An engineer by training and a businessman by trade, Frank Little is executive vice president of 3M’s Safety and Graphics Business Group. Many of the more than 15,000 products the business produces and sells around the world help keep workers safe and secure, brighten our roadways and protect our homes and work environments.
Frank joined 3M almost 15 years ago, leading research and development for the electronics and communications markets. Since that time, he has steadily gained responsibility and, in 2008, became managing director of 3M Korea, helping that business grow through a period of worldwide economic turmoil.
After three years in that position, Frank moved back to the U.S. to lead the Personal Safety Division. More than a year ago, he became executive vice president of the Safety and Graphics Business Group. As a leader, he says, it’s important to him to “walk the talk.”
“You need to have people see your direct personal involvement in what you’re asking for and what you want to do,” Frank says. “It makes our work less theoretical and more about having a real customer impact.”
And he’s not just talking about the business world. When he’s not in his St. Paul office, Frank is running a small farm in Oregon, the produce from which goes directly to the Oregon Food Bank in Portland. He’s also involved with the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and keeps busy no matter the season with golf and ice skating.