Featured Alumni

June 2008

Michael I. Wapner '88
Director of Finance and Operations
Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

What drew you to courses relating to CSR, social responsibility or nonprofit management?
I actually didn't take any CSR or nonprofit courses while at Kellogg back in the 1980s. The extent of my altruism at that point was a total lack of desire for pursuing either consulting and investment banking. I was happy to make my way in an Industrial (business to business) Marketing field.

What attracted you to the Public Non Profit (PNP) Club, Students for Responsible Business (SRB) Club or Social Impact Club (SIC)?
Back around 2000 I decided to make a career change. I cared most about environmental issues, so I was determined to move into an environmentally friendly field. I started attending the conferences sponsored by SIC to do some learning and networking.

What is the name of your current organization, and what does your organization do?
I am now with the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. MEEA is a collaborative network advancing energy efficiency in the midwest to support sustainable economic development and environmental preservation. We develop and manage energy efficiency programs for the commercial and residential sectors and work with other organizations to educate state lawmakers about the importance of energy efficiency.

Please briefly describe your position or role at your organization.
I am Director of Finance and Operations. I manage the accounting and finance functions, and also coordinate the organization's Strategic Action Plan.

How are you applying the skills/knowledge you learned at Kellogg in your career?
The accounting background has come in handy. Mostly, though, Kellogg provided the foundation for my business career. I developed a number of skills over the years that I am now able to use in my role at MEEA.