New Speaker Series: UST Opus College of Business to 'Intersect' With top Local Executives

The University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business announces the inaugural event in the launch of its “Intersections” speaker series. The four-part series for 2011-12 will put top local executives and academics on the same stage to converse about important and emerging business issues and related best practices.

The series is designed to be a place where practice and theory meet and will feature strategic insights on the topics of marketing, ethics, organizational effectiveness and innovation from firsthand experiences as well as published research.

Dr. Chris Puto

Dr. Chris Puto

Each hourlong event will be held free of charge to the general public in the Schulze Hall auditorium, located at 46 11th St. S., on the university's downtown Minneapolis campus.

Mark Addicks

Mark Addicks

Christopher Puto, dean and Opus Distinguished Chair for the Opus College of Business, will team with Mark Addicks, General Mills vice president and chief marketing officer, at the inaugural event on Thursday, Nov. 10. Using an open conversational format, they will discuss “Intersections in Marketing.” A welcome reception at 5 p.m. will precede the formal program and Q-and-A session that will take place from 6 to 7 p.m.

“We’re privileged to have many corporations headquartered here in the Upper Midwest with leaders that inspire innovation, leadership and best practices that impact the entire world,” Puto said. “We want to harness regional talent while showing the link between ‘the real world’ and academia because we believe that when our efforts are combined we can make a difference.”

Other topics in the series will focus on ethics, organizational effectiveness and innovation, and will feature leaders from Best Buy, Target and 3M. Register online for the first event. Registrations for subsequent events will open Tuesday, Nov. 1.

Future “Intersections” dialogues:

  • Feb. 9, 2012 – “Intersections in Ethics,” Kathleen Edmund, Best Buy chief ethics officer, and Dr. Kenneth Goodpaster, David and Barbara Koch Endowed Chair in Business Ethics
  • March 8, 2012 – “Intersections in Organizational Effectiveness,” Dawne Carlson, Target Corporation director of Enterprise Organizational Effectiveness, and Dr. Jack Militello, director of Health Care UST MBA Program
  • April 26, 2012 – “Intersections in Innovation,” Jeff Lavers, 3M vice president for marketing, sales and communications, and Dr. Laura Dunham, associate professor, Entrepreneurship

With a vision to educate highly principled global business leaders, the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business is the only private university in Minnesota accredited by the AACSB. It offers undergraduate concentrations in 13 fields and master’s degrees in seven programs, including day and evening MBA programs. The school enrolls another 4,300 participants annually in executive-education classes.