Grossman School of Business

Guest Speakers

The Grossman School of Business hosts many prominent speakers from all over the business world. Here are some of our recent guest speakers and the roles they occupied at that time.

Global Forum on Sustainable Innovation and Business Transformation

Muhtar Kent

Muhtar Kent is Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Coca-Cola Company. From 2009-2017, he served as the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Joey Bergstein

Joey Bergstein joined Seventh Generation in 2011 and, together with the Seventh Generation team, transformed its business, while pursuing the company’s quest to transform the world into a healthier, more sustainable and more equitable place for all.

Mary Powell

Mary Powell is nationally recognized as an energy visionary, who positioned Green Mountain Power as a leading energy transformation company. Delivering clean, cost-effective and highly reliable power to customers all across Vermont.

Brian Griffith

Brian Griffith is the fourth-generation family member to lead Griffith Foods. He has worked in the food industry for almost three decades, with more than 20 years of service at Griffith.

Dean's Leadership Speaker Series

The Grossman School of Business Dean's Leadership Speaker Series hosts senior business leaders from around the world to engage in thought provoking conversations with students.


Greg Hartmann Greg Hartmann, class of ’93, joined National Veterinary Associates (NVA) in April 2008 and currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board of Directors.	Nicole Stata Nicole Stata, class of ’91, is a General Partner of Boston Seed Capital, a provider of early-stage funding and support for digital, internet-enabled businesses; which she co-founded in 2011.	Robert Clarkson Robert Clarkson, ’88, is GM North America, and SVP Global Business Development & Global Partnerships for PayPal.	Stanton Dodge Stanton Dodge serves as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of DISH. He is responsible for all legal and government affairs for DISH and its subsidiaries and oversees Corporate Communications.

Alan Gold Alan Gold is Partner and Head of Sports Media for Evolution Media Capital (EMC).	Adam Hergenrother Adam Hergenrother, a born and raised Vermonter, is CEO and Chairman of the Board of Hergenrother Enterprises, which includes Keller Williams Realty Vermont, and others.	Richard Beck Richard Beck joined PepsiCo in 1993, and has served in a variety of positions, including senior vice president, Operations, Frito-Lay North America; executive vice president, and others.	John Dineen From 2005, John Dineen served as President and CEO of GE Transportation, a $4.5 billion global leader in the rail, mining, marine, drilling and wind industries.

Charlene Begley Charlene Begley, who received her bachelor of science in business administration from the UVM’s School of Business Administration, joined GE in 1988 and has progressed through several leadership roles including vice president.	Cyma Zarghami Cyma Zarghami, who received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Vermont’s College of Arts and Science, worked for Nickelodeon for the last 26 years.

Hoffman Family Business Lecture Series

The Hoffman Family Business Lecture Fund provides opportunities for students at the University of Vermont to learn about innovative business policies and practices from leading scholars and practitioners through special guest lectures during the academic year.


Steve Phelps Steve Phelps, class of ’85, joined National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) in 2006 and currently serves as President.	Roger Crandall Roger Crandall, class of ’87, is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company	Chris Durovich Chris Durovich, ’79, is President and Chief Executive Officer, Children’s Health and Chief Executive Officer, Children's Medical Center Dallas.	Brian Kelly Brian Kelly is an investor, author, and financial markets commentator. He is an expert in global financial markets, macro-economics and digital currencies.

Michael Goldberg Michael Goldberg, together with his partners, Neil and Steve Goldberg, run Raymour & Flanigan Furniture. They currently operate 111 retail locations and employ 4,800 associates in 7 states.	Gary Green Gary Green is the owner of the Omaha Storm Chasers and CEO of Alliance Building Services, one of the largest privately held building service providers in North America employing 5000+ employees.	Carlos Enrique Cavelier Carlos Enrique Cavelier is the President of Alquería Dairy, the number one private processor of liquid milk in Colombia, and the major processor of the Andean Group in UHT milk production.	Bill Stenger Bill Stenger was President and Chief Executive Officer of Jay Peak, Inc.

Marc Compagnon Marc Compagnon joined Li & Fung in 2000 after working as the Chief Merchandising Officer at Colby International Limited for 17 years. While at Colby, Mr. Compagnon was responsible for the global sourcing network as well as sales and marketing strategies.	Jeffrey Hollender Jeffrey Hollender is a leading authority on corporate responsibility, sustainability and social equity. He is the co-founder of Seventh Generation, a leading natural product brand known for authenticity and progressive practices.

Commencement Speakers


2019: Rino Caruccio Rino Caruccio is VP Finance at Amazon.com, responsible for leading the Amazon Device financial analysis team in Seattle.	2018: Marc Compagnon Marc Compagnon ’80, is the Executive Director and Group President of Li & Fung.	2017: Jodi Goldstein Jodi Goldstein is the Managing Director of the Harvard Innovation Labs, which includes the Harvard i-lab, the Harvard Launch Lab for alumni, and the soon to open Harvard Life Lab for life-sciences ventures.	2016: Steven Grossman In October 2015, the UVM School of Business was renamed the Grossman School of Business in honor of Steven Grossman, a 1961 graduate and a long-time supporter of the School.

2015: David Aronoff David Aronoff is a General Partner at Flybridge Capital Partners whose investment interests and experience include the SaaS, cloud, mobile, data analytics, video and information security sectors.	2014: John Hall John Hall ('85) is the President & COO at Rachael Ray/Watch Entertainment, Inc. He graduated from the Grossman School of Business in 1985.	2013: Carrie Teffner Carrie Teffner, who was appointed to Crocs' board of directors in June 2015, brings more than 25 years of consumer goods and retail leadership experience to the company.	2012: Jordan B. Saxe Jordan Saxe is the Director of the Americas for The NASDAQ Stock Market, responsible for leading business development efforts in international listings across all sectors.

2011: James Schaefer James Schaefer is a Managing Director and Americas Co-Head of Global Power & Utilities and Alternative Energy at UBS Investment Bank, based in New York.