I owe a lot of my capabilities to the Lundquist Center for
Entrepreneurship (LCE) and the experiences it provided while at the University of
Oregon. Its practical immersion-based experiential education program gave me
tools from which I draw upon each day. I am grateful to have received the
Lundquist Entrepreneurial Scholarship, to have held the LCE graduate teaching
fellowship, and to have participated in numerous business plan competitions
including the New Venture Championship hosted by the LCE from UO. Additionally,
the experiences gained through the student Strategic Planning Project and as a
consultant through the Technology Entrepreneurs Fellowship Program solidified
what was already a strong foundation in strategic planning, financial and sports
marketing education.
The greatest difference of UO's LCE and other programs is
the level of genuine interest and mentoring received. The alumni and program
boards involved in the LCE provide access to people who are sincerely interested
in developing the LCE students and their future successes. The LCE helped
channel my energy into careful and calculated planning that reduces risk in
venture planning and improves execution, while giving me lifelong friendships
with people of high integrity and outstanding success.
Biography
Following my Oregon MBA graduation (June 2004) I was the Senior Financial Analyst for Watermark Paddlesports, Inc, which divested 11 brands and resumed the name Yakima Products, Inc for its largest constituent. I was responsible for product profitability modeling, strategic planning, financial reporting and analysis, sales analysis, systems improvements, budgeting, forecasting and merger and acquisition review.
In September 2005 I assumed the role of Category Business Manager in charge of 2 of 3 product categories at Yakima. In this role I was responsible for product management, business development, strategic planning, brand management and product development for the 2 categories. I had the privilege of representing Yakima at tradeshows, conducting consumer research, finalizing product decisions and leading acquisition and licensing opportunities.
I took the role of Director of Finance for early stage digital 3D company REAL D in the Spring of 2007. In this role I am responsible for treasury management, bank financing, analysis & reporting as well as product development process implementation, organizational development, business case development & opportunity analysis. Beginning with building the FYE 2008 budgets for all business units, this position draws from all aspects of the Oregon MBA. It requires entrepreneurial thinking combined with scalable planning & integrates aspects of sports marketing. As REAL D ramps up, I am looking forward to developing the new product introduction process along with logistics planning & the rollout of REAL D systems in theaters around the world. Continuously engaging with the University will hopefully offer future MBA students an opportunity to work with a compelling entrepreneurial business delivering new entertainment content in a variety of media.
Prior to graduate school I spent 4 years in the financial industry that culminated with memberships at the Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Board Options Exchange, where I was responsible for trading various instruments as well as developing new trading models. I’m glad the University of Oregon MBA has helped me realize a broader degree of career experiences and achieve longer term goals.
