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Prof. Ben Jones (from left) moderates a panel discussion on growth with Robert Saltiel '90, Bridgette Heller '85 and Prof. Mike Mazzeo.

Reunion 2015

Meeting the challenges of growth

At the Reunion Brave Leader Panel, alumni and faculty discuss growth strategies and challenges


5/6/2015 - The faculty weren’t the only ones at Reunion doling out insight.

Robert Saltiel ’90 and Bridgette Heller ’85 joined Kellogg professors Ben Jones and Mike Mazzeo to discuss ways to meet the challenges of growing a business during the Brave Leader Panel May 2.

“[The discussion is] meeting a central challenge for leaders, which is, ‘How do I take this business and not just take care of it, but take it to the next level?’” said Jones, who moderated the panel discussion.

Both Heller and Saltiel certainly have experience in that area. Heller is a widely recognized leader in the CPG industry. As an executive vice president at Merck, she led the sale of the company’s consumer care division to Bayer for $14.2 billion last October.

Saltiel is President and CEO of Atwood Oceanics, a Houston-based oil-and-gas offshore drilling company that Fortune has named one of the world’s fastest growing companies in recent years.

Buoyed by Mazzeo, who co-authored Roadside MBA, Back Road Lessons for Entrepreneurs, Executives and Small Business Owners, the panel shared their thoughts on team building, transitioning goals and changing mindsets.



Bridgette Heller '85 on growing through corporate innovation


Robert Saltiel '90 on transitioning to a growth mindset


Robert Saltiel on having a measured approach to growth


Prof. Mike Mazzeo and Bridgette Heller '85 on growing service companies


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