Consulting, Coffee and Golf: an IPE Journey

People always ask "what can you do with an IPE major?" Our alumni provide the best answer: whatever you want to do. Jamie Ledford is a good example.

Jamie graduated in the class of 1993 -- he was an IPE major before there was IPE, taking classes in Economics and Politics and writing a senior thesis for Prof. Veseth on the potential for a single European currency. Jamie took a product manager position at WNA Inc., a light manufacturing consumer products company in Southern California, learning how to manage a multi-ethnic workforce while working for a British multinational corporation.

After earning a Masters degree in Bologna and Washington DC from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Jamie went to work as a management consultant for AT Kearney in Chicago. Wanting to return to the Pacific Northwest, Jamie changed gears, joining Starbucks as the director of Consumer Products for the International RTD (Ready to Drink) Coffee division. This job took him to Japan, Korea and Taiwan, where he introduced Starbucks products in local stores and developed his Karaoke skills.

Jamie was just changed jobs again. He is now senior director for international business at Callaway Golf. Who would have thought that Jamie's career would take this path? It just goes to show what talent, hard work and a liberal arts education can achieve.