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If you ask Mary Jo Brandt about Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs and its’ success in the service dog industry, she will tell you, “it’s all about the why.” Finding people’s ‘why’ and strategically placing them in roles that drive the organizational mission and vision is what she does… and she does it very well. Industry Era has recently recognized Mary Jo’s strengths as a COO in their Top Ten COOs of 2022 magazine.
As Chief Operating Officer of one of the largest medical service dog organizations in the country, she is the constant force behind the operational functions of the business and leads the implementation of company strategies that are created by the Executive Team, Founder/CEO, and Board of Directors. She leads with a combination of experience, education, and life skills that she has honed over the past two decades.
“Having worked in the fast-paced, constantly changing industry of newspaper advertising and graphic design has been foundational in my extensive career experience,” Brandt stated. She recognizes the importance of strategy and leads the team with the company goals and mission in mind.
Being responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization and ensuring that all of the systems, resources, and people are in place to achieve the goals is her primary function. If that isn’t enough, let’s talk about growth…Mary Jo also holds a crucial position in the future of the organization as Guardian Angels is expanding to 2 new campuses breaking ground in the next 18 – 24 months, with the potential of 3 more coming in the next 5 – 7 years. The oversight of the construction of those 20 million-dollar campuses will fall within her realm of responsibility. She is up to the challenge and embraces growth as part of her role.
Her foundational experience is enhanced by her education. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Northern Illinois University, and her Master of Business Administration from Colorado Technical University. She is also a recipient of the 2023 Patriot Scholarship from Colorado Technical University, enabling her to pursue a doctorate in Change Management. It was her passion for the cause that brought her to the organization in the first place as a volunteer. She grew from that role to eventually become a voting member of the Board of Directors and now sits as the COO.
With the expansion of the Guardian Angels brand to include the Borden Institute of Higher Learning and the Borden Veterinary Hospital, she has her work cut out for her. If there is one thing you can be sure of, Mary Jo will welcome the challenges and drive the mission to success.
