IBJ 2013 CFO of the Year: Rotarian, Mark Winzenread
Mark Winzenread’s 33-year tenure at Walker defies the norm.
“Statistically, you change jobs every five to seven years,” he said. “I’m always a little embarrassed to say I’ve been here 33. I’ve resigned twice. It just hasn’t worked out.”
Walker, the consumer intelligence consulting firm, wasn’t Winzenread’s first professional job. Out of college, he worked in public accounting but was drawn to the private side.
“It was frustrating to go to clients year after year, make recommendations, and then see that things don’t change. You can’t force a client to do anything,” he noted. “On the inside, I can make things happen.”
Still known locally by some as Walker Research, the company does more than research. Its consultants work with dozens of companies on customer retention and growth strategies.
