Published: May 23, 2016

charlie neiman alumWhen Charlie Neiman (’09) graduated from CU-Boulder, he didn’t predict that he’d soon be the Director of Sales for one of the fastest growing learning technology providers in the world. In fact, when he came to the university, he had no idea at all that he’d study International Affairs and become fluent in Spanish.

Neiman took several economic and Spanish classes at CU-Boulder. On the advice of his advisor, he declared an International Affairs major and immediately connected to his new program. He enjoyed his introductory classes, but wasn’t sure what he would do with his degree. Then, during his junior year, Neiman enrolled in a class that would guide him on his future path.

“I took International Economics and Policy, with Prof. Robert McNown, and he related the history of global economics to the Wizard of Oz,” explains Neiman, “He discussed how the yellow brick road was symbolism for the Gold Standard Act, and also how the Tin Man represented the industrial revolution.”

For Neiman, that class was the starting point on his journey where everything clicked into place for him, and he concentrated on studying international economics, development, and Spanish. After graduation, he sharpened his language proficiency by moving to Malaga, Spain and teaching English as a second language. Additionally, he worked within a Spanish government grant program to further English speaking skills and boost employment in the region. Eventually, Neiman returned to the United States to build a career in international trade. As an Air Export Account Representative with Expeditors International, he worked directly with US Customs, the US Census Bureau, and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that clients had safe and compliant supply chains worldwide.

Today, Neiman lives in San Francisco, California, and is the Director of Sales for Litmos, a learning management system powered by CallidusCloud. He helps support millions of users in 130 countries and in 22 languages. When not in the office, he enjoys running the Golden Gate Half-Marathon, visiting new places abroad, and planning trips back to Colorado. Now, Neiman may live 1,250 miles away and down the yellow brick road, but he is a proud Forever Buff that calls Colorado home.