Augsburg College will welcome Mary K. Brainerd, a national leader known for her business acumen and unwavering commitment to the community, as the next featured presenter in the Clair and Gladys Strommen Executive Speaker Series on April 4.

Brainerd, who will speak on the topic of health care reform from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in Sateren Auditorium, is the president and chief executive officer of Minnesota-based HealthPartners—the largest, consumer-governed, nonprofit health care organization in the United States. Brainerd and HealthPartners are widely recognized for charitable community work.

“Mary is a leader whose values and skills are placed in service of the common good,” said Augsburg President Paul C. Pribbenow, who views Brainerd as an important collaborator with the College.

“Recently, Mary has joined with colleagues from the health care and education institutions located along the new Central Corridor light rail line to explore how our ‘anchor institutions’ can help promote the economic well-being of the neighborhoods along the line,” Pribbenow said.

Brainerd has been actively involved in the Twin Cities community for several years, and she is one of the founding CEOs and former Chair of the Itasca Project, a group of 40 government, civic, and business leaders addressing the issues that impact long-term economic growth, including jobs, education, transportation, and economic disparities.

Brainerd has led of HealthPartners since 1992. During her tenure, the organization has received numerous accolades for outstanding patient care and its health plan service.

Presentation details

Light refreshments will be served prior to the event and a pizza dinner will be hosted at 6:30 p.m.

The Strommen Executive Speaker Series is a free presentation offered quarterly that brings local business leaders to Augsburg’s Minneapolis campus to share their insights and expertise.

About the presenter

Under Brainerd’s leadership and direction, HealthPartners has experienced record growth and is often recognized as a national leader in health care.

In her role, Brainerd leads more than 21,000 employees in the HealthPartners integrated system, which includes a care delivery system with more than 1,700 physicians at nearly 140 primary, specialty and urgent care clinics, five hospitals, a large dental practice, 1.4 million members in top-rated medical and dental health plans, and HealthPartners Institute for Education and Research.

Brainerd has received honors that include Executive of the Year from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, the Caux Roundtable Award for outstanding citizenship, and induction into the Minnesota Business Hall of Fame.

She holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas and a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Minnesota.

Presentation Hashtags

Share your Strommen Executive Speaker Series experience using social media. The hashtag for the series is #AugStrom.

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The Strommen Executive Speaker Series brings local business leaders to Augsburg’s Minneapolis campus to share their insights and expertise.

The series is offered quarterly, and in the lecture, “Lessons in Innovation: Essential Elements for Business Success in the 21st Century,” Killingstad will discuss how living and working in nearly a dozen countries has brought a strong international perspective to his career.

About the presenter

In 2005, Killingstad was named president and CEO of Tennant Company, a world-leading manufacturer of chemical-free indoor and outdoor cleaning solutions that aims to create a cleaner, safer, healthier world. He joined the Golden Valley-based company in April 2002 as vice president, North America. Before joining Tennant, Killingstad was with the Pillsbury Company for 12 years in several senior management positions, most recently as senior vice president and general manager. Prior to that, he served at Pepsi-Cola and General Electric.

Born in New York City, Killingstad has lived in 10 countries. He has a master’s degree from Dartmouth College and a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University. He has served on the Walker Art Center’s Board of Trustees since 2009. Killingstad lives in Orono, Minn. His interests include golf, running, fly fishing, the arts, and wine collecting.

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Convocation Hashtags

Share your Strommen Executive Speaker Series experience using social media. The hashtag for the series is #AugStrom.

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The Clair and Gladys Strommen Executive Speaker Series at Augsburg College will host a free presentation by Sally Smith, president and CEO of Buffalo Wild Wings, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 15, in Hoversten Chapel.

The Strommen Executive Speaker Series brings local business leaders to Augsburg’s Minneapolis campus to share their insights and expertise.

The series is offered quarterly, and Smith’s presentation will feature an exciting twist. Her lecture, “The Buffalo Wild Wings Story: How the Entrepreneurial Spirit of Two Hungry Guys Helped Launch a Restaurant Brand,” will be followed by a dinner for presentation attendees to sample wings from the restaurant chain.

Registration required

Augsburg students, faculty, staff, alumni, and their guests must register for this event by November 9. Tickets to attend the dinner will be distributed as registered individuals enter the chapel for the lecture, and the meal will be held in the East Commons following Smith’s remarks. The dinner is closed to the general public.

About the presenter

Smith leads one of the United States’ fastest-growing national restaurant chains, which comprises more than 840 restaurants in 48 states and Canada.

In 2003, Smith led in its initial public offering, which raised more than $50 million and helped fund the company’s exceptional growth.

Smith joined the Minneapolis-based company as chief financial officer in 1994 when it was a fledgling chain of 35 restaurants. Smith has worked to establish a sound infrastructure and build the talented team required to grow the company from a regional chain to a thriving national brand.

Smith’s exceptional achievements and leadership were recognized by the restaurant industry in 2010 when she received the Operator of the Year Award from Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators. She also was honored in 2009 with one of the industry’s highest honors, the Gold Plate Award, presented by the International Food Manufacturer’s Association.

Smith has also earned Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal‘s Women in Business Career Achievement Award for 2010; Restaurants & Institutions magazine’s Restaurant Executive of the Year in 2005; Nation’s Restaurant News’ Golden Chain Award in 2003; and Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award for the Midwest Region in 2001.

Prior to joining Buffalo Wild Wings, Smith held positions at the international accounting and consulting firm, KPMG LLP, and the national franchise company, Dahlberg, Inc.

A native of Grand Forks, N.Dak., Smith is a graduate of the University of North Dakota with a bachelor of science degree in business administration and accounting, and she is a certified public accountant. She served as the 2011 chairman of the National Restaurant Association Board of Directors. She is a director of Alerus Financial Corporation, and she also is a member of World Presidents’ Organization and Women Corporate Directors.

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Convocation Hashtags

Share your Strommen Executive Speaker Series experience using social media. The hashtag for the series is #AugStrom.

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Patel, who will speak on the “Holiness of Common Ground,” was named one of America’s Best Leaders of 2009 by U.S.News & World Report.

IFYC is based in Chicago and is devoted to building the interfaith movement on college campuses.

Patel’s visit to Augsburg fits well with the College’s commitment to interfaith dialogue, neighborhood service, and intentional diversity. The visit also will further the work and support Augsburg contributes to President Obama’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge, a project launched during 2010 to engage students in interfaith discussion and community service.

Learn more about the history of the Christensen Symposium and its 2011 convocation speaker, Walter Brueggeman, from the .

Augsburg’s 2012-13 Convocation Series of speakers explores the impact that an individual can have in a global population of 6.7 billion people. Presentations touch on topics in the arts, humanities, and sciences.

Each session offers an opportunity to hear from leaders in their areas of expertise. Psychiatrist and author Dr. Henry Emmons will discuss the “Science of Hope” during the to be held Friday and Saturday, Oct. 19-20.

Christensen Symposium Event Schedule

September 17

– 4 p.m. – Hoversten Chapel | Tilling Common Ground: Interfaith Work at Augsburg

– 7:30 p.m. – Marshall Room | Creating Common Ground: The Arts as a Bridge for Interfaith/Intercultural Work

September 18

– 11 a.m. – Hoversten Chapel | The Holiness of Common Ground

Convocation Hashtags

Share your convocation experience using social media. The hashtag for the Christensen Symposium with Eboo Patel (@EbooPatel) of Interfaith Youth Core (@IFYC) is #ChristensenSymp. Other hashtags include #Interfaith and #CommonGround.

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Wehrenberg graduated magna cum laude from Augsburg with a bachelor’s degree in English and communication studies. While at Augsburg, he was editor of the Echo and the Murphy Square literary magazine.

His first job in advertising was as a copywriter. Nearly 30 years later, Wehrenberg took the helm of Campbell Mithun in 2007 after serving in account and strategic leadership positions for clients across financial, packaged goods, retail, and telecommunications industries. Campbell Mithun is a nationally recognized flagship agency with a 75-year history of success and a long list of prestigious clients, including Mayo Clinic, Toro, Famous Footwear, General Mills, SuperValu and Land O’Lakes.

Wehrenberg has been a catalyst in creating and refining the agency’s “Everything Talks” positioning as well as developing several proprietary strategic planning tools. His work has won national awards for strategic thinking.

In addition to leading Campbell Mithun, he co-wrote the fourth edition of The Successful Marketing Plan, published in September 2011. He also serves on the board of the Greater Twin Cities United Way and teaches at the University of Minnesota.

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