Kent Mcclelland

W. Kent McClelland is president and CEO of Shamrock Foods Company. He is the third-generation leader of the family-owned and operated business, which was founded in Tucson in 1922 and is celebrating its 100th year. Now based in Phoenix, the company provides services and products across the United States through its two divisions: Shamrock Foods – the largest independent food service company in the West and one of the top 10 in the United States – and Shamrock Farms – one of the largest family-owned and operated dairies nationwide, best known for its pure, fresh locally sourced milk.

McClelland's customer-centric business practices and emphasis on geographic expansion and further penetration of Shamrock's proprietary brand portfolio is what transformed the company from one of Arizona's business mainstays to a recognized national leader in both the food service and dairy industries.

In true McClelland fashion, a sense of family and the importance of community are the driving forces behind his professional endeavors and his personal life. McClelland dedicates his time to various community organizations including the Boy Scouts of America. He is past chairman of the All Saints Episcopal Day School and has been a member of the Young President's Organization Arizona Chapter and the World President's Organization. He has served on the board of the Colorado Outward Bound School and currently serves on the Barrow Neurological Foundation board of trustees.

In 2014, McClelland and his father, Norman, committed $3.5 million to the Eller College of Management to establish the McClelland Family Endowment for Faculty Excellence, allowing the college to attract and retain outstanding teachers and researchers in the business disciplines. W. Kent McClelland has also served as a guest speaker in Eller classes. Norman McClelland, a UArizona alumnus, died in 2017.

Shamrock Farms, under McClelland's leadership, supports several Eller and University of Arizona initiatives, including the Dhaliwal-Reidy School of Accountancy, the Karl Eller Scholarship Endowment, Eller undergraduate career initiatives and the Eller Executive of the Year event. Shamrock also offers internships to Eller master's degree students in business administration and management information systems.

McClelland has a Bachelor of Arts in physics from Colorado College and a Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles. McClelland and his wife of 41 years, Celia, have three children: Chandra, Kera and Devon. Avid mountain climbers, together they have climbed a number of noted peaks around the world, and they also enjoy travel, golf, tennis and outdoor activities.