CXO Conversations
CXO Conversations joins business leaders as they share their personal journey to the top: where they started, how they got here, and any advice they may have for those of us on the way. I'm your host, Michael Mitchel. For more than twenty years, I've been a search consultant, specializing in hiring for executive positions. Through my boutique search firm, OC National Search, I work with clients ranging from startups, middle market to Global F10 companies. In 2019, I started CXO Conversations as a way to connect more deeply with my clients and community in Colorado. You'll hear from people from startups to global brands, from tech to energy, and the occasional astronaut. Join me today and kick start your leadership journey.
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The Importance of Community Engagement for Your Career
11/15/2023
The Importance of Community Engagement for Your Career
As the leader of a large public university and former undersecretary of the U.S. Navy, has dedicated 30 years of her career to academic, civilian, and military service. Since 2017, she has been the President of , where she has been a staunch advocate for underrepresented students, DACA recipients, and military and veteran students. Prior to her work in higher education, she was appointed by former President Barack Obama as the 32nd undersecretary of the . She's also a trailblazing pilot, being the first woman to fly the 's tactical C-130. In today’s episode, Janine reflects on her career: The interview process to become undersecretary of the U.S. Navy Engaging with the local community as President of MSU Denver Becoming one of the first female pilots in the air force Janine has been awarded many accolades, including the HillVets Top 100 Most Influential Veterans and the Secretary of the Navy Medal for Distinguished Public Service. At the national level, she is chair of the and serves on the . Locally in Denver, Janine serves on the boards of numerous organizations, including the , , and the . Thank you to for being a sponsor of CXO Conversations Podcast. Association for Corporate Growth in its role as the hub of the middle market business community for quality networking, education and events. Connections are made, deals are formed and thought leadership is exchanged. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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Building Your Career Transition Elevator Pitch
11/01/2023
Building Your Career Transition Elevator Pitch
From the frontlines in Afghanistan to the center of the Texas startup ecosystem, has built an incredible career developing technology that solves real-world problems. He’s now General Partner at a venture capital firm in Austin that invests in technology startups, with a special focus on those founded by military veteran entrepreneurs. Join us as we delve into Craig's inspiring journey, his insights into technology investments, and the unique perspective he brings to the entrepreneurial world. In this episode, Craig shares with Michael his experience: Crafting an elevator pitch that advances your career Building a strong local entrepreneurship community in Austin Helping other talented veteran entrepreneurs succeed Before he became an entrepreneur, Craig spent 17 years in the Army, most of that time as an Intelligence Officer serving in support of the National Security Agency (NSA). Craig deployed to Afghanistan with the Joint Special Operations Command where he was awarded the Bronze Star. Craig holds a B.S. in Political Science from the , where he was recognized as their first Truman Scholar. He also has a Ph.D. in Political Science with a minor in Econometrics from . Thank you to for being a sponsor of CXO Conversations Podcast. Association for Corporate Growth in its role as the hub of the middle market business community for quality networking, education and events. Connections are made, deals are formed and thought leadership is exchanged. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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How Unlocking Human Potential is True Servant Leadership
10/18/2023
How Unlocking Human Potential is True Servant Leadership
Perry Kamel has served in numerous leadership roles; Global executive, COO, CEO many times. He has led many organizations through growth and turn arounds by focusing on the people- not the numbers. Perry shares his experiences and thoughts on: Difference between management and leadership It’s all about the people- the rest will follow Never stop learning- never stop reading Also, Perry speaks to how his experience in the US Navy created his servant leadership skills. Siemens, Accenture, McKinsey, BroadPoint Communications, Ciena, Maxamine … Perry has been a CEO, CMO, EVP for brand names. His first CEO role was withing six years of separating from the US Navy. Perry served as a Service Warfare Officer in the United States Navy and quickly earned a reputation for advancing the careers of those around him. After earning a BSEE at Cornell, his education continued with a MSEE and Wharton MBA. Thank you to for being a sponsor of CXO Conversations Podcast. Association for Corporate Growth in its role as the hub of the middle market business community for quality networking, education and events. Connections are made, deals are formed and thought leadership is exchanged. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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Sean Odendahl on the Importance of Direct Feedback & Candid Mentorship
10/04/2023
Sean Odendahl on the Importance of Direct Feedback & Candid Mentorship
Sean Odendahl has worked for only four organizations, including his current employer of 17 years. For the last three years, Sean has been serving at the Chief Transformation Officer for the global law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner. Sean shares his perspective on: The importance of direct feedback as a path to improvement Power of candid mentor relationships for professional growth What a successful mentorship looks like Also, Sean speaks to how his experience in the US Army influenced his leadership skills and approach. Sean’s legal and professional career has been guided by the counsel he provides to buyers and sellers in private equity investments, transactions and M&A related issues. Sean served in the US Army for over four years with the 82nd Airborne and deployed to Operation Desert Sheild/Storm. After graduating law school, he clerked with in the Ninth Circuit, US Court of Appeals. For five years, Sean was an attorney before moving to Bryan Cave that has become BCLP, a global law firm. Thank you to for being a sponsor of CXO Conversations Podcast. Association for Corporate Growth in its role as the hub of the middle market business community for quality networking, education and events. Connections are made, deals are formed and thought leadership is exchanged. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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Community Service by Applying CFO skills to City Council Appointment
10/03/2023
Community Service by Applying CFO skills to City Council Appointment
As was wrapping up being CFO of , after a Accel KKR transaction to Terminus Capital Partners, he was asked to complete the final year of a City Council seat, provided he would not run for reelection. Tyson readily agreed - he wanted to give back to his community. Tyson shares his thoughts on: How serving as a Company Executive helps him be a good public servant Corporate skills and experiences that he is able to utilize as a City Council member Shared thoughts to those who are interested in serving their community Tyson served as COO/CFO for Delta Data until a change of control in early 2023. Prior experience includes management consulting for Accenture, Morgan Stanley, Diamond Management and others. Tyson holds an MBA from Duke University. Thank you to for being a sponsor of CXO Conversations Podcast. Association for Corporate Growth in its role as the hub of the middle market business community for quality networking, education and events. Connections are made, deals are formed and thought leadership is exchanged. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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Leading an iconic brand through a global transformation
09/11/2023
Leading an iconic brand through a global transformation
While a CFO for , led the iconic brand through a global transformation from print to digital and live events globally. David shares his thoughts on: Early digital adoption and transformation of a globally respected brand Listening to the client base What he learned and advice offered from the global experience David led the project management of the transformation with consulting selling both internally and externally. He also listened to clients and subscribers as they went from weekly print only to digital and took the brand live with events from Africa, Europe to North America and Asia. Thank you to for being a sponsor of CXO Conversations Podcast. Association for Corporate Growth in its role as the hub of the middle market business community for quality networking, education and events. Connections are made, deals are formed and thought leadership is exchanged. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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Creating the President role for yourself at 32 years old
08/16/2023
Creating the President role for yourself at 32 years old
After Travelers Insurance acquired several companies, as a Director, wrote a transition memo and proposed he lead the initiative. His superiors countered by promoting him to President, relocating him to California and told him to run the whole thing. Stephen speaks to: Experience of going from Director to President overnight and how he prepared Overcoming self-doubt by continuously learning and improving As a 32-year-old, leading an older C suite Generation Advice 55-year-old Stephen would give to 32-year-old Stephen Stephen went from Director to President overnight and never looked back. He’s been a CEO ever since and in this intimate interview, shares those experiences and lessons learned. Thank you to for being a sponsor of CXO Conversations Podcast. Association for Corporate Growth in its role as the hub of the middle market business community for quality networking, education and events. Connections are made, deals are formed and thought leadership is exchanged. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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CTO Leadership Skills from Engineering to C Suite
08/02/2023
CTO Leadership Skills from Engineering to C Suite
has served as a CTO for numerous technology companies in France and the US. He speaks to the differences in managing technical vs non technical staff and aligning to their motivations. Frederic talks to: Differences in leading technical and non-technical professionals Role of the CTO on the executive leadership team Advice to those who seek the C suite. For the last seven years, Frederic has served as the CTO for and held the CTO chair at 3 other companies after serving as a Project Manager for IBM. Thank you to for being a sponsor of CXO Conversations Podcast. Association for Corporate Growth in its role as the hub of the middle market business community for quality networking, education and events. Connections are made, deals are formed and thought leadership is exchanged. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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Entrepreneurial Passion from Big 4 to business owner then CFO
07/18/2023
Entrepreneurial Passion from Big 4 to business owner then CFO
, CFO for talks to her creativity and passion for embracing challenges as opportunities with an entrepreneurial spirit. During the interview, Kathleen speaks to: · Being promoted from VP to CFO · Overlooked Roles and responsibility of being a CFO · How being a Big 4 consultant helped prepare her for the C Suite Kathleen was a partner track consultant at KPMG when after 13 years, she decided to become a small business owner. Then Kathleen joined and took ownership of projects and firm needs that included ERP implementations, HR, M&A due diligence, accounting, and more. She was promoted from Controller, VP to CFO within four years. Her next role was CFO at and now CFO for Bonfire. Thank you to for being a sponsor of CXO Conversations Podcast. Association for Corporate Growth in its role as the hub of the middle market business community for quality networking, education and events. Connections are made, deals are formed and thought leadership is exchanged. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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Upcoming guests include CFOs, CTO and CEO
07/05/2023
Upcoming guests include CFOs, CTO and CEO
CXO Conversations is excited to share some great insights from a global CFO and CTO, curious CFO and CEO who created a President role for himself at age 32. CFO of Bonfire airs on July 19th, followed by Dashlane CTO , Briotix Health CEO and former CFO for The Economist, .
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The Hallmark of a Great Leader
06/21/2023
The Hallmark of a Great Leader
An accomplished investor, is the Managing partner and co-founder of . Rand has invested in many well-known companies such as Zayo, Cloud Sherpa, LogRhythm, Iterable, Chegg and others. For over 24 years, Rand has been investing and hiring executives for portfolio companies and he’s learned and observed a lot about what makes an executive a great leader and successful. In this episode, Rand discusses: He invests not only dollars, but real relationships with people Advice to current and emerging CEOs What makes a leader successful and how he finds it in candidates After earning an MBA from Northwestern, Rand was a consultant at McKinsey before joining Centennial Ventures. After a successful 10 year run with Centennial, he co-founded Delta-v that focuses on technology companies. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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Industrial shop floor to tech C suite
06/07/2023
Industrial shop floor to tech C suite
is a CRO who started his sales career at an industrial supply company and observed what was happening in the technology sector and said - I want in on that. For those who wonder how to make the transition from one sector to another, this is a conversation not to be missed. In this episode, Jay discusses: How he transitioned from the industrial shop floor to a tech company How he demonstrated his skills to overcome lack of Tech experience As a member of the executive committee, how the CRO contributes to company strategy David has held leadership roles at companies such as Amdocs, Ericsson and others. He truly enjoys sales, relationship building and serving as a trusted advisor to his clients. Enjoy the show? Review us on - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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Pushing Boundaries Leads to Executive Growth
05/17/2023
Pushing Boundaries Leads to Executive Growth
, an Executive Coach and founder of , has gone through the challenge of changing a career path and embracing new opportunities. Carla speaks to the advantages and growth (both personal and professional) of pushing yourself and getting outside of your comfort zone. Professionals achieve career accomplishments by continuing to push oneself, learning, tackling new projects and improving. That’s how Executives are formed. Carla talks to; Realizing path one is on isn’t always the right one Pushing your boundaries and trying new things She agrees UDub is the best university- Go Huskies! After dedicating over 10 years of education, training, and long hours to become an MD, Carla had a long hard self-reflective journey that in the end said, ‘This isn’t what I want to do’, and she became an executive coach. If anyone can appreciate a great career pivot and the personal journey that is required, Carla can. Referenced prior podcast guest: Enjoy the show? Review us on - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations. For more insightful episodes with some of C-Suites’ big names
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VP to CCO: the Move from Tactical to Strategic
05/03/2023
VP to CCO: the Move from Tactical to Strategic
David Parkhurst is the Chief Customer Officer (CCO) and Managing Partner for Omni Interactions. Additional roles he has served as includes Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and Chief Growth Officer. David discusses: The differences between CCO, CGO and CRO Moving from VP to C Level and the shift in revenue responsibilities When a deal falls apart at zero hour & lessons learned David has held leadership roles at ServiceSource, Skykes Enterprises and Alpine Access focusing on customer care solutions. This has given David insight into economic cycles and client business conditions in a fresh angle. And we share our love of cold calling! Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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CEO Insights & Self care with Chris Younger
04/19/2023
CEO Insights & Self care with Chris Younger
is the CEO of and is an executive with many chapters in his career. As President of Expanets, a telcom reseller, he acquired 27 companies in 3 years then sold it to Avaya. He owned a Private Equity Firm and now provides transactions and strategic advisory services to middle market businesses. Chris provides insight into: · Managing the stress of leadership- why you must · Importance of executive presence · The Dinner Test with CEOs Chris has bought, sold, led companies across all business sectors and advises organizations and family offices on transactions. This provides Chris with insights on C level leaders that he shares in this episode. He also shares the physical toll of being an overworked President and how it changed him. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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Transitioning from Founder to CEO with Raphael Crawford Marks
04/05/2023
Transitioning from Founder to CEO with Raphael Crawford Marks
In a very honest conversation, onsite in Boulder, Colorado, we speak with , who founded over 11 years ago by accident. It was a off shoot of another project that has since taken off and recently secured it’s Series B funding. Raphael speaks to several points: · The transition from being hands on to leading · Differences between being a Founder and CEO what it is like · How the role of CEO continues to evolve and the company setback of a bad hire Raphael discusses the challenges and learning moments moving from being a hands on start up Founder to a governing company CEO. His job as CEO is still constantly changing- it changes every three months. He also embraces hiring those who are smarter than himself, talks about why, learning new leadership skills, the value of a support network and mentors. Bonusly is an enterprise platform that helps companies create a high-performance, high-engagement workplace. Prior to founding Bonusly, Raphael was an early employee at several startups, a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras, and an instructor for Year Up. Raphael dropped out of high school to work as a software engineer in the mid-nineties, but did eventually earn his BA in cognitive science from Hampshire College, where he wrote his senior thesis on artificial intelligence. Also, in a Medium article, Raphael discusses “ Raphael also contributed to benefitnews.com where he On , Raphael has several articles discussing employee feedback, communications and how to harness staff evaluations. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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The Art of Being a CFO with Eric Lougher
03/22/2023
The Art of Being a CFO with Eric Lougher
is a versatile CFO who comes from an investor background. He has served as Chief Financial Officer for both VC and PE backed companies that provides Eric a balanced and insightful view of today’s CFO. Eric talks to two key points: The art of balance various department budgetary needs and fiscal health of the company and achieving strategic goals Board relations and the role of the CFO during and in between the quarterly meetings. Eric views balance needs of sales, marketing, HR, IT and others with the overall vision and trend of his company. Sometimes that leads to an awkward conversation with a department head. His relationship and management style is one of trust, collaboration and openness. When it comes to Board relationships, Eric’s sees teamwork as the key communication, strategy alignment as the cornerstone of trust with the Board. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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Season 5 of CXO Conversations starts next week!
03/16/2023
Season 5 of CXO Conversations starts next week!
Upcoming interviews include of Taskray who discusses the role of today’s CFO and Board relations, CEO on the transition from Founder to CEO, and , successful executive and CEO of Class VI Partners on advice to CEOs. Other guests include , a Chief revenue Officer who decided to accelerate his career by switching from industrial materials to start ups and , , an MD who pivoted to C suite Executive coaching who about getting outside of your comfort zone and be willing to try new things. I’m truly excited with the 2023 line up of guests and please visit for our all-new podcast episode page. Michael Mitchel, Host
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Welcome 2023!
01/11/2023
Welcome 2023!
2022 was a year of achievements and 2023 brings new challenges and opportunities
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CEO William Toti, Have Those Hard Conversations to Improve and Advance
10/20/2022
CEO William Toti, Have Those Hard Conversations to Improve and Advance
after naval career of distinction that included commanding an attack submarine and Commadore went on to a successful career in corporate America. We discuss having the hard conversation between yourself and your boss. William also provides insightful advice on how to reach the gain experience to reach the C suite. Show Notes: Former joins CXO Conversation to discuss having hard conversations with senior executives to learn and improve your career. Bill discusses three main points: His boss pointedly told him “Bill, you’re screwing this up”. Bill shares lessons learned. What skills he brought to Corporate America from the Navy What Leadership Development meant at Raytheon and how it positively impacted his executive career. It wasn’t what he initially thought. Bill is the author of and a former Submarine Commadore who retired as a United States Naval Captain. His post Naval career includes Deputy Vice President for Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, Vice President Hewlett-Packard (HP), VP at DXC Technology President of Cubic Corporation, and President of L3 Technologies for the Maritime Systems sector. Bill discusses personal transition experiences from the Navy to corporate America and the importance of hard conversations with executives. He felt that there was lacking meaningful information for transitioning Veterans. Most of the Veteran employment related books were written by Recruiters for senior officers, not lower grade officers or enlisted personnel. While attending the United States Naval Academy, he met the legendary , father of the nuclear Navy. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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Executive Coach Chuck Mollor, The Pressures of the Modern CEO
10/06/2022
Executive Coach Chuck Mollor, The Pressures of the Modern CEO
is the CEO of MCG Partners, an advisory and executive coach firm as well as the author of “The Rise of the Agile Leader”. For over 15 years Chuck has advised executives on a wide range of areas from one-on-one coaching, team effectiveness, assessments and more. In our interview, Chuck provides unique insight into the challenges today’s CEOs face. And we hear about being a Cranberry Farmer! Show Notes: CEO and Executive Coach joins the show to discuss the pressures of the modern CEO. Chuck started 15 years ago. Author of Chucks discusses three key points: The evolution of the success & skills needed for today’s CEO Provides advice for future C level executives What gets overlooked in the hybrid work from home model and how do leaders instill trust to employees The average tenure of a CEO is now three years. They face intense pressure from outside and inside forces. Be it start up, mid-size or Fortune 500 companies. The cycle of change and intensity is getting faster while cycles of innovation is getting shorter. Expectations are higher and the complexity of management is increasing; different age demographics, DEI, access and ensuring all voices are being heard. Life cycle of companies are getting shorter due to M&A or closing their doors due to lack of innovations or opportunities. CEOs must be more externally focused, while constantly learning and seeking feedback from peers and key stakeholders. CEOs must ensure they have a network of peers that they can turn to for advice and be a sounding board. An effective leader must hold other executive team members accountable so that culture starts from the top and filters down. He has also been a Cranberry Farmer. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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President/Board Director Ray Gogel, On Needed Skills for Today’s CEO
09/21/2022
President/Board Director Ray Gogel, On Needed Skills for Today’s CEO
has served as COO, President and Board Director numerous times in the energy sector throughout his career. He has served in executive roles as CIO, CAO, COO, Managing Director and Board of Directors for companies such as Xcel Energy, Accenture, US Grid Company, IBM and others. Ray joins CXO Conversations to discuss needed skills for today’s CEO and where they may struggle. Show Notes: has been a President and Board Director for energy companies such as Bridge Energy Group and US Grid. Additionally, Ray was the President/COO for Current, CAO/CIO for Xcel Energy and VP at IBM. Three points that Ray discusses: Ray expands on his belief that CXO tends to be quiet once they reach the corner office. Skills that are needed for today’s CEO and where they may struggle What he looked for in C level executives has a board director and CEO On your path to the C suite you learn different things, but also have the opportunity to build teams, learn what works and what doesn’t work. See teams evolve. How get teams not to develop group think or individuals overpower other team members. All invaluable experience to build on as a leader. Ray points to a much needed skill needed today from 15 years ago- the ability to listen. Not just the marketplace, but listen to your partners, customers, and people. Breath of experience is critical. Beyond vertical tactical planning- it is horizontal and saying what are the combinations that are unique and powerful. That is strategy. Referenced book: book Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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VC Brand Feld, Why be on a Board and Advice for First Timers
09/06/2022
VC Brand Feld, Why be on a Board and Advice for First Timers
is a successful Venture Capitalist and founding member of the . Within the Colorado startup scene, Brad is a bit of a celebrity having been part of some well-known successful companies. Brad really sees founders and start ups not just investments, but as a community that he supports, sees areas for improvements, mentors and loves. In this very personal full-length interview, Brad shares his personal Board experiences, what he looks for in Board Director candidates and advice for first time Board members. He also shares his experiences from his 2021 days as well lessons learned from the first job he was fired from. Show Notes Venture Capitalist of the has invested in many well-known and successful companies. Brad has authored and co-authored several books on leadership for startups. Recently, , a book he co authored released it’s second edition. Today, Brad discusses: Critical and insightful advice for serving on a board Key skills for first time board members Important perspectives on C level hiring Brad also shares a story or two from his Colorado Trail hiking experience and why he will never serve on 30 boards simultaneously ever again. He closes with a personal experience early in Brad’s life, what he learned from that moment and how it continues to guide him daily. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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CEO Charles Melcher, Interviewing to be a Sub Skipper then CEO
08/16/2022
CEO Charles Melcher, Interviewing to be a Sub Skipper then CEO
is a retired Naval Commanding Officer that has served in various roles including Chief Engineering, XO and Skipper on several Nuclear Attack Submarines. After retiring from the United States Navy, Chuck joined an international energy company as a VP and quickly rose to CEO. Chuck discusses interviewing to become a Submarine skipper, his successful civilian executive search and career. A graduate of the USNA, Chuck earned his MBA at John Hopkins. The interview was conducted outdoors in the Colorado Rockies in-between altitude training hikes for a Mount Kilimanjaro excursion. Show Notes: is a retired Naval Commanding Officer that has served in various roles including Chief Engineering, Executive Officer and Commanding Officer on several Nuclear Attack Submarines. After retiring from the United States Navy, Chuck joined Veolia, an international energy company as a VP and quickly rose to CEO. Chuck talks to X experiences: Interviewing to become the Commanding Officer of a Nuclear Submarine The importance of not being focused on a job title- see the big picture Chuck looks at new challenges and roles not for a CXO title, rather how can he contribute to and learn from that opportunity. He also shares leaderships tests and why “that’s not my job” doesn’t exist in the deep. A graduate of the USNA, Chuck earned his MBA at John Hopkins. The interview was conducted outdoors in the Colorado Rockies in-between altitude training hikes for a Mount Kilimanjaro excursion. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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CFO Christine Gagnon, Importance of Being Intellectually Curious
08/01/2022
CFO Christine Gagnon, Importance of Being Intellectually Curious
is an accomplished global CFO who rose up through the ranks of senior leadership at Big 4 firms, such as PwC and EY. She is a life-long learner who is both personally and professionally curious, and intrinsically driven to continually broaden her base of knowledge and experience. She’s an avid traveler who has even hanglided over the jungles of Brazil. In this episode she delves into the importance of intellectual curiosity. Show Notes is the Chief Financial Officer of the African Asset Finance Company (AAFC). At EY, Christine served as CFO/COO in the UK and South Africa along with leadership roles at OneWest bank and PwC. As Christine holds executive education certifications from Harvard Business School, Stanford, Washington University of St. Louis along with her MBA, she speaks to the importance of being curious. Two take aways from Christine’s conversation: How international travel educates and influences her on global business issues and market awareness. The value of continuing learning and it brings intellectual and monetary value to a career. The advance education opportunities allows Christine to have more substantive discussions and strategic planning with her constituents. Christine sees angles of the business that she would have not otherwise and that allows her to better serve the CEO and organization. Referenced prior podcast guest: from episode. Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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Special excerpt - CRO Randal Meske, Trust, Trust, Trust & Talent
07/19/2022
Special excerpt - CRO Randal Meske, Trust, Trust, Trust & Talent
As summer is in full swing, this is a great opportunity for an excerpt from a 2020 interview with CRO Randal Meske. The full interview can be About our Guest is the CRO at ConstructConnect (a Roper Technologies company) and the Founder and CEO at Evreware, a market intelligence firm. Prior to Evreware, Randal was the President at Citation Technologies Inc., an environmental compliance solutions company. Before Citation, Randal was the Vice President of Oracle’s Global Collaboration Sales Unit. Prior to Oracle, Randal was the Vice President, Technical Publishing Business Development at IHS where he managed their worldwide content supply network. Before IHS, he served as Sr. Director of Business Development at Citrix Systems, Inc. He also had multiple international assignments in Europe and Latin America with Lotus and IBM managing regional P&L, creating go-to-market strategies, and building multiple sales organizations in those geographies. Randal graduated with honors in 1986 from the University of North Texas earning a B.B.A. with an emphasis on International Business. Prior to University, he studied abroad for one year in Germany. Randal is fluent in German and currently studies Italian. He lives in the Denver area with his wife and 3 daughters. Show Notes As summer is in full swing, this is a great opportunity for an excerpt from a 2020 interview with CRO Randal Meske. The full interview can be <insert new link> is the CRO at ConstructConnect (a Roper Technologies company) and the Founder and CEO at Evreware, a market intelligence firm. Today, Randal discusses: Difference between Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and Chief Sales Officer (CSO) What led him down the CRO path and the #1 challenge of being a CRO. The importance of trust, trust, trust and talent. In addition to Randel’s tenure as a company President, he has held leadership roles domestically and internationally. Company stints include Citiation Technologies, Oracle, Lotus, IBM, HIS and more. Referenced prior podcast guest: Enjoy the show? - thanks! Thank you for lending your award-winning banjo skills to CXO Conversations.
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Special excerpt- Astronaut Kevin Chilton, Flying the Space Shuttle 3 Times
07/05/2022
Special excerpt- Astronaut Kevin Chilton, Flying the Space Shuttle 3 Times
The impressively humble General Kevin Patrick ‘Chili’ Chilton joins the show today to share his 34-½ years of experience in the Air Force as well as the successful transition he then navigated into corporate America. A note to those who have not served in the Armed Forces: I will be referring to our guest as either General or by his call sign of ‘Chili’ out of respect for his rank and his service to our country. Here is the full Part 1 interview: ABOUT OUR GUEST General Kevin Patrick ‘Chili’ Chilton graduated from the United States Air Force Academy and has flown pretty much every aircraft in the Air Force inventory including the RF4, F15, U2, and the B52. He attended test-pilot school, served around the world and was selected as an astronaut that included three shuttle missions. He was also the Deputy Program Manager of Operations for the International Space Station. He then returned to the Air Force for key postings such as the Commander of the Ninth Recon Wing, Commander of the Eighth Air Force, and Commander of the Air Force Space Command and the United States Strategic Command. He is currently the only astronaut to obtain the rank of 4-star General. Chili has served on boards of the Anadarko, Orbital, Aerospace Corporation and both level three and post-merger with Lumen today as well as with Aerojet Rocketdyne.
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CEO Tom Chittenden, Moving from BigCo to Middle Market
06/30/2022
CEO Tom Chittenden, Moving from BigCo to Middle Market
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CEO Tom Chittenden, Successfully Moving from BigCo to Middle Market
06/21/2022
CEO Tom Chittenden, Successfully Moving from BigCo to Middle Market
Tom started out in technology and discusses how he arrived at the CEO chair by way of GE & NCR. He speaks about to the scrappy opportunties at GE and the similiarties of that attitude at Inovonics, a middle market company. Along the way, his international travel helped him apprciate different cultures and what unites us. He also discusses where emerging executives can obtain the robust management opportunites that GE used to offer. Welcome to Colorado Tom!
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SVP HR Susan Zimmerman, Leading a Company Through COVID with Heart
06/08/2022
SVP HR Susan Zimmerman, Leading a Company Through COVID with Heart
When the lockdowns started, Susan realized they had to act fast to support the company, employees and real estate agents in over 120 countries while creating an innovative mental health program on the fly. A highly respected HR leader in Denver, Susan has worked at OppenheimerFunds, American Residential Communities, Fiserv, Comcast and more. In her interview, Susan shares the personal side of leading by example and how they are adapting to the permanent WFM culture.
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