There wasn’t a degree back then, but the dean became my adviser, and I got a job at the Lyric Opera in Chicago, doing fund-raising work for them, which counted as credit toward my degree.Īfter I graduated, while all my friends were going to New York, waiting tables and auditioning, I decided to stay and work for a few not-for-profits for the first few years.

The head of the department was an exceptional mentor for me and gave me a great opportunity to learn about fund-raising, so halfway through college I went to the dean of the school of music and told him I wanted to do something in arts administration. As part of my work-study program at Northwestern University I worked 10 hours a week in the department of development. I was studying to be an opera singer, though I enjoyed musical theater. How did you get from there to the travel industry?Ī. That’s something I learned early on, that whatever situation you’re in, you can always do something about it never accept no for an answer.

My parents are third-generation immigrants to the U.S., hard-working farmers, and my father just believed anything was possible. I grew up in a very small town in western Kansas, in the middle of a farming community. Tell me about your upbringing, and how it influenced your leadership style.Ī. Kelly Kuhn is president for Asia Pacific at Carlson Wagonlit Travel, based in Singapore.

Third by Q. Kelly