Ahadu Asres Legesse is a senior project manager based in Anoka, Minnesota, with more than 28 years of experience in business operations, project coordination, and process improvement. His career has been centered in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area, where he has worked in retail, financial services, medical technology, and healthcare.His work focuses on keeping projects organized, helping departments work together, and making sure teams have the information and resources they need. Over the years, he has managed projects involving business systems, internal procedures, and changes to daily operations.
Education and Early Career
Ahadu graduated from Anoka High School in 1992. He went on to attend Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids, earning an Associate of Arts degree in 1994. He later transferred to Metropolitan State University in Saint Paul, where he completed his bachelor's degree in business administration in December 1997.In February 1998, Ahadu began his professional career at Target Corporation in Minneapolis as an operations analyst and project support specialist. His responsibilities included preparing management reports, tracking department activities, maintaining project records, and supporting internal planning.This position introduced him to the daily operations of a large company. He gained experience working with different departments, managing competing deadlines, and identifying problems that could delay a project.
Professional Experience in the Twin Cities
In June 2004, Ahadu joined U.S. Bank in Minneapolis as a project coordinator. He was responsible for organizing project schedules, tracking assigned tasks, preparing updates, and coordinating communication between departments.He moved into a project manager position in January 2008, taking responsibility for larger internal projects. His work included planning technology updates, managing changes to administrative procedures, and making sure projects stayed within their approved scope and timelines.In August 2012, Ahadu accepted a project management position at Medtronic in Fridley, Minnesota. Over the next seven years, he worked on projects involving internal operations, business procedures, and department coordination. Much of his work involved reviewing how teams completed their daily tasks and finding ways to reduce delays or unnecessary steps.
Since March 2020, Ahadu has worked as a Senior Project Manager in Business Operations at UnitedHealth Group in the Twin Cities area. He manages project schedules, coordinates employees from different departments, reviews potential risks, and reports progress to management.He also supports the introduction of new business systems and procedures. This includes planning implementation schedules, addressing problems during transitions, and helping teams adjust to changes in their work.After nearly three decades in business operations, Ahadu considers communication one of the most important parts of his job. He believes people should understand what needs to be done, who is responsible, and when the work is expected to be completed.
Personal Life and Interests
Ahadu lives in Anoka, Minnesota, and has strong ties to the northern Twin Cities suburbs. Outside of work, he enjoys golf, tennis, cycling, and spending time outdoors.He regularly plays recreational golf at Green Haven Golf Course in Anoka. He enjoys the challenge of improving his game and the opportunity to spend time with friends away from work. Tennis has also been a longtime interest, dating back to his school years.Ahadu enjoys walking along the Rum River and visiting parks and local businesses throughout Anoka County. He also reads about business management, leadership, and personal finance.
Professional Goals and Future Projects
Ahadu is interested in sharing his experience with professionals entering project management. He wants to help people understand the responsibilities of the job, from organizing their first project to managing teams and handling difficult decisions.He is also developing The Steady Progress Podcast, a planned series covering project management, professional development, and lessons from working in large organizations. The podcast will focus on practical topics such as managing deadlines, improving workplace communication, and dealing with unexpected problems.As he looks ahead, Ahadu plans to continue his work in project management while spending more time on mentoring, writing, and personal projects. He remains based in Anoka and continues to maintain professional and community connections throughout Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and the surrounding Twin Cities area.
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