Carlos Dinkins, MBA ’12, knew he was going to love attending The University of Texas McCombs School of Business pretty much immediately. “It was during orientation, actually,” he said. “I saw all these brilliant people who I had met in class earlier that day and later in the evening we’re all dancing and laughing like we’ve been best friends. It was obvious to me I was going to get both a quantitative and qualitative experience at McCombs.”
What he couldn’t predict, though, was the deep impact those same people would make on his life even ten years later. While studying marketing and brand management, Carlos made many deep connections that have guided his path ever since. But first, a little history.
After graduation, Carlos spent five years at Pepsi, an extension of an internship he enjoyed while at McCombs. While working his way up the company ladder, he developed a desire to run sales at a national level. He took over national sales for a cold brew coffee start-up before being recruited by The Sazarac Company for the role of State Manager. “It was actually one of my McCombs classmates who recommended me for the role I have now,” he said. “They made me an offer in an industry I’ve always loved that I just couldn’t pass up.”
Even though he’s in another state, Austin and his alma mater are never far from his thoughts. He has continued to volunteer his time as an MBA interviewer, panelist, and currently sits on the McCombs MBA Advisory Board. He’s even making plans to get back to Austin this month, even though it won’t be for McCombs Homecoming. To him, giving back time to a school he loves is one way of keeping tradition alive. “It’s more than paying it forward,” he said. “It’s the spirit of UT. You need to give someone back the same experience you had through volunteering and doing what you can.”
As for those ongoing relationships, even as far away as Florida, Carlos couldn’t escape them if he wanted to. “One of my greatest friends from McCombs just happens to be one of my best customers here in Florida,” he said. “So, you never know how deep those connections will go.”