Bundy urges students in Veterans Day message to use leadership lessons learned at Culver to make the world a better place

Retired Col. Bill Bundy ’93 told students at Culver Academies that he believes they will do well in life, but encouraged them to do “good” as well.

“Use your incredible stations in life and the great leadership lessons you learned at Culver to make the world a better place. Serve your fellow man. It doesn’t have to be in the military. But find a way to lead yourself, your families, your communities and this world to be the best versions of themselves,” he said during the annual Veterans Day ceremony held on the steps of the Legion Memorial Building.

He pointed to 35 Culver graduates, members of the recently created Culver Academies Military Alumni Group, who were at the ceremony, as examples of the thousands of Culver grads who have selflessly served their country “and thousands more examples of Culver grads being a force for good in the world.”

“Now you have the privilege and the responsibility to make your contributions to the betterment of humankind. Go out and do great things,” he said.

Bundy, a graduate of West Point, served 25 years in the Army and Army Reserve and was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. He is now president of American Pan, the biggest company in the world that makes industrial baking pans and coatings. His company has around 2,000 employees working in 11 countries.

“I sell industrial baking pans. That may not sound super sexy, but our shared purpose is we help our customers feed the world,” he said.

Bundy told the students he felt called to serve because his father grew up poor and his mother was an immigrant.

“Together they lived the American dream and built a thriving business, making it possible for me and two of my brothers to attend Culver,” he said.

He said he also was fortunate enough to be able to travel.

“I realized that America is a special place that allows this uniquely American dream to thrive. To me, that seemed like it was worth defending,” he said.