What’s Inside
Editor’s Note
I t’s hard to believe we’re entering the winter season again. Perhaps the pandemic has morphed my sense of time, but the weeks and months seem to be ticking away faster than before. Just a few short weeks ago, I was relishing warm days spent grilling on the deck or taking walks through the neighborhood. Now it’s time to break out warmer jackets (an activity I secretly enjoy for fashion reasons) and start planning for the holidays. In a way, it’s comforting that time marches on. Things may seem difficult in a moment, but moments never last very long. Whether it’s a challenge at work, at home, or with the world at large, I like the idea that none of it endures forever. We can become stronger and more resilient, if we just keep pushing forward. Resiliency is a strong theme in the pages of this issue. Leaders across organizations are advancing through tough times and coming out better on the other side. Mark Wehde shared how innovation thrives at Mayo, despite, or perhaps partially driven by, the adversity of the pandemic (page 16). Claire Pedersen conveyed a similar sentiment, describing how Driving Forward formed due to the pandemic canceling countless internships (page 38). Today, their organization is helping students across the country successfully launch from college to a meaningful career. A conversation with Rod Young revealed the importance of controlling what you can and using time wisely (page 10). As the CEO of Delta Dental of Minnesota, he helped the organization weather COVID well by leaning into teamwork and maintaining culture remotely. He even let me in on one of his secrets to productivity – an app called Blinkist. It’s like Cliffs Notes for business books, and I’m officially hooked. Before you know it, we’ll be turning the page on 2021. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season, and here’s to hoping next year is a little less eventful.
ISSUE 4 | FALL / WINTER 2021
6 TRENDING TECHNOLOGY Pioneering Change in Integrated Education Edmentum is paving a path in virtual data-driven education solutions as the global pandemic drives massive changes across the education sector. 9 BY THE NUMBERS Organizations around the country are facing employee shortages. We dive into some trends across the United States workforce. 16 INOVATING THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE Mark Wehde, Chair of Mayo Clinic Engineering, shares the organization’s secret to fostering innovation – and what’s next for the healthcare powerhouse. 20 THE NEWWAVE OF OPS The tides of business are turning towards greater operationalization across functions. Concord’s Chief Delivery Officer, Eric Carr, shares how to prepare for what’s next.
PUBLISHER Stu Nutting
28 THE GROCERY STORE OF THE FUTURE Chris Walton shares how Amazon grocery stores could change the future of shopping in the Twin Cities and beyond.
EDITOR IN CHIEF Natalie Sheffield
DESIGN Steve Bubb Brea Marsh
32 RELEVANT HEALTH ROUNDTABLE Q+A: Tanya Rylee
PHOTOGRAPHY Joe Lemke
As the Chief Administrative Officer at OneOme, Tanya shares the importance of human connection in her role.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Chris Walton Claire Pedersen Eric Carr Laura Woodward Mark Wehde
34 RELEVANT HEALTH ROUNDTABLE The Pharmacy of the Future
Morgan O’Brien Natalie Sheffield Tanya Rylee Tim Crawford
Experts discuss the evolving role of the pharmacist and new strategies to connect with clients in our latest panel.
37 BRAINS IN IT Afraid of the unknown? Laura Woodward, CEO of The Disruptive Element, shares how to think like a cybersecurity expert to mitigate daily threats. 38 PHILANTHROPY RULES! Building Next Generation Leaders Through Adversity Driving Forward is helping first- generation and under-served students successfully navigate the transition from college to a meaningful career.
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24 MASTERING YOUR CIO TO-DO LIST
Culture-Driven Leadership 10 Rod Young is leading Delta Dental of Minnesota
CIOs have a growing list of priorities. Strategic Advisor Tim Crawford shares how to balance competing initiatives and deliver better results.
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26 THE TOP 12 The future of healthcare is changing fast. We curated a list of experts to follow in the healthtech space.
43 QUIPS & QUOTES As the temperature starts to dip across the Midwest, readers share their favorite vacation spots near and far.
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Natalie Sheffield Director of Marketing, Concord Editor in Chief, MN Tech Mag
with an emphasis on collaboration, culture, and inclusion.
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