Allen Childs will be the next Watson Executive-in-Residence speaker

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Allen Childs, managing partner at the Doylestown Bookshop, will be the speaker at Delaware Valley University’s Watson Executive-in-Residence (WEIR) program. Childs will be presenting a lecture entitled, “Distinguish Yourself From the Inside Out,” on Thursday, April 20 at 11 a.m. in the Life Sciences Building auditorium on DelVal’s main campus. The program is open to the public, and there is no cost to attend. Guests do not need to RSVP. 

After spending 33 years working in the corporate automotive industry, with the last 12 years in executive positions at Nissan North America, Childs is now a small business owner. He purchased The Doylestown Bookshop in May 2012, which was his wife, Glenda’s passion, and dream. Childs began to focus on connecting with the community through work and volunteering in nonprofit organizations. In 2016, he joined his wife as managing partner of The Doylestown Bookshop. He is the current president-elect for The Rotary Club of Doylestown and the treasurer of the Central Bucks Family YMCA Board of Directors. He also serves on the Americans for Native Americans (ANA) Board of Directors. In 2016, he began a rewarding new role as a mentor for a DelVal business student. Childs graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1981 and completed INSEAD University’s Executive Training Program in 2007.

The Watson Executive-in-Residence speaker series focuses on preparing students for the business world. The program brings executives to campus to share candid advice and lessons from their careers.

The series was founded by Thomas Watson '57, a DelVal alumnus who started out in pharmaceutical sales and realized he was passionate about advertising. He became a founder of Omnicom, one of the world's largest advertising firms. Watson has a passion for education and started an in-house program at his company to provide MBA-level training for employees. As part of the series, he awards a scholarship to a student, who introduces the visiting speaker.