping center with instructions not to come home until she applied for a job at every store. Not only did Jennifer come home with a job, but within two weeks she had created an employee competition and won an award. Now, she’s applying those skills to develop the Oral Care category with Dollar General.

Whether it’s adaptability, a growth mindset, innovative thinking or simply seeing the big picture, the Starks family's shared purpose makes P&G feel like home.

Meet the Robinsons: Family Loyalty Forged in Compassion and Shared Purpose

Rachel Zipperian, Scientific Communications Director, has a connection to P&G that began four generations before she was born. It’s a family bond that was cemented through an act of compassion by the Company.

The first generation of the Robinson family to work for P&G, Rachel’s great-grandfather worked at the Ivorydale soap factory in Cincinnati, Ohio. Tragically, he had a heart attack while at work and passed away. "The people at Procter stopped by” to deliver the news, as Rachel recounts the story being passed down, and they offered jobs to Rachel’s great-grandmother and the two oldest sons. This kind gesture provided financial stability for the family and created a sense of loyalty and familiarity that has become part of the family’s history.

Rachel's great-grandmother, Ida Lou Sears, worked in the company cafeteria and later in the Tide test labs. Her great-uncles had long careers in maintenance and engineering. One of her great-uncles, Todd Sears, famously held the job of winding the Ivorydale clock.

Rachel’s father, Gary Robinson, was also a manufacturing engineer at Ivorydale. He worked in a plant and on food manufacturing for brands like Duncan Hines and Crisco. When Rachel was in seventh grade, her family moved to Georgia, and her father left P&G to work in food manufacturing. But Rachel’s family loyalty to P&G never quite left her.

She returned to Cincinnati for college. Although she had plans to be a chemistry professor, on-campus interviews with P&G changed her mind when they offered her a job. “I knew that's where I wanted to work, and I also knew that there were a lot of different things to learn there,” she said. Over 22 years, Rachel has experienced four different kinds of careers within the company, from research bench scientist to sustainability communications.

Although Rachel’s father’s line of work was very different than hers, his pride in his work, especially in finding innovative solutions to reduce waste, left a significant impact on Rachel. “I work on waste now. My journey has taken me to sustainability, and one of my goals is to make the world better and less wasteful throughout my lifetime. And I feel like I get to do that now for P&G by helping us have a lower environmental footprint.”

Today, Rachel’s youngest daughter is a senior in high school, and she aspires to work for P&G. She may just be adding a fifth generation to the family’s legacy.

Meet the Joachimis: An All-Female Legacy Rooted in Dedication

Stephanie Clark, Senior Finance Vice President for Global Family Care, was the first person in her family to graduate from college. She’s the third generation to work for P&G. But her family legacy is unique — it’s all female.

Stephanie’s grandmother worked on the manufacturing line for Duncan Hines when it was a part of P&G in the 1960s and 1970s. Her mother was an administrative assistant, with two stints spanning the mid-1950s to the late 1970s. Both were part of P&G at a time when it wasn’t as common for women to be in the workforce. “It gives me a lot of pride to know that the Company was hiring and supporting women long before it was the cool thing to do,” said Clark.

Growing up in Cincinnati, Stephanie heard stories about P&G’s commitment to integrity, quality and caring for its people. That was underscored by the messages she heard at home. “They always told me that hard work will prevail. Be loyal, and the company will be loyal to you,” she explained.

Stephanie joined P&G in 2002 after spending a decade in public accounting. Her upbringing in a family of strong women helped shape the leader she is. “I think it's just the ability to be independent and confident and rooted in my resolve when I set out to accomplish something,” she said.

Stephanie’s family legacy has led her to be a mentor for fellow employees and a strong advocate for women’s growth and development within the Company. She has also led the North America Women’s Network for 10 years.

“When you look back on your career and you think about the things that are most meaningful, it's the experiences you have watching the people you develop, especially when somebody really tackles something that's hard and is able to overcome it. Those are the things that I remember, not the forecast that I submitted or the results we delivered in any one single year,” she explained.

Meet the Lubores: A Second Act Provides Career Growth for Mother and Son

The Lubore family story with P&G began as a second career. Linna Lubore began her career as a flight attendant. After working various part-time sales jobs, she joined Gillette, which was later acquired by P&G, in 2000 when she was almost 40. Her son Tyler was just eight at the time.

Linna, now the Senior Sales Manager for Capability for Professional Oral Health at P&G, has built a 25-year career in sales and training. Five years ago, her second act became the family business as her son Tyler joined her at P&G.

Tyler Lubore, Senior Sales Manager for Team Northwest, said watching his mom develop her skills and build her career was influential in his career path, where he has already been promoted and is currently on his third assignment. “I grew up with a salesperson and got to see that skill set and how she applied it both professionally, but also personally.”

Linna tried to impart lessons along the way. “You can't keep doing the same thing over and over. You have to be willing to try different things. It may be uncomfortable, but it's okay,” she said.

Even though Tyler has only been a P&G employee for five years, he remarked he also has a 25-year history with the Company. Growing up, he jokes he had a surrogate family at P&G and would get birthday voicemails from reps while Linna was in meetings. In fact, there are some sales reps on his team today that first met him when he was a boy. While that has made for an interesting dynamic, it hasn’t hindered Tyler from forging his own identity within the Company — even if he did also spend some time in the field with his mother in her capability role.

"It’s been great to see his progression throughout his career, to be able to do work that is similar and to see his success," said Linna.

Tyler is grateful to be able to learn from a “rock star” like his mom and work in a division that feels like family. And he’s excited to build his unique career at P&G. “P&G is one of those few remaining companies where you can start your career, experience different roles and retire. It’s not a stepping stone; it’s a long-term career opportunity.”

Alejandra Pazos has spent her life restocking supermarket shelves, even though she has never worked in a grocery store.

Her father, Fredy Pazos, is a Commercial Manager for P&G El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala. He worked for Gillette for 16 years before the company was acquired by P&G in 2005 and has been with P&G for the past 19 years. As far back as Alejandra can remember, Fredy turned every family trip to the store into a chance to check the Company’s inventory. If a product was low or missing, the family would go with the merchandiser to the back to get more. The family jokes that a simple trip to the grocery took so long that her mother got bored and stopped going. “For me, P&G has ceased to be a job but is a way of life,” said Fredy.

Growing Up in the Company

A sense of pride in his work and loyalty for the Company are things Fredy is passing on to his family. As a second-generation P&Ger, Alejandra, a Senior Brand Manager for Downy Mexico, said, “Since I was born, everything in the house has always been, and still has to be, P&G brands. Now it’s like that in my house as well.”

Alejandra has been with the Company for six years, starting in Product Supply and later transferring to Brand. Her husband works in Product Supply. They have two young children and live in Panama.

Alejandra likes to say, “I have been in the Company more than just six years.” She grew up in stores, understanding why a shelf looks a certain way and going to wholesalers with her dad. She and her siblings even participated in an annual Gillette parade. Knowing the brands from an early age is a strength Alejandra brings to her role.

The Importance of Lifelong Learning

Fredy began at Gillette as a merchandiser and has climbed the ranks to become the Head of Sales for North Central America. He currently resides in Guatemala. In 2019, Fredy was honored with the William Procter Sales Master Award, a global honor recognizing P&G sales leaders who demonstrate unmatched mastery, deliver outstanding business results and excel in developing the capabilities of others. Fewer than 1% of P&G’s sales employees receive the award.

The key, Fredy believes, is to never stop learning. He is most proud not of his own accomplishments but how he has mentored others and enabled them to achieve more.

“It has been a lifetime of learning. I enjoy it very much. And the greatest joy that I have today is all the generations that have been trained as part of my work teams,” he said.

Perhaps her father’s favorite student, Alejandra recalls three recurring pieces of advice:

1. Always do the right thing. “You can deliver the number or not, but you have to do it right,” said Fredy.
2. Earn your place.
3. Learn one new thing every day.

As members of a multi-generational P&G family, Fredy and Alejandra have benefitted from their shared experiences. For Fredy, having children the same age as many of the people who report to him is an important part of better understanding his team. “I believe I have more empathy and credibility with the people who are working for me,” he said.

“From my side, I think I am more open to receiving feedback because I have received it all my life P&G style. It helps me to know that feedback is good, and it means people see potential in me,” said Alejandra.

Looking ahead to the next generation, the family is poised to leave a lasting legacy. Alejandra said, “My oldest son is two and a half, and he says, ‘Mom, I want to work at Procter.’”

Interested in starting your family’s legacy at P&G? Learn more about our careers.

Meet the Sagels

Sagel family gatherings were marked by sharing work stories. “I remember being in the backyard and everybody back there was laughing and talking about their jobs. They really enjoyed what they did, and they enjoyed the people they worked with,” said Leslie (Sagel) Hopkins, Senior Vice President of Research & Development for Baby Care.

Leslie and her brother Paul are third generation Sagels at P&G. Their second cousin Hannah Sagel is a fourth generation. At least 13 bloodline Sagels have worked for P&G, for a combined 325 years of service. Counting in-laws, they have more than 500 years of service.

John Sagel, Leslie and Paul’s great uncle and Hannah’s great-great-uncle, was the first of the family to work for P&G around 1920. His wife also worked for the Company. “Almost every major product line, every billion-dollar brand that we have has had a Sagel touch it in one way or another, whether it's Tide or Bounce or Crest or Head & Shoulders,” said Paul Sagel, Victor Mills Society Research Fellow in Oral Care. Named after the legendary P&G scientist who invented disposable diapers, the Victor Mills Society is an elite fellowship program for P&G engineers and scientists. Learn more about Paul and his fellowship.

A Father’s Wisdom

Their father’s experience influenced Paul and Leslie’s career paths. Starting out as a lab tech in 1968, Paul Sr. took a position as a second shift janitor so he could go to college to pursue his bachelor’s degree to be eligible for leadership positions. He retired from P&G in 2000 as an appointed Research Fellow — a top position in R&D.

Paul Jr. is known as ‘the Whitestrips guy’ for his role as the inventor of Crest Whitestrips. But it was his family’s legacy with P&G that made working at the Company a life aspiration. Paul said, after college, “I had fellowship offers, and I opted to pass on graduate school to go work for P&G. I was that passionate about it.” He has built a 32-year career in Oral Care, reaching the highest level in his field. He remembers his father’s advice, “Bang the cash register,” meaning make sure you bring value every day.

For Leslie, “The reason I wanted to work for P&G was because I could see that my dad truly loved what he did. He got to really create products that changed people’s lives, and he was super excited about it.” Inspired by her father’s dedication and impact, Leslie initially wanted to be a doctor. “But my dad knew me better than I knew myself,” she said. He supported her dreams but encouraged her to pursue an engineering degree first. After her first internship, she fell in love. “The thought of working on consumer products for me has great purpose. At P&G, when you make products like Pampers, you see you really do make a difference in people’s lives,” she said.

From Heirloom Belts to Back Porch Brainstorms

Hannah Sagel, a Brand Director for Head & Shoulders, never met her grandfather Ralph Sr., but his legacy is evident in the belt she wears often. It was his anniversary gift for 30 years of service to P&G. It features the company’s iconic moon and stars logo.

“You can see where he buckled it. The leather is cracked on the third belt loop because he wore it all the time,” said Hannah.

Hannah is six years into her career at P&G. Her dad, Ralph Jr. worked for P&G for 34 years as a packaging engineer in Oral Care.

When she had days off school as a child, Hannah often wandered the halls of the Mason Business & Innovation Center with her dad. He would say, “The work is what you come for and the people are what you stay for.” Today, Hannah and her dad sit on his back porch and share stories about projects or talk through challenges.

A Legacy to Share with Others

Most people don’t come from a P&G family with the advantages of a built-in sounding board and advisor. “That's why I think mentorship is so important, that people have a trusted relationship that they can go to that is a safe space,” said Leslie.

The Sagels use their experience to help others at P&G succeed. “Eighty percent of what I do now is helping people, helping make them as successful as they can be,” Paul said. “And that gives me more pride now than my own personal accomplishments, watching other people succeed.”

“Having this history makes you really motivated to uphold that impact that everyone before you has had,” said Hannah.

Interested in starting your family’s legacy at P&G? Learn more about our careers.

UP NEXT in P&G’s multi-generational family series: Meet the Pazos family in Central America.