Mary Peterson

Background Summary

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES

MP Consulting, 1990 to present

o Crafted and delivered over 150 keynote addresses for businesses, communities, associations, colleges, and athletic teams

o Developed staff and member training manuals for approximately 15 different organizations

o Specialties:

- Organizational Development Planning

- Human Resource Development

- Staff Development and Retention

- Educational Curriculum Development

- Strategic Planning

- Corporate Meeting Planning (over 32 years of experience, dealing with average attendances over 750+)

- Fiscal Management

- Association Management

- For-profit and nonprofit Board Development

CEO of Retail Jewelers Organization (RJO), 2004 - 2016

o Managed all aspects of the company and staff

o Oversaw membership of 900 jewelry stores and 190 vendors from across the world o Responsible for a $129 million budget

o Created curriculum for unique membership learning experiences o Managed buying trips to Israel and Antwerp

o Masterminded two major 4-day buying/educational shows per year for over 850 members and vendors

o Established the RJO Foundation

Executive Director for Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority and Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, 1986-2014

o Founded both University of Iowa organizations (Latina/Latino-based organizations with a multicultural membership)

o Grew the organizations from no staff with no official office to nine full-time staff and a fully operational office space

o Created the organizations’ Constitution and Governance structure, as well as their policies and procedures

o Managed all aspects relevant to organizations’ non-profit organizational structure

o Created an educational foundation for each organization

o Today, each organization has 120 chapters on major college campuses across the U.S.

Associate Director, Office of Student Life, The University of Iowa, 1980-2004

o Created Dance Marathon, the University’s largest student organization (serving pediatric cancer patients)

o Directed the University’s Fraternity and Sorority Life

o Instructor for the University’s Introduction to Leadership course o Responsible for day-to-day operations and aided the Director in the supervision of department staff o Prepared department budgets

o Developed and trained staff

o Managed events of various sizes

o Acted as liaison to outside agencies and the larger community VOLUNTEER WORK

Adviser to Asian Pacific Umbrella Group for 16 National Organizations

Board President to Pathways Adult Day Care Center for 6 years

Beta Theta Pi Chapter Counselor, University of Iowa Board Member, System Unlimited

President and Board Member, Alpha Phi Housing Corporation Board Member, American Heart Association (Johnson County Chapter)

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Excellence Award, University of Iowa Staff

Diversity Initiative Award, Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisers

Gold Medallion (Highest Honor) National Interfraternity Association Award (First women to be honored)

Jack Anson Award, Association of Fraternity and Sorority Advisers Mary Peterson Award (Highest Greek chapter in raising funds for Dance Marathon)

Mary Peterson Greek Man and Women Award

Mary Peterson Scholarship, Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority EDUCATION

Masters Degree in Planning, Policy, and Leadership, The University of Iowa, 1988 Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, The University of Iowa, 1979

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