Duane Ackerman was inducted Oct. 14, into the Plant City High School Hall of Fame .
A member of the Class of 1960, Ackerman didn’t accept the distinction because of his triumphs. Instead, he wants to motivate students to reach for the sky. He spoke to groups of students all morning on the secrets to success.
Ackerman served as vice chairman, president and CEO of BellSouth, navigating the company through mergers and changes in the industry. With his lifetime of business experience and tech-savvy nature, he’s been involved in numerous startups.
Ackerman also serves on many boards, including those representing Allstate, Home Depot and UPS, as well as on the National Security Advisory Council.