Chris Miorin’s path to the CFO office began in a crucible of leadership. At West Point, and later at Ranger School, he was forged in environments designed to test resolve. Commissioned shortly after 9/11, he knew combat was certain. Leading an infantry platoon in Iraq, he found himself working side-by-side with a colonel “30 years my senior.” The challenge, he tells us, was learning how to add value humbly yet confidently in an environment where everything was fluid. Those early lessons in partnership and adaptability became cornerstones of his leadership style.

When Miorin left the Army, he reset with an MBA at Kellogg, which he calls “two years to really immerse in how businesses run.” Investment banking followed, where he advised some of the world’s largest oil and gas companies. In capital-intensive, cyclical industries, he saw firsthand how major decisions on raising capital, acquisitions, and divestitures shaped enterprise value. “It helped me understand how finance could have that strategic impact,” he recalls.

From there, corporate development and M&A roles deepened his conviction that the CFO’s crucial role is capital allocation—directing resources to projects that generate the highest return on invested capital. At Ingersoll Rand, he added investor relations to his toolkit, learning how to tell a “story with numbers” that connected business strategy to investor interest.

Looking back, Miorin points to four experiences—Army, investment banking, corporate development, and investor relations—as the foundation for his CFO journey. That foundation ultimately led to his first CFO appointment at SpendHQ, an opportunity introduced through his Kellogg network.