After graduation, he began his career at the Inland Manufacturing Division of General Motors in Dayton, Ohio as a Product Engineer for Ice Cube Trays.
With this complete, Campbell began the development of a new strategic framework for Textron aimed at creating new operational efficiencies and sharing best practices across the whole organization.
Beginning in 2000, Campbell engineered a transformation of the company that included a company-wide restructuring program to increase the efficiency of operations; the consolidation of several manufacturing facilities; outsourcing of non-core production; and careful attention to product development across the company to determine whether each was appropriate for the portfolio; divestiture of non-core units.
In the midst of some of the company's most difficult changes, shareholders watched Textron's stock price fall to a disappointing $26 in March 2003, then climb back to an all-time high in the first half of 2006 as the benefits of the transformation finally took hold.
Under the new model, Textron today functions as what it calls a “networked enterprise.” Departing from the old model of a holding company that simply acquires businesses and leaves their operations unchanged, the networked enterprise provides key points of contact to facilitate the operation of strong, unique brands.