Samuel J. Mitchell

Sam Mitchell was named chief executive officer and director of Valvoline in September 2016.

Mitchell joined Valvoline, then a division of Ashland Inc., in 1997 as director of marketing for Valvoline’s brand management group. In 1999, he was named vice president of marketing, and in 2000, vice president and general manager of Valvoline’s do-it-yourself (DIY) retail business.

He became president of Valvoline and vice president of Ashland in 2002. In 2011, Mitchell was named senior vice president of Ashland, while retaining his responsibilities for Valvoline.

Prior to joining Valvoline, he held brand and category management leadership positions at The Clorox Company for eight years.

Mitchell serves on the board of trustees of Transylvania University and on the University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council. From 2006 to 2012, he served on the board of the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association. Mitchell is active in the community, working with Young Life, the Lexington Leadership Foundation and Habitat for Humanity.

A Michigan native, Mitchell holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Miami University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program.