Highflying Executive: Rosemarie Andolino (BUS ’90)

RESIDENCE: Chicago

OCCUPATION: CEO and president of MAG USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Manchester Airports Group (MAG), a global airport company that owns and operates four United Kingdom airports in Manchester, Stansted, East Midlands and Bournemouth.

The U.S. division of MAG was launched in June 2015, bringing three new business lines to the U.S. market: P3 airport terminal and retail development, Escape lounges and car-parking services. MAG USA has already won three contracts to build common-use Escape lounges in airports in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Oakland, Calif., and Windsor Locks, Conn., that offer high-speed Wi-Fi, charging stations, drinks and food for all travelers, regardless of airline.

EDUCATION: I chose to attend DePaul University as a marketing major, with a Spanish minor, because of its tremendous reputation for academic excellence. Of equal importance to me was the sense of community. During my college years, I always felt like I was part of the DePaul family and its tradition of service to others.

VITAL STATS: Upon graduating from DePaul, I joined the City of Chicago and had the great fortune to work for the city I love. It was an honor and privilege to work for two strong, visionary leaders, Mayor Richard M. Daley and Mayor Rahm Emanuel. I had a unique opportunity to create positive change for our city and its residents serving in various positions during my 24-year career in public service. More than half of my career with the city was spent at the Chicago Department of Aviation.

As commissioner, I oversaw the management and operation of one of the world’s busiest airports during a period of rapid expansion, reviving the organization’s focus on customer service as well as leading a $26 million redevelopment of O’Hare’s international terminal. I also oversaw the $8 billion O’Hare modernization program, which reconfigured the airport’s intersecting runways to improve efficiency and enhance the traveler’s experience.

WHAT I LIKE BEST ABOUT MY JOB: Working in an industry I love with extremely talented people from around the world. As the CEO of MAG USA I have the opportunity to continue to make a difference in people’s lives by enhancing the traveler’s experience at airports with new offerings that also benefit the airport and surrounding communities.

MY DePAUL EXPERIENCE HELPED ME TO: Think outside the box. It provided me with a solid foundation to build upon. It also instilled in me the importance of strong ethics and of staying true to yourself.

WORDS OF ADVICE FOR RECENT GRADUATES

It is important to do what you love, not be afraid to take risks and follow your heart when making important decisions.

Alumnus Interview: Darren Guccione, Entrepreneurial CPA

Alumnus Darren GuccioneA Passion for Innovation

Darren Guccione, CPA
MS in Accountancy ’96

Residence: Chicago

Occupation: CEO and co-founder of Keeper Security, Inc., creator of Keeper, the world’s most popular password manager and digital vault for mobile devices and computers. Keeper is used by more than nine million people in 100 countries and is published in 18 languages. At Keeper, I lead product vision, global strategy, business development and customer experience.

Education: I hold a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where I received the Evans Scholarship, Morton Thiokol Excellence in Engineering Design Award and a Distinguished Alumnus Award. My decision to pursue a business degree at DePaul was influenced by my desire to expand my engineering skills with a strong foundation in business operations and finance. I felt the MSA program was optimal because it was very similar to an MBA program and provided the credits I needed to sit for the CPA exam. DePaul introduced me to Professors Don Shannon and Mark Frigo, two of the best people I’ve ever met in my life. I served as a grad assistant to them as I pursued my master’s degree, and they had a tremendous impact on me.

Vital stats: Prior to Keeper, I served as an advisor to JiWire, now called NinthDecimal, which became the largest WiFi ad network in the world. I was formerly the CFO and a primary shareholder of Apollo Solutions, Inc., which I and my partners sold to CNET Networks, Inc. Early in my career, I lived in Asia for several years, where I coordinated product development for Bell Sports, a world leader in the bicycle accessories market. I also served with Arthur Andersen as a management consultant. My wife’s name is Jade, and we have four beautiful children.

What I like best about my job: Creating a product that honors people’s privacy and makes their online lives more convenient. I enjoy working with great people—we push each other to innovate and, most importantly, we love what we do.

The biggest challenge I face in my job is: The ability to stay focused on our core initiatives, as a company, and helping team members do the same; failing at this leads to failure in most companies. The most important thing I do every day is to keep everyone in the company on track and focused.

Advice for new graduates:

• Create something amazing.
• Adopt a mindset of innovation.
• Pursue perfection in every aspect of your product and operation.
• Stay positive. Avoid and/or remove negative energy.
• Hire smart, honest and positive people who have a passion for what you are creating.

Professional Development: Making a Successful Career Transition

Will Campbell (MBA ’11)

Will Campbell (MBA ’11) made a successful transition from chemical engineer to human resource management.

Making the decision to go back to school full time to pursue an advanced business degree is not one to be taken lightly. Neither is the decision to change career paths completely. These were two choices that Will Campbell (MBA ’11) made.

After working in several different industries, Campbell, a former chemical engineer, realized his true passion was not on the operations side of the business, but on the corporate side— more specifically, human resources. To make his passion a reality, Campbell put his career on pause and enrolled in DePaul’s full-time cohort MBA program with a concentration in human resources.

Campbell, a husband and father of three, knew both the rewards and risks of quitting his job to go back to school. “It was an enormous decision,” says Campbell, “But it was something that I knew I had to do. We made sacrifices, but I remained focused on the end result.”

This decision paid off for Campbell, who was able to get a job in his new field at Jones Lang LaSalle, a commercial real estate company, soon after graduation. Four years after graduating, he has been promoted to director of learning and development. “As we grow older, we assume more responsibility ranging from home ownership to family accountabilities,” says Marty Martin, associate professor of management at DePaul, who specializes in human resources.

“As such, it is much more difficult to make a change and the risk is much higher if the change does not work out. But the reward of finding career fulfillment can make it worth the risk.”

Advice for Career Changers

Martin gives the following strategies for landing a full-time position after deciding to make a career change:

• Widen your networking circle in your new field by joining different associations, volunteering for committees in these associations and making contributions to LinkedIn discussion groups.

• Conduct informational interviews to learn about the industry and ask for feedback on your resume.

• Consider earning a badge, certificate or degree in your new field. If you intend to earn these credentials at a university, be sure to fully leverage its career management office to connect with students from your desired industry.

• Try to get projects or assignments at work or by volunteering in your future career field to add achievements and accomplishments on your resume.

By Andrew Zamorski

Andrew Hallissey (MBA ’04) Seeks Real Estate Solutions Worldwide

Andrew Hallissey in Hong Kong.

Andrew Hallissey in Hong Kong.

Andrew Hallissey (MBA ’04)

Residence: Hong Kong

Occupation: Executive director in the Global Corporate Services group of CBRE, the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm. As head of client solutions for the Asia Pacific region in CBRE’s Hong Kong office, I have responsibility for the design, implementation and management of real estate solutions for CBRE’s largest corporate clients. I also provide global oversight for a range of CBRE’s U.S.- and European-based corporate clients.

Education: After attending high school at De La Salle College in Waterford, Ireland, I earned a Bachelor of Business Studies at the Waterford Institute of Technology. My first master’s degree was an MSc in Marketing Practice at the Smurfit School in University College Dublin. I was very fortunate to be the fifth recipient of the DePaul Ireland Scholarship, founded by Fergal Mulchrone, a member of the Driehaus College of Business Advisory Board, to promote educational and business links between DePaul and the Republic of Ireland.

Vital stats: After I graduated from DePaul in 2004, I joined Trammell Crow Co. and received a very diversified exposure to the real estate industry. Trammell Crow was acquired by CBRE in 2006, and shortly after that, I moved from Chicago to London to lead the client solutions function for CBRE across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. After six years in London, I was ready for another challenge, and our business in Asia Pacific was poised for dramatic growth. I have been based in Hong Kong for the last 2 1/2 years. My wonderful wife, Kirsty, and I were blessed with the arrival of our son, Max, a little over a year ago. He has definitely been a game changer!

What I like best about my job: I love the culture of our company, which is focused on values-based leadership and delivering the best possible outcomes for our clients. Our values statement is RISE, which stands for Respect, Integrity, Service and Excellence. It’s a very powerful mantra when you inspire 52,000 people within the firm to use it as their day-to-day operating philosophy.

How my DePaul experience helped me: I have DePaul to thank for getting my start in the real estate industry. I was a graduate assistant for Susanne Cannon, the founder and chair of the Real Estate Department, who recently retired. Dr. Cannon introduced me to my first job at Trammell Crow Co. DePaul does an amazing job at opening the doors of industry to aspiring young people.

Advice for New Graduates

“My favorite quote from Mr. Trammell Crow was ‘We should hire people other people would like to see be successful.’ Take a couple of minutes to consider the personal attributes of the kind of people that others would like to see be successful. If you do your best to emulate those attributes, the chances are you will do well.”

“Continue to build great relationships with your colleagues, clients and stakeholders throughout your career. People like doing business with people they like, and you need all the help you can get in an increasingly competitive workplace.”

“Consider how fortunate we are to have had the opportunity to study at DePaul. As we progress through our careers and through life, it is important we do everything we can to help and support those who really need it.”

Alumna Natalie Jaresko, Ukraine Finance Minister, Returns to Her Roots

By Lori Ferguson

Natalie Jaresko (BUS ’87)As Ukraine’s Finance Minister, Natalie Jaresko (BUS ’87) lives thousands of miles away from where she was born and much closer to the roots that she holds so dear. The daughter of Ukrainian immigrants, Jaresko was raised in the western suburb of Wood Dale, Ill. and later in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood. She graduated from DePaul in 1987 with a BS in accountancy and political science and in 1989 earned a master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

After a brief stint as economic section chief at the U.S. Embassy in Kiev, Jaresko served as president and CEO of the Western NIS Enterprise Fund, an initiative funded by the U.S. government through the USAID to assist Ukraine and Moldova in establishing sound economic policies and strong leadership. In 2006, Jaresko founded Horizon Capital, where she worked for the next eight years facilitating private investments in Ukrainian businesses. In December of 2014, Jaresko was tapped to be Ukraine’s finance minister, charged with creating a business environment in Ukraine that enables enterprise to flourish. In a recent interview, Jaresko discussed the role that her educational experience at DePaul played in shaping her future and her understanding of how to operate most effectively in a global economy.

In what ways did your educational experience at DePaul shape your future? Did it get you thinking about new ways of doing business or enhance your interest in working abroad?

My educational experience at DePaul was very rewarding. I became more inquisitive and more open to new ideas and perspectives. The environment at the liberal arts campus gave me the opportunity to debate argue, and challenge my own and others’ positions on issues. At the business school, I became more aware of how business operated, what it took to be successful, and of the interlocking parts of any successful business idea.

The opportunity to study abroad—in my case in Budapest—inspired me to work abroad, to work with international issues, and to work in the post-communist world. At the time, Hungary was still communist, but it was “reform” communism, or “goulash” communism. The cracks in the old system were already visible.

What, if any, international business experiences did you have while in school at DePaul?

I was studying abroad at a time when it was clear that an alternative to pure state-run communism was preferable. Still, we couldn’t yet see that the entire system would collapse not long afterward. The region quickly then turned to transition economics and the move to a free market economy within democratic principles. It was a heady, very exciting time in history.

What do you think are the most important things for young people entering the workforce to understand about operating in a global economy?

They must have cultural respect – this is especially important in today’s global economy. They must understand the competitive differences in different economies and how to benefit from them, and they must learn how to create a business environment that spurs entrepreneurship.

What qualities do you look for in those you hire?

First and foremost, I am looking for people who can communicate—oral and verbal communications are key. Next in importance for me is a person’s sense of responsibility and his or her willingness to take on responsibility; I am always looking for a sense of ownership. Of equal importance is the ability of a candidate to turn words and ideas into actions, to document a process, implement and follow up on it. In the end, deeds are most important.

How did your experiences growing up as the child of immigrants affect your outlook, and how has your background influenced your approach to business?

DePaul was a very welcoming place for immigrants – I went to school with many like me. There were a lot of immigrants and also students who were the first in their families to go to college. My classmates at DePaul appreciated their education and worked hard for it. People were more invested in their education. For me personally, I chose a major that I knew would translate into a job, i.e. accounting, which was important for my family. Certainty was important. I came from a family that fled communism and believed deeply in the free market, so DePaul, with its values, its principles, and its teaching excellence were all of great benefit to me. My experiences at DePaul led me to the Kennedy School of Government, which eventually led me to come to Ukraine – to apply those principles in the country of my roots.

Given the current situation in Ukraine, it must be challenging to conduct business. How do you stay focused and what education and/or experience do you draw upon to inform your decisions?

A critical task for our government, and my role in particular as finance minister, is to create a business environment that enables enterprise to flourish. Ukraine is rich in human resources, in natural resources, in strategic geographic location and more. The critical issue is putting those pieces of the puzzle together in an environment of rule of law, transparency, fairness and competition that will enable the greatest benefit from those resources. Tax policy, tax administration, banking stability, currency stability, access to markets, and prudent fiscal policy that does not fuel inflationary processes – all of these are part of my priorities. I am focused on helping turn our economy around and creating the conditions for this growth and prosperity.

Bidding on Success at Ebay

Robert ChatwaniAlumnus Profile

Robert Chatwani (BUS ’97) 

Residence: Fremont, Calif.

Occupation: I work for eBay Inc. as Senior Director of Consumer Marketing. I have the privilege of leading buyer and seller marketing for the world’s largest online marketplace. We’re a dynamic marketplace with over $80 billion in annual trading volume and over 800 million listings of items for sale. More than 1 million people earn their part-time or full-time living on eBay.

Education: My education has been the single most important factor contributing to my career progress. I went to Maine West High School in Des Plaines, Ill. I decided to pursue a degree at DePaul due to the reputation of the school’s business and economics programs. Attending DePaul also allowed me to continue helping my parents manage their small business. While at DePaul I took advantage of a foreign study program in Osaka, Japan, where I lived with a family and studied Japanese. Eventually, I was drawn to California and pursued an MBA at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business.

Vital stats: After DePaul, I was fortunate to work in global management consulting at McKinsey & Co. After three years at McKinsey in Chicago and Washington, D.C., I moved to San Francisco to start a venture-backed Internet company. I eventually joined eBay in 2003, where I have been for the past 12 years. My wife (and best friend) and I have been married for 14 years and have three kids.

What I like best about my job: I work for a company with a very meaningful purpose, where we focus on creating economic opportunity for people throughout the world. I’ve been lucky to have five or six different positions within the company, allowing me to develop a broad set of leadership skills, as well as contribute to the company’s growth across different functions. What energizes me most is building great teams and helping individuals develop their careers.

The biggest challenge I face in my job: Managing my energy and the energy of my team. I believe that the way people feel at work influences how they perform, and the way people feel is defined by their level of energy. Energy can take several forms—physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. I’ve found that helping my team manage their energy— not their time—helps improve engagement, focus and productivity. There are lots of ways to help them with this, but I’ve found the best way is to create an environment that fosters renewal, flexible schedules and decision-making empowerment. 

Chatwani’s advice for new alumni:

  • Do what you love—every day—and enjoy the people you work with. If you don’t love it, invest in making a change. Be authentic and be honest with yourself.
  • Take your best idea—and dream one size bigger. It doesn’t matter if it’s about your career, about starting a new venture or about serving your community. Make your plans as audacious as possible.
  • Don’t get too comfortable. When you’re early in your career, move around. Spend time working in a foreign country, changing roles or even changing companies. Doing so grows your capabilities and makes you a more valuable leader.
  • Take responsibility for your own development. Play to your strengths, find great mentors and take measured risks. Most great careers are discovered, not planned. Embrace those unexpected opportunities that occasionally come your way.

 

Team Player Malik Murray Scores Finance Success

Malik Murray (BUS ’96, MBA ’04)
Growing up in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, Malik Murray (BUS ’96, MBA ’04) knew there was no question that he would attend college. His mother, who is now a retired school principal, emphasized education. But like his father, who is now a judge, Murray had a gift for playing basketball.

“It was crystal clear that academics and athletics were not mutually exclusive,” says Murray. “So at a young age I learned to balance both.”

Murray received a basketball scholarship to DePaul. Right away he began working on his future on and off the court. He thought that included the NBA, but he soon decided to take another path.

As an undergraduate finance major at DePaul, he interned at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, where he met DePaul alumnus Brett Burkholder (BUS ’83). Burkholder, an eighth-round NBA draft pick, never played in the league. But he found success as a trader in the Eurodollar pits at the CME.

A risky and competitive environment, the Eurodollar trading arena was known as a haven for former college athletes with heads for business. Meeting Burkholder transformed Murray’s life.

“Even though there weren’t a lot of blacks there, there were a lot of athletes, and I was instantly comfortable,” says Murray, who focused his early career on Eurodollar trading. “Brett told me that I could work in finance and make an NBA salary. He explained to me that my career doesn’t have to end if I don’t play in the NBA.”

That revelation focused Murray’s mind. He thought back to the time he was eight years old and he ran his own lawn business. He had 20 houses and made $200 a week. He realized he had a head for business and a talent for teamwork. Both would serve him well in the finance industry.

Investing in the DePaul MBA

While other juniors and seniors were partying, Murray was riding the el downtown to Chicago’s financial district. There, his worldview changed.

“Just taking the train from the Lincoln Park Campus to downtown with people who were already working in finance was a powerful experience for me,” says Murray. “It changes your mindset. I think it’s significant that the Driehaus College of Business is located downtown. It’s just a great opportunity to marry the academic view with the practitioner’s view.”

His senior year, he took a capstone class that allowed him to work in the futures market at First Chicago Bank, now part of JP Morgan Chase. At the end of the year, they offered him a job. Thoughts of the NBA faded in the wake of his newfound career in finance.

For his MBA, Murray applied to all the major business schools, but chose DePaul. He had a strong connection to the professors he’d met during his undergraduate years, and he wanted to invest in his education with people who had invested in him.

“I jokingly say that I was so impressed with DePaul that I paid for my education the second time,” Murray says, laughing. “Ultimately, it was the best decision for me to get my MBA here. When you go to DePaul and then you go to the real world, the transition is a lot smoother. The internships, the project work, the professors who advise and mentor you, all play a part in your success outside of academics.”

Showcasing Vincentian Values

Earning an MBA increased Murray’s finance career opportunities immensely. He landed a job at Ariel Investments, the largest black-owned firm in the nation. Now in his 10th year at Chicago-based Ariel, Murray’s job is to convince money managers with billion-dollar funds to turn them over to Ariel for investing.

But even as he works with high-dollar value accounts, Murray makes time for his community. He sits on the board of his high school alma mater, St. Ignatius College Prep, where he helps manage the school’s multi-million-dollar endowment.

He helps with the Ariel Community Academy, a public school sponsored by his employer. In addition, he works with Joel Whalen, associate professor of marketing, to advise DePaul student basketball players about the importance of soft skills and image. Last summer, he also shared his experiences with teens enrolled in the Financial Literacy and Leadership Institute, a summer education program hosted at DePaul and sponsored by the Chicago Housing Authority and BMO Harris.

Murray, who recently completed the Leadership of Greater Chicago Fellowship program, hasn’t forgotten his path to achievement.

“I am the beneficiary of lots of help,” Murray says. “I won’t ever be able to directly repay my parents, family, professional colleagues or teachers at DePaul for investing in me, but I can definitely use my gift to help someone who is trying to get to my position or beyond.” ​

By Ovetta Sampson

Economics Alumni Chart Career Paths in Analytics

Timothy Fox (MS ’14)

Timothy Fox (MS ’14), an analytics consultant, says his MS in Economics and Policy Analysis degree has helped him to “harness the problem-solving horsepower of economics.”


Four years ago forecasters predicted
the market for big data analytics would grow to $16 billion by 2015. Their prediction was correct, but the growth rate was not. Now the projected growth is $125 billion.

This jet-fueled growth in the data analytics market is creating an epic job shortage to the tune of 140,000 to 190,000 a year, according to one study.

This is an alarming challenge considering that researchers estimate American businesses lose $600 billion annually because of “dirty data.” Too few people are being trained to extract, analyze and communicate big data sets. But DePaul business alumni are discovering a successful path into this hot job market from an unlikely place—the Department of Economics.

Alumni Praise Program’s Effectiveness

Data was once the domain of computer techs who wrote sophisticated mathematical formulas to turn behavior into numbers. Now, with industries collecting data on hundreds of millions of people, businesses are desperate to take those huge numerical data sets and turn them into revenue. Organizations use data to decide everything from whether to sell chocolate-covered cherries in New England in March or to ship their retail kayaks from China or Reno, Nev.

At this crossroads of quantifying human behavior and qualitative analysis, the economics discipline is emerging on the big data analytics landscape. DePaul University business alumni say the university’s Master of Science in Economics and Policy Analysis​ degree program provides critical courses that are helping them succeed in their current predictive analytics jobs. With classes in econometrics, research methodologies, data inspection, advanced statistical modeling and forecasting, the program teaches the necessary skills to decipher data, giving alumni advantages over peers in the industry.

“What I learned from the program is how to solve problems,” says Matt Frankland (BA ’08, MS ’11), a forecast analyst at REI Merchandising in Seattle. He uses data analysis to help his managers make kayak-shipping decisions. Frankland was one of the first graduates of the program, and he previously worked as a data analyst at Walgreens in Chicago.

“DePaul’s program taught us how to set up a problem, and how to solve it with the information we have,” Frankland says. “With large data sets many people suffer from analysis paralysis. You have so much in front of you, it’s difficult to know where to stop. But at DePaul we learned to focus on the key metrics: What problem am I trying to solve? What do I need to solve that problem? And how do I get there?”

Program Teaches Skills Used Daily 

Tim Fox (MS ’14), an advanced analytics consultant at Chicago-based West Monroe Partners LLC, says at his job it’s rare that analysts receive a nice, clean data set to explore. Most of the time, data is buried among different sources, and analysts have to collect, clean up and prepare data before even beginning to analyze it.

The MS in Economics requires students to learn and use Stata, a data analysis and statistical software tool used by industry leaders. In addition, students become well versed in pairing data analytics software with familiar office tools such as Microsoft Excel. The result, Fox says, is that the program makes graduates adept at not only analyzing data, but also communicating what is discovered into actionable items.

“DePaul’s program allows you to be flexible with how to learn economics, as well as providing opportunities to take additional math and statistics classes so that you learn the different skill sets that are required to really harness the problem-solving horsepower of economics,” says Fox.

Economics Degree Offers Great Job Prospects

Forbes.com recently called the MS in Economics one of the top 10 degrees for today’s job market. DePaul’s MS in Economics is unique because it goes beyond the scope of focusing on government and business allocation of resources to include a rigorous analytics component that offers students practical statistical and data analysis skills used by myriad industries and fields.

“We knew that there were jobs waiting for students who had the right blend of a deep understanding of economic theory and the ability to apply that knowledge to real-world situations,” says Thomas Donley, chair of the Department of Economics at the Driehaus College of Business. “That’s why this degree was created.”

Both Fox and Frankland say completion of the program allowed them to flourish in their careers and also blossom in life.

Frankland laughs as he remembers the 19-year-old version of himself wondering the halls of DePaul trying to figure out what to do with his life. A local skateboard celebrity in Chicago, his future was as uncertain as his next gig. After taking economics courses, a path began to unfold. He credits DePaul’s professors with taking a chance on him and pushing him to achieve for his current success.

“They told me you have a lot of potential and you could be really good at this if you worked hard,” Frankland said. “DePaul has the most wonderful professors in the economics department. I owe them so much. They care so much about getting you through the program and making sure you work hard and that you find what you want to do when you’re done. If I had not ended up within the economics department, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

By Ovetta Sampson

Big Ideas in Action

Alumni Entrepreneurs

by Jennifer Leopoldt

Building any kind of business requires passion and hard work, but it also requires know-how and network connections. For more than three decades, the highly regarded entrepreneurship education program at DePaul’s Driehaus College of Business has been helping its graduates blend these ingredients together to achieve success.

“You just don’t fall into a successful business. It takes originality, insight, research, training and perseverance,” says Harold Welsch (BUS ’66, MBA ’68), founder and director of DePaul’s entrepreneurship program and the Coleman Foundation Chair in Entrepreneurship.

DePaul’s approach has received national recognition, most recently from The Princeton Review, which rated DePaul’s undergraduate program as 15th and the graduate program as 20th in this year’s ranking of the best colleges for entrepreneurs. In a field of 3,000 participating schools, that puts DePaul in the top 1–2 percent in the United States.

The college’s entrepreneurship program began in 1982, and Welsch says the discipline is even more popular today. “We teach our students to be constantly aware of new opportunities by applying their creativity and innovativeness to adapt to new markets,” says Welsch.

Entrepreneurship is about more than startups. As the following stories show, lessons alumni learn at DePaul can be applied to jobs as disparate as running a family business, founding a nonprofit and helping companies expand.

Bailey Glendenning, CEO of Glendenning Brothers Inc. (MBA ’14)Bailey Glendenning, CEO of Glendenning Brothers Inc. (MBA ’14)

For Bailey Glendenning, DePaul offered a hands-on program and concepts she could immediately use at her family’s business.

“The fun thing about my position is I could learn it in class on Tuesday night and walk into work to apply it on Wednesday,” she says.

Glendenning Brothers Inc., a transportation company in Stillman Valley, Ill., has been in business for 35 years, “but I view it as an entrepreneurial venture,” Glendenning says. “We’re trying to re-create our business, make it better, innovate and change.”

While earning her degree, Glendenning became fascinated by entrepreneurship after taking a class with Professor Welsch.

My perspective changed. I began to view all small business, whether startups or long-standing companies, as an opportunity to be entrepreneurial,” she says.

At DePaul, Glendenning met James Stark (MBA ’12, JD ’12), her business partner with whom she operates various other ventures through the startup C&H Financial Services Inc. She says DePaul taught her the importance of connecting with others. “You find out very quickly that you can’t do it all on your own. There are so many opportunities for business relationships, but you will never know if you don’t branch out and talk to people,” she says. Although running the family business is her main job, Glendenning says she really enjoys “the game of startups, where you can be completely creative.”

William R. Snow, Managing Director, Jordan, Knauff & Co. (BUS ’89, MBA ’94)William R. Snow, Managing Director, Jordan, Knauff & Co. (BUS ’89, MBA ’94)

William Snow studied finance at DePaul and later earned an MBA In entrepreneurship. He credits his education with providing insights and experience that help him connect with businesses that come to his investment banking firm. “I understand the issues that owners face as they try to grow their businesses or craft an exit,” he says.

Snow describes the work at Jordan, Knauff as selling companies, raising capital for companies and advising on acquisitions. “My favorite aspects of the job are what many people dislike the most—negotiating and resolving conflict,” he says.

Snow also is a speaker and an author. In addition to writing numerous articles, an e-book he wrote in 2003, “Venture Capital 101,” found online acclaim and eventually ended up at Wiley Publishing Inc. The publisher then contacted him about writing “Mergers & Acquisitions for Dummies.”

“The lesson is to find something to offer,” Snow explains. “Stop asking and think instead about the person on the other side of the bargain. What do they get out of an interaction with you? Offering will open far more doors than asking.”

In addition, Snow advises entrepreneurs to “gain actual, real-world experience. Classes and studying are great, but you have to get out and experience business situations for yourself.”

Kyle D. Joseph, Executive Director, Foodseum; Founder/CEO ShopGab (MBA ’12)Kyle D. Joseph, Executive Director, Foodseum; Founder/CEO ShopGab (MBA ’12)

DePaul helped Kyle Joseph pivot from being an engineer to being an entrepreneur.
“I had a lot I wanted to create, and I wanted to make my ideas come to life,” he says. He calls DePaul’s program “an amazing experience that really transformed my career path and my life.”

Joseph’s first venture was ShopGab, which began as a social shopping platform that let consumers compare products. Now he’s relaunching it as a resource for personal shoppers and high-end boutiques, allowing professionals to manage and further engage customers.

His next project is Foodseum, a Chicago-based museum devoted to food and culture. “I’ve always had a love of exploring cultures through food, and I wanted to bring that experience to people,” Joseph says.

The museum will touch on the history, preparation and creative uses of different foods, with the first exhibit devoted to hotdogs and encased meats of the world. Until the museum has a permanent space, Joseph and his team are planning pop-up locations, starting in May 2015, when the prestigious James Beard Awards for food and beverage professionals come to Chicago. In the meantime, the team has established partnerships with more than 40 local and national organizations to help design the experience, build community awareness and raise the necessary funding for the Foodseum.

“It’s been exciting to be able to move at this incredibly accelerated pace, thanks to the network I formed through DePaul and ShopGab,” Joseph says.

Michael Stadnicki, Co-Founder, Launch Franchise Development (BUS ’01, MBA ’11)Michael Stadnicki, Co-Founder, Launch Franchise Development (BUS ’01, MBA ’11)

The entrepreneurial spirit has long characterized Michael Stadnicki’s work ethic.

While an undergraduate at DePaul, he won an international student business plan competition with his proposal for a wireless credit card payment system called ChargeAnywhere, which he later implemented in 750 Chicago taxicabs. After graduation, he worked at Francorp and Chicago Franchise Systems, the parent company of Al’s Italian Beef and Nancy’s Pizza. While developing the chains nationally, he returned to DePaul to further his goal of helping entrepreneurs develop through franchising.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with all types of businesses—anything from a doggie daycare to restaurants overseas,” Stadnicki says.

Today he runs his own company, Launch Franchise Development, and operates a number of restaurants in Chicago, including the first U.S. location of the Big Cheese Poutinerie, a Canadian franchise that celebrates poutine, a traditional combination of French fries, fresh cheese curds and gravy. His company also works internationally and plans to open the first Middle East locations of Al’s Italian Beef and Nancy’s Pizza in Dubai in 2015.

Stadnicki, who was named the college’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010, urges other DePaul entrepreneurs to lean on the skills they learned in school and to adapt to change.

“Trust your instincts, trust the education that DePaul gave you, and follow your passion and your dream,” he says.

Read more about DePaul’s highly ranked entrepreneur programs.

DePaul Alumna Creates Path to Shape Future Leaders

Corliss Garner (’96 BUS)Corliss Garner (’96 BUS) relished her years as an undergraduate studying finance at DePaul University. Garner, senior manager of Diverse Markets and Community Affairs at BMO Harris Bank, says the opportunity to work full time while attending a well-respected university in the heart of downtown Chicago was a gift. Yet, after graduation, she drifted away from her alma mater.

But in 2008, when a colleague at her bank mentioned an opening on the advisory board for DePaul’s Coleman Entrepreneurship Center, Garner seized the opportunity.

“Becoming a board member at the Coleman Center reintroduced me to DePaul,” says Garner. “I learned a lot about what was happening at DePaul, including about the entrepreneurship program, as well as other programs at the university.”

During her time with the center, Garner worked with Scott Young, chair of DePaul’s Department of Management, and several other professors, academic staff members and civic leaders. She says she was impressed by DePaul’s commitment to entrepreneurship, leadership and diversity.

When officials from the Chicago Housing Authority approached Garner about potential institutions to cohost the CHA’s summer leadership and financial literacy program for high school students, Garner instantly thought of DePaul and Scott Young, she says. “I knew about DePaul’s commitment to leadership and management and I thought they could lend some value to the CHA’s program.”

Hosted by the college’s Department of Management, taught by DePaul faculty, sponsored by BMO Harris Bank and coordinated by the CHA, the Financial Literacy and Leadership Institute held at the Driehaus College of Business in July offered teens who live in CHA housing a breadth of knowledge. The program featured skill-building lectures, field trips to financial institutions such as  the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, and guest speakers that included Stedman Graham, chairman and CEO of S. Graham & Associates, and John W. Rogers, Jr., CEO of Ariel Capital Investments LLC. The program culminated with a formal graduation and luncheon.

More than 300 students applied to the program, and the students selected were chosen based upon their academic achievement and leadership potential. They were also paid for their participation, thanks to a generous grant from BMO Harris Bank.

Garner says CHA officials have been singing the praises of the program and DePaul’s commitment to it.

“The feedback has been phenomenal,” Garner says. “They were really impressed with the DePaul faculty who worked with the kids over the summer. I received nothing but great feedback and when I attended the wrap session and heard the students present. I was thoroughly impressed.”

Garner said she is looking forward to next year’s program and seeing the relationship deepen between DePaul, the CHA and BMO Harris.