Jody Feragen says there’s no question that the Carlson School’s Minnesota Management Institute (MMI) and Minnesota Executive Program (MEP) have made an impact on her—and her company. She should know: after earning an MBA from the University of Minnesota and going through the MEP program, she’s been promoted from the company’s treasurer to senior vice president and CFO. She’s one of the most highly ranked employees in the 18,000-person company.

For more than 35 years, Hormel has been sending high potential employees to Carlson Executive Education programs. More than 80 Hormel Foods executives have gone through at least one of the general management programs designed for senior leaders, and they’re gaining the skills they need to perform at the highest levels in their company—and in the industry.

Feragen says that the offerings provide important tools for top employees. “It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day issues of a job, but through Carlson Executive Education programs, our employees have time to think strategically,” she says. “They keep that with them when they come home.”

She notes that it’s easy to get tracked into a specific niche within a large company such as Hormel Foods, whether it’s in finance, marketing, or operations. Top executives need to understand how one aspect of the business can have an impact on every other part, and Carlson programs help to get employees thinking broadly. “Once you’re a top officer in the company, you need a well-rounded view,” she says. “If you look at the top executives in our company, they’ve all been through one of the programs.”

While Hormel Foods offers plenty of on-the-job training and coaching to help workers, Feragen notes that formal education gives employees even more opportunities to grow. The Carlson School’s programs are highly regarded within the company.

The programs also provide ample networking opportunities with executives at top Twin Cities companies. For Hormel Foods, which is well south of the Twin Cities, the programs offer participants a chance to meet face-to-face with executives from other top companies. They build long-lasting connections that might be more difficult to initiate through phone calls and e-mails.

Mixing with employees from a diverse group of companies also helps prevent one of the perils of the company’s geographical isolation: groupthink. Feragen notes that many employees have 10, 20, or even 30 years of experience. While it’s valuable to have that kind of institutional knowledge, it can also be limiting. “Giving people exposure to a different way of looking at things is invaluable to our company,” she says. “We don’t want to give up long-tenured employees, and Carlson Executive Education programs offer one way for them to get broader perspectives on approaching problems and examining issues.”

Feragen acknowledges that in a company of many thousands of people, it’s tough for any one program to make a dramatic impact. However, by giving top executives a wide range of tools and connections through the MEP and MMI programs, they have a strong foundation to make decisions that ensure the company’s future success. “It’s nice to know that we can get a high level of education for our staff locally,” she says. ”There’s always a positive return on education.”