2022-2023

GA State Campus | Executive Development Program

A 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:

Provide participants with insights to improve leadership acumen and accelerate their careers

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. 

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.

Program Syllabus

The curriculum for Executive Development Program is designed to provide participants with a deeper understanding of leadership principles, expanded knowledge in the fields of strategy, finance, and marketing, as well as 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 22, 2022 – The Challenge of Marketing Leadership

  • Reading: Level 5 Leadership: The Triumph of Humility and Fierce Resolve (Harvard Business Review) by Jim Collins
  • 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

Thursday, October 13, 2022 – The Role on Marketing in Strategy Development and Execution

  • 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.

Thursday, November 17, 2022 – Developing Strong Cross-Functional Relationships

  • 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

Thursday, December 8, 2022 – ROI Measurement & Beyond

  • Reading: “5 Ways To Improve The Alliance Between Finance And Marketing” Forbes, April 2015

Thursday, January 19, 2023 (3:00 PM - 5:00 PM) – Leveraging Data & Analytics for Decision Making

  • Reading: “Aligning Analytics with Marketing Strategy” by Lawrence Duke and Atif Ashraf

Thursday, February 23, 2023 (3:00 PM - 5:00 PM) – Creating, Differentiating, and Valuing Brands

  • Reading: “Leading CEOs and Boards to a Greater Understanding of Brand Equity” William Neal and Ron Strauss

Thursday, March 23, 2022 (3:00 PM - 5:00 PM) – Digital Advertising, Social Media, and Society

  • Case Study: Facebook: Fake News, Free Speech and an Internet Platform’s Responsibility (Harvard Business Publishing)

Thursday, April 20, 2022 (3:00 PM - 5:00 PM) – Enhancing the Sales & Marketing Relationship

  • Reading: “On Sales & Marketing Integration” (The Chief Marketing Officer Journal) by Philip Kotler, Ph.D.

Thursday, May 18, 2022 (3:00 PM - 5:00 PM) – Antecedents of Customer Satisfaction & Loyalty

  • Reading: “Putting the Service-Profit Chain to Work” (HBR) by Heskett, Jones, Loveman, Sasser, and Schlesinger