of experience A world - Central Michigan University

Alliant Techsystems CIO Karen Kirwan
advises students to be courageous
Paving the way to a successful career
Summers of welding bumpers in an automobile factory
made returning to CMU’s campus each fall a huge relief
for alumna Karen Kirwan, ’84.
She credits that factory job as just one of the work
experiences that prepared her for her current position
as senior vice president and chief information officer of
Alliant Techsystems Inc.
Kirwan, the College of Business Administration’s first
female Dow Corning Executive in Residence, has followed
the booming technology industry over the past 22 years
with key positions at U.S. Cellular, Exelon, Pillsbury,
Standard Register, Clopay Corporation, and Lenscrafters.
Hearing about the people who Kirwan admires gives
you a clear idea of who she is as a person and a
businesswoman. She says she is influenced by Sir
Winston Churchill for his leadership, George Marshall
for his role as a great strategist, Warren Buffet because
he uses his funds to benefit the world, and her father
because he always made her learn from her mistakes.
“Honesty and integrity are who I am; as a leader those
are at the top tier of what I do,” Kirwan said. ”I do work
to capture hearts and minds of others, that’s what
makes me successful.”
When it comes to being a female in the business
world, Kirwan knows that expectations are higher, and
she doesn’t hesitate to mention that she has had to
use resilience, energy, and commitment to overcome
stereotypes and stigmas throughout her career.
Building the next generation of leaders
“The leaders of tomorrow are not going to look like the
leaders of today,” Kirwan told a room of future business
professionals during her keynote address. “You need to
be bold, take a chance. Courage is like a muscle – the
more you use it, the stronger it gets.”
Kirwan’s talk focused on the challenges of a competitive
global market and the characteristics of effective
leadership that will be required of the next generation of
business professionals.
Whether it is through her professional career or many
philanthropic endeavors, Kirwan prides herself on leading
by example to build future leaders.
“Inspiring, motivating, and leading are very proud
accomplishments,” Kirwan said. “I enjoy watching
people reach their full potential, especially when they
don’t even see it in themselves.”
“ You need to be bold, take a chance.
Courage is like a muscle – the more you
use it, the stronger it gets.”
– Karen Kirwan, senior vice president and chief
information officer, Alliant Techsystems Inc.
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