A strategic leader, Nancy Dahl is focused on partnerships, growth, and engagement
Dunwoody College of Technology, a private, non-profit institution and pioneer in technical education, today announces that Nancy M. Dahl, Chief Executive Officer of IQ Strategic Partners, has been appointed Chair of the Dunwoody Board of Trustees.
Dahl, who was elected during the October Board of Trustees meeting, takes over for Mark Sherry, past Chair, and Executive Vice President of M.A. Mortenson Company and President of Mortenson Development, Inc.
“I am excited to lead Dunwoody College during a period of strategic growth and opportunity,” Dahl said. “The higher education landscape is changing, and Dunwoody’s commitment to training the next generation of doers, collaborators, and problem-solvers is critical to our State and economy. I want to use my experience and connections to build strategic partnerships and engagement that will benefit the students and the industries who need their talents.”
An experienced leader with nearly four decades of experience, Dahl’s career has spanned industries ranging from consumer goods and services to construction and building products. She has extensive board experience, including as the lead chair on the Knutson Construction board, a $400 million, family-owned business.
In her professional role as CEO and Managing Partner of IQ Strategic Partners, Dahl helps boards and leaders focus on what it takes to grow, engage, and accelerate momentum in today’s dynamic marketplace. She has served on the Dunwoody Board since 2013, taking on the roles of Board Governance Chair from 2014 to 2017, and Vice Chair from 2020 to 2022.
“Nancy’s extensive experience and demonstrated ability to help organizations grow and innovate a great match for Dunwoody’s strategic vision,” Dunwoody President Rich Wagner said. “I look forward to working with Nancy, as Dunwoody focuses on the future and the critical skills gap facing our community and industries we serve.”
In addition to Knutson Construction, Dahl currently serves on four additional corporate boards, including Park Industries, EDCO, Collective Measures, and Dalsin.
At Knutson, Dahl’s leadership has been instrumental in developing the strategic oversight and governance for the board and alignment with the management team to execute and deliver results. At EDCO enterprises, a $100+ million manufacturing company, Dahl currently serves as chair following a position as interim CEO during a critical transition. Her focus is on board development, and aligning board operations for future strategic growth of both the organization and the leadership team.
Dahl has extensive experience assessing growth opportunities, assisting transitions to build momentum, and helping organizations align resources to build agility, capacity, and capability.
Her leadership has been recognized with numerous awards and distinctions, including: “Outstanding Corporate Director;” The Business Journal’s “Top 25 Women to Watch;” and “Women who Lead.” As an expert commentator on leading innovation and transformative change, she has been a featured TEDx speaker and contributed to NBC, ABC, and the Business Journals. Dahl is also an award-winning author of “GROUNDED – leading your life with intention.”
Dahl has a Masters of Business from the University of St. Thomas, a Bachelor’s of Arts in Business and Communications from Gustavus Adolphus College, and is a graduate of the Minnesota Executive Program from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She is also a certified Advanced Board Fellow from the National Association of Corporate Directors.
Prior to her role at IQ Strategic Partners, Dahl served as President, COO, and various executive roles at companies, including: Lifetouch, Cambria, Nordicware, Tastefully Simple, and Minnesota Mutual (now Securian).
ABOUT DUNWOODY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
Founded in 1914, Dunwoody College of Technology is the only private, not-for-profit technical college in the Upper Midwest. Having provided hands-on, applied technical education to more than 250,000 individuals, Dunwoody is the college for experimenters and makers, a place where the curious and the confident learn by doing. Located in Minneapolis, Dunwoody offers a unique campus experience in dedicated labs, studios, and shops that treats students like future professionals from day one. With certificates, associate’s, and bachelor’s degrees in more than 46 majors – including engineering, robotics, design and other STEM-related fields – Dunwoody challenges students to come determined and graduate destined. More information on Dunwoody can be found at www.dunwoody.edu or by following Dunwoody on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.