1st Tuesday
The Carlson School of Management's 1st Tuesday Speaker Series began in 1992 to provide an opportunity for alumni and friends of the Carlson School to continue their management education. The 1st Tuesday Speaker Series features top executives addressing hot topics in business and leadership.
Held on the first Tuesday of every month at the McNamara Alumni Center, the program attracts alumni and business leaders from throughout the corporate community and has become an attractive spot for professionals in the metropolitan area to network.
Centennial Season Pass Offer!
In honor of the Carlson School’s 100th anniversary, we’re offering a special season pass for our 1st Tuesday Speaker Series events in 2019. With a season pass, you can attend 10 events for the price of eight.
Get your pass to hear insights from top leaders in the business world. Our schedule for 2019 includes the speakers shown below and more.
Hosted At:
McNamara Alumni Center
200 SE Oak St
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Cost:
$35 (includes lunch and program)
$15 for U of M students
$40 at the door (if space allows)
Schedule:
11:30 a.m. Registration and Networking
11:50 a.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. Program concludes
Upcoming Speakers
Kate Mortenson
President and CEO
2019 Minneapolis Final Four™
Michael Happe
President and CEO
Winnebago Industries
February 5, 2019
special start time at 11:00 a.m.
Kate Mortenson is a civic-engaged, community impact leader, experienced in strategy and implementation for complex initiatives. She is president and CEO of the 2019 Minneapolis Final Four™ Local Organizing Committee, responsible to execute all aspects of the NCAA™ Men’s Basketball Championship in 2019.
Previously a United States Peace Corps volunteer and journalism professional at Hubbard Broadcasting, she combines experience in diverse sectors with a global mindset to create positive change in the community. Her projects generate significant financial resources, leadership engagement across sectors, and volunteers from the “grass roots” to the “grass tops.”
She serves on the boards of Minnesota Public Radio, Mortenson Family Foundation, and The Greater Twin Cities United Way, where she co-chaired the 2015 centennial year “100,000 Volunteers for Good” initiative.
Among other honors, she's been recognized by Social Venture Partners and Minnesota Philanthropy Partners for her innovative and engaged approach to philanthropy.
Michael Happe leads Winnebago Industries, a leading manufacturer of outdoor lifestyle products, which are used primarily in leisure travel and outdoor recreation. As president and CEO, Happe oversees the overall vision and strategic direction of the company, as well as nurturing and strengthening a culture that cares for its employees and customers. He also sits on the company’s board of directors.
Previously, Happe served as an executive officer and group vice president at The Toro Company. During his 19 years at Toro, he held a series of senior leadership positions across a variety of the company’s domestic and international divisions.
Happe received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Kansas and an MBA from the Carlson School of Management. An active member in the community, he is part of several community, academic, and industry initiatives and boards.
Jeff Harmening
CEO and chairman of the board of directors - General Mills
March 5, 2019
Jeff Harmening is the CEO and chairman of the board of directors at General Mills. Since joining the company in 1994, he has held several leadership positions for the company in the United States and Europe.
In 2003, he was named vice president of marketing for Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW) in Switzerland. He became president of the General Mills Big G cereal division in 2007 and was promoted to senior vice president in 2011. In 2012, he returned to Europe as CEO of CPW and held that role from 2012 to 2014. He was then named executive vice president, chief operating officer of the largest division of General Mills, the U.S. retail segment. He became CEO in 2017 and was elected to serve as board chairman in 2018.
Harmening is a graduate of DePauw University and holds an MBA from Harvard.
Ben Fowke
Chairman, President, and CEO - Xcel Energy
April 2, 2019
Ben Fowke is chairman, president, and CEO of Xcel Energy, one of the largest public utilities in the country. The company is in the Fortune 500 and headquartered in Minneapolis.
Fowke serves as vice chair of the Edison Electric Institute and on the boards of the Nuclear Energy Institute, Energy Insurance Mutual, and Institute of Nuclear Power Operations. He is also a frequent contributor to important policy topics in Washington, D.C.
Fowke is active on several industry and community boards and served as co-chair of the 2017 Greater Twin Cities United Way campaign with his wife, Kathleen. He was recently named president of the Minnesota Business Partnership and chosen as the 2018 Executive of the Year by Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal. He is also the recipient of the 2018 Distinguished Citizen Award from the Northern Star Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Doug Baker
Chairman of the board and CEO - Ecolab, Inc.
May 7, 2019
Doug Baker is chairman of the board and CEO of Ecolab, Inc., the global leader in water, hygiene, and energy technologies and services that protect people and vital resources.
Baker joined Ecolab in 1989, following seven years in brand management at Procter & Gamble. At Ecolab, he held a number of marketing and general management roles in the United States and Europe before becoming president and CEO in 2004. In 2006, he added chairman of the board to his duties.
In addition to his Ecolab responsibilities, Baker serves on the board of directors of Target Corporation. He is trustee emeritus of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and a member of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy.
Baker received a bachelor’s degree in English from the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, and serves on the college’s board of trustees.
Presented By: Wells Fargo
Promotional Sponsor: Twin Cities Business
Supporting Sponsor: McNamara Alumni Center
1st Tuesday Corporate Tables
We value the partnerships with companies in the Twin Cities-area and want to continue to bring the business community together on a monthly basis. To continue our partnership with the business community, we invite you to purchase corporate tables for upcoming 1st Tuesday events.
Benefits of a 1st Tuesday Corporate Table:
- Priority seating near the front of the room
- Recognition of your company's table
- Ten seats for the price of nine ($315)
For questions about 1st Tuesday events, please email Martha Victor at mvictor@umn.edu.
Scott Wine
Chairman & CEO
Polaris Industries
December 2018
Ravi Bapna
Professor
Carlson School of Management
October 2018
Myles Shaver
Professor
Carlson School of Management
September 2018
Shelly Ibach
President and CEO
Sleep Number
August 2018
Dr. MayKao Hang
President and CEO
Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
June 2018
Eric Kaler
President
University of Minnesota
May 2018
Deb Taylor
CEO
Taylor Corporation
April 2018
Norman Ornstein
Contributing Editor
The Atlantic
March 2017
David Mortenson
Chairman
Mortenson
February 2017
Dr. Archelle Georgiou
President
Georgiou Consulting, LLC
December 2017
Kathryn V. Marinello
CEO
Hertz Global Holdings Inc.
November 2017
Hany Nada
Co-founder and Venture Partner
GGV Capital
October 2017
Neel Kashkari
President and CEO
Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
September 2017
P.J. Fleck
Football Coach
University of Minnesota
August 2017