John Mendel ’76 visited campus as the Todd A. Williams Executive-in-Residence Lecturer in November 2017 during Global Entrepreneurship Week, interacting with students in several business and economics classes and presenting a campus-wide lecture. That presentation, “Leading by Heart Count, Not Head Count,” challenged students to develop the talents and characteristics that will make them stand out to employers and in the workplace.
Reminding students that a liberal arts education prepares them to “think around corners,” he said their adaptability and attitude will be important, as they can expect to hold nine to 14 jobs in a lifetime. “That’s not a bad thing,” he said. “You will have greater impact and potential with a broader base of pursuits than the generation ahead of you.”
Mendel recently retired from American Honda Motor Company, where he spent 13 years as executive vice president. The auto industry veteran previously had spent several years in leadership with Ford Motor Company. He is a co-founder with his sons of Devil’s Creek Distillery, which they operate in Mammoth Lakes, California.
The speaker series is supported by Todd Williams ’82.