A practical project manager from Anoka
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 — the kind of work that rarely makes headlines but decides whether an organization runs smoothly.
How his career took shape
Ahadu began his professional career in February 1998 at Target Corporation in Minneapolis as an operations analyst and project support specialist. He prepared management reports, tracked department activities, kept project records and supported internal planning. The role introduced him to the daily operations of a large company: many departments, competing deadlines, and small problems that could quietly delay a project.
In June 2004 he joined U.S. Bank in Minneapolis as a project coordinator, organizing schedules, tracking tasks and keeping communication flowing between departments. He moved into a project manager position in January 2008, taking responsibility for larger internal projects, technology updates and changes to administrative procedures, and keeping work inside its approved scope and timeline.
In August 2012 he joined Medtronic in Fridley as a project manager in operational excellence. For nearly eight years he reviewed how teams completed their daily work, looked for delays and unnecessary steps, and helped employees adjust to improved procedures. Since March 2020 he has been a Senior Project Manager in Business Operations at UnitedHealth Group, where he manages schedules, coordinates people from different departments, reviews risks, reports progress to management, and supports the introduction of new business systems. The full role-by-role history is on the experience page.
What he believes about managing projects
After nearly three decades in business operations, Ahadu considers communication one of the most important parts of the job. People should understand what needs to be done, who is responsible, and when the work is expected to be finished. He prefers planning and preparation over last-minute decisions, and he would rather raise a small issue early than let it grow into a larger delay.
He also accepts that plans change. A good project manager, in his view, keeps the team informed when they do, adjusts the schedule honestly, and helps people through the transition instead of pretending nothing has moved. His wider project management approach follows from that.
Education rooted in the northern suburbs
Ahadu graduated from Anoka High School in 1992. He earned an Associate of Arts degree from Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids in 1994, then completed a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Metropolitan State University in Saint Paul in December 1997. Read more on the education page.
Life outside the office
Ahadu lives in Anoka and has strong ties to the northern Twin Cities suburbs. He plays recreational golf at Green Haven Golf Course, has played tennis since his school years, and cycles and walks along the Rum River when Minnesota weather allows. He reads about business management, leadership and personal finance, and enjoys visiting local restaurants and small businesses around Anoka County. More on his community and interests.
People who work with him tend to describe the same traits: organized, patient and dependable, comfortable with people from different backgrounds, and happy to share what he has learned.
What comes next
Ahadu plans to keep managing business operations and technology projects while spending more time on mentoring and writing. He wants to help people understand what the job really involves, from organizing a first project to leading teams and handling difficult decisions. He is also developing The Steady Progress Podcast, a series of practical conversations about work, leadership and career growth, and he writes about project management on his blog.
