Interview Tips with Clinical Professor Carter Cast '92

Professor Cast has been hiring MBAs for many years. Whether it's a large consumer products company like Frito-Lay or a smaller nimble start up like Blue Nile, Carter has seen a broad array of industries, with companies both small and large. Join the CMC as we host Carter Cast to share his interview insights.

Carter Cast, a clinical professor at the Kellogg School of Management and also a venture partner at Pritzker Group Venture Capital, has played a pivotal role in building multiple iconic consumer brands. Carter started as a marketing manager at PepsiCo, working for the company's international food service division. He moved to the Frito-Lay division, where he led the development of Tostitos Scoops! Tortilla Chips as well as the development and launch of Tostitos salsas and dips. Upon leaving PepsiCo, Carter joined Electronic Arts, where he served as vice president of product marketing and marketing communications, launching products like The Sims. He left Electronic Arts to become the founding chief marketing officer of Blue Nile, which became the leading seller of diamonds and fine jewelry on the internet. Carter later went to Walmart, where he became the CEO of Walmart.com, leading the division to become the third-highest volume retailer behind Amazon and eBay.

In 2011, Carter joined the faculty of Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, where he teaches entrepreneurship, leadership and marketing and works on Kellogg's leadership initiative. Carter has received the Impact Award from his students each year from 2012-2017 and received the Sidney J. Levy award for teaching excellence in 2018. He has presented the end-of-year Nota Bene address to graduating students, and was one of five professors nominated for Professor of the Year in 2015 and in 2018.

In addition to teaching at Kellogg, Carter is a venture partner for Pritzker Group Venture Capital, where he assesses potential investments and advises portfolio companies. Carter sits on the boards of Kellogg Company, SMS Assist and the Family Action Network. Carter is also the author of an award-winning book, The Right (and Wrong) Stuff: How Brilliant Careers are Made - and Unmade, which was released by PublicAffairs, a division of Hachette Book Group, in January, 2018. Business Insider called it "one of 17 must-read books for 2018."