Latest news with #MaryHagen
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mary Hagen honored with Key to the City for life-saving efforts on an infant
Jun. 2—A person could learn CPR and go their entire life without using it, but in those rare situations where it's required it's life-impacting. During its meeting Monday night, the Austin City Council honored Mary Hagen for just that, when she used her CPR training to save an infant who wasn't breathing just under a month ago. The deed also invited a presentation of the Key to City by Mayor Steve King. Hagen and her family were at her grandson's youth flag football game three weeks ago when they were alerted by a mother's distressed cries that her one-year-old was in distress. Hagen told the board and those in attendance during the meeting that the baby was not breathing nor could a pulse be found. "I performed CPR and the first responders showed up shortly after," Hagen said, recounting that first responders were able to discover a pulse after arriving. "Thankfully the baby was in mom's arms by the time the ambulance got there," Hagen continued. Hagen, who used to teach CPR and who has known it for 50 years, said after the meeting that the entire incident happened very quickly. It was just a moment of falling back on what she knew. "You just go and do your thing and until it's done and you know that they are up in the ambulance ... then you think, 'oh my gosh. What just happened?'" Hagen said. "You get in the moment and do what you've been trained to do." Throughout all the years that Hagen has taught CPR, Hagen said she has used parts of the CPR process, however, this is the first time she's used it on an infant. Hagen added that she was able to meet with the mother not long after at another game and was happy to see the child recovering. "It was nice to see her and it was nice to see the baby there," Hagen said. "Hopefully he's still doing fine."
Forbes
14-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How A CEO Who Travels Half The Year Stays Productive Anywhere
Tips from a travel pro. Mary Hagen is on the road nearly 50% of the year. As CEO of Colossal—the nation's leading nationally registered professional fundraiser—she's built a company that's raised more than $175 million for nonprofits through innovative digital campaigns and grown by a staggering 675%. But don't be fooled by her constant out-of-office replies: operations at Colossal run so seamlessly that many don't even realize she's not in the building. 'People often comment on how well the company runs while I'm traveling,' says Hagen. 'It's a compliment, but it's also the result of systems and preparation.' Preparation, in Hagen's case, means checklists. 'I'm a big checklist person, on the road or not,' she says. 'I make a to-do list of things that can be done with or without Wi-Fi—because you never know if the plane Wi-Fi will work.' That foresight allows her to stay productive in flight, often using that time to write, brainstorm, edit, or design anything that doesn't require an internet connection. Hagen's efficiency isn't just reserved for the skies. She's strategic about who joins her on the ground for campaign shoots or nonprofit visits, carefully assembling teams that can execute without redundancy. 'I'm thoughtful about who I bring. I would never take the whole marketing or video crew,' she says. 'It's about dividing up teams in a way that doesn't break stride.' That theme—avoiding broken stride—threads through her entire travel routine. She's a fan of same-day travel whenever possible, opting to fly in and out quickly to maximize time and minimize disruption. 'If I can do it in a day, I will,' she adds. Packing, too, is a model of streamlined thinking. 'I have a go-to travel setup and wardrobe, so I don't have to think about it,' she says. Her travel bag includes duplicates of every essential: chargers for her laptop, phone, Apple Watch—and even hair ties. 'Packing is efficient because I'm always prepared. It makes travel easier and helps me avoid breaking stride.' And while it might seem obvious that a tech-forward fundraising company would be digitally connected, Hagen has made accessibility a cornerstone of her ability to lead from anywhere. 'I can access everything I might need from my phone and laptop,' she says. 'Every doc, presentation, chat, or system we use at Colossal is synced.' She can work from the security line just as effectively as from her desk—and often does. Of course, not everything hinges on her being reachable. 'You have to hire good people you can trust, so when Wi-Fi isn't working on the plane, you know the work is still getting done,' she says. 'If that's not the case, you've got the wrong folks.' Even with all the right systems and tools in place, Hagen knows the human part of leadership still matters. That's why she checks in with her team leads first thing in the morning. 'I let them know where I am and my availability while traveling in case anything comes up,' she says. Importantly, she doesn't let travel knock her off her personal routine. 'I stay at hotels with a gym, and I'll meal prep for trips if I need to,' she says. 'Being on the road can wear you down physically and mentally, so I stay consistent with what keeps me grounded.' And while each trip might be planned with a specific purpose—like overseeing a campaign shoot or meeting with nonprofit partners—Hagen is always looking for ways to maximize her time. 'Wherever I'm going, I look for additional opportunities to cross things off the list,' she says. 'If I'm there anyway, I'll try to attend an event or connect with partners in person.' Her travel may be nonstop, but her mindset is grounded: plan ahead, build the right team, and don't waste a minute. That's how you grow a fundraising powerhouse—one plane ride at a time.
