Participant Stories

“I don’t want to lead exactly the same way as I always have because our organization is continuing to transform.  I asked myself how I could be the best leader for the future. For me that means continuing my development.” – Camille Abrams, SVP Finance, Energy, CHS, Inc. 

“The business landscape, technology, and people’s expectations are changing so quickly. If you want to make sure your business stays relevant, continuing to learn and participate in executive education is a great way to keep your finger on the pulse.” – Annemarie Vaupel, Vice President of Marketing, Food Service, Hormel Foods Corporation

“I wanted to change how customers perceive us. Carlson Executive Educator Hari Nair’s business background and experience in innovation, as well as the examples he brought into the classroom really drew me in.” – Gary Gray Vice President , Motorcycle-Racing, Technology, and Service, Polaris Industries

"The value really comes when you apply what you learned in the program to your job," says Santha. "It's very practical. Each time I take a course, I always have at least two or three key points that I can take back to my work. People can see the difference -- that you're doing things differently. Carlson has shaped my leadership."

“I think that any time there’s a discussion of strategy there are people--even at director level--who think strategy is above their pay grade or they do not have the wherewithal to understand strategy. There were several people in class who were unsure about whether they belonged in that high-level of a course, but these participants were very engaged by the end. There are more roles than you would think where knowledge of strategy is very helpful.”