Fashion Executive and Kellogg Descendant to Receive Honorary Doctorate 
As the great-great-granddaughter of W.K. Kellogg, Susan Kellogg Bell was born into a family with a notable name — one tied to a cereal empire and philanthropy.
More than eight decades after the family land was deeded to California, Kellogg Bell continues her family’s philanthropic presence on campus. But while she remains connected to that legacy, the business consultant and executive coach has made a name for herself in a very different arena: fashion.
Kellogg Bell grew up in Chicago and Southern California, leaning more tomboy than fashionista. She climbed trees, played sports and, as the tallest girl in her fifth-grade class, was encouraged by a physical education teacher to try track and field, specifically hurdles. She remained an athlete through high school and was briefly on UCLA’s team while attending the university.
As a college senior, Kellogg Bell regularly browsed job postings at the campus career center, Æðµã´«Ã½ing for roles that matched her sociology major. She hadn’t envisioned a decades-long career in fashion, but an unexpected opportunity changed that. Her first job out of college was in an executive training program at Macy's.
“It’s a very engaging career because it’s always changing,” she said of fashion. “It’s hyperdynamic, so for someone like me, it kept my interest and my focus for all of these years. I feel really blessed because it was by accident that I fell into my career.”
Kellogg Bell spent eight years in retail and buying executive roles at Macy’s West before moving on to Liz Claiborne Inc., where she held leadership positions for nine years. As group president for bridge and contemporary brands, she oversaw labels including Juicy Couture, Laundry by Shelli Segal, PrAna, Ellen Tracy and Dana Buchman. She later served as CEO of Elie Tahari and as coalition president of contemporary brands for VF Corporation.
In recognition of her dedication to the university and her commitment to advancing her family’s legacy of supporting education, Kellogg Bell will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at Commencement on May 17. She will also address graduates at the Don B. Huntley College of Agriculture ceremony, continuing a legacy that began generations ago, while reflecting a path entirely her own.
Forging Her Own Path
Kellogg Bell takes pride in the fact that she is self-made. Her parents helped her get through college, but after she graduated, she was financially independent. The Kellogg family wanted their fortune to go to worthy causes, so most of their wealth was donated to the Kellogg Foundation and other causes.
“When I get off on Kellogg Drive to come to campus, how could I not be proud,” she said. “My great-great-grandfather was so altruistic that he figured out in the 1930s that he needed to educate as many people as he could. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation and other Kellogg family members have donated millions to various educational causes. W.K. donated 800 acres to California to ensure that higher education would be available and his Arabian horses could continue to thrive well beyond his generation. That’s vision. He did it quietly, which was so admirable.”
Early in her career, Kellogg Bell worked seven days a week, eating ramen and living with roommates. It took diligence, resilience and hard work to climb to the level of success she reached.
“I worked my way up from the very bottom of the industry to the very top of the industry, which was very valuable for me, and I don’t regret a thing,” she said. “My four-year degree got me in the running for management. When it comes down to it, nothing substitutes for hard work and results. Your degree gets you in the door, but then your work ethic and your results get you ahead.”
Eric Wiseman, former president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of VF Corporation and an important mentor in the industry to Kellogg Bell, lauded her for her diligence and work ethic.
“Susan is smart, hardworking, passionate and a results-driven leader who cares deeply for those she works with,” Wiseman said. “She invests her energy in developing the people that work with her, and I enjoyed working with her and have great respect for the person she is.” Paul Richard Charron, former CEO and chairman of the board at Liz Clairborne Inc. and another key mentor, praised Kellogg Bell for her dedication and leadership.
“Her sound strategic instincts and natural leadership skills, coupled with a high energy, optimistic and engaging management style, earned the respect and affection of all and contributed importantly to success at Liz and in subsequent senior management roles at Tahari and VF Corporation,” Charron said. “Throughout, Susan has remained humble, retained her sense of humor and been a great mom and role model for her daughter.”
Building on a Legacy
Kellogg Bell, who lives in Kentucky with her husband Jimmy Bell and daughter Catherine, is active in the equestrian community. She generously donates her time to the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center, which is celebrating its centennial this year, and has provided funding to the micro-internship program in the Department of Apparel Merchandising and Management. She has served on the advisory board for the department, which is part of the Don B. Huntley College of Agriculture.
Kellogg Bell also is a director on the Æðµã´«Ã½ Philanthropic Foundation Board, which was established in 2019. She received the 2019 Jim Hicks Agricultural Achievement Award, which recognizes her commitment to the apparel industry, her involvement in the equestrian community and her dedication to education.
“Susan continues her family’s extraordinary legacy of philanthropy at Æðµã´«Ã½ through leadership and generosity that directly expand opportunity for our students,” Æðµã´«Ã½ Interim President Iris Levine said. “Her commitment strengthens our ability to transform lives and ensures that the impact of a Æðµã´«Ã½ education will be felt for generations.”
Kellogg Bell said it is a bit dauting to receive an honorary doctorate, an accolade her great-great-grandfather and others in the Kellogg family have received.
“I’ve always had them on a pedestal for their understanding and their vision of really what it takes to educate as many as possible and creating opportunity for all,” she said. “This is a really big mantle to live up to. I guess when you’re raised that way, you don’t think about it until you have the opportunity to. Receiving this honor has given me a chance to pause and reflect back over my 35-year career.”