| ST. OLAF LEADERSHIP SPEAKER SERIES | |
Speakers offer expertise from their professional perspectives, allowing alumni to gain insight and knowledge into his/her own respective career path. "...development of the whole
person in mind, body and spirit..." |
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Speakers are scheduled for the following dates:
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| Guest Speakers | |
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Friday,
October 10, 2008 Minnesota Public Radio news director Bill Wareham '82 has been coveringelections for over 30 years. He'll talk about how he got hooked on politics at an early age and share some of the experiences he's enjoyed in his career as a reporter and radio producer. He'll also describe the changes he's seen over the years and discuss what they mean for the news industry and for citizens. Wareham has held a variety of positions since joining Minnesota Public Radio in 1982. Prior to becoming news director in 2005, he was deputy news director and a senior editor in the Minnesota Public Radio newsroom. He covered the state Capitol and politics for Minnesota Public Radio and the Associated Press. When he wasn't reporting on politics, he could often be heard reporting on sports (including the World Series, Super Bowl, Stanley Cup, Final Four and U.S. Open golf tournament) and pop music. He graduated from St. Olaf College, where he majored in political science. Wareham grew up in Minneapolis and currently lives in St. Paul. |
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Friday,
December 12, 2008 Bruce Nicholson is chairman, president and chief executive officer of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, the largest fraternal benefit society in the United States. In 1990, Nicholson was appointed executive vice president and chief financial officer of the organization and, in 1997, was named chief operating officer. In 1999, Nicholson was elected president, and the following year was named chief executive officer. At the time of the merger that formed Thrivent Financial in 2002, Nicholson was named president and chief executive officer. He assumed the chairmanship of the board in 2005. Prior to joining Thrivent Financial, Nicholson was a principal in the firm Tillinghast – Towers Perrin. Nicholson serves on the board of the Minnesota Orchestral Association, Minneapolis, the Minnesota Business Partnership, Minneapolis, The Actuarial Foundation, Schaumburg, IL and the United Way Fox Cities, Neenah, WI. He previously served on the board of Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN and the board of regents of St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn. He is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. A native of Minneapolis, Nicholson graduated from St. Olaf College earning a bachelor's degree, with distinction, in mathematics and economics. |
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Friday,
February 13, 2009 For detailed information on Lowell and the Dakota, click on the following links: |
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Friday,
April 10, 2009 Jan McDaniel is the CEO of the new American Red Cross - Twin Cities Area Chapter. As CEO, McDaniel leads the eighth largest Red Cross chapter in the country, with a budget of more than $11 million dollars, approximately 80 employees and more than 1,200 volunteers. The Twin Cities Area Red Cross provides assistance to those affected by disasters and also trains individuals and families to prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Prior to her appointment as CEO of the Twin Cities Area Chapter,
McDaniel served as Vice President for College Relations at St.
Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. The College Relations
Division included Marketing/Communications; the Center for Lifelong
Learning; Music Organizations, including the touring choir, band,
orchestra and St. Olaf Records; and Church Relations. Jan’s community service includes the Boards of Directors of Catholic Charities of the Twin Cities, VocalEssence and the Minnesota Orchestral Association. She has been a past board member of the Minnesota and Minneapolis Chambers of Commerce, the YWCA of Minneapolis, Minnesota Journalism Center and Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Bureau. She chaired the Twin Cities Chapter of Young President’s Organization. Jan is a member of the Twin Cities chapter of World President’s Organization, Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable and the Twin Cities Communications Council. She serves on the advisory board of the Carlson School of Business at the University of Minnesota. |
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Friday,
June 12, 2009 Brock Nelson joined Regions Hospital as president and chief executive officer in February 2003. Prior to that he served as chief executive officer of Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and as a vice president of United Hospital of St. Paul. He currently serves on the board of directors for The Courage Center, the Greater Minneapolis YMCA, The Capital City Partnership, Achieve / Minneapolis, the St. Paul Regional Red Cross, Omnicell. He is co-chair of the Healthy Learners board. Nelson is a past board member of CornerHouse, Phillips Partnership, Roosevelt High School Medical Magnet Program, Minnesota Hospital Association, National Association of Children's Hospitals, the Child Health Investment Corporation, St. David's Child and Family Services, St. Andrew's Lutheran Church and the White Bear Yacht Club. |
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Friday,
August 14, 2009 Sean Benson co-founded ProVation Medical (formerly cMore Medical Solutions) in 1994. ProVation Medical is a software company whose products are used by physicians to generate various forms of required documentation. ProVation’s primary value proposition lies in presenting rich medical content, tied to billing codes, in an easy-to-use interface. The company began in the specialty area of Gastroenterology and, over the years, has expanded into Orthopedic Surgery, General Surgery, Urology, Pain Management and Cardiology. After 12 years as a privately held company, ProVation was acquired by Wolters Kluwer (WK) in 2006. WK is a multi-national content company focusing in the areas of Health, Tax, Finance and Law. Since the acquisition, WK has invested significantly in ProVation, including a doubling of both the sales force and number of physicians on staff. The acquisition has also allowed ProVation to expand aggressively into other realms of health care content. Sean has a BA in Mathematics and Economics from St. Olaf (1990), where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. |
