Retired Senior Lecturer Huchendorf Builds a Legacy

In his 24 years teaching at the Carlson School of Management, retired Senior Lecturer Steven Huchendorf—warmly known as “Dr. H”—had an enormous impact on students and the curriculum. 

But he wanted to leave behind even more than that. So, as he prepared for his retirement from the Supply Chain & Operations Department in Spring 2024, he planned to give to the Carlson School’s Connecting Carlson building campaign. 

Dr. H says the gift feels ideal to him, as he views himself as “a builder,” from teaching the Carlson School’s first-ever online course, to creating a mentoring program for PhD students, to founding and directing supply chain case competitions. The gift also ensures the Huchendorf family name will be permanently placed somewhere in the school’s building—a symbol of his legacy as both a retired lecturer and the father of two alumni. 

“This is a connection to the premier educational institution in this entire area,” he says. “To be able to give back to that and help with the scholarships, the building, and creating learning experiences—it feels impactful. I really wanted to help out the next generation of people coming through the school.” 
 

24 years of impact

Dr. H remembers the first class he taught at the Carlson School in 2000. It was MBA 6120: Data Analysis & Statistics for Managers, held in the 3M Auditorium. 

“That was really the start of my journey over the last 24 years at the Carlson School. The faculty position was a perfect fit for me,” he says. He estimates he’s taught more than 240 courses and more than 13,000 students throughout his career, including creating learning experiences for three trips to China for the Tracing the Global Supply Chain course. 

One of the highlights of his time as a senior lecturer was creating the Carlson School’s first online course in 2006. Fitting, then, that it was the online version of that first Carlson School class he’d taught. 

“It was a great way for me to learn and think about the students’ learning experiences. You have to do things a little bit differently when you’re in the online space ... and we’ve been doing it ever since,” he says. 

In 2002, Dr. H created the Program for the Advancement of Classroom Excellence (PACE Program) to help PhD students learn how to teach. He pursued it because he says he feels it is a faculty obligation to prepare PhD candidates in their teaching responsibilities. 

He also served as undergraduate coordinator of the Supply Chain & Operations Department, and he was the founder and director of local and national undergraduate supply chain case competitions. He worked closely with undergraduate students for more than a decade as faculty advisor to the Supply Chain & Operations Club. 

Professor KK Sinha, department chair, worked with Huchendorf throughout his 24 years at the Carlson School. “Steve’s distinguished career was devoted to educating, exciting, and promoting the discipline and profession of supply chain management, and influencing generations of students to discover and pursue fulfilling and rewarding supply chain careers,” Sinha says. 

Dr. H earned numerous accolades at the Carlson School, including the Excellence in Teaching Award in 2003 and the Outstanding Teaching Award in 2014. Students voted him the Outstanding Honors Faculty of the Year in 2006, and the Outstanding Faculty of the Year in 2007. Students also nominated him for the Outstanding Faculty of the Year award in 2003, 2007, 2010, and 2017. 
 

Family connections

Among Dr. H’s dearest memories from his time at the Carlson School is when he was able to be onstage for both of his children’s commencement ceremonies. 

“Those were my two proud dad moments,” he says. “Not many people get to be on the stage with their children as they come across and receive their degree.” 

He adds that his son, K.C. Huchendorf, ’10 BSB, who double-majored in Supply Chain & Operations Management and Marketing, and his daughter, Lynnay (Huchendorf) Wanggaard, ’12 MBA, both still see immense value in what they learned at the Carlson School. 

“They’re using the degree and, really, the expertise that they built here,” Dr. H says, explaining that his son has worked at General Mills and Cargill, and his daughter works at Medtronic. 

In his official retirement letter, Dr. H says he appreciates the opportunities that both he and his children received at the Carlson School. He also mentions his desire to continue supporting the school, which led to his gift to the Connecting Carlson building campaign. 

“Students at the Carlson School are the best. I am very fortunate to have been a small part of the student learning experience.”