Grace, Gratitude and Giving Next Level Leader

In this episode, host Craig Pratt talks with Jeff Mader about his life, career, and motivations. 
Jeff Mader retired at the beginning of 2023 from the CIO position at Sun Country Airlines. Jeff started working in IT in 1980. Most significant was his nearly twenty-
four years at Target where he progressed to a senior level VP reporting to the CIO.
Jeff also served as the first CIO of Imagine Companies prior to joining Sun Country
Airlines. He has significant background in retail, transportation, and manufacturing.
Jeff received his BS degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato majoring in
Computer Science, Finance, and Business Management. He received his MBA from
University of St Thomas and completed a Mini-Master of Information Technology also
at the University of St Thomas.
Jeff’s signature strengths are developing IT leaders, improving IT performance, IT cost
rationalization, and business and IT strategy development. Jeff is widely regarded as
a top IT leader that has helped to develop many of the people who are currently in
executive level IT positions today.

Jeff is a very active volunteer leader in the battle against cancer. He chairs the MN
Chapter of the American Cancer Society and is co-founder and chair of CIOs Against
Cancer. CIOs Against Cancer mission is to fund early stage cancer researchers who
have been vetted by the American Cancer Society.

Jeff formerly served on the board of United Through Reading, a non-profit
organization that supports deployed military families by helping deployed Moms and
Dads read bedtime stories to their children at home. He was the board chair for a
term. His 12 year tenure on the board concluded at the end of 2021.

Jeff lives in Prior Lake, MN with his wife Judy and enjoys boating, hiking, hunting, and
anything outdoors. They have one son, Sam who is a medical device engineer working
at Boston Scientific.