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Rodney Northern

Lecturer, Department of Management

Department:     Management

Additional Titles:     MBA, University of Southern California; BS, University of California, Riverside

Rodney Northern headshot
Rodney Northern headshot

Rodney is a Lecturer in the McCombs School of Business and a seasoned business builder with a unique blend of strategic vision, organizational leadership and a high financial acumen and discipline. A corporate executive for over two decades specializing in brand marketing, business/product innovation and human centered design for many of today’s leading CPG organizations. These companies include SC Johnson, Tyson Foods Inc, Miller Brewing Company, the Clorox Company, Sara Lee International and the Coca-Cola Company. During his corporate tenure, he has led billion-dollar businesses and managed multi-million-dollar budgets for many well-known consumer brands. In his recruitment to the Coca-Cola Company, he was considered one of the top 100 global marketers by Ad Age recruited to the company.

As a consultant, he has partnered to helped clients in over 50 different industries including but not limited to; mass market retailers, telecommunications, fast food, automotive, education, the airline industry, banking, adult beverages, consumer packaged goods, retail, cosmetics, nonprofits, health care, wellness beverages and many others. He has also led turnaround work for both for profit and not for profit businesses.

He has spent considerable time and energy designing new products, processes and testing methodologies, resulting in successful new business launches in at least seven different product categories. He has had extensive responsibility for consumer-segment marketing efforts for the African American, Asian, Hispanic, Boomers, Disabled, Gen X, Gen Y and Millennial consumers. As well as designing products for income based, regional, mindset and behavior led segments.

Through his innovative business approach, market insights and organizational leadership he has led to the development of over $15 billion in sustainable retail sales and services that continue to grow today.

Born in Kansas and raised in Southern California, Rodney received his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of California at Riverside. He went on to complete his Master of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Corporate Finance and Marketing Management at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. At USC he was the recipient of the prestigious Consortium for Graduate Study in Management fellowship. In 2002 he was privileged to be inducted into the exclusive professional fraternity of Sigma Pi Phi.

For almost ten years he has called Austin TX home. Currently, Rodney runs his consulting practice focusing on business operations, leadership development, business innovation, and organizational alignment. In 2020 he joined the faculty at the University of Texas, McCombs School of Business where he lectures and coaches in the curriculum of Innovation & Entrepreneurship. He has held leadership board positions in a number of local area non-profits and is a huge proponent of early education and helping reduce the recidivism rate for inmates.

Gallup Strength Finders top five strengths; Achiever, Strategic, Futurist, Belief, Learner.