Antoine LaFromboise graduated from the University of Northwestern – St. Paul nearly 15 years ago with a degree in Communication and an emphasis in Public Relations.
“Group assignments … a special from of torture cooked up by teachers ….”?
Antoine Lafromboise ’06
While in college LaFromboise worked at Northwestern for the then Director of Public Relations, Professor Wendi Marshall. He was also able to secure an internship with General Mills. After graduating, LaFromboise worked with Padilla Public Relations for four years before transferring to Target Corporation for four and a half years, working for crisis communication, brand communication and sports communication.
Around that time LaFromboise went back to school to get his MBA in Marketing Communication at the U of M Carlson School of Management. After finishing school and working for a local law firm in their business department, LaFromboise transferred to U.S. Bank working with their digital team. Currently LaFromboise works as the Vice President of Communications at U.S. Bank, working with their app and online banking, striving to make the experience user friendly.
LaFromboise shared how his time at Northwestern started to shape his journey through the work world. Group assignments, something that he admitted could feel like a special form of torture cooked up by teachers, helped frame his entry to the work environment. Instead of looking at others and degrading them for working in different ways, he feels it is important to view them as individuals with unique strengths and different areas to grow. While titles reach a new level of importance in a work environment, LaFromboise reminded that a leadership title is not needed in order to drive a project.
LaFromboise also stressed the importance of trust in a corporate position. Success is dependent on proving to your leaders that you can complete what you have promised when you have said you would deliver. If you are able to prove that you are willing to work hard you can be trusted with more responsibility.
“Be a person your leaders can trust.”
Antoine LaFromboise ’06
When asked what advice he would give to his past self, LaFromboise listed quite a few lessons he has learned throughout the years:
- Build trust
- Don’t repeat the same mistakes
- Internalize feedback
- Be a person people want to be around
- Strive to be focused and positive
- Don’t get pulled into gossip
As you enter your first job on campus, continue at a job that you have had since high school, or start pursing internships, strive to listen to the advice of professors, mentors and alumni. Make connections and form relationships and learn from the valuable insights of those who have already made mistakes or experienced successes.
