Smart’s CI connections pay off for Intelligence Studies students

Lindy Smart made a name for herself in the field of competitive intelligence long before assuming her post as executive director of the Department of Intelligence Studies at Mercyhurst University last spring. 

So it was not totally unexpected when three of her colleagues embraced the opportunity to enable Intelligence Studies students to attend the upcoming virtual conference, “Foresight Now: Harness the Future,” sponsored by the Council of Competitive Intelligence Fellows.

At first, Smart said, a colleague offered to pay the fees for 10 students to attend. Shortly after, two other colleagues stepped up to cover 20 more. “They aren’t doing this for any other university intelligence program, so I am really grateful that they have chosen to give our Mercyhurst students this opportunity,” she added.

Smart’s career with Fortune 500 Target Corp. began in 2011, soon after earning her master’s degree in Applied Intelligence from Mercyhurst. As a corporate security analyst, she distinguished herself by establishing Target’s omnichannel fraud investigations program and became known across the industry as a subject matter expert for omnichannel and mobile gift card fraud.

By 2018, at the age of 33, she was named director of competitive intelligence for the Minneapolis-based retailer, where she was responsible for overseeing intelligence operations affecting its 1,926 U.S. stores.

The Sept. 14-15 conference will delve into the current business and political environments that are evolving through a climate of rapid change and uncertainty, and how, armed with foresight, professionals can effectively manage change as well as anticipate and prepare for change.

“This event gives our students access to thought-provoking content, to intelligence professionals, and insight into careers they may not have even known possible,” Smart said.