CLIMB, which stands for the Center for Leadership Innovation and Mentorship Building, was established by the College of Business Administration in 2004 with the goal of serving “the leadership development needs of the surrounding community through innovative research and collaboration with various internal and external constituencies.”

Raj Pillai, a professor of management and the executive director of CLIMB, co-hosted a special session of the signature “In the Executive’s Chair” program featuring alumni Quynh Pham, Jimmy Thai and A.J. van de Ven on Oct. 22.

“Each one of these individuals embodies the principles of CLIMB,” Pillai told a group of about 80 students who attended the event in Markstein Hall.

Pham, a 2016 graduate, is the director of coaching for Leaderology, which provides customized executive coaching and leadership development. Thai, who earned his MBA in 2000, is the president and co-founder of the Build a School Foundation, a nonprofit that provides educational opportunities for poor children. Van de Ven, who was named CLIMB’s 2023 Outstanding Business Leader, is the CEO and president of Calsense, which creates sophisticated smart irrigation solutions built on a foundation of technology, education and partnership.

Pillai and co-host David Berry, a lecturer in the management department, asked the panelists a series of questions designed to help students as they prepare to navigate the transition to the professional world. Three teams of students concluded the session by asking the panelists additional questions.

Three more “In the Executive’s Chair” events are scheduled for November. The sessions are open to all CSUSM students, alumni and community members. Learn more at the “In the Executive’s Chair” website.

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Since the course was first developed 12 years ago, In the Executive’s Chair has welcomed more than 200 CEOs, founders and executives to campus.

“We bring in top business leaders to talk about their careers, their companies and the critical business decisions with which they are commonly faced,” explained Business Professor Raj Pillai, who co-founded and co-teaches the course. “Our primary purpose for exposing the students to these successful executives is to better prepare them for their own business careers.”

The concept for the course was inspired by the Bravo television series, Inside the Actor’s Studio. At the core of the show, highly regarded actors shift from celebrity to teacher, imparting successes, failures and words of wisdom to the next generation of actors, or in the case of CSUSM’s course, future business leaders. Professor Dr. Raj Pillai and Advisory Board Member Jim Tenuto serve as the interview hosts.

In the Executive's Chair is an open lecture series and free for the community to attend. The seminars are held on Tuesdays from 10 to 11:50 a.m. in Markstein Hall room 125.

Fall guests include:

• Sept. 2: Lee Meeler, AVP Claims, GEICO
• Sept. 9: Scott Free, Chief Executive Officer, Lusardi Construction Company
• Sept. 16: Brian Hudak, Founder and President, HMT (Hungry, Mean, Tired) Electric
• Sept. 23: Dr. Timothy White, Chancellor, California State University
• Sept. 30: Jim Pinto, Technology Futurist, Speaker, Writer, Industrial Automation Commentator, Analyst & Consultant, Founder (formerly President & CEO of Action Instruments)
• Oct. 7: Peter Ronchetti, General Manager, Merlin Entertainment Groups’ LEGOLAND, CA
• Oct. 21: Steve Wagner, President and Brewmaster, Stone Brewing Co.
• Oct. 28: Greg Lucier, Limited Partner, Lakeshore Capital Partners LLC and former Chairman and CEO of Life Technologies Corp.
• Nov. 4: Brian Lee, Regional Banking Area President, Wells Fargo - North San Diego Region 
• Nov. 18: Dr. Karen Haynes, President, CSUSM
• Nov. 25: John Reilly, Park President, Sea World San Diego

Learn more at www.csusm.edu/climb/programs/itec/