Amazon Consumer CEO and Auburn alumnus Dave Clark to deliver spring 2022 commencement address

Dave Clark, chief executive officer of Worldwide Consumer at Amazon and leading supply chain executive, will kick off Auburn University’s commencement weekend by delivering the keynote address before a graduating class of nearly 5,000 students and their families at spring commencement on Friday, May 6, in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Friday ceremony will be followed by individual college ceremonies on Saturday, May 7, in Neville Arena.

Having been at Amazon for more than two decades, Clark has held a variety of roles, including serving as senior vice president of worldwide operations. In that role, Clark spearheaded the launch of Amazon Robotics and grew the company’s transportation fleet to include Amazon’s own planes, trailers and last-mile delivery vehicles to speed up order delivery times for customers. Clark currently oversees more than one million employees and partners across Amazon’s operations, retail, technology and marketing divisions, to name a few. 

“The impact of Dave Clark’s career on our students is immeasurable. I imagine we would be hard-pressed to find a student who has not relied on Amazon at some point during their time at Auburn,” President Jay Gogue said. “Beyond that, I believe Dave is a wonderful testament to the Auburn Creed and personifies how hard work and education are critical to achieving your personal and professional goals. I look forward to his sage words and practical advice for our graduates.”

A native of Orange Park, Florida, Clark graduated from Auburn in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in music education. A member of the Auburn University Marching Band, Clark spent a year as a middle school band director following his graduation from Auburn. He then enrolled at the University of Tennessee to pursue a Master of Business Administration in logistics and transportation. 

Widely regarded as one of the industry’s most influential thought-leaders, Clark’s emphasis on harnessing emerging technologies has expanded Amazon’s retail footprint, ensuring it remains one of the most valuable brands globally. His professional success is largely reflected in Amazon’s growth strategy, along with his willingness to undertake diverse and challenging roles throughout his tenure with the company. Upon joining Amazon in 1999, Clark served as a fulfillment center general manager and regional manager before eventually becoming vice president of North America operations. With each role, Clark has worked with U.S. and international teams to successfully integrate innovative technologies and diversify the company’s cadre of products and services while providing world-class customer service.

“Auburn University played a pivotal role in my development and growth—to come back years later to support students and their families on such a big day in their lives is meaningful,” said Clark. “I look forward to giving back to the next generations of leaders at their graduation by sharing some of what I’ve learned in my 20-plus year career. Of course, so much of that was influenced by the words that regularly echo across Auburn from its Creed, ‘I believe that this is a practical world and that I can count only on what I earn. Therefore, I believe in work, hard work.’”

Auburn’s commencement begins at 5 p.m. CST on Friday, May 6, in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The ceremony will feature the conferral of degrees, greetings by university officials, the recognition of students graduating with academic honors and the keynote by Clark. Families and guests can attend the event, with gates opening at 3 p.m. The ceremony will be streamed live on the university’s commencement website. The individual college ceremonies will follow the Friday event on Saturday, May 7. For more information—including historical information about the commencement ceremony, academic regalia, prior speakers and other details—visit auburn.edu/commencement.