Longstanding O.C. Tanner leader retires as executive vice president of marketing and business development
David Sturt retires after 28 years with the company and Mindi Cox, chief marketing and people officer, steps into new role
Salt Lake - June 1, 2022 - David Sturt, O.C. Tanner executive vice president of marketing and the O.C. Tanner Institute, retires after a remarkable 28 years with the company.
“O.C. Tanner has been such a huge and meaningful part of my life,” said Sturt. “I am deeply honored to have been part of such an extraordinary company.”
Sturt first joined O.C. Tanner in 1992 and left in 2000 for a brief stint before returning to the company two years later where he stayed for the remainder of his career. He started as a manager of market research and worked his way up to executive vice president of marketing and business development. In this role, Sturt oversaw the O.C. Tanner Institute, the company’s in-house research arm, as well as marketing and awards. In addition to his work at O.C. Tanner, Sturt is the author of the New York Times bestseller, “Great Work: How To Make A Difference People Love,” and is a co-author of “Appreciate: Celebrating People, Inspiring Greatness.” He has been a leading innovator in the industry, helping pioneer the first-ever web-based recognition programs, and is a thought leader in how the world’s top organisations think about accomplishing and appreciating great work.
As a longtime contributor to Forbes and other publications, Sturt’s perspective on leadership and workplace issues has consistently been highly regarded and sought after. In this last Forbes column, he reflects on modern leadership which he feels helps create resilient organisations that are well-positioned to thrive after key people depart.
“I want to thank David for his many years of service to O.C. Tanner and the tremendous impact he has had as a leader, mentor and friend,” said Dave Petersen, O.C. Tanner chief executive officer. “O.C. Tanner has continued to evolve over the past few decades and David has been instrumental in helping steer the ship and define what’s next for the company. He will be greatly missed.”
Sturt had time to prepare and transition his responsibilities and teams to Mindi Cox, newly appointed chief marketing and people officer, before his departure. Cox, who previously served as O.C. Tanner senior vice president of people and great work, will oversee the O.C. Tanner Institute, marketing and awards as well as continue to oversee people operations. Cox joined O.C. Tanner in 1998 and has since become the backbone for all company initiatives and culture setting, both within O.C. Tanner and for the company’s relationships with the community. Cox was recently recognized by Utah Business Magazine as a 30 Women to Watch Honoree and she is a highly valued confidant and an exceptional leader for all at O.C. Tanner.
“I’m leaving our teams in good hands. Mindi is an outstanding leader and has been a great influence on our company and industry, and I am excited to see her succeed in this new role.”
About O.C. Tanner
O.C. Tanner is the global leader in software and services that improve workplace culture through meaningful employee recognition experiences. Our Culture Cloud employee recognition platform helps millions of people thrive at work.
Our team of more than 1,500 programmers, researchers, designers, client professionals, and craftspeople hail from 58 countries and speak 62 languages. Together, we create the technology, tools, and awards that help our clients shape productive work environments, drive innovation, and fuel positive business results. Learn more at octanner.com.
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