2011 James R. Meindl Student Leadership Award

The (CLIMB) selected Chad Haertling as its recipient of the 2010-2011 James R. Meindl Student Leadership Award. The award honors one graduating senior from the College of Business Administration that demonstrated outstanding leadership and/or mentorship in school, at work, and/or in the community. The recipient must exemplify the Center’s mission: to foster the development of effective leaders at all levels – individual, team, organization, and community.

This year’s award, sponsored by Comerica Bank through Senior Vice President/Regional Manager and �� MBA alumnus Rocky Bandzeladze, was presented at the Senior Experience Celebration.

Chad was selected as this year’s recipient of the coveted award because he thoroughly exemplified the CLIMB mission. He actively studied and developed leadership while on campus; as a co-founder of the Entrepreneur Society, Chad achieved considerable recognition by peers and faculty alike within the College of Business Administration.

Additionally, Chad made it a habit to mentor students on an individual basis and even spoke to classes to disseminate the advantages of developing skills and being an active leader. His enthusiasm was contagious throughout the campus even though he completed his coursework in Amsterdam through the University’s program.

For personal enrichment, Chad regularly attended seminars and programs presented by entrepreneurs, and held several positions in the Lake San Marcos Chapter of Toastmasters. As he explained, “Although it is sure to be a challenging journey, I aspire to become a Level 5 leader. As Jim Collins explained in his book, Good to Great, a Level 5 leader builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will. Finding the balance between personal humility and professional will is no easy task, but I plan on applying my valuable education from ��, strong worldwide network, and leadership experience to create a successful multinational corporation.”

Chad’s co-founding and leadership of the Entrepreneur Society, his efforts to reach out to fellow classmates, and his continued commitment to personal growth and development are what made him an ideal candidate for the James R. Meindl Student Leadership Award. It is with great honor that CLIMB recognizes Chad Haertling as this year's recipient.