THE JUNGLE

This episode features a conversation with Dr. Jim Eckert - the Robert S. Kaiser Professor of Sales at WMU Haworth College of Business - and Cooper Frost - a Strategic Account Manager at Western Digital. Dr. Eckert joined Western’s business college over 22 years ago and transformed the undergraduate Sales and Marketing program into a nationally recognized and awarded program. Frost was a trail-blazing WMU student majoring in Leadership and Business Strategy & Sales and Business Marketing. He is also former president of SBMA - the Sales and Business Marketing Association. Frost now is a Top-50 seller at Western Digital, a recipient of Young Professional of the Year, and community volunteer in addition to his myriad other pursuits. The conversation touches on the extraordinary undergraduate programs at WMU Haworth, what differentiates the LBS and Sales programs, and how students can transform into top-performing industry professionals.


Connect with us!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wmichleadershipcenter/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wmichleadershipcenter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmichleadership
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-for-principled-leadership-and-business-strategy/

All Rights belong to The Center for Principled Leadership and Business Strategy - https://wmich.edu/leadershipcenter

Recorded on October 11, 2022

This episode features a conversation with Doug DeVos – Current Co-Chair and Former President of Amway. A globally recognized business and civic leader, Doug currently serves as co-chair of Amway, the world’s largest direct selling company with more than $8 billion in revenue. Doug is well known for his entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and civic engagement nationally and in West Michigan. Doug recently launched his podcast Believe! to inspire, educate, and share beliefs to help America’s future for the better. We talk with Doug about his motivating purpose and principles, entrepreneurship, and the future of West Michigan.

This episode features a conversation with Tom Garrett and Justin Murray – Executives in Residence at Sleeping Giant Capital. Tom and Justin recently joined Sleeping Giant Capital to search for, acquire, and grow a business in Michigan. Tom Garrett joins Sleeping Giant Capital with 25 years of corporate management experience. Previously he was President of Total Plastics, Inc. Justin Murray joins Sleeping Giant Capital with 14 years of management experience for Fortune 500 companies. Previously, he worked at Stryker where he most managed M&A activities for Stryker’s largest business unit. Tom and Justin share their motivations, learnings, and advice for professionals interested in becoming an owner-operator.



Recorded on March 24, 2022

This episode features a conversation with Bill Manns, CEO of Bronson Healthcare and Paula Termuhlen, Dean of WMU Homer Stryker School of Medicine. In this episode, Bill and Paula share how they are navigating the pandemic, the future of healthcare, and lessons for healthcare leaders.

This episode features a conversation with Dr. Doug Lepisto and Dr. Derrick McIver – Co-Directors of the Center for Principled Leadership and Business Strategy at the WMU Haworth College of Business. In this episode, Doug and Derrick discuss the opportunity to acquire a business, the myths surrounding small businesses and acquisition, and how executives can learn to buy businesses through a training course they offer called Acquire.

This episode features a conversation with Jeb Burns, the Chief Investment Officer for the Municipal Employees Retirement System of Michigan. Jeb is a valued WMU Alum who graduated with a degree in history and political science. Jeb’s manages one of the largest funds in the state of Michigan. He speaks on his path from history major to CIO, the ever changing landscape of financial investments, and the value of teamwork within a successful investment firm.

This episode features a conversation with Carl Erickson, Founder and Chairman of Atomic Object, a software design and development consultancy company. Atomic’s unique culture fuels the company’s drive to achieve their 100-year goal and deliver value to West Michigan. Carl is the Chairman of the Michigan Capital Network, a Michigan based venture capital network that blends capital funds with angel investments. Also an experienced computer engineer, with a PhD from Michigan State University, Carl speaks on the opportunity for increased diversification, and how his organizations have impacted people from across the state.

This episode features a conversation with Keith Valentine, President and CEO of Seaspine, a global medical technology company focused on the design, development, and commercialization of surgical solutions for the treatment of spinal disorders. An experienced business executive in the medical technology space, Keith recently was awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award from the Department of Management at the Haworth College of Business. We speak with Keith about practical ways to build culture, drive innovation, and develop people to their top potential.

This episode features a conversation with Irshad Manji, founder of Moral Courage College, which equips companies with a counter-cultural approach to Diversity and Inclusion -- an approach that promotes individuality and innovation over groupthink and grievance. An award-winning professor of leadership at New York University for many years, Irshad now teaches with Oxford University's Initiative for Global Ethics and Human Rights. Her latest bestseller is Don't Label Me: How to Do Diversity Without Inflaming the Culture Wars.(Fun fact: Chris Rocks calls the book "genius.") We speak with Irshad about practical ways to pursue diversity without division.

This episode features a conversation with Julie Byrne – President of CSM Group. CSM is a nationally recognized construction management firm headquartered in Kalamazoo with offices in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Dickson, Tennessee. Julie became President in February and we explore with her lessons on leadership during a pandemic, trends in the construction management space, and being a woman leader in a male dominated industry.

Recorded on August 24, 2021