STUDENT & ALUMNI NEWS
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Please give us an overview of CUNA Mutual, including your role and responsibility. I am the senior manager for credit insurance product management for CUNA Mutual Group. I have 12 years of experience in product management, product development, market development, and strategic planning. CUNA Mutual Group is a leading provider of financial services and insurance products to credit unions, their members, and valued customers worldwide. With more than 75 years of market commitment, CUNA Mutual Group’s vision is unwavering: to be a trusted business partner who delivers service excellence and customerfocused, best-in-class products and market-driven innovation. I joined CUNA Mutual Group in 2012 as a product manager in the Payment Protection product group and was named to my current role in 2013. In my product management role, I am responsible for the overall business strategy, product management, execution, and financial results for the credit insurance product line. I am accountable for delivering revenue
Suzy Pursell (MBA '09)
in excess of $500 million annually. I also design and implement strategies to reduce costs, increase revenues, strengthen customer relationships, improve business processes, and drive profitability. Why did you choose to pursue a degree at the University of WisconsinMadison through the Grainger Center? I chose to pursue a degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison due to the unique specialization model which offered the breadth of a general MBA curriculum along with the specialized supply chain focus of the Center. My professional background in product management provided me insight into the end-to-end management of a product. The Center further augmented that experience and provided me with a great way to build past experiences into new skill sets. What particular professor, courses, or projects that you had in business school were extremely valuable to you? The course that sticks out the most in my mind was an elective I took through the College of Engineering focused on new product development. The course allowed me the opportunity to interact with and learn from masters students from different disciplines outside of the Wisconsin School of Business. Much like the real world,
those peers approached learning, problem solving, and product development from perspectives different than my own. Looking at the development process both through a supply chain lens as well as an engineering lens has helped me immensely. The course was also a great way to practice adjusting my communication style to work with a very diverse set of styles and achieve success.
Do you have any words of wisdom for current Center students? Make the experience at the University of Wisconsin-Madison your own based on your goals and aspirations. You have just two short years to soak in a lot of knowledge, experience new things, and create lasting friendships. Those friendships will be an invaluable network to you long after you have left the campus. A Wisconsin MBA is more than just what you experience in the classroom. You need to be able to balance academic, social, and applied learning opportunities. Take advantage of unique internships, international trips, or student organizations since you may never have as unique a learning opportunity again. Step out of your comfort zone. You are at that point in which you may learn the most about yourself and the world around you. What you take away from the experience and your ultimate success is based on what YOU make of it.
STUDENT & ALUMNI UPDATES Tai Adkins (MBA ’12) has accepted a new role as NPD sourcing specialist at Eaton’s Cooper Lighting. Tim Buhl (MBA ’03) accepted a new role as head of global operations for Lock ‘N’ Charge in Madison, Wis. Laura Hausfeld (MBA ’12) was promoted to project manager, idea-to-market management at E. & J. Gallo Winery.
Amber Sleichter (MBA ’10) was promoted to product manager at Intel Corporation. Stuart Solomon (MBA ’12) accepted a new position as a financial advisor for Morgan Stanley. Jonathan Ward (MBA ’97) accepted a new position as foreign commercial service officer for the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Thushan Hemachandra (MBA ’14) and wife Jill welcomed son Austin on May 12.
Lindsay Rollins (BBA ‘08) and husband Andy welcomed daughter Hannah Mae on April 26.
SUPPLY CHAIN UPDATE | SPRING 2014
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