Jack Treynor  Photo © Rich Foreman
	Maria Pinto  Photo © Nathan Mandell
	Read about visits from more industry leaders: Joseph Stiglitz Thomas Zelibor Jerome Kenney Jaya Kumar Mike Gilliland Tim Westergren Maxine Clark Gerald Fogelson

Kellogg partnership with industry leaders brings real-world insights

Eric Leininger
"You're all going to work in a global business in some way," said Eric Leininger, senior vice president for global insights at McDonald's, during a May visit to a Kellogg marketing class. "Being a good global citizen will be critical to your success." Leininger discussed the challenge of making a brand like McDonald's relevant worldwide. The company is present in 119 countries, he said, and its success means "leveraging scale while building local relevance." McDonald's retains its core brand identity in all its markets, but is attentive to key differences in those markets by producing a locally relevant menu — vegetarian options in India, for example. "You can't do local food better than local food, but what you can do is send a few cues that you're tuned into local culture," he said.

Jack Treynor
A path-blazing figure in the investment world, including for such seminal contributions as his 1962 paper introducing the Capital Asset Pricing Model, Jack Treynor has built a long career in which he has advanced the understanding of investor behavior and market forces. He shared some of those insights during an April visit to Kellogg. In a dinner address, Treynor considered possible shifts in the U.S. political landscape, such as a move toward populism, and the implications this could have on financial markets. He discussed the foundations of the corporation and critical elements related to its ownership and control.

Jim Sinegal
During a May lecture in a Kellogg entrepreneurship class, Costco Co-Founder and CEO Jim Sinegal outlined his company's history and strategy. The global discount warehouse chain is best known for its low prices on packaged goods, but since being launched in 1983 the wholesale giant has dramatically expanded its product lines — it sells everything from diamonds to pharmaceuticals — but it still stocks few items compared with the competition. And that's one secret to its success, said Sinegal. He said the company seeks operating efficiencies and cost containment at every level, paring back inventory to the best sellers. "We're fanatical about getting costs down," Sinegal said.

Steven Milunovich
A Kellogg graduate and Brunswick Group LLP partner, Steven Milunovich '87 delivered a guest lecture in May for the Asset Management Practicum. During his 23 years on Wall Street, including as managing director at Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley, Milunovich earned an impressive track record: He appeared 20 times on the Institutional Investor All-American Research Team, his expertise as a superior IT hardware analyst being particularly recognized. He spoke with Kellogg students about his career, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the life of a top financial analyst.

Barbara Higgins
Offering a look into the airline industry as a service business, Barbara Higgins, vice president of customer experience for United Airlines, spoke with Kellogg students about the challenges facing professionals in her sector. Big changes in air travel over the last 30 years have made flying more affordable, she said, and deregulation has increased competition. But with rising fuel costs forcing airlines to raise prices, carriers are finding that customers are unwilling to pay "what it actually costs to provide the service," she said. To help understand and serve their customers better, Higgins said United has refined its research strategies to produce more useful metrics.

Maria Pinto
Fashion designer Maria Pinto shared her entrepreneurial experiences with Kellogg students during a June visit to the school. Speaking to a Kellogg class, Pinto discussed how she launched her elegant women's accessories and ready-to-wear line in 1991. Today, the Art Institute of Chicago graduate has earned prestigious design awards and has designed costumes for the Joffrey Ballet as well as for prominent individuals like Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey.