Executive Spotlight: Chris Galvin of Andersen Corporation

Chris Galvin, ’95 MBA, the CEO and chairman of Andersen Corporation, has explored many aspects of corporate business. He joined Andersen Corporation 23 years ago and worked in leadership roles covering finance, corporate strategy, manufacturing, logistics, supply chain, and operations before becoming CEO in 2023. What drives him, he says, is continuous curiosity and a belief that collaboration across different areas of the business fuels success. Galvin recently shared his insights with Minnesota Carlson. 

What leadership principles do you live by?

I’ve always approached any leadership role that I’ve been in with a healthy dose of humility. That includes things like having a genuine appreciation for the ideas and perspectives of others, finding joy in the success of others, and the belief that there’s always room for improvement. Another principle to reflect back on is having a strong belief in striving to do the right thing, always. That involves keeping your promises, taking responsibility for your actions, learning from your mistakes—getting back to humility—and making things right, sometimes even when it’s hard. It comes down to living your values with every interaction that you have.
 

What lessons did you learn at Carlson that you still use at work today?

What comes to mind is the power of bringing together individuals with diverse perspectives, with different backgrounds, and with different experiences. Carlson has been a melting pot for exactly that, bringing together this incredible diversity of thought leadership. Today, as I look to pull together teams or build out my own leadership group at Andersen, I’m always looking for that diversity of perspective while, at the same time, making sure that we’re all aligned around a common set of values. And I think it’s that richness of bringing different perspectives to the table that is so powerful and critically important to our collective success.
 

What advice do you have for current Carlson students?

I always give the same advice: Take risks by exploring areas outside your core functional discipline. The greatest growth throughout my career has come from experiencing different areas of the business and learning how they contribute to the overall strategy and to the success of the company. It not only helps you get a different perspective on the business, but it also helps broaden your professional network. Ultimately, it expands the level of contributions that you can make to the company and to your team, resulting in additional opportunities for career growth.