After 10 years at IBM, Conrades got a sales management position in Chicago and inherited the company's fifth largest account, Sears, Roebuck & Co.
In 1971, he entered for the Executive MBA Program North America at Booth. The program provided broad perspectives of business.
The MBA helped Conrades to make a good career at IBM. He took top management positions at IBM for more than two decades. Conrades advanced to the rank of senor vice president and member of the Corporate Management Board. But by late 1980s, IBM faced contest in technological businesses. In 1992, Conrades left his top management position.