MBA Alumni Profiles
Stephanie Andrews, MBA 2003
Catherine Crain, MBA
1993
Gary Crum, MBA 1972
Jason
Downie, MBA 1999
Adam Evans, MBA 2001
Ken Foote, MBA 1978
Raj Gilda, MBA 2001
Anne Glover, MBA 1986
David Hendrix, MBA 1997
Marissa Jarratt, MBA 2004
Kim Matthews, MBA 2003
Jay Manickam, MBA 2004
Kathleen Motheral, MBA 2007
David Naismith, MBA 1999
Jim Nolen, MBA 1976
Chris Spahr and Anne Bordonaro, MBAs 2002
Ron Steinhart, MBA 1963
Jason Watkins, MBA 1996
Jim Zook, MBA 2001
Stephanie Andrews, MBA 2003
Executive MBA Alumni Join Forces with MMA Network.
AT&T isn’t the only organization doing some strategic merging these
days. Stephanie Andrews, a 2003 graduate of the Texas Executive MBA
program and executive director of AT&T’s call center technology and
operations support group, is leading the integration of the McCombs
School’s Executive MBA alumni organization with the broader McCombs
MBA Alumni (MMA) Network.
As board president of the Executive MBA alumni organization, Andrews
believes it’s a collaboration whose time has come. “We want it to be
more than just inviting each other to our separate events,” she
says. “We’re looking to have more synergy and are exploring
opportunities to combine forces.”
The Executive MBA alumni organization has been in existence for
about 12 years and has hosted a variety of continuing education
programs, including an annual business seminar for the last 10
years. If the two groups work together, it will result in a boost in
networking power, bringing the alumni database to more than 15,000.
The rebranding of the school’s entire portfolio of MBA programs led
to the cooperative effort, as well as the realization that a Texas
MBA is the same degree whether it is earned in an executive program
or in the full-time program. Indeed, if you talk to any executive
MBA alumnus/alumna, he or she is bound to mention the same
advantages of the degree that accrue to those in the full-time
program.
Andrews’ story is similar to that of countless other Texas alumni.
“I began in a technical role with Southwestern Bell, but when I
moved into a position with a more operational focus, I felt I needed
a different perspective.” Her employer supported Andrews’ pursuit of
the educational program that would both challenge her professionally
and benefit the company.
When she was contemplating a graduate education to supplement her
undergraduate degree in computer science, her boss called the MBA a
“magic decoder ring.” She has found that to be a fitting analogy.
“The degree has given me a greater appreciation for all areas of the
business, but especially finance,” Andrews says. “It has brought a
lot of rigor to my thinking. I learned to question everything and
try to see things from multiple perspectives before making a
commitment to a position. I’m a lot more well rounded and objective
now.”
As a leader, she has also attempted to bring that strategic mindset
to her whole organization. And now, along with the leadership of the
MMA Network, she’s set to apply the lessons of B-school to the
school itself.
Catherine Crain, MBA ’93
Catherine Crain hadn’t planned on making a career in finance after
graduating with a B.A. in Plan II from UT. But she did know she
wanted to move to New York City. There she began working as a
financial analyst, which would prompt her interest in returning to
Texas and UT to pursue an MBA in finance.
Upon receiving her MBA in 1993, Catherine began working at Fayez
Sarofim & Co. in Houston, as a research analyst. She continues
working there today as a portfolio manager. Her loyalty to McCombs,
like that of her dedication to her employer, has remained strong
since she graduated.
Starting in 1994 when the MBA Investment Fund was just launching,
Catherine was asked if she would like to participate as an
investment counselor.
“I had just gotten out of school and was beginning to practice money
management,” Crain says.” “This was a great way to maintain my ties
with school.”
For the next ten years, Crain participated with the fund, watching
it gain steam and credibility and getting just as much out of the
experience as she gave.
“Hearing the students give their pitches and analysis helped me to
grow as an investment professional,” Crain says, “And from a
recruiting perspective, it was also beneficial to interact with
students and see if there was interest in Fayez Sarofim.”
At least six students who worked on the MBA Investment Fund now work
at the same company as Crain.
Today, the MBA Investment Fund is valued at more than $13 million.
And Crain, who is no longer an investment counselor, still makes
trips from Houston to campus. Since 2004, she has been a member of
the McCombs Advisory Council, and she also enjoys returning for
football games with her family.
Gary Crum, MBA 1972
He started following markets in high school, after his dad bought
stocks for him in his name. Thus began Gary Crum’s enthusiasm for
investment and finance—an interest that would prompt him to start
his own company just four years after receiving his MBA in 1972.
Along with Ted Bauer and fellow McCombs MBA Bob Graham, Gary left
his job to co-found Houston-based AIM Management Group in 1976.
“At the time,” he says, “We had no clue the company would become as
successful as it is today. We just didn’t agree with the management
philosophy of our employer and wanted the satisfaction of running
our own company.”
AIM Management’s merger with Invesco in 1997 led to the formation of
a new parent company, AMVESCAP. AMVESCAP grew to become one of the
largest independent global investment management firms.
In 2003, Crum retired from his post as CEO and director of
investments for AIM Capital Management. Today, Crum remains busy. He
deems education a worthy investment and has dedicated himself to
furthering those endeavors, particularly for minority students,
through the CFP Foundation, of which he serves as president.
“While at AIM, I noticed there wasn’t enough minority talent moving
up through the educational system. We recognized early on that for
somebody to survive the system and make it through college and
beyond, it starts early. Through the foundation, we try to support
organizations providing educational training for minorities from
elementary through higher ed.”
Crum’s educational interests have led him to serve on a number of
related boards. He currently is half-way through his term as Chair
for McCombs’ Advisory Council, is a member of the UT MBA Investment
Fund Board of Directors, and served on the Commission of 125. He is
also involved with his undergraduate alma mater, Southern Methodist
University (SMU), serving on the Board of Trustees for that school
as well as SMU’s Cox School of Business.
But it isn’t all work and no play for Gary.
“At AIM, Ted Bauer always said ‘we need to have a little fun
everyday’ so I try,” says Crum who might be on his way to a golf
lesson, bird hunting in south Texas, fly-fishing, oil painting, wood
carving, or spending time in the Colorado outdoors with his wife and
three children—who he incidentally, as his father did for him,
introduced them to the financial markets and the world of
investments.
Jason
Downie, MBA 1999
Jason Downie, MBA 1999, was recently voted chair-elect of the
McCombs MBA Alumni Network Advisory Board. He’s eagerly looking
forward to taking on a larger role with the organization. “I’m very
excited about the prospects of the McCombs Alumni Network,” he said.
“Through the leadership of a host of able people, we’ve created a
strong foundation, and we’re finally in the position to fulfill our
mission of being one of the leading alumni groups in the country.”
Jason has been an active member of the board for the past four
years, serving as the chair of the Alumni Giving Committee and as an
at-large member. He plans to spend time with each committee during
his term to help where needed. “We will all benefit from a better
McCombs,” he said. “I think it’s imperative that we give back in
whatever way we can.”
As a partner at HM Capital since 2000, Jason has been closely
involved with the firm’s most recent investments in BlackBrush
Energy, Inc. He is currently involved as a director of BlackBrush,
TexStar Field Services, and Regency Energy Partners. Prior to
joining HM, Downie was an associate with Rice Sangalis Toole &
Wilson, a mezzanine private equity firm based in Houston. Before
pursuing his MBA in 1997, he was employed by Donaldson, Lufkin &
Jenrette for five years.
In addition to his MBA, Jason has a McCombs BBA-Real Estate degree.
He lives in Dallas with his wife Berkeley and their four children,
Sam, Michael, Malcolm, and Vivian.
Adam
Evans, MBA 2001
Many students find inspiration for future careers through professors
or courses, but McCombs MBA alumnus Adam Evans found it on a trip to
the other side of the world.
Recently, Adam and his wife, fellow McCombs MBA alumnus Kirsten
Evans, spent a year in Prague in the Czech Republic as a part of the
Short Term International Rotation (STIR) Program for GE Consumer
Finance. While there, Adam helped launch GE’s first co-branded
credit card with ElectroWorld, a large electronics retailer.
Adam credits an experience provided by McCombs for his interest in
this program. “A trip to Thailand while I was at McCombs first
sparked my interest in international business. If not for that
experience, I probably would not have considered going to the Czech
Republic, which was a wonderful experience for my family, and has
helped me expand my career options.”
Adam has been working for GE since his graduation in 2001. He began
in their Marketing Leadership Program, and has subsequently handled
the life-cycle (enhancement of consumer usage) of the JCPenney
account for three years.
Since Adam’s stay in Prague, he has moved from GE Consumer Finance’s
life-cycle management to the acquisitions department and is now
working on the Sam’s Club account. He and his family are in the
process of moving to Bentonville, AR, where Sam’s Club has its home
office.
Find out more information on the McCombs Global Connections or
sponsor international activities as a corporation or individual.
Ken Foote,
MBA 1978
After graduating from McCombs in 1978, Ken Foote took an unusual career path for an MBA. But then again, Foote isn’t your typical businessman.
Foote spent his childhood enamored by radio and television. He has carried this passion his entire life, getting his bachelor’s degree in radio-television-film at Southern Methodist University after working as a radio disc jockey through high school and college. Today, the current president of the new Fort Worth Chapter of the MBA Alumni Network works as director of programming at KTVT and KTXA, the CBS owned and operated stations in Dallas/Fort Worth.
"As a young person, my dream was to be either a major radio personality in a big market or the host/announcer on CBS Television’s The Price Is Right,” Foote said. “Once you’re infected by the media business, you are so for life."
Eventually he realized he wanted to work on the management side of the media, which led him to business school. Foote was drawn to The University of Texas at Austin because of its "stellar reputation" and Dean George Kozmetsky's desire to always improve.
"Dean Kozmetzky was so ahead of his time," Foote said. "He always said, 'We can always do better,' and that goal is still there."
While his cohorts were pursuing MBAs to enter commercial banking, finance, and oil & gas, Foote intended all along to continue working in the media. Despite that field being an industry that typically doesn’t recruit MBAs, Foote began working with the Gulf Broadcast Group, first in sales and corporate finance and later, as a program director with the company’s CBS affiliate in Phoenix. From there, he worked as director of programming for various stations in Dallas/Fort Worth before assuming his current position in 2004.
With a job that often keeps him at the station until after the 6:00 pm newscasts, it hadn’t been easy for him to maneuver through rush hour traffic to attend Dallas Chapter events. That’s just one of the reasons Foote is excited about heading up a Fort Worth Chapter. He says there are enough Longhorn alumni in the area to benefit from another chapter. The first event will be a winter reception on January 29 at the Fort Worth Club. A faculty speaking event is planned for the spring.
In addition to participating with the Fort Worth Chapter, Foote stays connected with McCombs by attending the annual MBA Alumni Business Conference every March. He refers to those conferences as excellent and inspiring career development events.
And each time he’s back at McCombs, he’s encouraged by the students that call or have called the school home.
"When I attend alumni events, I see some of the youngest, sharpest men and women," Foote said. "I am so impressed with quality and caliber of the MBAs that are coming out of UT today and the things that Dean Gau has done for the school."
Raj Gilda,
MBA 2001
Raj Gilda and his wife Sunanda Mane grew up in small villages in
India where opportunity is as sparse as the shade trees and watering
holes. It was only through the attention and help of others that
they escaped the fate of many a rural Indian child and achieved the
current level of success they now enjoy.
Now, they feel, it’s time to give back.
Three years ago, with a mere $500 pooled by five friends, Gilda and
Mane launched Lend-A-Hand-India, a non-profit organization that
calls them back every six months to the Western Indian state of
Maharashtra to be the force that lifts up the next generation of
disadvantaged children.
Working with existing non-profit organizations on the ground in
India, Gilda and Mane are bringing their unique skills—Gilda in
business strategy and marketing, Mane in social services and
operations—to grow programs that have already proven successful on a
small scale. Their most ambitious goal is a project, called Plan
100, aimed at equipping 20,000 girls and boys from 100 high schools
in rural India with job and life skills by the year 2008.
Lend-A-Hand’s most recent fund-raising event was Gilda’s “Run for a
Dream,” NY marathon run on Nov. 5, 2006. Visit
www.lend-a-hand-india.org to find out how he fared in the race and
what fundraisers are coming up next.
Anne
Glover, MBA 1986
When David Glover (BBA ’80) retired from a successful career in real
estate, his wife Anne (BBA ’81, MBA ’86) decided to put her MBA to
work and build a business. After nine months of researching
start-ups and franchises, Anne discovered and jumped on a franchise
opportunity—Massage Envy, a nationwide chain of membership-based
massage therapy clinics much like a health club.
“We wanted to get her [Anne’s] UT MBA back into action and we liked
the business model found in Massage Envy," said David. She found out
about the opportunity and within two weeks she was choosing
locations for the first of her now four stores.”
Those locations, along with good therapists, have been key to their
success. Her River Oaks and Galleria stores are currently No. 1 and
No. 2 in the city among all Massage Envy franchises in number of
massages given and total store revenue, and are nationally ranked in
the top ten. And she is about to open one more store.
Another key to her success has been latching onto an industry that
is experiencing high national growth (Massage Envy just got rated
one of the top five retail concepts in the United States by the
International Council of Shopping Centers). Fourteen percent of
Fortune 500 companies now offer massage as an employee benefit,
while individual consumers spend between $5 and $7 billion annually
on massage therapy.
“The franchise concept is perfect for a budding entrepreneur,” Anne
said. “Because you’re putting your name, money and reputation at
risk an upcoming franchise with a solid business model is a less
risky endeavor. You can really be involved in the growth phase, but
it probably has a reputation somewhere that helps you hedge your
bets a little.”
As to advice for new entrepreneurs? “Find something you’re
interested in,” said Anne, a self-proclaimed massage junkie. “You
need to make certain it’s a business you’re interested in and can be
excited about.”
And don’t be afraid to go back to the books.
“I couldn’t have done this without the business discipline I learned
at UT and the alumni support network. From analysis to spreadsheets
to theories, everything from my education played right into the
number crunching and natural abilities I had to run a successful
business,” said Anne.
David
Hendrix, MBA 1997
Dave Hendrix has come full circle in the McCombs MBA Alumni (MMA)
Network—the school’s graduate business alumni association. He was
involved with its creation in 1996 and now he has assumed the Chair
position on its Advisory Board. “It has been incredible to see the
growth in the alumni network,” says Hendrix, “from being a
completely new organization with no funding, no chapters, and
limited alumni interest to a thriving organization that truly serves
our alumni base with almost 30 chapters and numerous services and
networking opportunities.”
Hendrix’s experience with the MMA Network over the years makes him
an outstanding choice for the new Chair. He was the first Director
while still a student at McCombs (when the organization was still
called the Graduate Business Network). He has also served as Chair
of the Membership Committee, San Diego Chapter President, and 1997
Class President. During the next two years, Hendrix will focus on
continuing the growth of the MMA Network and its chapters,
increasing alumni interaction between the MBA programs (Full-time,
Executive, Evening, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, and Mexico City),
and building more (and better) networking opportunities for alumni.
Hendrix was most recently a vice president at Convio where he led
the company’s Client Services organization. Before joining Convio,
he was a member of the original founding team at Kinzan, a
venture-funded enterprise software company, where he had consecutive
roles as Director of Professional Services, Director of Operations,
and Vice President of Operations. Hendrix also spent time as a
consultant at A.T. Kearney and Ernst & Young and served four years
as a Systems Engineer in the United States Air Force.
While an MBA student at McCombs, Hendrix concentrated in
Entrepreneurship and was involved with the development of a number
of successful new ventures, including the creation of BioGel
Incorporated, winner of the International Moot Corp© Competition for
Entrepreneurs. Hendrix also holds a degree in Systems Engineering
from the University of Virginia. He lives in Austin with his wife,
Robin, and his two daughters, Kasey (4) and Allison (2).
Marissa Jarratt, MBA 2004
Marissa Jarratt understands the strong impact alumni have
on McCombs. She got her first taste as a student serving on the
Graduate Business Council as the alumni affairs chair.
“I initially became involved with alumni as a student because I felt
it was important to broaden my own network and learn how I could be
a better alum,” says Jarratt.
Upon graduating, alumni participation has been a priority for
Jarratt. She currently serves as President for the Dallas-Fort Worth
MBA Alumni Chapter, where she finds ways to increase the chapter’s
number of active members and create a stronger network. Her desire
to remain an active alum stems from the great experiences she had as
a student.
“McCombs has personality. The traditions, the faculty and my
experiences with my peers were fantastic and when I moved to Dallas,
I wanted to stay connected to all of that,” says Jarratt.
With help from alumni, Jarratt formed the foundation for her current
career. As a first-year MBA, Jarratt was interested in taking the
Customer Strategy course, which required an internship or practicum
with sponsoring companies as a class prerequisite. One of those
companies was Frito-Lay. After visiting with a McCombs alumna from
Frito-Lay, Marissa became interested in the company, interviewed
with them, and landed a summer internship. Upon graduating she
accepted a position with Frito-Lay. There, she feels a similar
association to that of the camaraderie she felt at McCombs.
As a Marketing Manager for Cheetos, Jarratt is responsible for
developing consumer promotions, in-store programs and new product
innovation for the $1.1 billion brand.
From working with the entertainment industry—Cheetos just finished a
partnership with Dreamworks in which the brand celebrated the
release of Shrek The Third by launching Baked! Cheetos
Color-Changers, which turn one’s mouth Shrek green—to working with
the PepsiCo International marketing team to develop a new spicy
flavor inspired by a popular product in Mexico—the creative aspect
of marketing is what attracted Jarratt to the field.
She uses that same creativity to attract more alumni participation
within the Dallas Fort Worth MBA Alumni Chapter, which received an
Outstanding Chapter Award in 2005 for its Executive Speaker Series.
“I was the beneficiary of other alumni helping me,” says Jarratt,
“And for me, there’s nothing more fulfilling than helping someone
else succeed. I’m able to do that as an alum by recruiting from
McCombs on behalf of my company and by strengthening the Alumni
Network—whether by helping to raise money for the MBA Endowed
Excellence Fund or getting other alumni involved in the DFW
chapter.”
Kim Matthews MBA ’03
Kim Matthews always knew she wanted an MBA.
After receiving her BBA in management information systems from Texas A&M, Matthews spent five years working for IBM Global Services in IT consulting in Dallas. The internet boom of the late 1990s provided a perfect starting place, but after the net bubble burst, opportunities in IT consulting began to decline.
That brought her to the McCombs School of Business.
One of the reasons she chose McCombs was because of the school’s and the University’s approach to information technology.
“I liked the fact that McCombs views IT as a component of corporate strategy, not just cost or overhead, and pursuing an MBA at a school that valued my background was important,” Matthews says. “And, being in Austin certainly didn’t hurt.”
Upon leaving McCombs, Matthews landed a job at Lehman Brothers, working in private wealth management.
In 2005 Matthews began working at CenterPoint Energy, a leading utility provider based in Houston. For two years, she worked as an internal process consultant for corporate finance. Six months ago, she made a move and is now the manager of investor relations. In that role, Matthews' goal is to ensure that CenterPoint Energy securities are fairly valued in the market.
“My job is based on communications and relationships, both within CenterPoint and in the marketplace,” she says. “Our goal is to get information about our current performance and future prospects to the market in a timely manner and, in turn, bring back feedback from the financial community to our executive leadership. We are being evaluated along with hundreds of other investment choices. The competition is stiff, so a clear, accurate, consistent message is critically important. We want to make it easy for anyone to analyze and, ultimately, invest in our company.”
Working for a Houston utility company goes beyond simple office work. If a hurricane were to hit the city, Matthews’ job changes to meal coordinator as part of the emergency operating plan. Her job, along with other emergency-only roles, is to help run operations at a service center allowing line people to be up on poles repairing the power infrastructure as quickly as possible; a.k.a. “seeing the bottoms of their boots” in utility jargon. Matthews says it’s an interesting aspect of working for a utility.
“We are very much part of the community,” Matthews says. “We’re one of the few organizations, along with hospitals and rescue workers, who respond within 24 hours of a natural disaster.”
When she’s not communicating with Wall Street analysts, institutional investors and private shareholders, Matthews makes it back to Austin twice a year to serve on the MBA Alumni Advisory Board. She serves on the alumni recognition committee where she helps to organize the MBA Alumni Awards Celebration.
She also enjoys traveling and renovating her recently purchased house, and knows that McCombs has made her current success possible.
“I had the opportunity to experience fantastic core professors who really give students a solid foundation for the rest of their career at McCombs,” Matthews says. “And the lecturers offered great practical advice, making learning directly relevant to our personal lives, such as our own investments and careers.”
Jay
Manickam, MBA 2004
In January 2003, three 2004 MBAs, Matt Chasen, Jay Manickam and
Mickey Millsap created uShip, the first and largest online shipping
service that matches members with over 15,000 service providers.
“We aim to be the destination site for shipping,” said Manickam, the
Director of Strategy, Reporting and Analysis for uShip.
Features of uShip include familiarity of format (it’s a peer to peer
online marketplace similar to eBay), patent-pending search
technology that helps reduce shipping costs by allowing drivers to
find shipments along their routes and fill empty cargo space, and a
feedback system.
Semi-finalists in the MOOTCorp competition, the founders of uShip
won several competitions including ones at San Diego State and North
Texas and eventually found funding for the company from a Silicon
Valley venture capitol firm.
“For entrepreneurs, it’s important to use the resources around you
including professors and alumni,” said Manickam. “You should also be
incredibly determined and focused. And very willing to make
sacrifices.”
A native of Annapolis Maryland, Manickam received his B.A. in
chemistry and philosophy from the University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill in 1996. He worked as a consultant and an accountant
before attending McCombs School of Business for his MBA.
“I wanted to get a broad business background. Austin of course, was
a huge draw, but the McCombs programs spoke for themselves. They are
entrepreneurial focused and flexible,” said Manickam. “Plus, it
turns out that school is a great time to start a company!”
Kathleen Motheral, MBA 2007
Taking a high-profile job at one of the biggest companies in the
world right out of business school could be a daunting task.
Not for Kathleen Motheral.
She used her McCombs MBA to land a dream job as associate marketing
manager for advertising for Wal-Mart. A dream job, she says, because
of the opportunity to be a part of a select team that handles all
the company’s advertising: print, radio, online and television.
And she’s no stranger to competition.
Motheral earned her bachelor’s in advertising at the University of
Alabama, all the while starring on the Crimson Tide soccer team.
After graduating, she worked in advertising with Clear Channel
Broadcasting, and when she decided to get an MBA, she took what she
learned on the soccer field as an undergraduate to the business
school.
“I worked for 20 years honing my skills as a competitive athlete,”
Motheral says. “Sports showed me the tremendous power of finding the
intersection of one’s passion and talents. I had hoped to find that
intersection in business someday, and McCombs afforded me that
opportunity in my first post-business school role.”
While at McCombs, Motheral served as co-chair of the McCombs
Admissions Committee and vice president of the Entrepreneur Society,
participated in the Marketing Challenge, interned with Heinz, and
traveled to Eastern Europe, South Africa and 13 other countries
through club activities.
“My two years at McCombs were the most amazing of my life,” Motheral
says. “I was thrilled every single day to expand my world view,
learn from the faculty and my peers, and draw inspiration from our
guest speakers.”
One of those speakers she loved listening to happened to be Tony
Rogers, a McCombs alumnus and vice president of advertising for
Wal-Mart.
Her conversations with Tony Rogers helped her decide on accepting a
full-time position with Wal-Mart.
“The company had completed its positioning work and was beginning
the journey of developing a brand identity as I was interviewing,”
she says. “The marketing department
David Naismith, MBA 1999
While at McCombs, David Naismith was an active participant in
student activities, serving as the Graduate Business Council
President, and currently acting as the 1999 Alumni Class President.
Now manager of engineering operations with Cisco Systems, Naismith
says it’s important to recognize both service to the school and
outstanding career achievement after MBAs leave McCombs.
“There are many ways we recognize students while they are on campus,
but through our alumni awards we seek to recognize the achievements
of our graduates after they leave McCombs. It is a way for us to
grow the school and show prospective students and recruiters the
successes graduates are having. It helps strengthen our network to
follow the achievements of alumni.”
This year the selection committee, made up of representatives from
the MBA Alumni Advisory Board, McCombs Staff, and the Graduate
Business Council, chose Tony Rogers (BBA ’90, MBA ’97) for the
Rising Star Award and the New York Chapter Faculty Speaker Series
for the Outstanding Chapter Event Award.
The Rising Star Award recognizes alumni who have been out of school
for less than 10 years, are excelling in their careers and are
working to strengthen the alumni network. Before deciding on Rogers,
the committee considered eight nominations.
Following his own advice to be involved, Naismith remains engaged
with McCombs as an alum, participating as Chair of the Alumni
Recognition Committee on the MBA Alumni Advisory Board. Recently,
the committee selected its 3rd Annual Rising Star and Outstanding
Chapter Event Awards.
“Tony Rogers has had a great deal of success at three companies:
Pillsbury, Frito-Lay, and Wal-Mart. He has risen very quickly to
Vice President of Advertising at Wal-Mart, and he remains very
involved with McCombs, serving as a volunteer for marketing
challenges and MBA orientation, and encouraging the companies he’s
worked for to recruit our students,” Naismith says.
The Outstanding Chapter Event Award recognizes events that promote
the school and expand the alumni chapter. This year the New York MBA
Alumni Faculty Speaker Series, organized by Holly Goodrich (MBA ’04)
and Lili Fan (MBA ’05), won the award for an event featuring
Professors Sheridan Titman and Andres Almazan.
“Some chapter events are primarily social events and others are
career-focused. This combined elements of both and attracted a wide
alumni base as well as participation from several Wall Street
firms,” Naismith says.
Jim Nolen, MBA 1976
After graduating with his BBA in 1974 and his MBA in 1976, Jim Nolen
worked at Conoco before returning to McCombs for a teaching stint that he
thought would last a few semesters. That was 26 years ago.
Since that time, Jim has lived and breathed McCombs. As a senior lecturer in the
finance department, he teaches three sections of small business finance a
semester and several courses in the Dallas and Mexico City Executive MBA
programs. Additionally he operates his own consulting firm, CFO Services,
allowing him to bring practical business applications to the classroom.
With about 8,000 alumni having gone through one of his classes, Jim was a
natural choice for the role of faculty representative on the alumni advisory
board. Alumni organizations are valuable, Jim says, “Because it often comes down
to how big your rolodex is. Students should know that business school is about
networking and contacts and realizing that your fellow classmates will one day
be potential customers or partners.”
Although networking has always been important, Jim notes other changes since he
was a student.
“Our screening process is more selective, our career services are more
organized, and our classes are smaller. The whole tide has risen with students,
recruiters, and expectations.”
Teaching topics have evolved, too, and focus more on strategy.
“Basic business questions have not changed, but the speed of business has,” Jim
says. “There’s less time for people to make decisions, so in addition to
instructing on basic business tools, we’re putting more emphasis on soft skills
like leadership, communication, and entrepreneurship.”
It is often those soft skills that Jim finds himself giving advice about when
former students call him for guidance. He’s happy to consult with previous
students who are often looking to start up their own businesses after having
worked in the corporate world.
“Initially very few students will go out and start their own business. There’s a
bias attached to the word ‘entrepreneurship.’”
Jim quips, “Instead of entrepreneurship, it should be called ‘future CEOs’
because in fact the courses that teach the qualities of being passionate and
motivated and willing to take risks and work harder than anyone else are about
teaching future CEOs. I’d give anyone $100 to come up with a term for
entrepreneurship, a synonym that embodies the concept without the
‘fly-by-the-seat’ stereotype.”
Brush up on your linguistic skills, Jim Nolen has charged alumni with an
assignment.
Chris Spahr and Anne Bordonaro, MBAs 2002
The weekend of November 9-11 will be a time for reminiscing
Austin-style for the classes of 1997 and 2002.
Chris Spahr, the 2002 class president, serves on the reunion’s
Informal Events Committee. Along with other members of the classes
of 1997 and 2002, Chris is working on fun gatherings for alumni to
reconnect. Helping to plan the reunion is just one example of
Chris’s involvement as an alum.
He also serves on the governance committee of the MMA Advisory
Board. The committee makes decisions about the composition of the
board and considers which issues to attack. Currently the board is
focusing on integrating alumni from the full-time MBA program with
McCombs Executive MBA programs and finding representatives from all
programs to serve on the board.
“As more people go through the newer executive programs, combining
our efforts in the alumni network is a natural way to broaden and
strengthen the alumni base and the Texas MBA offerings as a whole,”
Chris says.
Increasing participation in the alumni network is important to him,
and because of that, Chris recently agreed to serve as Co-President
of the Washington, DC alumni chapter.
Chris is a natural at this, as prior to receiving his MBA in Austin,
he lived in the DC area. Out of his class of 400, about 15 people
previously lived in DC, and Chris says a good number returned upon
graduation. One of the 15 was Chris’s future wife, Anne Bordonaro,
who also received an MBA at the same time as him, though they had
not known each other until attending McCombs. Chris and Anne were
married this spring in Austin.
Both are looking forward to returning to Austin again in November
for the reunion. As for the reunion, Chris and other members from
the class of 1997 and 2002 are planning a golf outing for alumni on
Friday, November 9 and a second gathering during the football game
on Saturday, likely at a bar downtown. Details will be finalized as
the date nears.
Ron
Steinhart, MBA 1963
Steinhart Serves as Role Model for Career and Service
“I will always remember my amazement when arriving at The University
of Texas from Beaumont and observing the immense resources of the
university and the vast array of business courses taught by a
dedicated faculty that were available to me,” said Ronald Steinhart
(BBA ’62, MBA ’63), a 2005 inductee into the McCombs School Hall of
Fame and a life member of the McCombs Advisory Council.
After a long and successful career in the banking industry, today
Steinhart is a director of Penson Worldwide, Inc., Carreker
Corporation and United Auto Group, Inc. and a trustee of MFS/Compass
Group of mutual funds.
Steinhart credits much of this success to his business education.
“Though the education I received and the life-long relationships I
developed at the College of Business were major reasons for whatever
success I have enjoyed,” he said, “they don’t even compare to the
depth and breadth of what’s available to the McCombs student today.”
Between 1969 and 1980, Steinhart teamed with investors to charter or
purchase six banks. He then joined the senior management of
InterFirst Corporation in 1980 and became president and COO a year
later. In 1988, he led a group of investors that founded Deposit
Guaranty Bank with private equity funds totaling $275 million.
Renamed Team Bank following the acquisition of the former Texas
American Banks in 1990, Steinhart served as the bank’s chairman and
CEO.
In November 1992, Team Bank—which had grown to over $5.5 billion in
assets—merged with Bank One Texas, and he was named president and
COO. Subsequently, Steinhart was appointed chairman and CEO of the
Bank One Corporation Commercial Banking Group and a member of the
management committee. He retired in 2000.
In addition to serving on the McCombs Advisory Council, Steinhart
was the chairman of UT’s Capital Campaign that raised 1.6 billion
from 1997 to 2004 and has served as past chairman of the Development
Board and as a member of the Executive Committee of the Chancellor’s
Council of The University of Texas System. He is also one of a
select few to have been awarded both the Outstanding Young Texas Ex
Award and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Texas Exes.
Steinhart has also been active in both local community and national
settings. He serves on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council,
overseeing the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Steinhart was a
member of the bipartisan Texas Tax Reform Commission that
recommended changes to the state tax system to fund schools, which
were adopted by the Legislature. He is a director of the State Fair
of Texas, Dallas Museum of Art, and the Dallas Center for Performing
Arts. He also serves as a trustee of the Dallas Jewish Community
Foundation, Temple Emanu-El Foundation and Dallas Medical Resource.
Jason Watkins, MBA 1996
In 1996, Jason Watkins, with his classmates and Jim Redden in
particular, excitedly initiated a class gift program, the first
MBA Campaign. Watkins, who served as president of the
Graduate Business Council, and his classmates raised more than
$26,000 that year to be used for interview changing rooms in the MBA
Career Services Center.
Today, Watkins is equally enthusiastic about McCombs, the Texas MBA
program and the potential for the McCombs MBA Alumni (MMA) Network.
"Our network and our association are becoming very powerful, and we
need to maintain lofty goals," Watkins says. "We want an alumni
organization that rivals Harvard's. Not just the best organization
among public universities or the top twenty schools, but the best."
The key to accomplishing that goal is through participation, which
Watkins knows well. He has served as chairman of the MMA advisory
board (and is now in the ex-chairman's circle), and he is currently
serving as one of two alumni committee members for the MBA Alumni
Endowed Excellence Fund. In addition to those activities, he
maintains contact with the school through MBA Legacy, visiting
with current student committee members each year.
Watkins' eagerness to give back stems from his experience at
McCombs. He describes his classmates and the program as inspiring.
When he approached Dean Bob May in 1996 about starting MBA
Legacy, Watkins' hope was that each class would raise more money
than the one preceding it, and that's exactly what has happened.
This year, the 2007 class raised a record-breaking $209,631, and
Watkins is pleased by classes taking the campaign up a notch every
year.
"I've never spent two years surrounded by such amazing people,” he
says. "I remember looking around class one day, and seeing a former
Apache helicopter operator and a CPA on one side of me and a
pharmacist and Olympic athlete on the other."
Watkins himself left the banking industry to pursue his MBA. Today,
he uses the skills he acquired at McCombs in marketing and channel
management working as a vice president of the Americas Channel
Organization with Siemens. His work there involves working with
partners to market product lifecycle management (PLM) software,
applications that are used by multiple industries for designing
everything from iPods to airplanes.
Watkins is satisfied with his switch from banking to the software
industry, but no MBA could prepare him for what he describes as the
"easiest tough job" he's had yet: raising twins. He and his wife,
Lorin, welcomed their new additions, Luke and Sophia, two months
ago.
"We're sleepy, but everyone's doing great," Watkins says.
Jim Zook,
MBA 2001
When Jim Zook graduated from McCombs, he moved to Atlanta, where he
hoped to build a network of fellow UT MBAs. But, the Atlanta chapter
of The University of McCombs MBA Alumni Association was in a
professional slump at that time. Zook teamed up with George Connell
(MBA '01) and several other classmates to reignite the group and
bring the Longhorn spirit back to Atlanta.
"Our chapter was in a lull when our MBA class had a group of 8-10
people move to the Atlanta area," said Zook. "We currently have
events 3-4 times a year, and we have a great group of around 50
fairly young, enthusiastic alumni who participate on a regular
basis."
"We are still looking to expand by hosting events that are topical,
yet beyond the typical 'happy-hour after-work' event," Zook
continued. "As an example, John McCollum hosted a lunch for our
finance-oriented alumni to open up more networking opportunities. We
also hope to broaden our scope through partnerships with other
alumni groups in the area and within the MMA network."
Zook recently joined Mercer Human Resource Consulting, a global
leader for HR and related financial advice and services, as a
principal in the firm's communications practice. He works with
Mercer clients to develop change-driven communications strategies
related to major corporate initiatives such as mergers and
acquisitions, corporate restructuring, and health benefits and
retirement programs.
While Zook is focusing on his new job with Mercer, he's also
actively involved with his community, including his church, the
Morris Brandon Elementary School in Atlanta's Buckhead area and
Buckhead Baseball. He resides in Atlanta with his wife, Frances, a
residential architect, and their two young sons, Jack and Will.
"Texas offers a lot of opportunities, but Atlanta does too," said
Zook. "If you're looking to move here, give us a call and we'll help
with networking or just finding your way around."
