BEST OF CLASS
Strategically Innovative
Michael Crooke, the inspiring CEO from Patagonia, Revolution
Living, and more, joined the college as the inaugural Avamere
Professor of Practice in late 2012, and he wasted no time
developing and teaching a new cross-disciplinary business
strategy course, Oregon Advanced Strategy 2.0, that redefines
how to innovate and succeed in today’s business climate.
Previously, Crooke served as CEO
of the venture capital firm Revolution
Living—with mentor, cofounder, and firm
benefactor Steve Case—which helped launch
and propel such companies as FlexcarZipcar and Miraval Resorts. From 1999 to
2005, Crooke was president and CEO of
Patagonia, Inc., and of Patagonia’s parent
company Lost Arrow Corporation. Prior to
his time at Patagonia, he served as CEO and
chairman of Pearl Izumi. He developed the
Socially, Environmentally, and Ethically
Responsible MBA program for Pepperdine
University’s Graziadio School of Business
and Management. Crooke holds a PhD in
management from Claremont Graduate
University and a BS in forestry, as well as
an MBA, from Humboldt State University.
Crooke also served his country as a Navy SEAL.
W
hen the Lundquist College of
Business began its search for its
first-ever professor of practice, the
goal was admittedly grand: an eminently
qualified business, academic, or government
thought leader who has made major impacts
on the fields and disciplines important to
University of Oregon programs.
Since arriving at the college, Crooke
developed and taught a new course titled
Oregon Advanced Strategy 2.0. The course,
which was first taught in spring 2013,
was the culmination of the Oregon MBA
experience, merging the knowledge students
gained in their core MBA training within the
framework of modern innovation strategies.
Themes build on traditional business
disciplines with concepts of environmental
stewardship, financial management,
corporate citizenship, product and service
excellence, new media marketing methods,
and an entrepreneurial mindset grounded
in strong leadership and creative thinking.
Although the skills acquired will find use at
any level of an organization, these concepts
and strategies resonate best within the
C-suite and the boardroom.
post “received unanimous support from
all the institutions that were polled,” de
Kluyver said. “From the onset, they saw the
value of this proposition.”
And the Lundquist College community
sees the value of Professor Crooke. He has
been received by the tenure-track faculty
members as a true colleague, noted de
Kluyver, and “the students are in awe we
have somebody like this on our staff,” the
dean added.
Though Crooke and Patagonia had
immediate name recognition with students,
his pupils say he is an approachable, downto-earth professor with plenty of relatable
lessons and insights to share.
“Crooke was one of the most energetic
and engaging professors I’ve ever had,” said
Karen Bonner, MBA ‘13 and valedictorian.
“The Oregon Advanced Strategy course was
the perfect capstone to my MBA. Crooke
wove together his personal experiences as
a CEO and business leader with relevant
concepts. I appreciated the way he curated
the most recent articles and research about
business and strategy. I think my favorite
part of Oregon Advanced Strategy 2.0 was
the way it prompted me to self reflect on my
time in the Oregon MBA and truly consider
what matters most.”
19
Students like Bonner energize Crooke,
too. Bonner has already founded and
launched, with three other Oregon MBA
students, a gourmet ketchup brand currently
gaining national attention.
“Shepherding the ideas of these
sustainability-minded entrepreneurs has
been, and will continue to be, an immensely
rewarding experience,” Crooke said. “I am so
impressed with the ideas and business plans
these students are bringing to the table.”
innovation
“We set out, ambitiously, to create four
professors of practice, one for each center
of excellence at the college,” Dean Kees
de Kluyver said. “The centers represent
our link to the practical world. This will
be someone who has made a major impact
in his or her field who can tell us what
worked and doesn’t work. In the end, these
individuals help students prepare more
effectively for the real world.”
The Lundquist College found all that and
more in Michael Crooke.
The value of establishing a professor
of practice position extends beyond the
University of Oregon. Embraced by other
state institutions, the professor of practice
The Lundquist College is thrilled to
have Crooke on board and looks forward to
bringing professors of practice to all four
centers. Like the centers of excellence,
professor of practice positions are fully
privately funded.
Said John Hull, executive director of the
Business Innovation Institute and assistant
dean for center operations: “Michael is
here to further distinguish the Oregon
MBA program, add new strengths, and
help differentiate the program, which he
has already begun to accomplish. He will
continue to enlarge our circle of colleagues
and friends of a similar mindset, with
similar goals, to help inspire students,
enhance opportunities for internship
placement, and secure fulfilling careers.”