Our annual showcase this year shines the spotlight on 12 individuals nominated by their respective companies’ representatives in the Institute’s Commerce Executive Network. These rising stars are making names for themselves by doing the exemplary work their brands need to drive success.
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Grown up in Reno, Nevada, Bronica Banks knew she wanted diversity from her college experience, so she chose to go across the country to Clark Atlanta University in Georgia.
Jessica Jaeger had business acumen from a very early age, having used all of her chore money to buy office supplies and then work role playing with her sister.
While studying marketing and management at Florida Atlantic University, Van Morris learned the different aspects of the “5 P’s” and how crucial it is to implement the process efficiently to drive business.
Colleen Kerins was an avid sports fan growing up in Western Pennsylvania. She chose to attend the University of Florida not only for its business school but also because of its strong football tradition.
Olivia Zabrodsky has always had a passion for the art of storytelling and the way it can influence and inspire people. She studied marketing and theatre at Case Western Reserve University.
After completing St. Joseph’s University’s food marketing cooperative program, Michael Fulton found his passion: working in the CPG industry with an eye on healthcare.
Since her college days at Michigan State, Rielly Whims has been fascinated by the grocery shopping experience. She likes to explore new stores and discover products on-shelf, walk every aisle and take pictures to better understand each retailer’s strategies.
Following internships at NBC News and “The Late Show with David Letterman,” Kelly Taylor planned for a career in broadcast journalism or television production. But she pivoted while finishing her degree at the University of Notre Dame.
Bridget Nordlund believes that lasting solutions to our greatest environmental issues are found through collaborating purposefully, asking questions and not being afraid to test new approaches.
A native of Bentonville, Arkansas, Hannah Manchester understands what the growth of Walmart has meant to her hometown. She watched it happen during her younger years, and when it came time to go to college, she looked no further than the business school in which the Walton family had invested so much.
A self-proclaimed food fanatic who thrives in fast-paced, entrepreneurial environments, Carrie Mesing was studying developmental economics in college when she fell in love with the food industry and took an internship at Giant Eagle.
Finding a passion around food as both an essential need and something that consumers have an innate emotional connection with, Catie Hoffman entered into the world of food marketing while at St. Joseph’s University.
