Elaine Thomas, ‘23, spent her time as an MBS student immersed in volunteer work for various local organizations. At 91¸£Àû, Elaine studied Management and Music and earned the Outstanding Graduating Student award for the Honors College. An internship at turned into a full-time job. She currently serves as the organization’s Senior Manager of Community Impact.

Why did you decide to attend the University of Maine?

I knew I wanted to live and work in Maine, so spending my time as an undergraduate making connections and gaining experience here made a lot of sense! It has been awesome to continue to grow and deepen the professional connections I started making in college.

What experience while in college most impacted your career success?

The internship that led to this job! I was the Grant Assistant and Community Impact Intern at HoMEUW three years ago during the beginning of our Strategic Investment grantmaking cycle, which is starting again this spring. I had the opportunity to learn all about the process and am excited to go into this cycle feeling prepared. Because of the connections I made during my internship, I was asked to return to the organization to lead some exciting projects. It’s hard to overstate the importance of that internship to the path that led me to this position, a true dream job for me.

Why did you choose non-profit work?

I had great experiences as a student researcher in the Honors College, working with NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) in other countries, and then I spent my time interning and volunteering for various community organizations locally. I fell in love with building community relationships, working across sectors to address root causes of issues, and seeing the direct impact of my work—whether in Maine or Sierra Leone. My first job post-college was as the Microenterprise Development Program Manager of New Ventures of Maine, where I learned that I enjoyed program management. It’s really exciting to be part of the process at every stage: writing a grant, building a team, executing the work, and reporting results.

What are your key responsibilities in your current role, and what do you enjoy most about your position?

My main role is to implement our community impact vision at the local level. I write and manage grants, coordinate our grantmaking, build relationships with nonprofit partners, manage programs and initiatives, collect and analyze data, engage volunteers, organize donation drives, and support long-term strategic planning.

I love the work that I do! It is fast-paced, meaningful, and exciting. My favorite part is the connections I make with nonprofits in our six-county region. I get to learn about a lot of wonderful work through meeting many wonderful people! It gives me hope for our communities and motivates me to keep showing up with my best work and most positive mindset.

Story by: Andie Lovejoy

Waleed Rahmatullah, ’18, grew up in New York and Saudi Arabia. He moved to Maine soon after high school with his parents. He studied Management, Business Information Systems, and Entrepreneurship at the Maine Business School. Today, he works for Uber in New York City. 

Why did you decide to go to the University of Maine for college?

My parents decided to move to Maine first. I figured I’d stay close to them in Orono, where 91¸£Àû offered the business and computer science programs I was looking for. 

Why did you decide to study business? 

My 91¸£Àû journey actually started in Computer Science. I quickly realized I really just enjoyed programming, which I had spent some time teaching myself over a few summers anyway. I also knew I wanted to work in the start-up space. I figured, what better skills to complement programming than business management? 

What was your favorite MBS class and why? 

International Business with Professor John Mahon was a fun class. Dr. Mahon made the class engaging, with lively classroom discussions and case study reviews. It was also an honor to be in Dr. Mahon’s last cohort of students before retiring!

You work in Strategy & Operations at Uber. What do you do in this role? What are your responsibilities?

Currently, I work on Uber’s team. Our team is largely responsible for managing the day-to-day running of the Uber Mobility/Rides business. This mainly involves developing and executing the strategy to get more riders to rely on Uber to get where they want to go. Our team also closely monitors cities where we get the most trips and have more room to grow, and makes plans to drive Rider and Driver engagement.

What do you love most about your current job at Uber? 

The impact me and my team have on the entire Uber business makes every day both challenging and exciting. The problems we solve are also very interesting, allowing me to pick up new skills and interact with various teams constantly.  

What are the biggest challenges you face in your role at Uber?

I think the biggest challenge is also what I find most exciting about my role, which is keeping up with how fast the marketplace and economy are changing and responding to those changes dynamically. The nature of the role constantly exposes you to new environments and business scenarios. This keeps you on your toes and truly allows you to grow along the way.

How did your business degree prepare you for your current career?

My time at 91¸£Àû allowed me to experience new disciplines that ultimately allowed me to grow in my curiosity, think critically, and develop the skills to evolve in an ever-changing business landscape. 

I was fortunate enough to participate in the International Collegiate Business Strategy Competition for my capstone course as a senior. This experience was my favorite memory from undergrad. Taking part in a semester-long business simulation with your classmates and making C-suite-level decisions on a business was incredibly fun and fruitful. It was easily the most influential time during my undergrad.

More specifically, though, my concentration in BIS gave my career the head start it needed by introducing me to database management and SQL. It allowed me to hone my computer programming skills, all of which I lean into daily in my current role!

What advice would you give a current MBS undergrad? 

There are two main pieces of advice I would give. Firstly, make an effort to get to know your professors personally. They are your biggest assets as a student. Plus, you never know when you’ll need to try to turn that B+ into an A. And secondly, find an excuse to make the most of every class, even those you don’t particularly enjoy. Your success as an MBS grad will often be correlated with your ability to navigate new and unfamiliar disciplines with unrelenting curiosity.

Andrew Bustin moved to Portland, Maine, in 2018 for two reasons. One, to pursue his MBA at the University of Maine Graduate School of Business, and two, Portland is a mecca for world-class food and drink experiences.

Andrew’s background is rich with experiences in national land conservation, sustainability, permaculture, and the local food movement. After five years of working for The Trust for Public Land, building parks, playgrounds, community gardens, and other “land for people” projects, he traveled throughout Southeast Asia to learn about regenerative agriculture and seed saving.

While the MaineMBA’s concentration in Sustainability attracted him to 91¸£Àû, his capstone project with Dr. Nadège Levallet propelled his career in Maine forward.

The MaineMBA capstone course (MBA 649 – Strategic Decision-Making) is all about solving real-world problems. Dr. Levallet identifies corporate partners eager to work with MBA students on a strategic problem or issue they are facing in their organizations. “Students pick the problem they want to work on and sign up to join a team,” Dr. Levallet says. “These small teams meet weekly with their corporate partner. Students research the issue, pitch their recommendations, and submit a final report.” At the end of the course, the corporate partners choose the winning team based on the caliber of their work and recommendations.

The corporate partner that stood out to Andrew was (MHT). This non-profit organization in western Maine operates an acclaimed backcountry recreation corridor with 80 miles of public trails. Their offerings include groomed hut-to-hut skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, paddling, and mountain biking. MHT is focused on building a new off-season model. They looked to the student teams to identify partnership opportunities to help them reach their goals.

“What excited me most about this course was that the organization we worked with had a very real need for our help,” Andrew says. “The work in this course felt important, which was motivation to do a good job. The fact that the course was competitive with other teams added to that excitement, too!”

The creative aspect of the Maine Huts & Trails project was also enticing. “MHT was specifically looking for help from 91¸£Àû business students to explore creative partnership opportunities to allow them to bring in more revenue during the non-winter season with the least amount of demand on their limited full-time staff,” Andrew says.

Throughout the 8-week course, Andrew’s small group of Jackie Leonard and Greg Wright worked closely with Dr. Levallet and MHT Executive Director Wolfe Tone. “I really enjoyed working with my group, and I looked forward to our regular online meetings,” Andrew says. “Our strengths and weaknesses were complementary. This balance helped up create a well-polished and professional finished product.” The team dedicated 20 hours a week to this project and won first place in the capstone challenge.

“Andy was especially enthusiastic about the project right from the start,” Dr. Levallet says. “The team’s solution was well-developed and realistic, with a significant amount of research to support their recommendation.”

After his graduation in May 2022, Andrew spent the summer focused on running the small business he started when he first moved to Portland. is a seasonal company that hosts events celebrating the people and businesses that make Portland unique. As fall approached, he started putting out feelers for a new job opportunity and found one in a familiar place. “Maine Huts & Trails had received a grant from the Maine Timberlands Charitable Trust to continue the business development work my capstone project had focused on,” Andrew says. He is delighted to continue the work he started at 91¸£Àû as MHT’s Sustainable Business Development Consultant.

“Stepping into this new role has required learning more about MHT’s organizational history and familiarizing myself with Maine’s western forests and mountains,” Andrew says. “There are lots of great opportunities to explore. But, just like the capstone project, the challenge becomes prioritizing and cultivating the necessary relationships with partners who can help us reach our goals. It’s rewarding work, and I’m excited to see how this summer unfolds at the huts!”

More than 20 representatives from eight accounting firms across the state joined the Maine Business School’s 2022 Accounting Firm Night in September. Seven of those representatives are graduates of the Maine Business School: Spencer Hathaway, ’13; Connor Smart, ’16; and Ian Lichtenberg, ’18 from Baker Newman Noyes; Ryan King, ’14 and Katherine Orne, ’20 from BerryDunn; Ryan Dawson, ’10 from Dawson and Souter, LLC; and Gage Palmer, ’21 from One River CPAs.

The event was held at the Buchanan Alumni House. David Barrett, CPA, Lecturer in Accounting, led a panel discussion with four representatives to kick off the event. “While we instructors talk about our own experiences in professional accounting, nothing beats giving the students the opportunity to meet with those currently working as CPAs,” Barrett says.

Students and firm representatives spent the second part of the event networking. The event is a casual introduction to the interview phase of the fall accounting recruitment sessions. Firms are currently gearing up for tax season. “This event is the first step for students to find a firm where they think they will fit in from a culture standpoint,” Barrett says.

The next step for these students is to get their application materials ready for October interviews. Firm representatives will be on campus from September 29 to October 6 to interview candidates for internships and jobs. This is all coordinated by 91¸£Àû’s Career Center.

Ryan Dawson, ’10, partner at Dawson and Souter, attended Accounting Firm Night for the first time this year. “From our perspective, we got to meet a lot of different students and tell them about our firm and what we specialize in,” Dawson says. “I was also very impressed by the students’ professionalism and all the good questions they were asking.”

Like many other MBS Accounting students, Dawson completed a fifth year of study to earn the 150 credit hours required to become a CPA. He started his career with Dawson, Smith, Purvis & Bassett, where his father was one of the founding partners. Dawson quickly learned that tax was his preference. He opened Dawson and Souter, LLC in the fall of 2020 with his colleague Bill Souter. “Tax season internships are so valuable for students because they get to see what public accounting is like before actually entering the workforce,” Dawson says. “Some may realize public accounting is not for them. Others may find they don’t like the size of the firm they interned with. But I guarantee everyone will feel better prepared when starting their first full-time accounting job.”

An internship is a wonderful way for students to explore possible career paths. It’s always exciting when students turn their summer internships into full-time employment. Three students from the class of 2022 did just that! Keep reading to learn more about Allison, Cameron, and Gabby’s internship experience and why they decided to continue to work for three Maine businesses after graduation.

Allison Treat, Bangor Savings Bank

Internship Title: IT Intern
Job Title: Management Trainee

During my internship, I worked full-time as part of 2021 Summer Internship Program. The program was designed for me to learn, work on information systems data flow diagrams, use my creativity, and develop both personally and professionally. The lead security engineer at BSB was my mentor.

I enjoyed BSB’s culture and learned so much about the banking industry. I knew I wanted to work for them post-graduation.

I’d advise current MBS students to challenge themselves by finding an internship that tests their knowledge and helps them gain new skills and a professional network. 

Cameron Houde, Cross Insurance

Internship Title: Emerging Risk Manager
Job Title: Benefits Specialist

My summer internship was based at in Portland, Maine. I had the opportunity to explore some of the different insurance departments, including personal, commercial, surety, and employee benefits. We went to job sites, met carrier representatives, and went to networking events. The program was rich with information and helped me narrow down which department I liked the most. 

The people I met at Cross Insurance and the knowledge I grew over my Summer Internship are what prompted me to apply for the position I have now. When my internship ended, I had the opportunity to work as an intern during my last year at 91¸£Àû at Cross Insurance in Bangor. I was able to work with great colleagues, become licensed in Life & Health, and grow some more knowledge of the insurance industry. I really enjoyed working in the employee benefits division during my internship, and I’m now lucky to have a full-time position in this department in Portland.

My advice for an MBS student is to find an internship in an industry you’re interested in. You’ll get more out of the experience. Also, I would say that the people you meet through your internship are important to the development of the rest of your career, network as much as you can, and grow strong, long-lasting relationships with others. 

Gabby Benson, Baker Newman Noyes

Internship Title: Audit Intern
Job Title: Audit Staff

I worked as a full-time audit intern, both in the office as well as remotely. My work consisted of assisting in audits for a variety of companies as well as verified business processing validations. My highlight was assisting the Transaction Advisory Department with transaction deals. This is where I found out what I wanted to pursue. 

At the end of my internship, (BNN) offered me a full-time position after graduation. I loved the people, so it was an easy choice. It’s important to me to work for a company that values its employees and their growth. 

Young professionals have a huge advantage, so I’d tell other MBS undergrads not to limit themselves. Take advantage of your internship and ask all the questions you can. Take what you’ve been given and develop yourself. Do more than one internship. Look and apply to what interests you. I had three different internships that each taught me different skills. This is the time to find out what you want to do in your career.

The Maine Business School and Graduate School of Business welcome two distinguished alums as new members of the MBS Advisory Board: Mike Kuhn and Greg Stremlaw.

Mike Kuhn

Mike Kuhn graduated from the University of Maine with a BSBA in Management in 2012 and MBA in 2014. “I graduated early as an undergraduate,” Kuhn says. “But I wanted to stay eligible to participate in my final football season as a student-athlete. My transition into the MBA program was easy. I was familiar with the faculty and could finish the program within two years.”
 
Mike was born and raised in New Jersey and currently lives in Newport, Rhode Island. He works in Boston for . In his role, he works on launching robotic and digital surgery platforms across each of Johnson & Jonhson’s specialties: total joints, spine, sports medicine, and trauma. “My main focus is on the upstream product development pipelines and developing the commercial execution plans globally,” he says. 
 
In 2021, Mike was one of the recipients of a MaineMBA Alumni Award. He was awarded the inaugural MaineMBA Distinguished Alumni Award for his expertise in orthopedic robotics. Dianne Watters, then chair of the MBS Advisory Board, invited him to join the group soon after the award ceremony.” I had the honor of presenting this award and sharing a bit of Mike’s work and impact post-graduation,” Watters says. “Through that connection, he shared his interest in giving back to the Maine Business School and University, so I knew he’d be a great fit for the board.”
 
“I take tremendous pride in who I am and where I’ve come from,” Kuhn says. “To that extent, the University of Maine’s Business School has become a big part of what I represent, so I hope to help build the future of what the MBS can accomplish.”

Greg Stremlaw

Greg Stremlaw earned his MBA from the 91¸£Àû Graduate School of Business in 1995. During his studies, Greg was the president of the MBA Association and was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma. He’s currently the President and CEO of Indy Sports & Entertainment and Professional Soccer. He’s also helping lead the project, a $1 billion transformational neighborhood development in downtown Indianapolis that will include a stadium, hotel, apartments, condos, public areas, and commercial, retail, and office space. Greg is the former president of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) Sports where he oversaw Hockey Night inÌý Canada and was the Chef de Mission for the Olympic Games.Ìý
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“Greg is a leader in the field whose work is well known in media, professional sport, and Olympic sport in both the United States and Canada,” says Dr. Norm O’Reilly, Dean of the Graduate School of Business. “What’s impressive about Greg is his passion for 91¸£Àû. I’m thrilled to work with him on our advisory board.”
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91¸£Àû’s history of hockey excellence was a big draw to Greg, a former hockey player for Team USA. “While I was accepted to other MBA programs at Boston College, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Tulane, there is just something so special about the University of Maine,” Stremlaw says. “I knew it was the MBA program for me. It just felt right.”Ìý

Greg and his wife Wendy, an athlete in her own right, have two children – both college athletes. Michael is a pitcher for the Butler University baseball team. Kristin, an NCAA national champion synchronized swimmer, is at Ohio State. The family loves Maine so much that they spend time at their cabin on the coast in Downeast Maine. They visit campus whenever they have a chance. 
 
“I love 91¸£Àû and would do anything to support it,” Stremlaw says. “I could not be more proud to be a Black Bear.”

Why would a 57-year-old who lives in Escondido, California, decide to earn his MBA from the University of Maine? A sense of community, history, and flexibility.
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Jord Thomas, ‘G22, had hit a wall promotion-wise at his job. He works as a production operations supervisor at a recovery firm serving major banks and vehicle manufacturers. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Information Systems from San Diego State University in 2003 and started thinking about earning his MBA. But life, however, got in the way. He continued to learn through workshops and seminars, even teaching himself to program in C#. “Work became more challenging,” Jord says. “So I started thinking about my options.”
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His options brought him across the country to the East Coast. Born in New York City, Jord is an enrolled member of the . “On one of my visits to Maine to visit my father, I scouted out the 91¸£Àû campus for possible degree programs for my daughter, Megan,” he says. By the time he was ready to enroll in an MBA program in 2019, the online MaineMBA was waiting for him. “The program’s reputation and rankings, and knowing the University of Maine is just minutes away from my tribe on Indian Island, factored into my decision to enroll.”
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Jord’s passion for problem solving and idea generation and his background in production operations made him an excellent fit for the MaineMBA program. He particularly enjoyed his business analytics class with Dr. Yonggang “Tim” Lu. “Tim’s teaching style was an excellent balance between procedure and intent,” Jord says. “I learned a lot about turning data into talking points with executive management and better understanding vendor management.” He put his classwork to use on the job, and one of his vendors gave his employer a complimentary “forever license” to a recently-released add-on product that Jord had helped beta test. “91¸£Àû is rising in stature. Its new classification as an R1 institution is because of quality professors like those in the Graduate School of Business.”
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Jord was one of the first MBA students to enroll in the Maine Business School’s Excel Certification course, taught by Dr. Tanya Beaulieu. He’s now certified at the Expert level and utilized his knowledge in his Investment Management class. In December 2021, Jord was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honor society for AACSB-accredited institutions. “My master-level Beta Gamma Sigma induction at the University of Maine was a special moment,” he says. “It validated that I was on the right track. I wasn’t just marking time and taking classes but driving my learning experience to the next level. Thanks to glowing recommendation letters from Dr. Lu and Dr. Sebastian Lobe, Jord was also initiated into the Phi Kappa Phi honor society. “This was another huge honor for me,” Jord says.
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As he finishes up his last two classes this summer, Jord shares that he has seen tremendous growth in the MaineMBA program in the past year under Dr. Norm O’Reilly, Dean of the Graduate School of Business. In 91¸£Àû’s MBA program, Jord took classes with fellow students who had just earned their bachelor’s degrees and students who were more advanced in their careers than he was. “One thing that I have learned about the MaineMBA program is that diverse backgrounds and viewpoints make for strong leadership and educational experience,” Jord says. “Earning a master’s degree is a grind. You must be mentally prepared to balance work, family, and school life. And to be patient with the other students you will collaborate with.”
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In May 2022, Jord walked across the stage during the University of Maine’s commencement ceremony. “My dad likes to joke about my multi-decade educational experience asking me, ‘Are we there yet?’ I’d like to say ‘Yes!’ but I don’t have a Ph.D. yet….”
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When Nick and Garrett Bernardo (Class of 2014 and 2015, respectively) rented an apartment in New Jersey to play summer baseball, they had no idea it would start a business venture. The brothers sublet an apartment from Scott Klimchak, a Rutgers University lacrosse player. The trio became best friends and co-owners of , a clothing company that offers sportswear and apparel to teams and corporations. Garrett is the CEO/Creative Director, Nick is the COO/Director of Sales, and Scott is the CSO/Director of Outside Sales.

NOVUS is Latin for “fresh and new beginnings.” “When we started, we thought it was cool to use the Latin root of “fresh”,” Garrett says. “As we’ve grown as a brand, the name NOVUS encapsulates our mantra of living a life of passion, conviction, and perseverance.”

The three undergrads had an idea to sell crewnecks and tank tops to their friends on the Rutgers and 91¸£Àû campuses. “NOVUS wasn’t a real business at that time, but we all had a passion for the idea and enjoyed coming up with new designs to sell and meeting new people through our sales,” Garrett says.

“91¸£Àû was always on my radar due to my parents,” Nick says. “They met their freshman year in Stevens Hall!” The brothers grew up vacationing in Maine from their home in New York. When deciding where to attend college and play baseball, Nick and Garrett already felt like 91¸£Àû was a second home. Both brothers were members of the – Nick played first base, and Garrett played infield and outfield.

The Bernardo’s also grew up watching their father, uncle, and grandfather run the family business—a bail bond and insurance business. Nick, a management major, always wanted to have his own business. Garrett followed in his big brother’s footsteps and joined the Maine Business School. “I thought it would be cool to possibly have classes together,” Garrett says.

Their favorite classes included Business Leadership, Organizational Behavior, Finance, and Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation. They also learned a lot from local business owners, including Bob Cutler, who started The Family Dog, and Kostas Bazmpas from the Orono House of Pizza. “I’d pick their brains and educate myself on what they knew about entrepreneurship,” Nick says.

As a senior, Garrett found himself applying NOVUS to almost everything he was learning in his business and entrepreneurship classes. “As I began to learn more about my passions and strengths, I started to believe this business idea could turn into my full-time job,” he says. “I knew it would take time.”

Garrett says that 91¸£Àû was the fuel behind the fire of NOVUS. “From the classroom, I was pushed to step outside my comfort zone,” he says. “My public speaking class and making presentations in my business classes helped me discover my strengths. On the baseball diamond, I learned what it was like to be a team player and how to be selfless and work hard towards achieving a common goal.”

What separates NOVUS from other sports apparel companies is how they source their material and build their product offerings from scratch. “Our customization abilities and embellishments are far superior to your standard custom apparel company,” Nick says. “We have no middle man and have spent more than eight years developing relationships with exclusive factories to produce our apparel.”

This level of customization led to NOVUS’s first professional athlete partnership with in July 2020. Butker is a kicker on the Kansas City Chiefs football team. NOVUS worked with him to create his own clothing line. “From the first time we met with Harrison, it felt like a brotherhood,” Garrett says. “Harrison was on the same page as Nick and I – wanting to use his platform as an athlete to make an impact. It was affirming for us to meet and build a relationship with an elite professional athlete who truly believed in us and what we’re doing.”

The brothers say that the COVID-19 pandemic was a blessing in disguise. When COVID hit, all sports came to a halt, devastating for a sports-focused custom apparel company like NOVUS. Nick, Garrett, and Scott were forced to think differently and pivoted to focus on outfitting essential businesses. “The state police, construction companies, fire departments, and other corporate businesses were new accounts, which resulted in another crucial piece to our business revenue stream that we didn’t have before COVID,” Nick says.

NOVUS hasn’t been an overnight success, but that’s just fine with Nick and Garrett. Establishing trust with their customers and clients is the most important thing to them, and that takes time. “We challenge ourselves each day to ‘stay small’ from an overall mindset of how we want to grow our business,” Garrett says. “What I mean by that is we’re always ensuring we do everything to give our customers our very best service and being intentional in the way we go about that as we continue to grow. We are very grateful for the support so many have given us. It keeps us grounded and helps us treat every opportunity with the same excitement we had when we first started.â€�

This mindset led to the brothers creating the 91¸£Àû in 2021. This endowed fund provides financial assistance for purchasing athletic team championship mementos. The first benefactors were the 91¸£Àû 2021 America East Field Hockey Champions.

NOVUS has committed to contributing to the Claim Your Crown Fund for the next five years. “As we continue to work hard on growing our business, we’re excited to work along 91¸£Àû and their commitment to excellence in both academics and athletics,” Garrett says. Nick adds, “We are a mission-driven company, and giving back to the community and those that helped get us to where we are today is all part of our greater plan. Maine has always held a special place in our hearts.”

If you’d like to contribute to the Claim Your Crown fund, .

Amy Falkin, Class of 2018, grew up visiting Maine every summer with her family. This Georgia native focused on Business Information Systems during her career at the Maine Business School and is now working as a Senior Systems Analyst for Chick-fil-A, Inc. back in her home state.

Why did you decide to attend the University of Maine?

The main reason was to play on the . When I visited Coach Atherley, I fell in love with the campus and knew it was the perfect fit.

Why did you decide to study business?

I knew there was so much opportunity to find a job with a business degree. I started at 91¸£Àû as a business undeclared student. After taking some classes, I narrowed down what I was passionate about and what I could see myself doing as a career.

What classes or professors stand out in your memory?

My BUA 235 (Introduction to MIS) with Dr. Matt Graham impacted me during my first semester at 91¸£Àû. Dr. Graham took time during the class to explain precisely what MIS is and how it can be applied to every business in every industry. He showed me how incredibly valuable the skills learned in the MIS classes are after graduation. I asked him if he could be my mentor and advisor in making sure I was taking the right classes while gaining useful experience for my resume. Business Information Systems became my concentration because of Dr. Graham. I attribute finding my passion in IT to his class.

You work as a systems analyst at Chick-fil-A. Tell us about what you do in this role:

I work as a Senior Systems Analyst in our Digital Transformation and Technology (IT) department at Chick-fil-A. In my current role, I am more on the technical side of the location domain. I support the core location systems and the core location database, which feeds all our internal and customer-facing systems with location data. For example, when opening the Chick-fil-A app on your phone, the store’s address, nearby locations, store hours, etcetera, all come from the systems I maintain. My responsibility is to ensure that the location data at CFA flows to all necessary systems correctly and that all core location systems are working as expected. My role as the owner of the location domain is to keep our location systems running, healthy, and secure.

I have always been primarily focused on supporting location data and location systems at Chick-fil-A. When I first started at CFA a little more than three-and-a-half years ago, I was a Business Analyst on our Restaurant Development Solutions team. I supported the functional aspects of the Restaurant Development and Real Estate departments.

What do you like about your job? What do you find are the biggest challenges?

I love how many other teams and departments with which I get the opportunity to partner. The nature of my role has given me the chance to build relationships across the organization. This has contributed to a deep understanding of the flow of location data at Chick-fil-A. I have found a passion for working with Restaurant Development and Real Estate. Understanding their business processes allows me to make strategic decisions on the IT systems side confidently. Since location data is so interdependent across the organization, it is sometimes a challenge to meet end users’ growing wants and needs.

How did your degree from the Maine Business School prepare you for your current career?

I apply the technical and functional skills my degree taught me on a daily basis. My database management classes with Dr. Matt Graham and Dr. Nory Jones taught me valuable skills, such as SQL, and understanding the underlying connections of databases. I also learned many soft skills at 91¸£Àû, such as how to interact with a company’s business side while balancing the technical needs and specifications. 91¸£Àû gave me the skills to understand both the business and technology sides at Chick-fil-A.

What advice would you give to current business school students? 

My biggest piece of advice is to find a skill you are passionate about to apply to your everyday work. When looking at job descriptions for a career after college, do not stress if you do not meet all of the qualifications – APPLY! Most of the specific system knowledge you will need for a job, especially in IT, is learned on the job and aligned with the general skills learned in college.

Ryan Moore graduated from the Maine Business School in 2005 with a major in Marketing. He is currently finishing his Ph.D. in Marketing with the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky. A native of Millinocket, Maine, Ryan is clearly the king of multitasking!

Why did you decide to attend 91¸£Àû for your undergraduate degree?

I was a transfer student to 91¸£Àû. Growing up in a small town, most of my high school classmates made 91¸£Àû their first choice, and I honestly wanted to experience something different. I wanted to be far enough away that it wasn’t convenient for me to make the drive home if something got hard, and the 60-mile commute from Orono to Millinocket would have been too close. I decided to go to an out-of-state school for a particular degree, but I quickly realized that I hated the major and changed to business.

Then the paper mills closed in Millinocket, and both my parents lost their jobs. 91¸£Àû offered programs specifically to help students of displaced mill workers at the time. That incentive, plus the fact that the Maine Business School was far superior to the business program I was currently in, made it easy to transfer to 91¸£Àû. Looking back, I regret not going to 91¸£Àû for the entire four years. 91¸£Àû has so much more to offer than any small out-of-state school!

Why study business?

During college, I worked at the North Woods Trading Post outside of Millinocket. The owner of the store became my first mentor. She told me I had a head for business and should consider business as my major. I did some research and took her advice.

Did you have any favorite classes?

Two of my favorite professors also taught both of my favorite classes. I had Dr. McKeage for Consumer Behavior and Dr. Daniels for Marketing Research. Those are now two topics that I am very interested in with my own research. One project that I remember clearly was in the Marketing Research class. We had to call local businesses and ask for their fax number to fax them a questionnaire as part of the research. We all were to take turns using the university’s cell phone and go down a calling list trying to get a fax number. I’m pretty sure that survey method wouldn’t get us a good result today. Marketing research has become a lot easier with social media and email!

You’ve worked for Bank of America for 18 years. Tell us a bit of your role there:

This was my first real adult job, and I never left. I started working nights while I was at 91¸£Àû. I’ve held many different roles at the bank over the years. I started on the phones taking calls. I eventually moved into the marketing operations area, where I supported outward dialing campaigns and was a vendor manager for the Inward Telesales group. Today I work in digital banking. I am a Senior Vice President and the Digital Deposits Product Manager. I support all the checking, savings, CDs, and IRA account openings in the digital space. My team and I cover the up-front marketing pages supporting the products, the applications to apply for the products, and any onboarding steps once the account has been approved. We are also responsible for end-to-end customer experiences, compliance and controls, and production support activities.

What I like most about my career with the bank is that there are always new opportunities available. I have moved around the bank and held over ten jobs in the past 18 years. I also really enjoy supporting the digital space. There is so much changing in banking, and with more and more digital advances coming, it is almost too much to keep up with. But that is what makes it exciting.

How did your undergraduate degree from the Maine Business School set you up for success?

My undergraduate education gave me two things: my curiosity about marketing and the skills needed to balance work, school, and personal time. 91¸£Àû was my first dive into marketing, and it wasn’t what I expected. I always considered myself creative, so I thought marketing was just pretty pictures and catchy slogans. I was wrong. The Maine Business School fueled my curiosity to learn more, and I hope to pass that on to students someday. During my time as an undergrad, I was a full-time student and a part-time employee. School couldn’t get in the way of work, and work couldn’t get in the way of school. That meant I studied on my free weekends off. Learning to balance both was a skill I learned as an undergrad.

You also have an MBA, and you’re pursuing a Ph.D. in marketing. Why did you decide to further your education?

I decided to get my MBA because I thought it was the next step for advancement in corporate America, plus I really enjoy school. I wanted a Ph.D. for an entirely different reason. My goal is to eventually transition into higher education and teach full-time at a college or university.

You work full time, teach part-time, and are earning your Ph.D. in Marketing. How do you multitask?

I have found that setting routines helps me stay on track. My work time is 8 am to 5 pm. I try to be as productive as possible, so work doesn’t carry past 5 pm. I then usually spend some time grading papers and answering student questions. I try to set a clear stop time for that so I can wind down at the end of the day.

Since I am working on my dissertation now, I write and conduct research when I can. This is usually on the weekends. Developing a clear routine and setting boundaries to still have a life outside of work and school is essential. I think it is also important to understand when something is due, and from there, you need to prioritize. For example, if there is a big presentation at work due, I may have to spend more time at the day job and less time grading papers. If I have a paper or a draft due for my dissertation, maybe I take a day off and focus on that. I have also been working from home for years, so I have a little more time in my day since I am not commuting.

Will you tell us about your research for your dissertation?

I wanted to work on a research project that could help small struggling towns like the town I grew up in. When the event started in town, it was a unique event that gave our small town some national attention. I wanted to know if that draw to run in a small town, in the winter, with not much organized support, could be transferred to other towns or even other events.

During my research, I found a study that looked at another marathon in Korea. Their focus was on the participants’ emotional experience and their desire to seek out novel events. I added in another factor to study the interactions with the people during the event, the community members, the other runners, and the volunteers. I want to know if those combinations build loyalty and promote advocacy for the event and town. There probably will not be another Millinocket Marathon out there. Still, there are many small towns like Millinocket, and I hope my research can help another town draw thousands of tourists to their sleepy hamlet and give the region a needed boost.