and second MBA years led to the current
position--after proving herself before
the senior leadership of the corporation
(vice presidents for different areas and
the CFO himself). “That puts a lot of
pressure on a 15 minute presentation,”
she says. Next up came the two-year
rotation--six months each in four areas
of finance--which will soon conclude
with a permanent assignment.
Meissner has used her time well as
usual. “I’m actually doing the work, not
shadowing,” she explains. “Already I've
created tools that are being used by plant
managers across the country.”
When she responded to a request
to offer thoughts on the millennial
generation in the workplace, she found
herself presenting to a leadership team
and, as matters progressed, to the CFO.
“I collaborated with the HR department to
get information on how many Millennials
we have in our organization, what the
landscape looks like, and what we can be
doing to maintain the Millennials we have
and to attract others to the company.”
The company listens, she says. “They
definitely want to hear what I have to say.
I didn't immediately come in the door and
start talking about things I might change,
but over time you learn a culture of trust
that allows you to do that.”
In the reverse-mentoring process
(a practice of newcomers working
with upper management), the CFO is
especially interested in learning from
this achiever in her 20s. “We talk about
communication styles, connecting with
people in the organization at different
levels, and how to reach everyone,”
Meissner explains. “It’s also a way for him
to get a pulse-check on the organization
and what it’s like from the other side.”
What it’s like is...busy. And focused.
After four years of “almost-making-it”
auditions for the Falcons cheer squad,
Meissner finished the weeding-out
process at the top, thanks to evening
classes and hours of practice to perfect
skills she’s developed all her life. Now
she performs routines at all pre- and
postseason games and all home games.
The management at work couldn’t
be happier for her. “They feel that this
aligns with what we’re trying to do in the
marketplace as being an ambassador for
our brand and also the Falcons brand,”
Meissner says. “Even the CFO sent me
an email that said, ‘Thank you for your
commitment to the community in which
we live and work.’ “So people here are
excited because it’s an opportunity to
make an impact on the community which
is something Coca-Cola strives to do. I
guess I’ll learn to exchange “Roll Tide”
for “Rise Up.”
Yet Roll Tide and Culverhouse won’t
be far from her heart. The University
of Alabama is home in so many ways.
She cites Dr. Ronald Dulek, professor
of management, for his “stories in
class that related to understanding and
learning the material” and Dr. Brian
Gray, associate dean of the Manderson
Graduate School of Business at the time,
for his statistics class (which she loved)
and for “always making time for students
like me.”
Moreover, Meissner cherishes the
entire Culverhouse experience--from
the summa cum laude undergraduate
degree in finance to the summa MBA. “It
completely served me well,” she says.
“Something that has differentiated me
from others is that I learned hard work
and a willingness to put in the time and
the effort. I think that a degree from The
University of Alabama can compete or
honestly do better than any Ivy League
school--and I think I've proven that here
[at Coca-Cola].”
Talk about living the dream. “I
love what I do and there are so many
opportunities that I’ve already received,”
this proud Culverhouse graduate says. “If
you’d told me two years ago, when I came
to Coca-Cola, that I’d be mentoring the
CFO or that I’d be working on productivity
projects, finding ways to save money in
the organization by doing things more
efficiently, and really kind of changing
the landscape, I probably wouldn’t have
believed you.”
Hmm, funny. It comes as absolutely
no surprise to the school that knew-her-
when.
"IF YOU'D TOLD ME TWO YEARS AGO, WHEN I CAME TO COCA-COLA, THAT I'D BE
MENTORING THE CFO OR THAT I'D BE WORKING ON PRODUCTIVITY PROJECTS,
FINDING WAYS TO SAVE MONEY IN THE ORGANIZATION BY DOING THINGS MORE
EFFICIENTLY,"..."I PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE BELIEVED YOU."
—Mallory Meissner
