CDR Chip Laingen, USN (Ret.)

Chip Laingen has written hundreds of speeches for executives, and high-end marketing content for large and small corporations and non profit organizations.

A 21-year Veteran of the U.S. Navy as an aviator, Commander Laingen was the principal speechwriter for the 70th and 71st Secretaries of the Navy.  During that time he wrote for the President, Secretary of Defense and other agencies.  He also created the first speechwriting class for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Chip Laingen did Ph.D. work in national security at the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy (Tufts), has an M.P.A.  from the Humphrey Institute, and a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Minnesota.  He has been the Communications Director for a high technology firm, Director of the Defense Alliance of Minnesota, President of the Navy League (Twin Cities) and is on the Advisory Board for the Centre for Applied Leadership.

 

 Patria M. Lawton

Pat Lawton has an extensive background in executive level business communications, including marketing, college level instruction, and consulting for Fortune 500 companies.

She has been the Marketing Coordinator for a high technology manufacturing firm, a Professor in Business Communications at the Minnesota School of Business (where she was "Teacher of the Year" in 2009), and Facilitator and Events Coordinator for the Defense Alliance of Minnesota.

Pat Lawton has an M.B.A. from Augsburg College, an M.A. in Communications from Bethel University and a B.A. in Communications and English (with an emphasis in rhetoric) from Gustavus Adolphus College.