Alumni Advocate: Ann Schwister

“When you work in a company like P&G, you work with people from many different countries and cultures, and having an understanding of different cultures and environments is very important to getting results,” she says.

Schwister now serves as the finance and accounting vice president for the North American region. No matter where she has lived, she has always maintained strong ties to the WSB.

“My education at the Wisconsin School of Business is foundational to who I’ve become,” Schwister says. “My coursework built technical skills, and I built leadership skills through involvement in campus organizations and internships. This has opened up many wonderful opportunities, and I want to give fellow Business Badgers similar experiences.”

Schwister leads P&G’s recruiting efforts at the School, which bring her to campus two or three times a year. She looks for candidates who can “lead change and sort through vast quantities of data, draw conclusions, and figure out the way forward,” and stresses the importance of cultural competency at a global company like P&G. She volunteers her time on several boards at the School, including the Diversity Advisory Board and the Dean’s Advisory Board.

“I’m passionate about ensuring students have a diverse environment in which to learn,” she says. “The School has made tremendous progress in this area. Under the dean’s leadership, a comprehensive diversity plan was developed that is now woven into the fabric of the School.”

She says her connection to the School gives her something very important—access to the latest business trends and exciting discoveries from both faculty and students.

“I meet one-on-one with students, teaching them how to interview,” Schwister says. “I also review their projects and share meals with them. For me, those one-on-one connections with students are my most rewarding work. My education has given me many wonderful opportunities, and I want to give fellow Badgers similar ones.”

Schwister has always seen the WSB as a place for lifelong learning: “You can help and teach others and learn and further yourself. Every time I visit campus, I come back energized with new ideas and feel connected with all the exciting things that are going on.

“My greatest accomplishment as an alum is helping fellow Badgers grow and succeed,” Schwister says. “I’m very proud of all the Badgers at P&G, and I’m very committed to helping them meet their goals.”