Tennant and Carlson School Build Relationship

Tennant Company was founded in the Twin Cities metro area more than 150 years ago. In that time, the company has become a global leader of industrial and commercial cleaning equipment, known for its large floor sweeping and scrubbing machines.

The longevity of the brand and the connection to the Twin Cities community are points of pride for Tennant and its employees. However, even company leaders admit that many people in the Twin Cities may not know Tennant by name.

“We’re one of the hidden gems in the Twin Cities business community,” says Dave Huml, Tennant Company president and CEO. “We’ve always been here, but because we’re not a household brand name, we do tend to fly a bit under the radar locally, even though we’re recognized worldwide as a leader in our industry.”

That’s one reason why the company recently decided to collaborate on two premier events at the Carlson School of Management—1st Tuesday and the Women’s Leadership Conference. With these sponsorships, Tennant aims to boost its visibility in the Twin Cities business community and to provide valuable networking opportunities for its employees.

“We recognize that the Carlson School is a major center of excellence within the Twin Cities and that Carlson School faculty are a huge resource,” Huml says. “Partnering with the Carlson School has been a really good way to provide our people with opportunities to hear from thought leaders and to make connections outside of the company on topics that are important to them.”

The partnership could also foster connections with the Carlson School’s community of students and alumni. “We’re trying to reach the next generations and build our brand with the new talent joining the workforce,” Huml says. “We want them to know that Tennant Company is a great place to work; we’re a leader in our industry with a strong track record of innovation, and we’re at the forefront of driving market disruption through robotics and connected machines.”

Kate Hanna, a corporate communications manager at the company, attended the 2024 Women’s Leadership Conference, where she and her colleagues connected with Carlson School faculty. “We took so much away from that, having access to cutting-edge academic research, the ability to network with peers, and discussions with faculty members about some of the trends in their academic work that tie into our business needs,” she says.

She adds that the group from Tennant felt a sense of pride in seeing their company’s name among the other sponsors of the event.

So far, Tennant’s leaders and employees have responded very positively to the company’s investment in the Carlson School. “It definitely aligns with our core values as a company and is a tangible example of our commitment to contributing to the communities where we operate,” Huml says.

Event photo courtesy of Krizia Studios