The M. Keith Weikel Speaker Series enables Wisconsin MBA students to interact with and learn from accomplished business leaders and alumni. Executives from both the private and public sectors are invited to campus to address students. Pre- and post-receptions create exclusive networking opportunities for students in the Wisconsin Full-Time MBA, Evening MBA, and Executive MBA programs.
Students deepen their leadership skills by hearing the distinct perspectives of these visiting business leaders. The exchange of ideas that occurs at these events also brings new insights to the Wisconsin School of Business learning community.
Made Possible through Alumni Support
The series was established in 2004 with a gift by John J. Oros (BBA ‘71) and his wife, Anne Wackman. Oros is managing director at J.C. Flowers & Co., LLC. Today, the series continues as the M. Keith Weikel MBA Leadership Speaker Series thanks to a gift by M. Keith Weikel (PhD, Marketing and Economics, ‘66) and his wife Barbara. Weikel retired as senior executive vice president and COO of ManorCare, Inc. in Toledo, Ohio, in 2006. He has served as a director of Laboratory Corporation of America, director for Direct Supply, Inc., and director emeritus for Manor Care, Inc. He is a member of the Federation of American Health Systems and the Alliance for Quality Long Term Care.
2020-2021 Academic Year Speakers

Rana el Kaliouby
CEO & Co-Founder, Affectiva; Author of Girl Decoded
September 24, 2020
6:00–7:00 p.m.

Marvin A. Riley
President & CEO, EnPro Industries, Inc.
October 22, 2020
6:00–7:00 p.m.
2019-2020 Academic Year Speakers

Gayle Fuguitt
Chief of Customer Insight and Innovation, Foursquare
November 1, 2019
5:00–8:00 p.m.
2018-2019 Academic Year Speakers

Stephanie L. Pugliese
President & CEO, Duluth Trading Co
September 7, 2018
5:00–8:00 p.m.

Peter Vanham
Author, media strategist, business journalist
October 4, 2018
5:00–8:00 p.m.

Marc S. Pritchard
Chief Brand Officer at Procter & Gamble
November 1, 2018
5:00–8:00 p.m.

Susan Chapman-Hughes EVP, Global Head of Digital Capabilities, Transformation and Operations, GCS at American Express
April 12, 2019
5:00–8:00 p.m.
Featured Previous Speakers
Here are just a few of the many inspiring leaders who have joined the Wisconsin School of Business for the Weikel Series (listed alphabetically).

Barry Calpino
Vice President of Breakthrough Innovation, Kraft Foods Group

Viveca Chan, BBA ’76
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and Founder, WE Marketing Group and WE Engauge

Kevin Conroy
Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and President, Exact Sciences
April 28, 2017

Scott Cook
Chairman of the Executive Committee, Intuit, Inc.

William A. Davis
President and Chief Operating Officer, Universal Orlando Resort
October 12, 2017
5:00–8:00 p.m.

Keith Ferrazzi
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Ferrazzi Greenlight; Author of Never Eat Alone and Who’s Got Your Back?

Jia Jiang
Founder and CEO, Wuju Learning
September 8, 2017
5:00–8:00 p.m.

Lisa Mitchell-Kastner
Vice President
Talent Acquisition

Ann Mukherjee
Global Chief Marketing Officer, SC Johnson
February 23, 2017

John Peirson
Deputy CFO, Deloitte Services LP
February 23, 2018
5:00–8:00 p.m.

Thomas Perez
U.S. Secretary of Labor

Paul Polman
Chief Executive Officer, Unilever

Rebecca Ryan
Author, Consultant, and Owner of NEXT Generation Consulting, Inc.
September 23, 2016

Toni Sikes, MS ’76
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, CODAworx; Serial Entrepreneur

Aaron S. Williams
Executive Vice President, Government Relations and Corporate Communications, RTI International
April 26, 2018
5:00–8:00 p.m.