MBAs from Loyola University Chicago’s Quinlan School of Business know that they are expected to make a difference in the corporate world. Just take Mark Satkiewicz, MBA ’95, for example.
As the president of SmartWool, one of the globe’s top outdoor brands, Satkiewicz directs an organization that has built a reputation of showing that profits and purpose can stand side by side in today’s corporate world.While earing his MBA, Satkiewicz found that his love for the outdoors could meld with his passion for business.
“A lot of companies have great products, but we’re going to bring purpose to all that we do,” Satkiewicz said.
SmartWool’s goal is to offer comfortable, quality, and lasting products while contributing to the communities that sustain the organization. The company’s core values, which include humanity, humility, and integrity, guide Satkiewicz’s decision-making, especially as it relates to SmartWool’s 120 employees.
Company uniquely incorporates employees into the decision making process, including elected employee committees formed around sustainability, service, culture, and advocacy. Employees also receive 40 paid hours away from work each year to volunteer, and SmartWool closes its office twice a year for service work.
According to Satkiewicz this promotes an engaged workforce, unified movement, and a vibrant corporate culture, critical elements as the enterprise grows and hustles toward $150 million in annual sales, a near four-fold increase from Satkiewicz’s arrival.
“If we didn’t do it this way, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” Satkiewicz said. “It’s the hard way, but it’s the right way… and we’re committed to running the business this way no matter how big we get.”
