Tom MacDonald launches the Fall 2025 Halladay Lecture Series at UVU’s Woodbury School of Business, inspiring students with leadership lessons and career insights.
The fall 2025 Reed and Christine Halladay Executive Lecture Series began with an inspiring session led by Tom MacDonald, Assistant Dean of the Woodbury School of Business and professor for the course.
In this opening lecture, Tom introduced students to the structure of the course while sharing personal insights from his own career journey. His goal? To set the stage for a semester filled with leadership lessons and real-world business wisdom from top executives.
Throughout the semester, students will hear from a different guest speaker each week—industry leaders eager to share invaluable perspectives on business, leadership, and career growth.
One of Tom’s key teaching points was the “Iceberg Illusion”—the idea that the public often sees only the visible tip of success, while the immense effort, sacrifice, and perseverance remain hidden beneath the surface.
To further inspire students, Tom shared a favorite quote from Winston Churchill:
“To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour.”
Tom encouraged students to become both qualified and confident, ready to seize opportunities when they arise—both in their careers and their lives.
We extend a heartfelt thank you to Reed and Christine Halladay for sponsoring this transformative series. We look forward to the powerful lessons each upcoming speaker will bring to the class this semester!
