UPDATE | Faculty and Staff News

Ford Executive Takes New Road

Gary Lessuise, MBA ’72, a long-time Ford executive, is the new assistant dean for master’s programs at the School of Business. Lessuise retired in June after 33 years with Ford Motor Company, including recent assignments as general marketing manager for Ford in Brazil and director of dealer relations for Lincoln-Mercury. From 2000 to 2004, he served on the Dean’s Advisory Board of the School of Business.

From Fortune 500 to the Big Ten is a big change. What convinced you?

I’ve had ties with this university for years, ever since I graduated. I love the university. I really enjoy the city. The people are great. I’m from Wisconsin, so it’s like being back home. When I was with Ford, I always thought in the back of my mind that it would be very interesting and fulfilling to have some type of interaction with the university some day.

What do you think you have to offer in your new role?

The biggest benefit of new people is they bring a set of fresh eyes. So, I think one of the benefits I may be able to bring to the organization is that set of fresh eyes. Once I know how this business works, I want to take a look at it and see if there are some ways we can be more effective and/or more efficient in executing our strategy. That and my Fortune 500 background may be of some benefit to the school.

You recruited Wisconsin students for Ford for years. Why?

Wisconsin students are very strong. They have extensive backgrounds in terms of work experience. Their GMAT test scores—which is only one indication, but is an element that tells us about a person—are high. An example of student quality is the type of interactions I’ve seen since I joined the school. At the first John J. Oros MBA Speaker Series of the year, students asked many deep, provocative, questions of Jeff. [Jeff Diermeier, BBA ’74, MBA ‘75, president and CEO of the CFA Institute, who spoke to students in September.] The dialogue the students were able to have with him showed that they are a cut above.

These types of students, and the focused program that the school is now offering, are a tremendous combination. The results that can be generated by these students when it comes time for them to graduate, in terms of placements, salaries, all the key things that you look at as success metrics, are going to be outstanding. I think we are going to be able to say career specializations really made a significant difference for our students. They’ll have the tools they need to go out and be productive and successful people in the community and in the economy.

So, what advice would you give Fortune 500 companies or other employers considering hiring Wisconsin students?

I’d say, “If you want people who have depth and breadth in a particular discipline, who have a very strong work ethic, come to Wisconsin.”