WRITER: PATRICIA CARLSON | CLASSIC PHOTOGRAPHY
Tammy Miller CEO of Her Own Life
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ammy Miller knows exactly what she wants out of life. And she’s discovered her secret to making it happen. “Much of my career success has been driven by three key leadership strengths,” shared Tammy, the CEO of Border States Electric, a billion dollar distributor of electrical products headquartered in Fargo, “vision and strategy; communication; accountability.” Tammy is confident that putting these ideals into action through the years is what propelled her to the top spot at Border States Electric. But beyond her professional aspirations, it is clear these qualities permeate her personal life as well. Tammy has used her leadership skills and her abundant energy to establish loyal relationships with not only her colleagues at Border States, but her husband, alma mater, and several community organizations in the Fargo-Moorhead area. “I really like to use my talents and my financial resources to help make our community a better place,” Tammy said. “To make the greatest impact, my husband and I have decided to focus on three organizations; the YWCA, United Way and MSUM, from where we both graduated.” “MSUM had a very positive impact on both our lives and provided the foundation for our careers,” said Tammy’s husband, Craig Palmer. “It is important to us that MSUM continue to provide that foundation for future generations.” It’s clear that the way Tammy commands her professional and personal lives is linked. The skills she’s learned throughout her career have helped excel her philanthropic goals, and her community service has influenced her management style and team-building abilities. And Tammy started cultivating her ‘leadership strengths’ long before taking over the helm of Border States in 2006.
Vision & Strategy It was during high school that Tammy began to envision the life she wanted and strategize how she was going to achieve it. One of just 42 students at the time at Lakota High School, in Lakota, North Dakota, Tammy took the opportunity to participate in as many activities as she could. “Sports, drama, music... I was involved in many school activities,” she remembered. “It was a real confidence builder at a young age and instilled a lot of values that I have today.” Tammy said she learned the art of giving back from her parents, Ralph and Gen Miller, while growing up near Brocket, ND. The family didn’t have a lot of money, but Tammy remembers her mom and dad actively volunteering their time in the community and at church. “Giving back is part of my DNA,” she said. “It’s how I was raised. My parents taught me that giving of your time and talent is equally, if not more, important than writing a check.” If you walk through the campus at
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