Pictured Above: During the fall term, Bain’s Kate Stein T’16 and Michael McKay spoke with students as part of the Visiting Executive Program.
Tuck’s Alan Smith D'52 T'53 Visiting Executive (VE) Program connects students with business leaders across industries. Below, four MBA students and VE program fellows reflect on their experiences in the program, sharing key insights on purposeful leadership, negotiations, the strength of the Tuck network, and the importance of introspection in business.
Daniela Moreno Gomez T’26
“Despite having just met, they asked thoughtful questions, remembered our names, and leaned into genuine conversation. It felt less like a formal program and more like learning from people who were equally curious about us.”
What makes the Visiting Executive Program at Tuck special isn’t just the access to business leaders, it’s the intimacy of the conversations. Over lunches and dinners, I’ve had the privilege of learning from CEOs, strategists, and entrepreneurs who shared not only their professional journeys but also how they approach life as learners.
One moment that stands out was hearing Nicholas Fink, CEO of Fortune Brands, talk about scuba diving. He didn’t describe it as a hobby, he described it as a practice in managing stress and staying present. It was a reminder that the best leaders don’t compartmentalize growth; they find lessons everywhere. What surprised me most about these executives was how quickly they connected with us. Despite having just met, they asked thoughtful questions, remembered our names, and leaned into genuine conversation. It felt less like a formal program and more like learning from people who were equally curious about us.
The visit from Jim Weber T’86, former CEO of Brooks Running Company, shifted how I think about leadership entirely. His book opens with a Benjamin Disraeli quote: “The secret to success is constancy of purpose.” That philosophy came through in everything, his decision to scale Brooks by focusing exclusively on running, his willingness to cut 60 percent of the product line to prioritize partnerships with specialty running stores, and his belief that “enthusiasm and optimism are magnetic, and joy is kinetic.” Hearing how he led with empathy, even during difficult pivots, reminded me that great leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It's about having clarity on what matters and the courage to pursue it.
Jim Weber T’86, former CEO of Brooks Running Company and author of Running with Purpose, returned to campus for a discussion on authentic leadership and leading with values in business.
But the insight I’ll carry forward comes from Lauren Day, head of communications at Allianz. During a recent roundtable, she shared the importance of not letting a title define you. She talked about how much she valued conversations with her mother, who saw her as Lauren, not as a communications executive. It was a grounding reminder that our work matters, but it doesn't have to be everything.
As I prepare to leave Tuck and step into new roles, these conversations have taught me more than how to engage with executives or ask better questions. They’ve shown me what it means to lead with purpose while staying rooted in the relationships and values that make us whole. And ultimately, that’s how we use business as a force for good.
Jake Hillman T’26
“The shift for me was this: A win-win mindset is not about being agreeable. It is about being rigorous enough to expand the pie before you divide it.”
Tuck’s Visiting Executive Program creates a rare kind of access. It is one thing to read about leadership in a case. It is another to sit across the table from leaders who practice it at the highest level and are willing to share not just what worked, but how they think. Hosting Maarten van Rossum and Erin Sullivan reminded me how distinctive this experience is and why more people should understand what makes it special.
Maarten van Rossum and Erin Sullivan are negotiation consultants, which in and of itself is already a fascinating launch point. Combine that with their office being based in the Netherlands, a place I love, I was ecstatic going into the dinner. The stories were fascinating and attendees were engaged, but what I found most powerful was the way they framed stakeholder dialogue. In a world that feels increasingly zero sum, pessimistic, and fragile, their leadership thesis revolved around alignment rather than leverage.
In business school, we talk a lot about influence, positioning, and value capture. What struck me in our conversations was how little either of them seemed focused on winning in the traditional sense. Instead, they were intent on designing outcomes where the other party genuinely walks away better off and knows it.
Pictured (far right) Jake Hillman T’26 during a lunch-time discussion with Todd Liker T’00, portfolio manager & co-head of Real Estate at Oaktree Capital Management.
Maarten and Erin spoke about negotiations not as contests, but as investments in relationships over time. They emphasized that the real work happens before numbers ever hit the page. It starts with understanding incentives, constraints, and what success actually looks like on the other side of the table. If you do not know what a win means to them, you are negotiating in the dark.
The shift for me was this: A win-win mindset is not about being agreeable. It is about being rigorous enough to expand the pie before you divide it.
It is easy to say you want mutual value creation. It is harder to practice it when timelines are tight and stakes are high. What I took from both is that durable success, whether in acquisitions, partnerships, or team leadership, comes from resisting the short-term satisfaction of beating someone and instead structuring outcomes that people want to repeat.
If I had to distill one insight I would carry forward, it is this: The strongest negotiators do not aim to win the deal. They aim to build a relationship that makes future deals possible.
At Tuck and beyond, that feels like a better definition of success.
Brian Rojas T’26
“I came here to learn from people who’ve been there, done that, and gone on to build something of their own.”
I didn’t come to Tuck to play hockey or recruit for a corporate career. I came here to learn from people who’ve been there, done that, and gone on to build something of their own. The Visiting Executive Program gave me the chance to break bread, share a drink, and hear real stories from experienced entrepreneurs and global business leaders with fellow classmates outside the classroom.
What surprised me the most was how each guest was willing to open up and be vulnerable with us as students. I believe that type of transparency requires a great deal of maturity and confidence. During my first dinner, Tom Blaisdell T’89, CEO of AlignPact, expressed his desire to do more while in a successful previous role, which ultimately led him to break away and start his own investment fund focused on creating companies designed to make a positive impact in the world.
Spending time with our most recent guest Alex Pease T’04, CFO of Sunbelt Rentals, expanded the way I think about leadership, something I am eternally grateful for. He talked about courage not as one thing, but as a skill you apply in different ways depending on the moment, including the courage to trust in your skills, to rise above the noise, and to find and use your voice when it matters.
During the winter term, visiting executive Lalo Medina T’07, president of Pecan Grove Farms, spoke with Brian Melzer’s Real Estate course.
Remarkably, every single Visiting Executive has shared the same core insight. Enjoy the ride and most importantly, use the Tuck network! No matter how introverted, stubborn, or “lone wolf” you think you are, reach out, maintain relationships with fellow alumni. It doesn’t have to be all business. You’d be surprised by how many people will be excited to hear about your adventures and perhaps join you in a few more down the road.
I am grateful not just for the lessons, but the conviction the Visiting Executives reinforced in me to pursue my goals—along with sincere offers to help and stay in touch in the future. Experiences like these are exactly why students should lean into the Visiting Executive Program. It’s one of the most high-impact parts of the Tuck MBA experience.
Georgia Greene T’26
“I left thinking more carefully about the importance of identifying and drawing out the strengths in the people around you, and I came away with a sharper sense of something I want to hold onto going forward: making sure that how I show up at work reflects who I actually want to be.”
The Visiting Executive Program highlights much of what makes Tuck special. Our campus’s remote setting fosters meaningful conversations and opportunities for reflection that, in my experience, are increasingly rare in today’s fast-paced professional world. The Tuck community creates a unique space for connection, not only with classmates and professors, but also with accomplished executives who come to Hanover to share their experiences. As a Visiting Executive Program Host Fellow, I’ve been honored to play a role in fostering that immersive and intentional engagement between current students and visiting executives.
I recently had the privilege of hosting Ashleigh Sullivan T’10, chief commercial officer at Simon Pearce, for lunch on campus. I’ve long been a fan of the Simon Pearce brand. Growing up, my family made an annual day trip to Simon Pearce’s Quechee Mill to enjoy their Vermont cheddar soup and browse their glass Christmas tree collection. I was thrilled by the opportunity to meet Ashleigh, learn about her journey from Tuck to Simon Pearce, and hear about her vision for the company’s future.
After graduating from Tuck in 2010, Ashleigh spent time at Bain & Company and Wayfair before assuming her current role at Simon Pearce. She spoke candidly about the inflection points in her career, including how she knew when it was time to move from one role to the next, and the process of learning how to lead and manage effectively in each new context.
What surprised me most was Ashleigh’s admission that she hadn’t always been as reflective as she is today, and that introspection was something she had to cultivate deliberately over time. I left the conversation more committed to building that habit during the remainder of my time at Tuck, knowing that the work of reflection now will make me a more thoughtful and effective manager down the road.
That theme of intentionality stuck with me throughout our conversation. I left thinking more carefully about the importance of identifying and drawing out the strengths in the people around you, and I came away with a sharper sense of something I want to hold onto going forward: making sure that how I show up at work reflects who I actually want to be. If there’s a persistent gap between those two things, that’s worth paying attention to.
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