Brian Gettelfinger: 2023 Early Career Award recipient

Brian Gettelfinger
PhDChE ’09 (BSChE ’04, University of Minnesota)
Director of work process transformation and digital activation, Procter & Gamble

Brian is a chemical engineer who leverages data science and business intelligence in developing successful consumer products and transforming work processes.

How did your experience in the College of Engineering influence your career path?

An alum I knew as a student came back on a recruiting trip for P&G. He had a layout of all the products P&G made, and I saw that I had used 70% of them that day. I got really deep into some of the rheology, chemistry and fundamental material stuff that was interwoven into these products—and what was doubly exciting is I have always been a very heavy applied math guy. Madison was extremely good at training me in those things, and P&G had a heavy emphasis on that as a way that work needed to be done.

How has your engineering education enabled your success?

It got me in the door and doing work that was readily transferable across pretty much everything that P&G did. That made me technically prepared to contribute to any process and manufacturing problems. And on the foundation that Professor Bird and others built at Wisconsin, understanding which problem can be solved, and identifying the right problem to be solved, was really critical when I transitioned from process work and into product design and consumer research work.

Give us a few highlights of your professional career.

I started in R&D process, like modeling and simulation, and that got me really interested in a wide variety of businesses. I moved into product design roles in paper products and worked on sustainable consumer products, and tried to deliver our products in the most environmentally conscious way possible. I led a small team that overhauled the way we did our consumer analytics in that business, then I shifted to understanding end- to-end analytics. I managed a computational chemistry group where we broadened R&D reach into the day-to-day deliverables and in the product development workflow. Now I’m the director of work process transformation in healthcare. It’s a very important category for consumers and we have to meet their needs very quickly. If we want to win, we got to give them really good products, we have to be 100% compliant, and we have to do it faster than we ever have in the past. It’s a lot of fun.

Of what professional accomplishment are you most proud?

I have hired five different people, and I’ve gotten five or 10 more promoted. The thing I’m most proud of is positioning talented people so that work they do and the work they’re passionate about can make a difference to the organization and the consumers we serve. And not only are they doing that work, but they’re actually getting recognized for it.

What do you like best?

Winter or summer?
Summer—Bratfest.

Fun on the Terrace or fun on Lake Mendota?
Terrace; that is another 100% Answer.

Sweet Caroline or Jump Around?
Jump Around

Bascom Hill or Observatory Hill?
Oh, boy. That’s hard. I’m going to say Bascom.

Arboretum or Picnic Point?
Arboretum. I did have my stuff stolen. I parked at the entrance and I went on a run there one weekend and had my window broken out by the time I got back. Still a great place to go for a run.

Orange custard chocolate chip or anything else?
Another flavor. I know this is kind of basic, but there’s a really good mint chocolate chip.