Alfred Reed

Alfred has managed to pack a broad and versatile range of experiences in an over 25-year career of delivering impactful contributions in leading global corporations, entrepreneurial start-ups, and academia.    Consistent throughout his career has been a focus on entrepreneurship, innovation, and strategic management as critical levers for delivering the next wave of growth and sustainability - whether in small businesses focused on feeding the family, startups focused on disruption, or corporations focused on transformation. 

Prior to Virginia Tech, Alfred served as a Vice President and General Manager at American Express focused on delivering multimillion-dollar B2B growth opportunities within their Global Commercial Services unit.  Previously, Alfred spent 8 years at Bank of America where he served as the Global Head of Innovation in commercial transaction banking.  His corporate career has also included stints in Lowe’s Companies where he led development of a national kitchen and bath renovation program; in Accenture where, as a strategy consultant, he delivered projects in industries ranging from oil and gas to automotive and heavy industrial equipment; and in Mobil Oil Corporation where he began his career as a staff accountant and revenue analyst.

As an entrepreneur from 2001 to 2006, he launched 2 successful Chicago-based small businesses focused on franchise consulting and home improvement general contracting.  He eventually sold the assets of his contracting business and joined Lowe’s Companies to spearhead a similar operation.  Currently, Alfred is coach and advisor to a scalable startup in the personal identity management space. 

Within academia, Alfred completed coursework (ABD) for his doctorate in Entrepreneurship and Strategy at Rutgers University.  He is a passionate advocate for integrative pedagogy and a highly rated instructor. He has taught several capstone sections of Business Policy and Strategy as well as a 2 experiential learning courses where he co-hosted MBA student trips to China and Costa Rica.  For the last 10+ years, Alfred has been reappointed annually to lead entrepreneurship seminars and coach entrepreneurs on business valuation and strategic pricing as part of Rutgers’ Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CUEED).  

Alfred holds an MBA in Strategy and Finance from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Louisiana State University.  He also holds a CPA certification in Texas and a Design Thinking certificate from Harvard University.

He is a husband and a father of teenage twin boys, an absolute college football fanatic, a collector of classic cars, and a consummate woodworker/builder.