Ashcroft achieved national prominence when he served as U.S. Attorney General under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He also served as Missouri’s U.S. Senator from 1995 to 2001 and was the state’s 50th governor from 1985 to 1993.

He attended Yale University then received a juris Doctorate from the University of Chicago School of Law. He briefly taught business law and worked in administration at Southwest Missouri State University.

A retired rabbi, Jacob comes from a family that produced 15 generations of rabbis. He currently holds many leadership positions within the Jewish community. He is the senior scholar at Rodef Shalom congregation, president of Abraham Geiger College in Berlin, president of the Institute for Progressive Jewish Law and Ethics, and a rabbi emeritus.

He helps edit and write the annual book for the Institute for Progressive Jewish Law and Ethics and has published 39 books. He is a graduate of Drury College (now Drury University).

After working 30 years for Pepsi, Young retired in 2004 only to later accept the job of president and chief executive officer for Dr Pepper Snapple Group. In 2008, he was inducted into the Beverage World Soft Drink Hall of Fame.

This year DPS received the Beverage Forum Company of the Year award. Young is the chairman of the American Beverage Association. He began his career in the soft drink industry by driving a route truck.