[1][2] Knauss commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps, initially serving in Hawaii in 1978 as an Artillery Officer; he left in 1981 and took up a position with Procter & Gamble.
According to Forbes he received $21.8 million compensation from 2007 to 2012; $6.37m remuneration in 2012, making him the 11th highest-earning CEO in household and personal products.
Knauss was succeeded by Benno Dorer, who had been Clorox's executive VP and chief operating officer.
While CEO at Clorox, Knauss led the 2007 purchase of Burt's Bees for $925m, which was in response to the firm's sluggish growth in other areas.
[9] He is also on the board of trustees of the US Marine Corps University Foundation,[10] a member of the Economic Advisory Council At Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, and on the board of trustees for the University Foundation and Morehouse College.