Liquid Death CEO to headline UND’s inaugural Middleton Entrepreneurship Symposium
Mike Cessario to share how entertainment-driven branding built a $1.4 billion company
WHO: The UND Middleton School of Entrepreneurship & Management presents Mike Cessario, Founder & CEO of beverage company Liquid Death.
WHAT: The inaugural Middleton Entrepreneurship Symposium, a new series designed to bring leading entrepreneurs and innovators to campus each year.
WHEN: Monday, April 27, 3:30 to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Barry Auditorium, Nistler College of Business & Public Administration
University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. A livestream will also be available, and the event is open to the public.
BACKGROUND:
Hosted by The Middleton School of Entrepreneurship & Management, the symposium was established as an annual event to inspire future entrepreneurs and connect students with leading innovators and business experts.
Cessario will present: “Entertain or Die: Because Boring Brands Die Quiet Deaths.”
In this session, he will share how brands can win by focusing on entertainment over traditional advertising, offering a proven playbook for building fan loyalty, creating compelling content, and capturing attention in a crowded marketplace.
Cessario is the Founder and CEO of Liquid Death, a rapidly growing beverage company valued at $1.4 billion. The brand has gained national attention for blending humor, bold branding and sustainability—turning low-calorie beverages like mountain water, sparkling water and iced tea into a cultural phenomenon through marketing and infinitely recyclable packaging.
“The Nistler College is proud to launch the inaugural Middleton Entrepreneurship Symposium, made possible through the transformational generosity of Tom and Konnie Middleton,” said Patrick O’Neill, Interim Dean of the Nistler College of Business & Public Administration.
“This symposium serves as a powerful launchpad where bold ideas take shape, innovation finds its voice, and students begin to see themselves as future leaders. By engaging directly with high-profile entrepreneurs, students go beyond hearing success stories—they gain the courage, insight, and vision to create their own.”
Under Cessario’s leadership, Liquid Death has earned recognition including TIME100 Next and placement on Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies (#1 in advertising), Bain’s Insurgent Brands and Ad Age’s America’s Hottest Brands. Prior to founding Liquid Death, he held creative leadership roles at agencies including Doner, VaynerMedia, Crispin Porter Bogusky and Humanaut, working with brands such as Netflix, Organic Valley, Domino’s and Toyota.
The event is open to the public and will also be livestreamed.
Event parking will be available in the Burtness Theater and Gustafson Hall parking lots. Signage to those lots will be posted on University Avenue.
The University of North Dakota honored alumni Tom and Konnie Middleton when the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education voted on Jan. 28, 2021, to name the School of Entrepreneurship & Management in their honor.
Tom Middleton, a 1972 UND graduate, grew up in Bowesmont, North Dakota. Konnie Middleton (Peach) graduated from Central High School in Grand Forks and earned her degree in education from UND in 1975. Now retired, the couple resides in Arizona while maintaining a strong and lasting connection to UND and the state.
Their gift established The Middleton School of Entrepreneurship & Management, the first named school within the Nistler College of Business & Public Administration, strengthening UND’s ability to educate future business leaders and entrepreneurs.
