Photo of Jerry Grinstein, the Fall 2015 Orser Executive Speaker

Jerry Grinstein, strategic director of Madrona Venture Group and past CEO of Delta Air Lines, will present "The Importance of Ethics in Business Leadership" on Tuesday, October 6, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in Jabs Hall 111 on the Montana State University campus. The lecture is part of the MSU Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship’s David Orser Executive Speakers Forum and is free and open to the public.

In his presentation, Grinstein will be discussing how to discern if a potential employer’s values and ethics fit with your own in your search for a rewarding career.

Grinstein is currently a Strategic Director at Madrona Venture Group, located in Seattle. He is a Trustee of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation and a board member of Long Live the Kings, the William D. Ruckelshaus Center, and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

Grinstein was the CEO of Delta Air Lines from 2004 to 2007. Since 1987, he had been a director of Delta Air Lines and served as Delta’s non-executive chairman from August 1997 until October 1999. Prior to taking on the CEO role of Delta, Grinstein also served as non-executive chairman of Agilent Technologies from 1999 through November 2002 and as chairman and CEO of Burlington Northern Inc., retiring in 1995.  While in his position at BNI, he oversaw the company’s acquisition of Santa Fe Pacific Corp., creating the nation’s largest railroad system.

Before joining BNI, Grinstein served as president and CEO of Western Airlines, Inc., from 1984 through March 1987, when Western merged with Delta. He was a partner in the law firm Preston, Thorgrimson, Ellis & Holman in Seattle from 1969-1983. His prior career includes serving as Chief Counsel to the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, Counsel to the Merchant Marine & Transportation subcommittee and Administrative Assistant to U.S. Senator Warren G. Magnuson.

A Native of Seattle, Jerry graduated from Yale College in 1954 and Harvard Law School in 1957. He and his wife Lyn reside in Seattle.

The MSU Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship's David Orser Executive Speakers Forum is named for David B. Orser, a 1966 MSU graduate who began funding the program in 1988 in order to inspire MSU business students to pursue careers as innovative, responsible and ethical business leaders. For more information about the forum, contact Anna Reardon at (406) 994-6195 or anna.reardon@montana.edu.