Bruce Weindruch '78 Comes to Campus to Teach a Short Course on Leadership

Bruce Weindruch ’78, CEO and founder of The History Factory, returns to campus to teach the short course Learning from Literature: Insights for Leadership in the New Workplace. 

Weindruch plans to weave timeless fictional characters with the biographies of corporate visionaries to illuminate the role of strategic planning, sales, branding, and corporate social responsibility in today’s 24/7 technology-driven workplace. He says that, in this “MBA for liberal arts undergrads,” students will learn the “why it’s done” – as opposed to “how it’s done” – that distinguishes legendary leaders. 

The Wilson Program in Enterprise and Leadership is pleased welcome Weindruch back to Grinnell. Weindruch earned his bachelor's degree in American Studies and went on to found one of the world’s leading heritage management companies, The History Factory. The company works with clients to connect their future goals with their heritage in creative and meaningful ways, consulting on projects ranging from planning business anniversaries, to developing web content, to writing books and creating films, to supporting archival management. Clients have ranged from little league baseball, to Wrigley, to Lockheed Martin.

Thomas Heath, columnist of The Washington Post noted:

When clothier Brooks Brothers wanted to mark its 175th anniversary, Weindruch's team combed the company's records to publish a book and create a corporate celebration. When Shell Oil wanted a sprawling museum for company offices in Houston, the History Factory designed it.

By building a successful business off business history, Weindruch provides a wonderful example of the value of a liberal arts education and innovative thinking in the business world. Forbes Magazine described Weindruch as the man who's "making history pay."

This one credit course will run from October 26 to November 20, 2015.