2021-22
Executive Development ProgramA 9-month certificate program geared toward preparing early- to mid-career marketing leaders for increasing levels of responsibility in their organizations.
The goal of The Chief Marketing Officer Institute’s Executive Development Program (EDP) is to prepare early- to mid-career marketing leaders for increasing levels of responsibility in their organizations. Featuring curriculum designed by leading academicians and senior-level executives, this certificate program is intended to serve as a post-graduate enhancement for individuals holding a Master of Business Administration, or other business-related graduate degree.
Program Objectives & Curriculum Design
The primary objectives of the EDP program are to:
Expose participants to complex issues related to marketing and leadership
Facilitate critical thinking and debate among participants
Build meaningful professional, mutually supportive relationships between participants
Coursework & Lectures
Developed in collaboration with university researchers, each 2-hour session of the Executive Development Program features an instructor-led discussion of a preassigned reading or case study, followed by a panel discussion or presentation led by a C-suite executive from a widely-admired company. The academic year includes seven lectures, with topics including leadership, strategy, managing cross-functional relationships, decision making, branding, and communications, among others. All sessions originate from the campus of The University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Peer Networking and the Power of Relationships
One of the core tenets of the Executive Development Program is the importance of mutually supportive professional relationships in the accomplishment of corporate and professional goals. While there are no group projects during the academic year, multiple opportunities to engage with classmates and C-suite lecturers will occur throughout the year. The importance of intra-organizational networking is also emphasized throughout the program. Participants who successfully complete the program also receive invitations to alumni events and may join CMO Institute’s LinkedIn group.
Admission, Tuition & Fees
Because the Executive Development Program is limited to 40 students per year, the standards of admission are high. In general, the program focuses on admitting individuals who have already obtained an MBA or other business-related graduate degree, although exceptions to the rule may occur. To receive preferred placement in the 2021-22 EDP, apply before the early decision period ends on July 31, 2021. Otherwise, apply before the application deadline on August 20. Upon acceptance into the program, a matriculation fee of $265 is due (reduced to $165 for the early decision applicants). Tuition for the full year is $975 if paid up front by the employer or four (4) installments of $250 if paid by the individual.
Program Syllabus
The curriculum for Executive Development Program is designed to provide participants with a deeper understanding of leadership principles, greater technical knowledge in the fields of strategy and marketing, and an appreciation for the role of intra-organizational and external relationships in the accomplishment of corporate and professional goals.
Program Facilitator
William L. Koleszar – Bill currently serves as Chief Marketing Officer of National Spine and Pain Centers and has held various senior leadership roles within Fortune 500 companies. His academic research in the fields of marketing strategy and leadership have been published by the Academy of Marketing Science, the American Marketing Association, and The CMO Institute. Bill holds a bachelor’s in marketing from Florida State University and a master’s in business administration from the University of Central Florida. He has also undertaken post-graduate studies in marketing strategy at Georgia State University and completed executive education courses in leadership, strategy and service excellence through Harvard Business School.
Thursday, September 16, 2021 (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM) – Introduction to Marketing Leadership
- Reading: Level 5 Leadership: The Triumph of Humility and Fierce Resolve by Jim Collins, Ph.D.
- Reading: “The Role & Leadership Challenges of the CMO” (The CMO Journal) by William L. Koleszar
- Reading: “Leading Marketing from Good to Great” (The CMO Journal) by William L. Koleszar
- Lecturer: Major General N. Lee Price, United States Army (Ret.)
Thursday, October 21, 2021 (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM) – What is Strategy?
- Reading: “What is Strategy?” (Harvard Business Review) by Michael E. Porter, Ph.D.
- Reading: “Transient Advantage” (Harvard Business Review) by Rita Gunther McGrath, Ph.D.
- Lecturer: David Klementz – Chief Strategy Officer, Encompass Health (NYSE: ECH)
Thursday, November 18, 2021 – (6:00 PM – 8:00 PM) Marketing Finance: ROI, Budgeting, & Beyond
- Reading: “5 Ways To Improve The Alliance Between Finance And Marketing” Forbes, April 2015
- Reading: “CMOs and Influence” (The Chief Marketing Officer Journal) Allan R. Cohen, Ph.D.
- Reading: “Why effective leaders must manage up, down, and sideways” (McKinsey Quarterly) T. Barta and P. Barwise
- Panelist: Johnny Cupp – Chief Financial Officer, Therapy South
- Panelist: Christy Thomas, CPA – Chief Financial Officer and EVP of Administration at Milo’s Tea Company, Inc.
- Panelist: Jon Whetsell, Chief Financial Officer, Ligon Industries
Thursday, December 16, 2021 (6:00 PM – 8:00 PM) – Leveraging Data & Analytics for Decision Making
- Reading: “Aligning Analytics with Marketing Strategy” by Lawrence Duke and Atif Ashraf
- Co-Lecturer: Mo Chaara – Chief Data Officer, Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM)
- Co-Lecturer: Keith Werle – Professor & Managing Director, Business Analytics Center, Georgia Institute of Technology
Thursday, January 20, 2022 (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM) – Creating, Differentiating, and Valuing Brands
- Reading: “Leading CEOs and Boards to a Greater Understanding of Brand Equity” William Neal and Ron Strauss
- Lecturer: Jo Ann Herold – Chief Marketing Officer, The Honey Baked Ham Company
Thursday, February 17, 2022 (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM) – Digital Marketing 1: The Psychology of Digital Marketing
- Reading: “Neuromarketing: What You Need to Know” (Harvard Business Review) by Eben Harrell
- Lecturer: Jake McKenzie – Chief Executive Officer, Intermark Group
Thursday, March 17, 2022 (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM) – Digital Marketing 2: Digital Advertising, Social Media, and Society
- Case Study: Facebook: Fake News, Free Speech and an Internet Platform’s Responsibility (Harvard Business Publishing)
- Lecturer: Amy Baker Drew, Chief Marketing Officer, AAMCO Transmissions and Total Car Care
Thursday, April 14, 2022 (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM) – Enhancing the Sales & Marketing Relationship
- Reading: “On Sales & Marketing Integration” (The Chief Marketing Officer Journal) by Philip Kotler, Ph.D.
- Lecturer: Todd Decker, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Warren Averett
- Lecturer: Jennifer Chandler, Chief Sales Officer and Vice President of Business Development, Skin Dx Group, PC
- Lecturer: Dr. John Hansen, Professor, Department of Marketing, Industrial Distribution, and Economics at UAB
Saturday, May 14, 2022 (4:00 PM - 6:00 PM) – Antecedents of Customer Satisfaction & Loyalty
- Reading: “Putting the Service-Profit Chain to Work” (HBR) by Heskett, Jones, Loveman, Sasser, and Schlesinger
- Lecturer: Jeremy Wolter, Associate Professor of Marketing, Auburn University
Apply Today
To receive preferred placement in the 2021-22 EDP, apply before the early decision period ends on July 31, 2021. Otherwise, apply before the application deadline on August 20. Upon acceptance into the program, a matriculation fee of $265 is due (reduced to $165 for the early decision applicants). Tuition for the full year is $975 if paid up front by the employer, or in 4 installments of $250 if paid by the individual.