He joined General Mills in Minneapolis in 1960, working as financial controller and director, instigating rapid change, becoming a youth-conscious organization with a growing group of young managers and closing almost half of their mills and diversifying into other businesses such as Parker Brothers and Play-Doh.
[2][3] He had no previous involvement in movie making but he had impressed Edgar Bronfman, Sr. then the major shareholder in MGM.
[10] He hired Harvard MBAs to work as executive assistants at the studio and appointed Herbert F. Solow as head of production.
[12] The following films were announced under Polk's regime:[13] Augie March, Man's Fate, Tai Pan and She Loves Me were all cancelled and Dingus McGee was made later.
[14] There were also several TV series made at the studio: The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Then Came Bronson and Medical Center.